The 8 Best Smart Air Conditioners

Editor's Notes

January 26, 2021:

When updating our list, there were just a couple of models that caught our eye, starting with the Friedrich Chill Premier. This Texan company only makes air conditioners and purifiers and this model is versatile, in that it can be installed through windows or walls, is easy to use, and its build quality inspires confidence.

Secondly, we added the Midea U Inverter, which rethinks the classic window-design, by making a u-shaped system that allows the window to be operated while it's not in use. It works with single and double-hung windows, and, perhaps most impressively, it can use up to 35-percent less energy than similar units, cutting down on electricity bills and reducing the household's carbon footprint.

October 09, 2019:

Given the fact that the internet of things seems to keep on growing, it's no surprise that air conditioners have joined the party. The smart home's temperature is likely one of its most commonly controlled aspects, along with lights and security devices. But it's important to realize that not all smart ACs are truly smart, and some savvy manufacturers and marketers have been slapping their ACs with that moniker simply because their devices feature thermostats, as though the ability to sense the temperature and kick on or off as needed is a smart feature. We made sure in our ranking that the ACs included all have the ability to be controlled via smartphone app, as a baseline for what we'd consider a smart unit.

The Quirky + GE conditioner on our previous list was plagued with durability issues, and is now rather hard to find, so we sent it packing. As the number of available smart products on the market grows, however, a list like this is bound to expand, and we've added a handful of new models from the likes of LG, Frigidaire, and others, some of which are portable (meaning that they can somewhat easily move from room-to-room in your house; not meaning that you can take them out and about with you) and others of which are designed to live in your window fixtures.

BTU ratings were heavily taken into account, as it's usually good to have more power than you need to cool a given space, and as those ratings can sometimes overestimate the area they can effectively cool. We also paid close attention to things like ease of installation and ease of use, all of which led the Frigidaire Cool Connect toward our top spot. Its rather modern, unobtrusive display put it over the top.