Best Inverter Air Conditioners

If you live in a place where the temperatures climb to uncomfortable levels in the summertime, you’ll know how much of a necessity air conditioning is. But you also will want to cool the house economically. An inverter air conditioner works differently than your standard air conditioner, in such a way that it uses less electricity. A typical air conditioner’s compressor goes full-on at a single speed when it detects that the room is too warm, and then goes full-off when the room is cool. On the other hand, an inverter air conditioner will run the compressor all the time, just changing the speed according to the desired flow rate of the refrigerant. This consumes less power--up to 64% less energy!--since the fluctuations in the action of the compressor are more gentle than a radical “on” or “off”. They also can cool the room more quickly, and, the compressor is always operating, avoid fluctuations in room temperature.

But inverter air conditioners are a higher initial investment since the circuitry is a bit more complicated. So, you should know what features are essential. To make an informed decision when buying an inverter air conditioner, you should get familiar with some common features that they share, and which brands stand out from the rest. We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting an inverter air conditioner. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of inverter air conditioner,

• See useful tips about that type of inverter air conditioner,

• Read reviews of different inverter air conditioners, and what customers are saying, 

• Select the right brand of the best inverter air conditioner, and 

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Mini-Split Air Conditioner: This is an attractive option for people who want to cool a large room, in a house without ductwork (where central air conditioning isn’t an option). A mini-split has the compressor unit outdoors, perhaps installed on the roof or on the outside wall, and an indoor evaporator unit installed near the ceiling. The indoor evaporator unit does the work of keeping the room cool. There will also be a drain for the condensation to exit, as well as lines for power cables and copper tubing for the refrigerant. An example is the Pioneer 9,000 BTU Ductless Mini-split Air Conditioner (Model No.: WYS009AMFI22RL-16).

Pioneer 9,000 BTU Ductless Mini-split Air Conditioner (Model No.: WYS009AMFI22RL-16)

• Portable Air Conditioner: These are on wheels so that you can move the air conditioner from room to room. An example is the LG Portable Air Conditioner with Dual Inverter Technology (Model No. LP1419IVSM). 

LG Portable Air Conditioner with Dual Inverter Technology (Model No. LP1419IVSM)

• Window Air Conditioner: These are air conditioners that are inserted in the window, with a drainage pipe sending the condensation out of the room. You’ll have to place spacers between the window sill and the air conditioning unit, as well as a bracket to provide extra support. An example is the LG 14,000 BTU Dual-Inverter Window Air Conditioner (Model No. LW1517IVSM).

LG 14,000 BTU Dual-Inverter Window Air Conditioner

• Auto-restart feature: Many inverter air conditioners have a popular feature that they will resume with the previous temperature and fan settings, after a power outage, or if you turn off the unit abruptly. 

• Air direction capacity: The LG window air conditioner has 3 fan speeds and 4-way air direction capability. That way, you can determine which part of the room you wish to direct the cool air, and at which intensity. Their portable fan has auto-swing louvers which ensure that every spot of the room gets cooled.

• Even portable unit needs vents: The LG Inverter Technology Portable Air Conditioner will require that you connect the vent near a window. This will allow the heat to escape. That’s okay for small windows. But, if you have large, floor-to-ceiling windows, it might be difficult to determine where the vent should go.

• Wi-Fi and Voice control: Most of the inverter air conditioners will now be Wi-Fi compatible. For example, many of LG’s air conditioners use the SmartThinQ app, which allows you to control the device using a Smartphone or tablet. You can use your smartphone as a remote control, just with a much greater range. This way, you can have the house cool, way in advance before you come home. They also can be controlled by Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant--meaning that you can even give voice commands!

• Dual Inverter Air Conditioner: We mentioned that these are inverter air conditioners. That means that there is at least a single compressor operating at variable speeds. But there is a noticeable advantage in having a “dual inverter” air conditioner. This has two compression chambers that operate out of phase with each other--when one motor is compressing, the other is decompressing. The result is an air conditioner that vibrates less and operates more quietly. You’ll see many LG inverter air conditioners with this feature.

• The efficiency of an air conditioner: Air conditioners will have an Energy Efficiency Rating or EER. It is defined as the air conditioner’s output of BTUs/hour divided by the input in watts.  So, if we take the LG Model No. LW1517IVSM 14,000 BTU air conditioner, it produces 14,000 BTUs and requires 1,240 Watts. If we do the math, the EER is 14,000/1,240 = 11.2. People notice the decrease in energy use--so, even though the inverter air conditioner is more expensive at first, it pays off by helping you save as much as $45 per month.

• Strength of air conditioner and room size: The more BTUs that the air conditioner requires, the greater the area that it can cool effectively. Here is a guide to BTUs and room size:

  • 8000 BTUs: 50-100 sq. ft.

  • 10,000 BTUs: 100-150 sq. ft.

  • 12,000 BTUs: 250-300 sq. ft.

  • 14,000 BTUs: 300-350 sq. ft.

There are also more massive air conditioners, that can run at 18,000 BTUs or 22,000 BTUs, which can cool areas of 1000 sq. ft. or 1300 sq. ft., respectively.

• Loudness: Inverter air conditioners also tend to be quieter, since you don’t have the sudden startup and shutdown of the compressor unit, which can tend to be noisy. The LG Portable air conditioner will operate at low speeds at a noise level of 44 dB. That’s about the amount of noise that a desktop computer or refrigerator will make--so you can rest assured that it won’t disturb your sleep. The LG Portable AC Unit has a sleep mode, that reduces operating noise for up to 7 hours.

• Dehumidifying: A side benefit of air conditioners is that they dehumidify the room as well. You’ll notice that each air conditioner will also have a rate at which they remove water vapor from the air. The LG Dual Inverter Technology Portable Air Conditioner removes 6.8 pints per hour.  If you run it all day, that’s over 160 pints per day! Instead of the condensation collecting in a container that you have to empty regularly, you have a 7-foot-long hose that you can run out the window.

• LG was founded in 1947 by Koo In-hwoi in Seoul, South Korea. Besides being a giant in making smart TVs, computer monitors, and computers, they also make portable air conditioners, window air conditioners, and air purifier units. 

• Pioneer has its headquarters in Doral, Florida, and is a branch of Parker-Davis HVAC systems, in the AC business since 1995. Pioneer makes mini-split air conditioners, in many different geometries. They make multi-split systems, that can cool up to five rooms at once. There are also different ductless air conditioners, including wall-mounted, ceiling cassette, floor-ceiling mounted, floor-mounted models, and ducted, central air conditioning options.

• Whynter was founded in 2002, and has their headquarters presently in Brea, California. They manufacture air comfort products, such as air coolers, purifiers, dehumidifiers, misting fans, and portable and mini-split air conditioners.

• Midea was founded in 1968 as a maker of home appliances. They were founded by He Xiangjian, and have their headquarters in Beijiao, China. They make dishwashers, washers and dryers, refrigerators, and room and ductless air conditioning units. Their air conditioners come in portable, through-the-wall, and window models.