A window air conditioner in a bedroom runs a few feet from your pillow all night. So the quietest window air conditioner is worth finding, and here, unlike most categories we cover, nearly every maker publishes a figure. The catch is that most of them publish only one: the quietest setting they can find.
We read the product pages, spec sheets and manuals for sixteen window units from ten brands. All sixteen carry a noise figure. Only a few makers publish a figure for every fan speed, and none says how far away or to what standard the sound was measured. Here is what each one says, and which unit to buy for a bedroom.
Our 6 picks are listed above, with full specifications for each.
What window air conditioner makers publish
Every fan speed. Frigidaire lists low, medium and high on its spec sheets: 40, 46 and 50 dBA for the Gallery inverter. LG lists high, medium, low and sleep for its inverter models: 54, 50, 46 and 44 dBA for the 8,000 BTU unit. GE lists high fan, low fan and, on its ClearView saddle models, Quiet Mode.
A range. Soleus Air publishes an indoor range and an outdoor range for its saddle unit, 38 to 49 dB(A) inside and 51 to 63 outside, without saying which speed each end describes.
One "as low as" figure. Midea says as low as 32 dBA. Windmill says starts at 42 dB. Danby says as low as 42dB. TCL says as low as 42dB on Quiet mode. Friedrich says as low as 42 dB in cooling mode for the whole series.
Where makers explain an "as low as" figure, it is the lowest mode. LG's footnote reads "When in sleep mode." On the units that publish every speed, the high setting is 10 to 14 dBA above the lowest figure on the same sheet. So a single low number says nothing about a hot afternoon.
Two more details. Some makers write dBA and some write plain dB, and we print each exactly as written. And Frigidaire's own product page says 41 dBA while its spec sheet says 40 on low. We rank on the spec sheet.
Inverter or conventional: the makers' own comparisons
The strongest evidence comes from makers comparing their own models.
Frigidaire, both 8,000 BTU. The Gallery inverter lists 40, 46 and 50 dBA. The conventional FHWC083TC1 lists 53.5, 55.5 and 59. The inverter on high is quieter than the conventional unit on low.
LG, both 8,000 BTU. The inverter lists 54 on high and 46 on low. The conventional LW8024R lists 58 on high and 52 on low.
Windmill. Its technical specs list the inverter WhisperTech at "starts at 42 dB" and its fixed-speed Original models at 49 and 50.
ENERGY STAR says the same in words. Most certified room air conditioners include variable speed technology that, in its phrase, "quietly keeps you cool". A conventional compressor works like an on and off switch. A variable speed compressor adjusts its speed to hold the temperature.
Frigidaire also claims its Gallery is "17x quieter", footnoted as compared to the FHWC083TC1. It does not say how that figure was calculated, so we give you the two spec sheets instead. Midea, Danby and Windmill make similar multiplier claims with no baseline named at all.
U-shaped and saddle designs
A standard window unit sits in the window with its whole body inside the frame. A U-shaped unit, like the Midea U, straddles the sash. A saddle unit, like the GE Profile ClearView, hangs over the sill. Both let you open and close the window with the unit installed.
ENERGY STAR explains why they can be quieter: in most cases the control panel and vent sit inside the room, while the noise-producing compressor is located outside, and these designs "provide greater noise reduction". It gives no figure.
The design is not a guarantee on its own. GE's non-inverter ClearView lists 53 dBA on high fan, above Frigidaire's standard-shaped inverter at 50. We would look for a U-shaped or saddle body with an inverter inside, and the Midea U and GE Profile PHNT10CC are both. They are also heavy: the GE saddle units weigh 70 to 80 pounds and need a wall of the right thickness.
Size it for the room, not bigger
ENERGY STAR's sizing chart for rooms with an 8-foot ceiling:
- 150 to 250 sq ft: 6,000 BTU
- 250 to 300 sq ft: 7,000 BTU
- 300 to 350 sq ft: 8,000 BTU
- 400 to 450 sq ft: 10,000 BTU
Reduce by 10 percent for a heavily shaded room, add 10 percent for a very sunny one, and add 600 BTU for each person beyond two who regularly uses the room. ENERGY STAR's warning is plain: "bigger is not always better", and an oversized unit costs more, wastes energy and does not cool better.
For noise, the right size matters too. LG's own figures rise with capacity: its 10,000 BTU inverter lists 58 on high where its 8,000 BTU inverter lists 54.
What ENERGY STAR does not tell you
The ENERGY STAR label covers energy, not noise. We searched the room air conditioner specification and the Department of Energy test procedure for noise, sound, decibel and quiet, and found none of them. ENERGY STAR's consumer page uses the word "quietly", but no federal program measures or certifies window unit noise.
No maker in this guide states a measuring distance, a test room or a named standard for its figure either. TCL comes closest, footnoting its figure as an internal test of the indoor side. So treat a difference of one or two decibels between brands as no difference, and trust comparisons within one brand most.
Installing a window unit so it runs quietly
Install it firmly. LG's manual says to make sure the unit is installed securely and firmly to prevent vibration and noise. Friedrich footnotes its figures with a reminder that sound levels depend on proper installation.
Tilt it as the manual says. Most units drain toward the outside. LG asks for the back to sit about a quarter inch lower than the front. Midea asks for a quarter bubble outward on a level. Danby asks for a quarter to half an inch. GE's saddle unit is set level on its supports. Follow your model's manual.
Clean the filter. Midea, LG and Hisense say every two weeks. Danby lists a dirty filter as a cause of noise.
Use the low fan or sleep mode at night. Frigidaire, LG and Midea all give the same advice for fan noise: set a lower fan speed. ENERGY STAR adds that on humid days a low fan speed removes more moisture.
Expect some pinging. Water thrown onto the condenser helps cool it, and Frigidaire, LG, GE, Midea and Hisense all describe the sound as normal. Frigidaire and GE say removing the water plug or opening the drain seal reduces it but lowers efficiency. GE and Frigidaire both say never to drill the base pan.
How much should you spend?
Around $180 to $300 buys a conventional unit with published figures: the LG LW8024R at 58 and 52 dBA, or the GE AWCS06BBA for a small room.
Around $380 to $450 buys an 8,000 BTU inverter: the Midea U, the Windmill WhisperTech or the LG LW8022IVSM.
Around $480 to $570 buys the Frigidaire Gallery, with every speed published, or a GE Profile saddle unit.
Several of these were discounted or out of stock on the makers' sites when we checked in September.
Mistakes buyers make
Comparing an "as low as" figure with a full table. Midea's 32 and Frigidaire's 50 describe different speeds.
Buying a bigger unit to cool faster. ENERGY STAR says it will not cool better, and the bigger units list higher figures.
Assuming a saddle unit is quiet at every speed. It depends on the compressor inside.
Believing multiplier claims. "17x quieter" and "12X quieter" come with no published method.
Skipping the manual. Loose brackets, the wrong tilt and a clogged filter are the causes the makers name.
New to the units? Read dBA explained. To decide what figure to aim for, see how quiet is quiet enough, room by room. If a product you already own has become noisy, see why your appliance got louder.
How we chose
We read the manufacturer's product page and spec sheet for every unit, and the owner's manual wherever one is published. We recorded each noise figure in the maker's own words and units, with the fan speed or mode it describes. We compared cooling capacity, compressor type, design, the maker's room size and warranty, and we read ENERGY STAR's room air conditioner guidance and specification.
We did not measure decibels ourselves. We ranked units with a figure for every speed above units with a single "as low as" figure, and we compared inverter and conventional models only within the same brand. Prices and stock are as shown on the makers' own sites on the day we checked.
