If you live somewhere without central air conditioning, window and wall AC units are key to keeping your space comfortable during the warmer months. A smart AC unit has some additional benefits: They can be synced with a smart thermostat and/or other smart ACs in your home. You can also make the smart AC part of an automation, to come on or go off when specific conditions are met. In my own home, my smart ACs are paired with my voice assistant, so I can just ask Google to adjust the unit as I please.
As prices for smart ACs become increasingly competitive, and as the smart features become increasingly useful, it makes less and less sense to opt for a traditional AC unit. Here are a few of my favorite smart AC units that are getting the most recognition.
Midea U-shaped Smart Inverter AC
I have owned three of the these ACs and I am very happy with them. While U-Shaped ACs are a little harder to install, they’re a lot less conspicuous. The unit is split, and the window can come all the way down in between the two sections. Installation of each unit takes about an hour, but once they’re in, you don’t uninstall them for winter. This AC unit is responsive to most voice assistants and comes in a variety of sizes. My bills went down quite a bit from my older AC models, and the filters are easy to clean, meaning I’m more likely to keep up with maintenance. I appreciate the simple, modern design, and customer support has been responsive. Midea routinely places at the top of recommendation lists for AC units.
Midea U-shaped AC 8,000 BTU, $357
Midea U-shaped AC 10,000 BTU, $419
Midea U-shaped AC 12,000 BTU, $459
Windmill Smart AC
The Windmill is a more traditional window AC, but it is gorgeously modern and simple. Windmill has also been positively reviewed, and has a high rating on Amazon. Notably, it’s been called out for the ease of installation, which is often the most problematic part of owning an AC. This unit is voice-assistant-enabled for Google and Alexa, and works over wifi. The Windmill Smart AC offers a nice blend of the company’s experience with HVAC and smart integration of new technology. I really appreciated that the Windmill comes in sizes as small as 6000BTU for small rooms. You can update to “WhisperTech” on larger units, which has a dual-air intake for more efficient cooling.
Windmill AC 6,000 BTU, $319
Windmill AC 8,000 BTU, $369
Windmill AC 8,000 BTU with WhisperTech, $429
Windmill AC 10,000 BTU with WhisperTech, $668
LG Dual Inverter Smart AC
A relatively new addition to the crowd, the LG Dual Inverter AC has been routinely mentioned in product roundups this year. Many reviewers note that it’s quiet, which is something very much appreciated in a window AC unit. The dual inverter makes it particularly efficient, and it pairs with both Alexa and Google. Like the other ACs I’ve highlighted, the LG has a modern, clean look, but it has more of a traditional AC shape. The filter is also washable, which is a nice feature (the vacuum only does so much). Though availability is limited, this line comes in a wide variety of sizes.
LG Dual Inverter AC 8,000 BTU, $399
LG Dual Inverter AC 12,000 BTU, $529
LG Dual Inverter AC 14,000 BTU, $599
