Kenmore 75050 (5,000 Btu)

No-frills air conditioner for small bedrooms
pros

* Inexpensive
* Cools small rooms well

cons

* Not Energy Star-rated
* No remote control
* Some durability complaints

The Kenmore 75050 5,000 Btu is a no-frills, budget window air conditioner, but reviews say it cools very well. It is suitable for a small room of about 150 square feet, and owners say it is quiet. The Kenmore 75050 is not Energy Star-rated and has a mechanical dial instead of a remote control. As with most window units, we did read some complaints about durability; some of the owners posting to Sears.com say their unit broke after the first year. If you are looking for an energy-efficient air conditioner and are willing to pay more, reviews recommend the 6,000 Btu Frigidaire FAA065P7A (*Est. $200), which can cool a slightly larger room.

Sears.com is the best source for user reviews of the Kenmore 75050, with more than 90 owner-written comments. Epinions.com has a handful of mixed user reviews.

Frigidaire FAA065P7A (6,000 Btu)

Best air conditioner for about 200 square feet
pros

* Energy Star-rated
* Easy-to-use controls
* Remote control
* Low-voltage protection

cons

* Annoying alert beeps
* Noisy
* A little expensive for its size

Reviews say the Energy Star-rated Frigidaire FAA065P7A 6,000-Btu air conditioner is a good choice for rooms of about 200 square feet. The Frigidaire FAA065P7A's digital display and remote control make temperature settings easy to control. Low-voltage protection helps the air conditioner operate during brownouts and other power fluctuations. Reviews say this air conditioner offers a good balance of performance and efficiency at a low price. Owners complain that the unit beeps whenever the temperature setting is reached, and some say it is noisy. Reviews say the Kenmore 76081 7,800-Btu air conditioner (*Est. $200) is worth considering if you want more features, including more power, at a comparable price.

ConsumerReports.org conducts the only objective testing of window air conditioners that we could find, and it is the sole professional reviewer of the Frigidaire FAA065P7A as well. The most user reviews are at Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com. This air conditioner also gets comments at BestBuy.com and Epinions.com.