01.Introduction
We review more than 120 reverse-cycle split-system inverter air conditioners, with capacities from 2.5kW to 10kW.
Our testing reveals which air conditioners:
- have the best cooling and heating performance
- have the best airflow performance
On this page you'll find:
This comprehensive review covers models suitable for spaces from a single room up to a large open-plan living area. It includes all sizes of reverse-cycle split-system inverter air conditioner, grouped into:
- Small - cooling capacity under 4kW
- Medium - cooling capacity from 4kW to 6kW
- Large - cooling capacity from 6.1kW to about 9kW.
Saving on power bills
As electricity prices keep rising, it’s more important than ever that appliances are as efficient as possible. Air conditioner efficiency has improved year by year thanks to the government's Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) program, but cooling and heating accounts for about 38% of an average household’s energy usage; that can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars over a year.
- The first step to reducing your cooling and heating costs is to make your home thermally efficient; see our guide for more advice.
- It’s vital to match the capacity of the air conditioner to the size of the room; use our calculator. Air conditioner suppliers and installers should also be able to help. See What to look for for more tips about buying.
- For ducted (whole house) systems, see our buying guide.
For more information on Home cooling, see Heating and cooling.
CHOICE's experts independently test a wide range of products and services to bring you unbiased reviews, product comparison tools and buying advice that is trusted by 140,000+ members.
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- Braemar HSU-012HEK03/R2(DB)
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Braemar HSU-09HEK03/R2(DB)
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Braemar HSU-18HEK03/R2(DB)
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Braemar HSU-24HEK03/R2(DB)
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Convair HSU-012HEK03/R2(DB)
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Convair HSU-09HEK03/R2(DB)
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Convair HSU-18HEK03/R2(DB)
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Convair HSU-24HEK03/R2(DB)
- Daikin FTXR28KVMA
- Daikin FTXR42KVMA
- Daikin FTXR50KVMA
- Daikin FTXS25LVMA
- Daikin FTXS35LVMA
- Daikin FTXS46LVMA
- Daikin FTXS50LVMA
- Daikin FTXS60LVMA
- Daikin FTXS71LVMA
- Daikin FTXS85LVMA
- Daikin FVXS25KV1A
- Daikin FVXS35KV1A
- Daikin FVXS50KV1A
- Daikin FVXS60KV1A
- Daikin FVXS71KV1A
- Fujitsu ABTG18LVTA
- Fujitsu ABTG24LVTC
- Fujitsu AGTV09LAC
- Fujitsu AGTV14LAC
- Fujitsu ASTG09LUCB
- Fujitsu ASTG09LVCC
- Fujitsu ASTG12LVCC
- Fujitsu ASTG14LUCB
- Fujitsu ASTG18LUCB
- Fujitsu ASTG18LVCC
- Fujitsu ASTG22LVCC
- Fujitsu ASTG24LFCC
- Fujitsu ASTG30LFCC
- Fujitsu ASTG34LFCC
- Fujitsu AUTG18LVLA
- Fujitsu AUTG24LVLC
- Haier HSU-012HEG03/R2(DB)
- Haier HSU-09HEG03/R2(DB)
- Haier HSU-18HEG03/R2(DB)
- Haier HSU-24HEG03/R2(DB)
- Hitachi RAF-35NXA1
- Hitachi RAF-50NXA1
- Hitachi RAS-25YHA3
- Hitachi RAS-35YHA4
- Hitachi RAS-50YHA3
- Hitachi RAS-60YHA3
- Hitachi RAS-70YHA3
- Hitachi RAS-80YHA3
- Kelvinator KSV26HRC
- Kelvinator KSV35HRC
- Kelvinator KSV53HRC
- Kelvinator KSV62HRC
- Kelvinator KSV70HRC
- Kelvinator KSV80HRC
- Lennox LNIV2610
- Lennox LNIV3510
- Lennox LNIV5010
- Lennox LNIV6510
- Lennox LNIV7610
- LG D20AWN
- LG E09AWN
- LG E12AWN
- LG E18AWN
- LG E24AWN
- LG E28AWN
- LG K09AWN
- LG K12AWN
- LG M09AWN
- LG M12AWN
- LG M18AWN
- LG M24AWN
- LG M28AWN
- LG R09AWN
- LG R12AWN
- LG R18AWN
- LG R22AWN
- LG R24AWN (D24AWN-ND11 / R24AWN-UD11)
- LG R24AWN (R24AWN-11 / R24AWN-UC11)
- LG R28AWN
- Midea MORC09
- Midea MORC12
- Midea MORC14
- Midea MORC18
- Midea MORC24
- Midea MORC28
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE25KIT
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE35KIT2
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE42KIT
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE50KIT2
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE60KIT
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE71KIT
- Mitsubishi Electric MSZGE80KIT2
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK25ZJ-S1
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK25ZJX-S
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK35ZJ-S1
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK35ZJX-S
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK50ZJ-S1
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK60ZJX-S1
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK63ZK-S
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK71ZK-S
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK80ZL-S
- Mitsubishi Heavy SRK50ZJX-S1
- Panasonic CS/CU-E12NKR
- Panasonic CS/CU-E15NKR
- Panasonic CS/CU-E18NKR
- Panasonic CS/CU-E21NKR
- Panasonic CS/CU-E24NKR
- Panasonic CS/CU-E28NKR
- Panasonic CS/CU-E9NKR
- Samsung F-AQV09TWR-01
- Samsung F-AQV12TWR-01
- Samsung F-AQV18TWR-01
- Samsung F-AQV24TWE-01
- Samsung F-AQV30TWE-01
- Teco TWS-TSO25HVB
- Teco TWS-TSO41HVB
- Teco TWS-TSO50HVB
- Teco TWS-TSO61HVB
- Teco TWS-TSO72HVB
- Teco TWS-TSO81HVB
Brands not mentioned
Some brands such as DeLonghi and Toshiba did not respond to our survey. Without full information on specifications and ongoing availability, we haven’t been able to include these brands, but hope to do so in future updates.
Air conditioners sold in Australia must be tested to the Australian standard AS/NZS 3823.2 and registered in a government database at energyrating.gov.au, to ensure they meet the Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) and qualify for a star rating label.
We recently changed our test method and now source data on the models directly from manufacturers and cross-check it against the government registration database. Scores are then calculated in a similar way to previous CHOICE tests, but can’t be directly compared with previous tests.
Why we changed our test method
In the past, time and money constraints meant CHOICE was only able to review a very small number of models – about 20 per year, even though there are a few hundred split-system inverter models on the market at any one time. We could also cover only one size category at a time – typically small (3.5kW) or large (7kW) models. So the number of models we could report on was only ever a very small fraction of the market.
Also, we often had trouble sourcing models for testing as we needed to test well ahead of the season, and manufacturers often did not have their new-season models available in time. Add in the fact that it cost us about $160,000 to buy and test those 20 models each year and you can see why we thought it time to find a better value proposition for our members.
Our new method means we can bring you information on more models than ever before. While we have eliminated ease of use testing, as it would be unmanageable for so many models, in the past we found most models good or OK in this respect. Use our What to Look For tips to choose a model with a good remote.
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17 Oct 2012
|
Our test covers models priced between $600 and $1499, from brands including DeLonghi, Dimplex and Omega.
27 Nov 2011
|
Preventing your house from getting too hot should be your first priority. Make sure it's properly insulated, draught-proof, shaded and ventilated.
9 Jul 2012
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Did you freeze last winter? Were you in shock after reading the energy bill? Then it may be time to change the way you heat your home.
17 May 2013
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A portable electric heater can kill the chill. Check our test results for newly tested models from DeLonghi, Omega, Sunbeam and others.
