Shopping online for an air conditioner probably seems like a simple task to undertake, doesn’t it? Your room is rather hot, so you jump online and fish around for what seems like a reasonable deal. It gets delivered. You turn it on. You are now cool. Well done.
Surely that is the entire process and nothing more – it’s not rocket science, is it?
That is correct. The rocket science bit, anyway. The engineering genius of propelling a man-made vehicle into the great beyond is indeed probably a bit harder than buying an AC unit online. Unless you are reading this thirty years from now and you need AC for your home office on Mars, in which case you might need that rocket ship to get there in the first place.
In all seriousness, the task is an easy one, and no different from most other forms of online shopping. You really do just go online, fish around, and order something that looks like good value. There are however a few things you need to understand before indulging in an AC unit, other than ‘I like that particular tone of beige, that will do’.
We are here to navigate you through the essential information required in order to make a wise purchasing decision. Thankfully, it isn’t complicated. You just need to be aware of a few considerations to make first and then you are set to go. We will have you nice and chilled in no time at all. Well, as long as it takes to select one, make the order, wait for delivery, and further wait for an AC engineer to turn up on time. So, we will have you nice and chilled in three of four days at the very earliest, I guess.
What type do you need?
Yes, there are actually types of AC units to consider, but if you are reading this article you are likely purchasing one for your home, in which case you almost certainly need a reverse cycle, split system AC unit. That’s not quite as Dr. Brown in Back to The Future as it sounds (one point twenty-one gigawatts, Marty!). It just means the unit is split into two: one unit sits inside, the other outside. Simple. Further options include ducted AC (one big AC unit inside the roof with air duct pipes running through the home), and also window units, which are far less common.
Mobile units are not a bad idea and serve a purpose for homes that only experience very occasional heat, but we assume you are like the vast majority of homeowners who require reverse cycle, split systems.
What size unit to look for?
This one is vital. Unknowing consumers sometimes make the mistake of selecting a unit either too small for a large room or too big for a small room. There is a balance at play here in finding the right sized unit for the room in question, but it is thankfully quite uncomplicated to determine. All AC units come with a KW number, starting at 2.6KW. Again, for home use there are probably only four units you need to choose from, depending on room size;
- 10-20 Sqm – 2.6KW
- 20-30 Sqm – 3.5KW
- 30-45 Sqm – 5-6KW
- 45-65 Sqm – 7-8KW
If your room is larger than 65 Sqm, we suspect you probably have your own staff to do this kind of thing in which case, you won’t be reading this article, they will be. To them I would say; it’s high time you asked for a raise, isn’t it?
Yes, larger options are available but again, the overwhelming majority of home AC units fit into that selection of four.
Is that everything?
Pretty much. Everything now just relates to added features. You almost certainly need a remote AC (believe it or not, some of them require walking to the thermostat and turning a dial) so maybe look for that. Most have them, however. A decent dehumidifier should be considered, but that really just pertains to branding. The better, more commonly used brands will include this as standard, so maybe just look for a brand you are familiar with and double-check it has one. Removable, easy-to-clean air filters are probably a must, so look out for that also.
If mosquitoes are an issue in your area, consider looking for built-in mosquito traps. Yes, that’s a thing and yes, they do quite a good job of snaring the awful little critters so you might wish to put that on the list of things to consider.
Anything else?
Energy efficiency has become something of a feature with many AC units these days and if you are going for one of the better brands, you will benefit from a reduction in energy costs. Either way, AC units are quite pricey things to run so don’t expect a huge difference – it should be enough to warrant the extra cost on a decent brand though, and of course, you will be doing the world a favor in the process. And we need that right now, otherwise, we really will be living on Mars thirty years from now.
Final Thoughts
As usual, there are some amazing savings to be had through various coupons available, all of which are current, up to date, and really quite huge in some cases. Amazon would be a great place to choose your AC unit, with a dedicated store specializing in all sizes, brands, and price ranges. Don’t forget to use our coupon, which you will find here. Good luck, and stay cool!
