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Air conditioning is essential in the summer, but cooling your home can jack up your energy bill. Smart air conditioners might be more expensive than traditional units upfront, but they can potentially save you money in the long run due to their efficiency and support for features like scheduling. They’re also just really convenient. We’ve rounded up the best smart ACs we’ve tested to help you select the best one for your needs. Keeping reading below our picks for some helpful buying advice as well.
Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
GE Profile Clearview PHNT10 Smart Air Conditioner
Best Low-Profile Design
Bottom Line:
The Wi-Fi-enabled GE ClearView PHNT10 air conditioner is impressively quiet and does a superb job of cooling without blocking the view from your window.
PROS
Fast, quiet cooling
Provides full window view
Generates power usage reports
Voice controls
Works with IFTTT
CONS
Pricey
Doesn’t support HomeKit
SPECS
Name
Value
BTUs
10300
Style
Window Unit
Voice Control
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Energy Star Certified
Learn More
GE Profile Clearview PHNT10 Smart Air Conditioner Review
Midea Duo Smart Inverter Portable Air Conditioner
Doubles as a Dehumidifier
Bottom Line:
The Midea Duo is a smart portable air conditioner you can control with your phone or voice to quietly cool off a 450-square-foot room in no time.
PROS
Easy to install and move
Very fast cooling
Quiet
Phone, remote, and voice control
Built-in dehumidifier
CONS
Pricey
Doesn’t support energy reporting, HomeKit, or IFTTT
Massive exhaust tube
SPECS
Name
Value
BTUs
14,000
Style
Portable
Voice Control
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Energy Star Certified
Learn More
Midea Duo Smart Inverter Portable Air Conditioner Review
Midea 8,000BTU U-Shaped Air Conditioner
Easiest Installation
Bottom Line:
The Midea 8,000BTU U-shaped Air Conditioner is an ultra-quiet window air conditioner with built-in Wi-Fi and support for Alexa and Google voice commands.
PROS
Innovative design
Very quiet
Fast cooling
Supports Alexa and Google voice commands
Easy to install
CONS
No HomeKit or IFTTT support
Lacks power usage reporting
SPECS
Name
Value
BTUs
8,000
Style
Window Unit
Voice Control
Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Proprietary
Energy Star Certified
Learn More
Midea 8,000BTU U-Shaped Air Conditioner Review
Windmill AC
Most Stylish Design
Bottom Line:
The Windmill AC is a smart window air conditioner that is stylish, quiet, easy to install, and does a fine job of cooling.
PROS
Stylish design
Works with Alexa and Google voice
Easy installation
Fast, quiet cooling
CONS
Does not support IFTTT or HomeKit
Lacks power usage reports
SPECS
Name
Value
BTUs
8,300
Style
Window Unit
Voice Control
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Energy Star Certified
Learn More
Windmill AC Review
Hisense 10000-BTU Window AC Inverter WiFi (AW1023TW1W)
Best Efficiency and Reports
Bottom Line:
The Hisense 10000-BTU Window AC Inverter WiFi supports voice control and uses inverter technology to effectively and quietly cool medium-sized rooms.
PROS
Fast cooling
Inverter tech
Creates power usage reports
Voice control
Relatively quiet
CONS
Pricey
Doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT
SPECS
Name
Value
BTUs
10,000
Style
Window Unit
Voice Control
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Energy Star Certified
Learn More
Hisense 10000-BTU Window AC Inverter WiFi (AW1023TW1W) Review
Buying Guide: The Best Smart Air Conditioners for 2024
What Is a Smart Air Conditioner?To be considered smart, an air conditioner needs to have a Wi-Fi radio so it can connect to an app that allows remote control and monitoring. No matter where you are, smart air conditioners let you do things like adjust the target temperature, change the fan speed, and turn them on and off. Many also let you set a cooling schedule, so they will kick on at a designated time. And some support Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands.
Hisense ConnectLife mobile app (Credit: Hisense)
Advanced models even offer energy usage reports and can use your phone’s location services to cool down rooms before you arrive. That way, you’re not wasting energy—and money—cooling an empty room when you aren’t there.What Size Air Conditioner Do You Need?Before purchasing any air conditioner, it’s important to figure out what size unit you need. If it’s too small, it has to work harder to reach the target temperature, wasting energy. If it’s too big, it will cool the room before sucking out moisture, leaving you feeling clammy.Figuring out the correct size AC for your room involves some math, but it’s pretty easy. First, measure the length and width of the room you want to cool, then multiply those numbers to calculate the square footage. In general, you want 20 to 25 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of cooling power for every square foot. So, multiply the square footage of your room by 20 to get the minimum size air conditioner that will work in your space. If your room is 500 square feet, for instance, you need an air conditioner with 10,000 BTUs. If you have high ceilings and large windows, you might need more cooling power. Energy Star recommends increasing capacity by 10% if the room is very sunny, reducing it by 10% if it’s heavily shaded, adding 600 BTUs if more than two people regularly occupy the room, and increasing capacity by 4,000 BTUs if the unit is in a kitchen.
Windmill AC (Credit: Windmill)
Which Is Better: Portable or Window Air Conditioner?Before you buy a smart air conditioner, you need to decide whether you want a portable or window unit. Portable units are convenient in that you can move them from room to room, but they take up floor space and require a bulky exhaust hose. Window units partially block your view and can be a pain to install, but are far more discreet overall.Another option is to purchase a retrofit device to make your basic air conditioner smart. If you already have a working AC, consider a device like the Sensibo Sky, which brings remote phone control and other connected features to your traditional unit. It works with various types of ACs and was easy to install in our testing. Meanwhile, if you need something to clean your air while it cools you, consider devices like the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07.You might also want to consider a smart fan, such as the Dreo CF714S Air Circulator or Pilot Max Tower.
Recommended by Our Editors
How Wet Test Smart Air ConditionersWe test smart air conditioners in our homes, taking into account factors like app experience, cooling performance, design and specs, ease of installation, modes, operating volume, and support for voice commands and scheduling. When determining our ratings, we also consider whether a unit reports on power usage. We provide detailed analysis of each of the smart AC units here in our reviews, so be sure to check them out. And we plan to update this roundup often as we test new models, so check back soon.If you’re in the market for other smart home devices, we can help you select the one that best fits your needs. Whether you’re looking for a connected light bulb, security camera, or thermostat, check out the best smart home devices we’ve tested for every room in the house.
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