Effective Aircon Buying Guide and Brands 2019
A must-have in every Singaporean home, office, and basically anywhere indoors, we all know how to work an air-conditioner remote when the tropical heat gets too much to handle.
Buy Aircon from Best Brand in Singapore
But when it comes to buying one Not so simple. Let’s just say that the average homeowner isn’t as cool-headed about things.
Whether it’s the number of systems, BTUs, decibels - it can all sound like Greek (or quantum physics). And bigger digits or fancier features surely mean better, right Not always - it’s time to get up to speed and be a savvier air-con buyer!
Check out our quick beginner’s guide to figuring out the best type of AC for your home.
When getting an aircon installation done, it is important to make it a top priority to choose one of the best brands in the market. While you may want to go for a cheaper option, remember that popular brands have established reputable positions in the industry because of their reliable and trusted features.
Type of air conditioners:
Window Unit Aircon:
Window unit aircon as the name suggests is a single air conditioner unit which is installed on your window. It used to be popular, but most people opt for a multi-unit air conditioner nowadays. If you only want to have aircon in one room, a window unit aircon could be what you are looking for.
Pros:
- Cheaper to install
- Great for small spaces due to its all-in-one build
- Easy to maintain and clean.
Cons:
- Takes up a chunk of your window space
- Will need to carve out a slot in the wall or window area to fit the unit.
- Noisy, due to the built in compressor.
Inverter split aircon
A split air conditioner system is the most popular choice for the average Singapore home. The reason for their popularity is that more and more families want their entire house to be air-conditioned. It makes sense for a single compressor to supply all the aircon units in the home rather than having individual units for each room.
Pros:
- Sleek design for indoor units
- Despite sharing a main outdoor compressor, each air-conditioning unit can be individually controlled.
- Are usually quieter than window air-conditioners, because the compressor is away from the unit.
Cons:
- Much more costly - to purchase and install
- And outdoor frame has to be installed to house the outdoor compressor unit
- Wiring and piping works will have to be done to connect the satellite ACs in various bedrooms to the main AC.
Inverter vs non inverter Aircons:
Inverter split aircons are also more popular than their non-inverter counterparts. The first reason why is because they are more eco-friendly. The motor inside an inverter aircon system functions at a variable speed – it can go slower or faster. That means if the room is cool enough, the inverter will slow down its motor to use less energy. Conversely, a non-inverter aircon only functions at full or minimum speed. It will expend more power which means higher electricity bills.
Portable Aircon:
Another option for getting your home air-conditioned is to buy a portable aircon. Honestly, this option is the least popular one, but there are reasons why it would appeal to some. Here are some pros and cons of a portable aircon.
Pros:
- Can be moved around - usually comes attached with wheels
- Uses less energy than other built-in systems like central air-conditioning
- Easy to set up and use
Cons:
- Only useful for small areas
- Take a longer time to cool a place
- Not as energy efficient.
3 Key Things You Should Know
Choosing and buying the right air conditioning (aircon) unit in Singapore can save you big money on your monthly utility bills.
1. BTU (British Thermal Unit) / Capacity
The amount of heat your air-conditioner can remove from a given space, per hour. A bigger BTU/capacity means more powerful cooling, but more doesn’t always mean better in this case. Larger BTUs are usually used for bigger spaces that have more surface area to cool.
2. EER (Energy Efficiency Rating)
The amount of BTUs per hour used up for every watt of energy. Used to denote how efficient at cooling an air-conditioner is.
3. dB (Decibels)
The level of sound your air-conditioner makes. An average model will usually emit around 60 dBs - a loud as a face to face conversation.
So, which air-conditioner type should you get?
If you’re planning to cool a:
Single room: Window or portable air-conditioner
Multiple rooms: Split air conditioning system (if space permits)
The whole house: Depending on your area size, you could consider getting larger split systems that accommodate more indoor units (like System 5). Or, if your home is on a larger scale, like a landed terrace with multiple stories, a central AC system would be better suited.
Which brand is the best air conditioner?
In Singapore’s weather, an aircon is a must in every home. There are so many aircon brands out there – how do you know which one to get for your home. This is why we wrote this guide to the best aircon brands in Singapore. Read on to find the best aircon for your home and which is the best aircon brand in Singapore?
- Buy LG Aircon
- Buy EuropAce Aircon
- Panasonic Aircon
- Samsung Aircon
- Contractor Ram