Forget the concrete jungle — this summer, Gotham was a concrete crockpot. July’s hellacious “Heat Dome 2.0” turned the MTA into a rolling subterranean bathing club, just less chic and smellier.
New York can be a hard place for air conditioners. Getting them up five flights of stairs to your apartment and through the door can cause irreparable damage. Then you have to hope that your ancient, pre-war windows and outdated wiring won’t crumble to dust when you try to install your unit. An AC that can make it in New York can thrive in any home across America.
See our full testing criteria
We gave a sample of the top-of-the-line units to nine real New Yorkers in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan to test out under real-life conditions. No two spaces in the city are the same, even in the same building, so each reviewer has their own idiosyncratic needs for air cooling and dehumidifying.
Best window units
Pros:
- The U-shaped design allows users to open and close their window freely to let in fresh air without obstructing the view
- Includes an integrated anti-theft mechanism that securely locks the window when closed
- Runs up to nine times quieter than traditional units by using the window frame as a sound barrier alongside DC inverter technology
- Achieves over 37% energy savings compared to standard units
Cons:
- Some users report condensation issues with this unit
- Cleaning the unit is recommended periodically, and users report some difficulty with the operation
- Most air conditioners feature louvers that can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically
The Midea U Smart Inverter Window Air Conditioner has an innovative U-shaped design that allows you to open and close your window freely, bringing in fresh air while maintaining an unobstructed view. When closed, an integrated anti-theft mechanism securely locks the window for added peace of mind.
By utilizing your window frame as a sound barrier alongside advanced DC inverter technology, the unit operates up to nine times quieter than traditional models. The inverter system delivers over 37% energy savings compared to standard units, making it the very first window air conditioner to earn ENERGY STAR certification.
Our reviewer Robert Kearns lives in Richmond Hills, Queens. He has a family of four with two kids under 10 years old. “We each work from home several days a week,” he said, “so maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature during the day is especially important for our household.”
Kearns found the AC performed, even with his home’s air sealing being non-ideal. He installed it in a section of his home with an open-first floor layout and found it managed to keep both the kitchen and living room areas cool.
“Lots of kids are constantly in and out of the house, so the AC has to work hard during those times. We normally use a 12k BTU air conditioner in this space and the Midea held up well under those conditions.”
Dimensions: 19.17 inchesW x 21.97 inches D x 13.46 inches H | BTUs: 8,000 | Noise Level: As low as 32 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: Yes | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Dehumidify, Ventilate) | Inverter: Yes | CEER: 15.0 | Warranty: 3 years
Pros:
- The dual-inverter system makes this unit more energy-efficient than non-inverter systems
- The same technology also makes this unit very quiet compared to other window units in our sample
- The unit lets users control the temperature and set schedules remotely via app and digital assistant voice commands
Cons:
- The 10,000 BTU model weighs over 60 pounds, making it difficult to carry up to your 5th-floor apartment and install
- Our reviewer had some difficulty installing it and sealing around the window
- The dual-inverter model is more expensive than many similar, non-inverter models
The LG Dual Inverter window air conditioner is known for its energy efficiency, which can save you anywhere between 35% and 40% on your electricity bill. This unit achieves that efficiency with its dual inverter that continuously adjusts its speed to maintain precise cooling — unlike older models that are either off or on.
That tech is also why the dual inverter models can be much quieter than older standard models that make a window-rattling grinding noise every time they cycle on.
Our reviewer, Vice President of Commerce Jackie Goldstein, lives in Crown Heights, and as a born-and-raised New Yorker, knows a thing or two about the city’s, shall we say, eclectic housing stock. She rated the LG Dual Inverter “Quiet (Barely audible)” and gave it a perfect score for maintaining consistent temperature.
The unit is a brick, however, weighing roughly 65 pounds. And Goldstein’s major problem with it was the conformability to her old buildings’ windows. “I don’t think the design considered a classic Brooklyn window,” she said, “because the wing parts that are meant to extend to cover the open part of the window where the actual AC is aren’t really compatible with the frame, causing gaps of exposed air where insects and what not could come in. ”
Dimensions: 19.57 inchesW x 24.5 inches D x 12.5 inches H | BTUs: 10,000 | Noise Level: As low as 44 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: Yes | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Fan, Dry) | Inverter: Yes | CEER: 15.0 | Warranty: 1 Year
Pros:
- Built-in air quality sensor that provides a reminder of how everyday activities affect your indoor air
- Listed as an ENERGY STAR Most Efficient appliance
- Cools a large space quickly and consistently
Cons:
- Installation, including sealing the area around the unit, isn’t easy
- Indicator light for air sensor can’t be turned off, which may be a problem for people who need total darkness to sleep
The Frigidaire Gallery Inverter AC comes with a built-in indoor air quality monitoring sensor and smart Wi-Fi features that allow for remote control via the Frigidaire app or voice assistants.
Like some of the other units in our test sample, this Frigidaire model also uses inverter technology to stay quiet and keep energy costs low. It has an ENERGY STAR Most Efficient certification and a high Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio (CEER) of 15.
Our reviewer, Ainslie Binder of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, says the unit is installed in her turn-of-the-century rowhouse’s spacious bedroom and received a perfect score for user-friendliness, cooling and drying power.
The decibel meter showed a mid-range reading of 58 when I visited her in early August and we cranked the fan to its highest setting. (For context, the average decibel level for a quiet room is 30 to 40 and a human voice is 60 to 70.)
Binder’s one critique of the unit is that it didn’t seal perfectly during installation, which is a common problem with units that have the brick design.
Dimensions: 19.2 inches W x 22.7 inches D x 13.3 inches H | BTUs: 12,000 | Noise Level: As low as 42 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: Yes | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Fan, Dry) | Inverter: Yes | CEER: 15.0 | Warranty: 1 Year
Pros:
- Punches above its weight in cooling living spaces
- Installation is relatively straightforward
- Price is very reasonable
Cons:
- Louder than the inverter models on our list
- Not big enough to cool larger spaces or multi-room open layout apartments
- Not built for aesthetic pleasure
The GE Mechanical Window Air Conditioner is a compact, straightforward unit designed to cool small spaces up to 150 square feet.
Featuring a 5,000 BTU cooling capacity, it provides reliable comfort with an 11.0 CEER rating. The mechanical controls feature an adjustable thermostat with ten temperature settings, plus two cooling and two fan-only speeds.
It includes an EZ Mount installation kit for easy setup in double-hung windows.
Our tester, Damaris Olivo in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, had no difficulties installing the unit, though her reported time was longer than some of the other window units in our sample. Though the unit is only 5,000 BTUs, she said that it cools her entire living room, which is at least 300 square feet.
This GE air conditioner is a workhorse without frills and a price to match. Olivo says the noise the unit makes is moderate compared to the background noise, but with a decibel reading of 71, it’s definitely at the top of the range of our product sample.
Olivo has a one-bedroom apartment, and the unit is in her living room, so she doesn’t hear the machine running during the night. During the day, if she’s working at her desk, noise from the street makes the noise of the AC unit seem not so bad.
Dimensions: 16 7/16 inches W x 15 inches D x 12 9/16 inches H | BTUs: 5,000 | Noise Level: Loud | Wi-Fi Capable App: No | Remote: No | Modes: Cool, Fan | Inverter: No | CEER: 11.0 | Warranty: 1 Year
Pros:
- Readily available at Home Depot
- Features a 24-hour timer and an auto-restart function for the occasional NYC blackout
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Takes time to cool down larger or unconventional spaces
- Top of the list for loudness
Similar to the GE unit, the Vissani window air conditioner (Home Depot’s house brand) is a budget-friendly model designed to cool and dehumidify small rooms up to 150 square feet.
Operating on a standard 115-volt plug, it features two cooling speeds, a 24-hour timer, and an auto-restart function that restores previous settings after power outages. The unit comes with a remote control, a washable air filter and window installation kit suitable for openings between 21 and 35 inches wide.
Jenn Proffitt, who lives in Sunset Park, has lived in her apartment for 13 years. She works hybrid, plus has cats, so a reliable AC is a non-negotiable. “I am on the second floor of a building built in 1924. Since it is more than 100 years old, insulation is nearly non-existent — most exterior walls are just the brick to the outside,” she told the Post. She installed the unit in her living room and found it cooled the 250-square- foot apartment well, provided she kept the second bedroom door closed and blocked the hallway with a drape. Her apartment has high ceilings, which means hot air lingers but once her space has reached its optimal temperature, it stays consistent and dehumidifies well.
Her biggest critique of the Vissani is the noise it makes. She rates it “Loud (Noticeable but manageable),” which is typical of the older units that don’t have a variable frequency inverter.
Online users also appreciate this unit’s compact size and straightforward installation, though some customer reviews indicate it struggles to cool larger spaces and can be difficult to deep clean due to its internal Styrofoam construction.
Dimensions: 17.33 inches W x 12.83 inches D x 11.14 inches H | BTUs: 5,000 | Noise Level: 54 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: No | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Dry, Fan) | Inverter: No | CEER: 11.0 | Warranty: 1 Year
Best portable air conditioners
Pros:
- Consistently ranks as one of the most budget-friendly options on the market
- An energy-efficient choice that won’t drastically spike your summer electricity bills
- Relatively straightforward, quick setup using the included window bracket and exhaust hose, which typically takes under 30 minutes.
Cons:
- Some users note a loud hum or noticeable compressor sounds that can be disruptive in a bedroom or home office
- May pull in warm air
The Black+Decker BPACT portable air conditioner is a compact 3-in-1 unit that features a top-mounted LED control panel and an innovative “Follow Me” remote control that doubles as a precise thermostat based on your exact location in the room. Built-in rolling casters and convenient side handles make it easy to move between cooling zones.
Crown Heights resident Rod Hurley put it in his large, second-floor bedroom in a Brooklyn brownstone and noted that “It’s a large space but the unit does a good job of keeping it cool. We also keep the door open and position a fan to blow cool air into the kitchen when we’re cooking.”
A drawback of the unit is its noise level, which Hurley rated “Loud (Noticeable, but manageable).” Because it uses indoor air to cool the compressor and exhausts it outside, a negative air pressure that pulls in warm air through gaps can occur. Other portable air conditioners in our survey are much quieter, but this unit is definitely a champion on price. The LG Dual Inverter Portable and the Midea Duo Smart Inverter both perform well, but will set you back anywhere from $570 to $700. The Black+Decker gives you the same 5-star overall rating for half the price.
Dimensions: 16.5 inches W x 11.5 inches D x 2 inches″ H | BTUs: 8,000 (ASHRAE) / 4,000 (DOE SACC) | Noise Level: As low as 53 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: No | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Dehumidify, Fan) | Inverter: No | CEER: Not specified | Warranty: 1 Year
Pros:
- Installation is simple, and the unit is easy to move from area to area
- Built-in Wi-Fi allows you to control the unit from anywhere using the LG ThinQ mobile app
- Its modern, aesthetically sleek look was a hit with our reviewer
Cons:
- One of the more costly units in our analysis
- Though it is built with dual-inverter technology, when we tested it with our decibel meter, it was louder than some other units in our sample
Our tester, Tara Mardigan of Bed-Stuy, has an apartment on the second floor of a brownstone, and she placed the LG Dual Inverter AC in the living room, which is approximately 400 square feet with the kitchen included.
This unit was the easiest to install, with a reported 10 minutes total installation time and zero difficulties.
“It definitely takes the edge off,” she told the Post, “because before I would sit at my table and do work, and I would have sweat pouring down.” Before she installed the unit, she would have to flee to a coffee shop or the library, “but now I can do work here…“I get to stay in my house!”
Two drawbacks of the LG portable unit are its noise level, which, at a decibel reading between 59 and 63, puts it with the louder units we tested, and the price, which is higher than most of the units in our survey, though not unusual for a portable unit.
Dimensions: 19.41 inches W x 18.11 inches D x 30.43 inches H | BTUs: 10,000 (SACC) / 14,000 (ASHRAE) | Noise Level: As low as 44 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: Yes | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Dry, Fan) | Inverter: Yes | CEER: 7.9 | Warranty: 1 Year
Pros:
- The unit has a high airflow of up to 389 CFM that projects cool air efficiently across large spaces
- Its unique hose-in-hose system functions like a dual-hose setup to exhaust hot air and draw in fresh air
- The package includes a five-piece window slider kit and full-surface foam insulation to fit a variety of windows
Cons:
- Heavy and bulky
- Some users report rapid water pooling inside the unit that triggers a “P1” error code, shutting the unit down
- Our reviewer says it works best when you turn it on before the hottest part of the day
The Midea Duo Smart Inverter portable air conditioner is an impressive machine with a checkered reputation. On one hand, the Midea Duo Inverter Portable Air Conditioner pairs an industry-first “hose-in-hose” design with advanced variable-speed inverter technology. This dual-hose system is created to handle both outdoor intake and exhaust to create balanced indoor air circulation and actively prevent hot ambient air from seeping through window and door gaps.
On the other hand, out of more than 1,000 reviews on Amazon, this unit gets only 3.7 stars, and users on Reddit have given it poor reviews for several mechanical problems, including not evaporating its condensation and forcing a P1 “shutoff” error.
Our reviewer, Akeem Grant, who lives in Bushwick, is a product designer and the founder of MUSE.IUM, an independent design and engineering studio that develops products and adaptive systems for multifunctional spaces. That is to say, he has an eye for products that work and those that don’t!
Grant gave the Midea Duo top marks for dehumidifying, and contrary to some reviews on the internet, he said it collected “literally zero moisture” in condensation while running on the cool setting.
“The unit was noticeably quieter than traditional window AC units I’ve used, and I could run it at full power during Zoom calls without much issue,” he told the Post.
The downsides included its weight — he had to lug it up three flights of stairs — and how fast it cooled his space. His southwest-facing windows create significant afternoon heat, and his apartment is open from front to back, so it stretches the limit of what a 12,000 BTU unit can do. Grant says, “It worked best when I turned it on before the space became excessively hot; if I waited too long, it could take quite a while to cool down.
“My main installation criticism,” he added, “is that the window kit should provide a more secure way to hold the exhaust hose in place.”
Dimensions: 19.53 inches W x 16.73 inches D x 32.48 inches H | BTUs: 12,000 | Noise Level: As low as 42 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: Yes | Remote: Yes | Modes: 4-in-1 (Cool, Heat, Dehumidify, Fan) | Inverter: Yes | CEER: Not specified | Warranty: 3 years
Pros:
- Works as a dehumidifier and fan
- Includes a remote
Cons:
- Doesn’t cool beyond its immediate vicinity
- Some may find it difficult to set up
- Loud
The Vissani Portable Air Conditioner is sold at Home Depot and is a 3-in-1 unit that cools, dehumidifies and has a fan setting. Our testing unit was the 5,000 BTU model, and we asked Caitlin Leffel, a lifelong Manhattanite who lives in Chelsea, to test it.
Leffel’s Co-op is a floor-through built in 1912 as a commercial building, and the windows are both difficult to open and not the standard size for residential housing. Situations like these are made for portable units that don’t have to hang out of a window to drain condensation.
Despite being designed to take the place of a window unit, Leffel said installing the unit proved to be a challenge, taking three-quarters of an hour. “We’re definitely on the unhandy side,” she told the Post, “so it’s possible others wouldn’t have found the installation as difficult.”
The 5,000 BTU unit had difficulty cooling her space beyond its immediate vicinity. “I also think it would have performed better in a smaller room,” said Leffel. “The environment around a chair near the unit was nicely cooled, but a desk on the opposite side of the room and the side of the bed furthest from the unit never got that cool.”
As the old joke goes, it may be small and ineffective, but it’s also loud. Leffel also rated the unit “Loud (Noticeable, but manageable).” It hit 60 decibels on our meter on the cool setting, though the fan setting was in the more reasonable 50 decibel range.
Dimensions: 11.54 inches W x 12.4 inches D x 27.72 inches H | BTUs: 5,000 (DOE SACC) / 8,000 (ASHRAE) | Noise Level: As low as 52 dBA | Wi-Fi Capable App: No | Remote: Yes | Modes: 3-in-1 (Cool, Dehumidify, Fan) | Inverter: No | CEER: Not specified | Warranty: 2 Years
Air Conditioners compared
How we tested
Testing criteria
The criteria for judging the best AC units cover the basics of what you need when it’s 80 degrees with 100% humidity at four in the morning: How fast and how cool does this machine make your space, and how likely is it that you’ll be awoken by its intolerable noise? We asked our testers to answer these questions:
- How easy was it to install?
- How well did it cool your space?
- How fast did it cool your space?
- How loud was the unit? (We took readings with a decibel meter for this one.)
- How user-friendly were the controls?
Each of our testers had their units for the hottest days in June, July and August, and they gave us their unvarnished New Yorker feedback.
The Midea U-Shaped Inverter window unit took top overall honors by combining every quality of a great AC into one package: its quiet operation, moderate energy consumption, and ability to push cold air through a 100-year-old house put it at the top of the leaderboard. Taking the second and third spots were the Black+Decker BPACT Series and LG Dual Inverter portables, respectively. Both were impressive, but Black+Decker took second place for its budget-friendly price, while LG earned third for its sleek design and easy installation.
Which is worth it? Final Verdict
The hot, hot weather of 2026 made this summer perfect for our testers to put these machines through their paces. The top units that emerged by the end of September were the Midea U-Shaped Inverter window unit and the Black + Decker BPACT Series portable unit.
But we also discovered that the right unit for you depends on your space and your budget. In our list, you should be able to find something that works for both.
Our testers
- Roderick Hurley is a Crown Heights resident and fitness enthusiast. He tested the BLACK+DECKER Portable Air Conditioner.
- Ainslie A Binder is an Emmy-nominated producer and a 31-year resident of Prospect Lefferts Gardens. She tested the Frigidaire Gallery 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter Window Air Conditioner.
- Damaris Olivo lives in Prospect Lefferts Gardens and is the VP of Marketing & Comms at Brooklyn Public Library. She tested the GE Window Air Conditioner Unit.
- Jenn Proffitt, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at the Brooklyn Public Library, lives in Sunset Park and reviewed the Vissani 115-Volt Window Air Conditioner.
- Caitlin Leffel Ostroy is an editor at Phaidon, a publisher of creative arts books, and a lifelong Manhattanite who tested the Vissani Volts 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner.
- Robert Kearns lives in Richmond Hill, Queens and works at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine. He tested the Midea U-shaped Inverter, the winner.
- Tara Mardigan, who tested the LG Dual Inverter AC is a registered dietician and nutritionist who lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
- Jackie Goldstein is the VP of Commerce at the New York Post and a Crown Heights resident. She tested the LG Dual Inverter window air conditioner.
- Akeem Grant, who tested the Midea Duo Smart Inverter portable air conditioner, is an inventor and founder who lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
This article was written by Brooklyn-based financial journalist and Commerce Editor for the New York Post Will Kenton. Specializing in investing, personal finance and retirement planning, Will’s expertise is rooted in behavioral economics — a field he explored as associate editor of the New School Economics Review. Will aims to help readers navigate the “predictable irrationality” that influences financial decisions, providing practical real-world solutions to student loan debt, investments, mortgages and more. Before joining The Post in 2026, Will covered the intersection of money, economics and culture for Investopedia, AP News, Business Insider and TIME Stamped.
