What Are The Best Air Conditioner Brands? | 2024 Guide – Architectural Digest

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Air conditioners are key to keeping your home cool and comfortable, but finding the right one can be difficult. Theres a lot of technical terminology and jargon that goes along with shopping for an AC that can make it challenging to figure out which ones are better than others.

To simplify the process, weve researched the best air conditioner brands and closely compared product specifications, prices, and extra features. Read on for our top recommendations for AC brands.

We spent hundreds of hours researching the HVAC industry to rank brands against each other. Here are the best air conditioning brands according to our rating methodology:

Compare our top-recommended air conditioning brands of 2024 below.

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Many factors determine which air conditioner is right for your home. Weve highlighted some of the most important things to look for.

Installing an air conditioner requires you to work closely with a company, so youll want to ensure theres plenty of customer support available. Take note of whether a brand offers a direct phone line or customer support via live chat or mobile app. The more means of communication, the better. Additionally, read customer reviews on popular review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This will help you get a realistic idea of what its like to deal with each brands network of contractors and customer service representatives.

Intelligent cooling is another way to say smart-home integration. For a more convenient and optimized system, find brands that offer smart-home options that allow you to control and adjust your air conditioner from your smartphone. These features often let you connect the AC to other parts of your homes HVAC system and control the system through voice commands.

A noticeable noise level is a common complaint for ACs. You certainly dont want a unit that might disrupt your sleep or bother your house guests or pets.

We advise checking the noise level of the AC units that interest you. Currently, air conditioners can be as quiet as 50 to 60 dB. We recommend looking for ACs under 70 dB. To give you a better idea of how loud this is, check out the following breakdown from Purdue Universitys Chemistry Department:

When shopping forAC units, its important to know which type you need. There are six main types ofair conditionersystems, and each meets different needs. Learn about each type below to determine which kind you need:

Any air conditioner that uses a variable-speed compressor is a serious plus. Though a variable-speed AC system costs more up-front, the investment is worth it because it lowers your energy bills and increases your homes value. These units dont cycle on and off like traditional air conditioners. Instead, they adjust the air handlers speed to match your homes cooling needs, resulting in increased comfort, reduced humidity, higher efficiency, and quieter performance.

Some air conditioners have longer warranties than others. Additionally, some AC warranties only cover certain parts of the unit, such as the compressor, while others may include entire unit replacement. Check the manufacturers website for information and see if the brands network of installers will include a workmanship warranty.

The HVAC industry uses various ratings and metrics to determine a products efficiency, but the two most important ones for an AC unit are its SEER rating and ENERGY STARcertification.

Seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) ratings measure an AC units efficiency. The ratio reflects an ACs cooling output over a typical cooling season divided by the energy it uses in watt-hours. Your units efficiency could be lower depending on your homes conditions, such as insulation and windows. Any SEER rating above 13 is considered good. The average rating is 16, and anything above 20 is top-of-the-line. Units below 13 are likely low-quality.

An AC unit with ENERGY STARcertification meets federally mandated guidelines regarding energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. ENERGY STARrequires all of its certified central air conditioners and heat pumps to have a SEER rating of at least 15.

The best air conditioner brand depends on your preferences, budget, and home layout. We find Lennox to be one of the best AC brands due to its high SEER ratings, smart home capabilities, and SunSource technology. However, Carrier offers more intelligent cooling options, and York builds some of the most durable and quietest ACs.

We recommend getting at least three quotes from different AC brands to compare costs, warranties, and additional features. Use our tool below to request free quotes from reputable HVAC installers near you.

Whether Trane or Carrier is better depends on your individual preferences and home. However, we found that Carrier is generally better, given its focus on smart home integration and its assortment of air purifiers and humidity control products.

Yes, HVAC brand matters for a few reasons, namely due to warranties. Some brands also charge a premium because of their name and reputation while lesser-known brands might offer a similar product at a more affordable rate.

Your AC unit should last 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance and care.

A new AC system costs an average of $5,000 to $6,000. However, this price varies based on your homes layout, additional features such as air purification and smart thermostats, brand name, and installation fees.

The end of winter is the best time to buy an air conditioner. Retailers have a high supply of air conditioning units during winter, but homeowners often arent thinking about replacing or repairing their AC units during this time. The decrease in demand means prices and installation costs are lower.

We researched dozens of HVAC brands to determine which ones offer the best air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and other heating, ventilation, and air conditioning products. We then crafted a rating system based on each brands mid-tier and high-end product offerings.

We analyzed each companys product specifications, SEER ratings, AFUE ratings, and their best available sound rating. We also ensured that each brand offers ENERGY STAR-certified products. In addition, we closely analyzed each companys warranties to ensure their product and labor guarantees match or exceed industry standards.

Finally, we assessed the manufacturers years of experience and customer reputation on popular review sites such as the Better Business Bureau. We also checked whether the brand fulfills the high-end and luxury needs of Architectural Digest readers, such as smart-home integration options, solar-powered capabilities, and home comfort control products such as air purifiers and humidity control.

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What Are The Best Air Conditioner Brands? | 2024 Guide - Architectural Digest