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The best portable air conditioner
By Thom Dunn This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to portable air conditioners. If you don't have central air, and a window AC isn't an option, get the LG LP1419IVSM portable air conditioner—the quietest and most efficient unit we've found after researching over a hundred portable air conditioners and testing more than a dozen. Most portable ACs are pretty similar, but the LG LP1419IVSM delivers better cooling performance than other models, yet it uses less energy, makes less noise, and can dial in a more precise comfort level than other models. The difference is in its dual-rotor, DC-powered compressor, a contrast to the alternating current found on most air conditioners. Rather than running only at max speed or nothing, the LG can operate at a continuously variable speed, so the unit has a lot more flexibility in how it reaches a desired temperature in a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions. The LG had the lowest volume measurements on any machines we tested, and other nice (but not unique or essential) features—like compatibility with Google Home or Amazon Alexa, smartphone control via LG's app, and a remote—give you a lot of options for how to operate it. The Frigidaire Gallery 12,000 BTU Cool Connect Smart Portable (FGPC1244T1) might not be the most powerful or quiet portable AC available but it has a very high energy-efficiency ratio (EER), and—if you can say such a thing about a portable AC—it's the best looking. Taller and more slender than most portable ACs, the Frigidaire takes up less space and moves easily from room to room. It's easier to install in a new window than others, with a unique telescoping panel that installs tool-free. Other small but thoughtful design touches include a cloth covering for the exhaust hose and a magnetic holder for the remote. Like the LG, it has smart-home capabilities. The Honeywell HL14CES doesn't boast impressive new technology like the LG or unique design features like Frigidaire—it's just a really solid portable AC. Without being remarkable, its performance is completely satisfying: quiet enough, powerful enough, and easy enough to set up and use. If you'd prefer a basic portable air conditioner without the bells and whistles of the LG or the Frigidaire, or if you find this model at a good price, we have no reason to discourage you from it. The popular, affordable Black+Decker BPACT14WT delivers where it counts—cooling performance—better than anything else in its price range. But it's a little rough around the edges compared with our other picks: its operation is louder, its controls are clunkier, and it lacks the nice details we liked about some other models. But still, it gets the job done and is a fine choice if you need a portable AC at something closer to a window AC price.
The best air conditioner
By Liam McCabe This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. After six summers of researching, testing, and recommending window air conditioners, we've learned that quiet and affordable ACs make most people the happiest—and we think the LG LW8016ER will fit the bill in most rooms. This 8,000 Btu unit cools as efficiently and effectively as any model with an equal Btu rating, and runs at a lower volume and deeper pitch than others at this price. Little extra features like a fresh-air vent, two-axis fan blades, and a removable drain plug help set it apart, too. The LG LW8016ERis a top choice for an office or den, and some people will find it quiet enough for a bedroom, too. If our main pick is sold out, grab the Frigidaire FFRE0833S1. It's a little bit louder and higher-pitched than our new pick, but it's an equally capable performer that's usually around the same price. The Frigidaire is also a little bit easier to install because it's smaller and lighter. If you're buying an air conditioner for your bedroom and don't mind paying a little extra, treat yourself to the Frigidaire Gallery FGRQ08L3T1. It's the quietest window AC we've tested over the past few years. It's also easy to install, and it comes with plenty of extra foam for insulation. In cooling performance, it's on a par with our pick and runner-up; in price, it's usually higher than our pick by as much as $100. By June 2017, this model had sold out for the season, so you may need to act fast if you're interested in it this year. We're also recommending the Frigidaire FGRQ0833U1 as a backup in case the L3T1 goes out of stock. The 33U1 is more expensive, and we haven't tested it ourselves, but Frigidaire confirmed to us that the two models are essentially the same. Both are 8,000 Btu rated, have Energy Efficiency Ratios of 12, and are designed to cool rooms up to 350 square feet. We think this model's a decent option if our other picks are unavailable—it beats sweating through the summer with a subpar model. The Haier Serenity Series ESAQ406T, our former upgrade pick for the latter part of summer 2017, is a pretty good option if our other picks go out of stock. It's a 6,000 Btu model, so it's meant for small rooms, and it's a lot pricier than our other picks—but it's so quiet that you should be able to sleep easier all summer. This guide also includes our current thoughts on "smart," Wi-Fi–controllable air conditioners (and a smart AC accessory), plus recommendations for other kinds of air conditioners, including portable ACs (in a separate guide), through-the-wall units, and casement-window models.
LG appliances now respond to both Alexa and Google Assistant
LG has officially joined the ranks of appliance makers that support more than one voice assistant. The electronics giant has announced that its current collection of ThinQ-branded appliances now takes commands from both Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant. The amount of control you'll have will vary, of course, but there are common elements: you can make ice in your fridge door, turn off the oven or cool down with your air conditioner.
Alexa can control your dumb AC unit using Ambi's smart hub
Some of you may recall that back in October 2014, Hong Kong startup Ambi Labs unveiled its Ambi Climate as a gateway between your smartphone and your dumb air conditioner at home. But it isn't just about replacing your infrared remote control; what makes Ambi Climate unique is its machine learning capability, so that over time it learns your comfort preferences by way of various sensors, while also saving up to 20-percent energy according to user feedback. Now, almost 2.5 years later, the company is back with the Ambi Climate 2, which is essentially a prettier version of its $179 predecessor and with a lower retail price of $129; and you can grab one for as low as around $80 on Kickstarter, with shipments expected to begin in June this year.
Make your aging air conditioner cool again with this pile of sensors
Many folks who reside in South East Asia will agree that during the summer, air conditioners can be temperamental at times -- your room's either too cold or not cold enough. As a result, users -- including this author in Hong Kong -- end up having to pick up the remote control every now and then to adjust the temperature. This is exactly what Hong Kong's Ambi Labs is trying to solve: This startup has just launched its Ambi Climate device on Kickstarter, and the idea here is that you're adding a small hub that uses local weather data plus sunlight, air flow, temperature, humidity and movement detection, in order to adjust the air conditioner accordingly with its infrared transmitter (Ambi Labs says it can quickly add your remote to the database if it's missing). With the room temperature staying more consistent, you're saving both energy and the hassle of finding the remote.
Quirky and GE cook up a smarter, prettier air conditioner
Quirky is more than just bendy power strips these days -- recently, it's been pushing its vision of the connected home thanks to a multi-million dollar partnership with GE. So far their deal has yielded stuff like intelligent egg trays (seriously) and clocks, but they're unveiling something much cooler today: the Aros, an 8,000 BTU smart air conditioner. Yes, really.
LG readies Whisen air conditioner with its own NFC-aware mobile app, direct voice recognition
We'll be frank: it takes some pretty special features for an air conditioner to pique our interest. Consider us intrigued, then, when LG unveils a truly tech-savvy cooling system. A 2013 Champion-style Whisen unit is reportedly the first to directly take voice commands from as far as 16 feet away, letting us cool things down without having to leave our chairs. The AC system is uncommonly aware of the mobile world, as well. Tap an NFC-capable smartphone like the Optimus G on a programmed NFC tag and LG's Whisen App 3.0 will automatically adjust the temperature, on top of more conventional remote control. Still not sophisticated enough? The new Champion has its own built-in camera with mobile viewing -- it can double as a not-so-subtle security system while we're away at work. Full details of its launch aren't yet available, although LG is taking reservations for South Koreans between January 14th and March 31st, well ahead of the hot summer.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: fly like a bird, bend batteries in half, and spray clothing from a can
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week saw several amazing feats of aeronautics as we showcased the world's first continuous flight of a human-powered ornithopter and the sun-powered Solar Impulse plane embarked upon an incredible voyage across Switzerland. We also watched transportation take off as BMW unveiled a zippy new electric scooter, Sanitov launched a GPS enabled cargo tricycle in London, and this week's Green Overdrive show took us off-roading on a souped-up e-bike! Renewable energy tech also energized the globe as several countries in Central America launched plans to tap volcanoes for power and China developed the world's first directly solar-powered air conditioning unit. Energy storage also got a big boost as Stanford researchers unveiled a new type of bendable battery made out of paper - just the thing to power the flexible e-readers of the future. In other news, this week we brought you exclusive coverage of the greatest green designs from this year's London Design Festival and we showcased the latest in wearable tech - instant spray-on clothing in a can! Finally, we tackled an issue that has plagued tech junkies forever - those impossible-to-open clamshell plastic packages.
Nissan's Forest AC air conditioner will megadose on Vitamin C, moisturize your skin
Believe it or not, grapeseed polyphenol filters and plasmacluster ions aren't just off-the-shelf snake oil plug-ins for your auto's 12V socket -- they're par for the course in Nissan's Fuga hybrid. So when the Japanese automaker says its future cars will pump Vitamin C into the air to help hydrate human flesh, well -- we take the company at its word. Also on the docket: chairs with seat warmers and folding leg rests, and speedometers that will happily remind you of your impending wedding anniversary as you barrel down the highway. "We want drivers to feel that they are healthier staying in the car instead of on the outside," a Nissan engineer told AFP. We think that says it all, folks.
Researchers develop air conditioning that's 90 percent more efficient, bone chilling
Everybody loves maxing out in the sweet chill of their air conditioning in the hot summer months, but it's inefficient, expensive, and extremely unfriendly to the environment. The good news today, however, is that researchers have developed an air conditioning system that could be up to 90 percent more efficient than standard setups. How so, you ask? The new tech, called DEVap, uses liquid desiccants to make dry air using heat and evaporative coolers take dry air and make cold air, making it far easier to cool already dry climates. Additionally, DEVap uses salt solutions in place of environmentally naughty refrigerants, CFCs, and HCFCs -- the main contributors to global warming. The tech is still in the lab, so until then you'll just have to keep fanning yourself off (or having your friend do that for you).
LG's Feeney robot mascot sells air conditioners... with style
LG's new robot mascot has already been out and about for a little while, but it now finally has a name thanks to a recent contest -- "Feeney" -- and a whole new lease on life. Not content to simply be an average air conditioner spokesbot, Feeney has taken the job to new, CGI-enhanced heights, and shown that even Olympic dreams can come true, with the help of a Whisen air conditioner. But don't take our word for it. See Feeney work his magic after the break.
Perspiring man electrocuted by his PC
A 20-year old student in Shanghai's Yangpu District perished after being "electrocuted by his computer." Reportedly, the man removed the external case from his desktop to prevent it from overheating in the non-air conditioned room, and when his legs came into contact with the innards, the resulting shock left him deceased. Initial investigations by local police confirmed that he was indeed electrocuted, yet there was no reason given as to why the individual refused to switch on the cooling system.[Via The Raw Feed]
Air conditioners kill hard drives?
We already knew that we had to sacrifice our precious holiday decorations in order to get maximum bandwidth and coverage from our WiFi routers, and now it looks like we may have to sweat out the summer months sans air conditioning if an anecdotal, single-source article in Associated Content proves accurate. According to sole interviewee Ben Carmichel of ESS Data Recovery, his company sees "a 20% increase in failed hard drives hitting our lab in the summer as [opposed to] the winter," and believes from surveying customers and the uptick in electronic-related issues that AC-triggered power surges are largely to blame. Of course, this alleged risk is easy enough to minimize by utilizing an uniterrupted power source for your PC and configuring your drives in a RAID 1 or 5, so it doesn't seem too difficult to have your cake and eat it too in this case. Or you could set up shop in Siberia and just avoid this nonsense altogether. [Via The Inquirer, thanks John K.]
Mitsubishi's people-sensing air conditioners
Mitsubishi's out to make your rooms cooler and slightly creepier with its new air conditioner units, packing an all-seeing infrared eye that'll adjust the temperature based on people's locations in the room. Seven models in the company's new ZW series will come equipped with the technology, which divides the room up into a number of sections to scan for humans, directing the air-flow appropriately and switching to economic mode to conserve power when it's left all by its lonesome. What's more, the AC can apparently even analyze a person's or family's seating habits over a couple of weeks which, for some of us, shouldn't be too hard to determine. No word on prices for any of the units yet, but they should start collecting aggregate data about your in-home lifestyle in Japan by mid December.[Via Far East Gizmos]
