One of the problems with window air conditioners is that they can be quite noisy. Finding the most quiet window AC unit with good performance can be a daunting task because many AC manufacturers don’t usually list the noise level rating of their devices. Don’t worry, I’ll help you get acquainted with some of the best quietest window ACs available on the market. And will also provide a guide to help you choose a great quiet window AC specifically for your needs.
In a hurry? The best quietest window air conditioners in 2024 are the highly rated Midea U Inverter Extreme Quiet Window AC and TOSOT Air Conditioning Unit.
Best Silent Window Air Conditioners: Quick Comparison
Best Rated & Quietest  |
Midea U Inverter Ultra Quiet Window Air Conditioner
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Runner Up  |
TOSOT Window Air Conditioner
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LG Quiet Window Air Conditioner
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Frigidaire Window Air Conditioner
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Haier Serenity Series
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Quietest Window Air Conditioner 2020 & 2021: Reviews
1. Midea U Inverter Window AC Unit
Best Rated & Most Quiet
Do you desire a powerful quick cooling window air conditioner that doesn’t burn out your eardrums irrespective?
Then the Midea U Inverter quiet energy efficient window air conditioner is a product you would absolutely love.
Its strong airflow allows you to feel the cold air even if you are 20’ away from the unit.
Thanks to the DC inverter technology, you will enjoy fast cooling as well.
Your windows won’t have to be permanently shut after installation and you can enjoy fresh air whenever you want. This is due to the innovative U shaped groove design. So you can take up your window at will whenever you feel like it.
It’s a great feeling to run your air conditioner without having to worry about the bills. This Midea unit saves up to 35% of energy compared to traditional units of the same rating.
So you can now enjoy yourself more while spending less. Together with the convenience to your pocket, you also enjoy convenience to your ears. At only 42 decibels, the AC would be running with almost no noise.
An alluring feature of this air Conditioner is the smart control. Being WiFi enabled, you can conveniently control your air conditioner from your phone. It’s also compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa, all to ensure you have the very best user experience.
Pros
- Ultra quiet operation
- Strong and quick cooling
- Energy saver
- Smart controls
- Doesn’t stop you from opening your windows even after installing
Cons
- Installation could be easier
2. TOSOT Window Air Conditioner
Runner Up
As with the other products reviewed here, this TOSOT air conditioner is powerful enough to give your room quick cooling.
It’s also a window air conditioner with the difference as it comes with a modern and sleek design.
So by purchasing and installing this product, you will further improve the aesthetics of your room.
What you get is a 3-in-1 unit, so instead of having to buy a dehumidifier separately, TOSOT has made it easy for you. the operation modes include air conditioner, dehumidifier, and fan modes.
For more efficient temperature regulation, TOSOT has its thermostat on the remote. This means the air conditioner regulates the temperature based on your specific location in the room.
Apart from being powerful, sleek, and smart, this quiet window AC is energy-efficient and pocket-friendly.
Pros
- Quick cooling
- Quiet operation
- Energy efficient
- Sleek and modern design
- 3-in-1 product
- Smart temperature regulation
Cons
- Comes without Wi-Fi
3. LG Window Air Conditioner
With this LG window air conditioner, you get fast and powerful cooling quietly.
The air conditioner produces a sound of only 50 decibels when working at low mode, so you can afford to sleep peacefully, or work in the office without any disturbance.
As with most modern air conditioners, it’s energy star certified. So you get to pay fewer bills even if you get more from this unit.
For ease of use, you can control the unit with a ThinQ App right from your phone. It also comes with a remote control so you can utilize that as well.
The remote control is full features, so you get all the settings you need there. The LED display makes it easy for you to choose your settings and be clear, you can see the display across the room.
This air conditioner goes beyond just being easy to use as it’s also easy to maintain. Thanks to the easily accessible washable filter, you can wash the filter yourself when it’s dirty.
Pros
- Low noise at 50 decibels when operating in low mode
- 2 cooling fan speeds to choose from
- 2-way air direction
- Easy to install
- Easy to use
- Energy efficient
Cons
- A bit difficult to set Wi-Fi
4. Frigidaire FFRA0511R1 5, 000 BTU 115V Window-Mounted Mini-Compact AC with Mechanical Controls
If you are on a tight budget and your room size is within 300 Sq Ft, this Frigidaire compact Air Conditioner is the right one for you.
This unit keeps the noise low and performs like magic.
It cools the room so quickly that you may complain of feeling too cold too soon but never otherwise.
This is ideal for small sized guest rooms in which you don’t want to invest much but provide a comfortable stay at the same time.
The only downside is that the unit has neither automated features nor a remote control.
But based on many user experiences, this unit is solidly built and is very reliable for the long run.
Pros
- Cooling Performance
- Low Noise
- Very Reliable
Cons
- Absence of automated features
5. Haier Serenity Series Window Air Conditioner with Ultra Quiet Sound Package
When it comes to providing ample cooling while keeping noises to the bare minimum, it is difficult to find a better AC unit that this one.
It is most suitable for a 250-300 Sq.Ft. Room and it packs all the needed automation features along with a remote control.
If having an ultra quiet AC is your primary concern, these units are for you.
Pros
- Ultra Quiet
- Automated Features
Cons
- Not The Fastest Cooling
6. HomeLabs 5000 BTU Window-Mounted Air Conditioner
This is one of the best options for you if you have a tight space and a tighter pocket.
The unit is very basic and has only knob controls for fan speed and cooling intensity. You also don’t get a timer or a temperature setting.
But what you do get is quick and powerful cooling even during peak summer.
It is suitable for rooms up to 150 Sq.ft. and fits into windows larger than 23″W x 13″H.
The installation is hassle-free and HomeLabs is known for good customer support in case you face any troubles.
Although it’s not as quiet as the Haier Serenity air con, the noise level is low enough to get a peaceful sleep without any disturbance.
Pros
- Power cooling
- Simple controls
- Easy installation
Cons
- No remote
If you need a silent wall aircon as well then check out the quietest wall air conditioners 2024. We also have an article about quietest 10000 BTU air conditioners in 2024
Buyer’s Guide to Quiet Windows AC Units On the Market
The main factors that I consider when planning for a purchase are,
- Cooling Capacity
- Noise Level
- Automation
- Reliability
- Ease of use
Read also: ultra quiet portable air conditioner and best quiet ductless split system AC 2024
Cooling Capacity
The capacity of the Windows AC unit is basically a measure of how easily does it cool a room.
But mind you, a higher capacity unit is not always the better option.
British Thermal Units (BTU) is the measure used to rate the capacity of Windows Air Conditioners. For home use, the capacity usually ranges from 5000 BTU to 12000 BTU.
You need to choose the capacity (BTU) of your AC based primarily on the size of your room.
- If the BTU is higher than required, the room will be cooled unevenly and you won’t find it comfortable.
- If the BTU is lower than required, the AC unit will struggle so much to achieve and maintain the temperature that it will make a lot of noise and also get damaged.
The table below can help you choose the correct capacity (BTU) for you room size.
Room SIze (Sq. Ft) | BTU |
150 | 5000 |
250 | 6000 |
300 | 7000 |
350 | 8000 |
400 | 9000 |
450 | 10000 |
550 | 12000 |
700 | 14000 |
Apart from room size there are also other factors that may require from you a little bit more cooling capacity.
The secondary factors affecting AC unit capacity (BTU) are:
- Lack of shading from sunlight
- Number of people and active appliances like refrigerator, dishwasher, hairdryer etc. that act as heat sources.
- Frequent opening and closing of the door
In order to compensate for the above factors, add a 10% to the BTU for each factor and 600 BTU for each active heating source.
You can now fix the required capacity of your Window Air Conditioning Unit and thereby narrow down your choices.
Noise Level
This being the main reason that you are reading this article, you know how even a good cooling AC unit can ruin your ambience by being noisy.
There are some manufacturers who include the actual noise level of the AC unit in their description.
This is given in Decibels (dBA) and it is usually the amount of noise that the AC produces at its lowest fan setting.
To get an idea of how much decibels is how much noise, check out the table below.
What Is The Quietest Window Air Conditioner?
The most quiet window AC unit on the market is the Midea U Inverter Silent Window Air Conditioner.
Decibels | Example |
0 | Threshold of human hearing |
10 | Breathing |
20 | Quiet Room |
30 | Whisper, Light Snoring |
40 | Moderate Snoring |
50 | Conversation |
60 | Busy Street, Alarm Clock |
70 | Hairdryer, Noise Restaurant |
80 | Loud Radio |
90 | Bass Drum |
100 | Subway Train |
110 | Industrial Noise |
120 | Jet Plane Take off |
130 | Gun shot, Rock Concert |
Keep in mind that measuring sound level in Decibels is not the same as measuring length or weight.
The Decibel scale is a logarithmic scale. In simple terms, 60dBA is not twice as loud as 30dBA. And 70dBA can be ten times as loud as 60dBA.
So, when one AC units lists 50dBA as its lowest noise level and another AC has 55dBA, don’t think that the second one is just slightly louder than the first one.
It could be way louder than you think.
So it’s better to go for the lowest dBA rated AC available in your shortlisted choices.
Factors such as these can also cause your noise level to increase soon after installing the AC unit:
- Improper Mounting
- Faulty parts
- Dusty environment
- Over loading due to Lower capacity(BTU)
There are two things to consider when we talk about improper mounting.
One, the AC unit should be mounted in such a way that there is no rattling noise during use.
Two, The mounting should be done in such a way that no gaps are there through which outside noise can enter your room.
This is very critical because, not only noise, but hot air can also enter your room from outside and cause the AC unit to work harder.
Also, keep your room clean and free of dust since, the health of your AC unit is severely affected when dust starts to accumulate over its inner parts.
And as discussed earlier, one of most underestimated cause of noise is having an AC which has a lower capacity than needed for your room.
Automation
By Automation, I mean the features present in most modern AC units like Auto ON/ OFF Timer, Power Saver Mode, Auto Fan Speed Control etc.
You may wonder what does this have anything to do with choosing a “Quiet” Window AC unit. I’ll tell you why.
We all know that an AC (during operation) is most silent when it is running in the lowest fan setting.
So for example, if you have an Auto ON/ OFF Timer and Auto Fan Control, you can set the unit to start cooling the room for sometime before reach home.
Therefore, when you enter the room, the AC has already finished all the hard work and is now just running at the lowest setting possible to maintain the temperature.
You can also set the AC to switch over to a particular temperature or just switch off at a particular time.
Features like these can not only be useful in reducing the noise you experience but can also lower its running costs.
Some manufacturers have special operation modes named like “Power Saver Mode”, “Silent Mode”, “Eco-Mode” etc.
Reliability
A window AC is a mechanical device with a lot of moving parts and heat exchanging parts.
Therefore it is important that the material used to make these parts are of good quality and are designed well to ensure that the AC runs long without any issues.
But if the parts of the AC are poorly made, although the AC may be quiet and perform well at first, soon after you’ll hear the AC making all sorts of noise while struggling to cool the room.
Investing in an AC only on the basis of numbers in the product description is not a good idea.
If the product is very new, I suggest that you don’t take the risk if the AC is sold by an unknown or relatively new manufacturer.
Instead go for an AC manufacturer whose products are known to be reliable and also has a commendable after-sales service.
Ease of Use
This is also something that is not directly related to the AC’s noise level.
One of the primary reason that people look for a quiet Air Conditioner is to have peaceful sleep in the night.
When that is the case, you don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night and have to put the lights on, walk to the AC and try to adjust the setting with some confusing knobs or worse-buttons.
The back-lit remote control may solve such a problem.
It is to be noted that if you have a good featured air conditioner you may not need to wake up in the middle if the night at all.
Even little things like the adjustment of vent direction or setting a timer can be really annoying if the AC interface is not user friendly.
So the bottom line is, in order to have a really undisturbed sleep or usage, you need to be able to use the AC unit with ease.
Other things to consider
So these are five important factors that you need to consider when planning to buy a Silent Windows Air Conditioner.
Apart from these, aesthetic factors such as, color options texture and design can be left to your own taste.
What is Energy Efficient Ratio?
The Energy Efficiency Ratio is a rating given to indicate.
Also, Energy Efficiency ratio is mandated by the US Government to be displayed in the description on all Windows ACs.
A good Window AC can have an Energy Efficiency ratio ranging from 10 to 12.
Is White Noise produced from ACs good for sleep?
Yes and No. White noise is known to provide a soothing atmosphere for sleeping but not all people experience the same effect. Some may still find it annoying.
Besides, white noise needs to be heard at a low noise level to be of use in sleeping.
And certainly you wont get a proper low volume white noise from a Window AC.
Is a Voltage Stabilizer required for using the AC?
Yes, in most cases, you will need a voltage stabilizer to protect your AC from getting harmed due to fluctuations.
There are some AC models which have voltage stabilization built in, in which case you won’t need to get a separate one.
Final Words Abut The Quietest Air Conditioning Unit
So there you have it – the very best quiet air conditioners on the market in 2020 and 2021.
In conclusion, if you want the quietest window air conditioner then you should get the highly rated rated Midea U Inverter Silent Window Air Conditioner or TOSOT Quiet Window AC Unit.
Happy Chilling!
Dave Pearson is a Canadian musician, sound editor, and audiophile. He is also the founder and owner of the website SoundProofGeek. On SoundProofGeek, Pearson offers advice and resources on audio equipment, including how to assess and improve audio quality, how to troubleshoot and repair audio equipment, and how to improve the music listening experience.
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