Which Air Conditioners Brand Wins?
In our test we compared 8 air conditioners options head to head. Midea came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Midea
Price shown in test: $350
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GE Profile
Price shown in test: $397
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LG
Price shown in test: $169
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The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“the U-shaped Midea came out on top with an average finish of second place. It has a great build quality and it's an amazingly quiet air conditioner. It would definitely be my choice if you're looking for a window unit.”
Best in 2 of 10 measurements, including Noise Low Cool and Build Quality Rating.
Best in 3 of 10 measurements, including Noise Low Cool, Noise High Cool and Build Quality Rating.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
Btu Rating
- 1Midea U-Shaped6,000 BTU
rated to cool up to 250 sq ft
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped6,100 BTU
rated to cool up to 250 sq ft
- 3Black and Decker8,000 BTU
or 5,000 BTU SACC, rated to cool up to 350 sq ft
- 4LG5,000 BTU
rated to cool up to 150 sq ft
- 5Dreo8,000 BTU
or 5,000 BTU SACC
- 6Windmill6,000 BTU
rated to cool up to 250 sq ft
- 7Garvee5,000 BTU
rated to cool up to 150 sq ft
- 8Amazon Basics5,000 BTU
rated to cool up to 150 sq ft
Weight
- 1Midea U-Shaped48 lb
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped70 lb
heaviest of all units tested
- 3Black and Decker50 lb
- 4LGabout32 lb
- 5Dreo46 lb
- 6Windmill49 lb
- 7Garveeabout35 lb
- 8Amazon Basicsabout33 lb
Noise Low Cool
- 1Midea U-Shaped37.8 dB
tied best of all units tested with GE Profile
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped37.8 dB
tied best of all units tested with Midea
- 3Black and Decker49.2 dB
- 4LG51.7 dB
- 5Dreo50.9 dB
- 6Windmill52.4 dB
- 7Garvee55.9 dB
- 8Amazon Basics58.4 dB
Noise High Cool
- 1Midea U-Shaped45.8 dB2nd
close second best behind GE Profile's 43.4 dB
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped43.4 dB
best result of all units tested
- 3Black and Decker50.4 dB
best result yet at the point it was tested
- 4LG56.1 dB
- 5Dreo55.2 dB
- 6Windmill58.9 dB
- 7Garvee59.4 dB
- 8Amazon Basics59.8 dB
Coldest Temperature
- 1Midea U-Shaped48.4 F
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped47.3 F
nearly tied with Black and Decker for coldest
- 3Black and Decker47.2 F
coldest result of all units tested
- 4LG49.2 F
- 5Dreo53.8 F
not as cool as Black and Decker
- 6Windmill48.4 F
third coldest result
- 7Garvee47.8 F
- 8Amazon Basics50.8 F
warmest result of all units tested
Energy Use
- 1Midea U-Shapedabout6 W
on low fan and 14 W on high fan, the most efficient fan power of all units tested; about 380 W on low cool and 546 W on high cool
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped25 W
on low fan and 50 W on high fan; 433 W on low cool and 454 W on high cool
- 3Black and Decker37 W
on low fan and 52 W on high fan; about 719 W on low cool and 732 W on high cool
- 4LG57 W
on low and high fan; about 304 W on low cool and 315 W on high cool
- 5Dreo44 W
on low fan and 53 W on high fan; just over 700 W on low cool and just over 720 W on high cool
- 6Windmillabout69
to 70 W on low and high fan; 385 W on low cool and 400 W on high cool
- 7Garvee64 W
on low and high fan; about 317 to 319 W on low and high cool
- 8Amazon Basics63.5 W
on low fan and about 64 W on high fan; close to 315 W on low and high cool
Air Speed
- 1Midea U-Shaped5.2 mph
on low, 9.1 mph on high
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped7.2 mph
on low, 10.3 mph on high
- 3Black and Decker13.8 mph
on low, 17.4 mph on high
- 4LG10.8 mph
on low, peak of 14 mph on high
- 5Dreo10.5 mph
on low, peak of 16.4 mph on high
- 6Windmill9.6 mph
on low, 12.7 mph on high
- 7Garvee9.8 mph
on low, 12.3 mph on high
- 8Amazon Basics5.7 mph
on low, 8.1 mph on high
Noise Outside
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped66.8 dB
- 4LG63.5 dB
also referenced elsewhere in the transcript as 64.8 dB
- 6Windmill63.8 dB
- 7Garvee65.6 dB
- 8Amazon Basics63.6 dB
also referenced elsewhere in the transcript as 64.8 dB
- 1Midea U-Shapednot tested
- 3Black and Deckernot tested
- 5Dreonot tested
All measurements (5 more)+
Build Quality Rating
- 1Midea U-Shaped1.5
tied best of all units tested with GE Profile
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped1.5
tied best of all units tested with Midea
- 3Black and Decker2
tied with Windmill
- 6Windmill2
tied with Black and Decker
- 4LGnot tested
- 5Dreonot tested
- 7Garveenot tested
- 8Amazon Basicsnot tested
Insulation Fit Finish Rating
- 1Midea U-Shaped2
tied with GE Profile
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped2
tied with Midea
- 3Black and Deckernot tested
- 4LGnot tested
- 5Dreonot tested
- 6Windmillnot tested
- 7Garveenot tested
- 8Amazon Basicsnot tested
Overall Average Finish
- 1Midea U-Shaped
best overall average finish, described as approximately second place across the graded categories
- 2GE Profile U-Shaped
second place overall with an average finish of 2.3
- 3Black and Deckernot tested
- 4LGnot tested
- 5Dreonot tested
- 6Windmillnot tested
- 7Garveenot tested
- 8Amazon Basicsnot tested
Noise Exhaust
- 3Black and Decker54.1 dB
- 5Dreo53.9 dB
quietest exhaust noise of all units tested
- 1Midea U-Shapednot tested
- 2GE Profile U-Shapednot tested
- 4LGnot tested
- 6Windmillnot tested
- 7Garveenot tested
- 8Amazon Basicsnot tested
Noise At Four (ft)
- 1Midea U-Shaped56.7 dB
- 2GE Profile U-Shapednot tested
- 3Black and Deckernot tested
- 4LGnot tested
- 5Dreonot tested
- 6Windmillnot tested
- 7Garveenot tested
- 8Amazon Basicsnot tested
How it was tested
- noise level measured at 4 ft on low and high cool settings
- outside or exhaust noise level
- cooling temperature via thermal camera and a calibrated thermometer
- energy consumption on low and high fan and cooling settings
- air speed on low and high fan settings
- window or installation seal quality using a blower and tissue test
- overall build quality and insulation fit and finish rating
“the U-shaped Midea came out on top with an average finish of second place. It has a great build quality and it's an amazingly quiet air conditioner. It would definitely be my choice if you're looking for a window unit.”
