Beat the heat: AC shopping demystified

Surrounded by smartphones, tablets, Vision Pros, and rainbow colour-flashing computers, you can be forgiven for thinking that these are the most vital pieces of technology in our 21st century lives. However, with the ongoing summer heat, you are probably considering buying your first air conditioner or replacing your old one that died during its winter hibernation and you just found out. 

 

Whatever the case, there are a couple of things you should consider before making the leap, because keep in mind, air conditioners are not easily disposable electronics like your blender or toaster. You will be stuck with your purchase for at least a decade, so it is best to do your research before you take the plunge.

Split game

Most '90s kids have fond memories of their big chunky window-type ACs recreating the North Pole when they came back home from school or turned in for the night. However, times have changed and the once-cool window-type AC is no longer desired due to the amount of destruction needed to fit into a wall, making it very tenant-unfriendly. So, if you cannot find these in the market, you know why.

Avoid window types even in the second-hand market because most homeowners will not allow it and it's simply not worth the hassle. Move with the times; get a split.

Size matters

Remember what we said about ACs being long-term investments, and can't be changed willy-nilly? This will be the most important criterion through which you will choose your AC. Every AC has a cooling capacity rating, officially known as BTU (British Thermal Unit). It is ok if you don't know this rating because we know the more commonly used term — "tons." This cooling capacity needs to be closely matched with the size of the room you are trying to cool, because, too little, and you have yourself a super-expensive fan, and too much, can leave you frozen harder than the ice cubes in your fridge.

If your room is at or below 550 sqft, a 1-ton cooling capacity AC will be just fine. When your room size is between 550sqft and 1000sqft, it's time to move up to the 1.5-ton AC. And if you happen to live in a palace i.e., have rooms exceeding 1200 sqft, you can consider 2-tons, or above.

Another thing to keep in mind, particularly if you are a renter, is don't just buy an AC based on your current rented space. It would be wise of you to consider a potential future move, perhaps to a bigger room. Plan your AC purchase keeping that in mind, and you should have no problems in the future.

Saving is cool

While the core functionality of an air conditioner has not seen much dramatic change since its creation in the early 20th century, one innovation that has made air conditioners much easier to live with daily is the Inverter technology.

Inverter ACs are very smart. They adjust their speed seamlessly, maintaining a steady temperature without dramatic on-off cycles. And that's how the magic happens. Inverter ACs sip electricity. Unlike their non-inverter counterparts, they don't gulp power in one go. Instead, they gracefully modulate their cooling capacity based on your room's needs. Translation: energy savings, and money saved off electricity bills!

Plus, Inverter ACs reduce your carbon footprint as less energy consumption means fewer greenhouse gas emissions. An additional bonus is that Inverter ACs age better. Their gentle start-and-stop routine puts less strain on components, meaning you can expect fewer repair bills.

One misunderstanding regarding Inverter ACs that many people don't know is that the energy-saving effects are less effective if you push the AC hard, like setting it below 20° C.

Endless features

Modern ACs come with more bells and whistles than you can list here. Some allow you to turn on your AC while you are still on the way home via the Wi-Fi in your house, in case you want to walk into a cool room and not wait for the 10 or so minutes it would take to cool your room if you were there.

Others have laser-like sensors that can pick specific hotspots in your room and dynamically adjust their temperature to compensate. It is important to not get overwhelmed by which brand has what feature and focus on the quality of the components that do matter like the compressor, the Inverter circuitry, and the most important feature of all, the warranty and aftersales service.

Trust us, you can live without the Wi-Fi remote start or laser thermostat, but you cannot live without the warranty, especially if Lady Luck's not on your side.

Digging for skeletons

Speaking of Lady Luck's scorn, it is important to do some research on real users' usage before you set off for the showrooms with your wallet. We tend to have preconceived notions regarding some brands and unjustified bias towards others simply because of either experience or word of mouth.

Guess what? Things change. So, your best bet is to scour social media for reviews of real users using your shortlisted brand/model. You never know; the brand you once grew up knowing as reliable might now be on the must-avoid list.

Remember, your air conditioner is not just a machine; it's your summer saviour. So, choose wisely, stay cool, and let the breeze carry you through the soon-to-arrive sweltering heatwaves we know and hate.