This is a list and review of the best 15000 BTU window air conditioners plus a short Sizing Guide to assist in your purchase decision.
Quick Overviews with bullet points of the top features allow a quick purchase.
Fuller Best 15000 BTU Window ACs Reviews provide more details for readers that want further research.
Here is the Navigation for this post:
Sizing a Window AC – Make Sure it’s the Right Size
Once you get into the 15000 BTU range of window air conditioners, they’re putting out a lot of cold air.
Is it too much? Too little? About right?
It starts with square footage of the space you plan to cool.
This chart shows that 15K units are meant to serve 650 to 750 square feet.
| Space in Square Feet | BTUs per Hour Needed |
|---|---|
| 150 – 250 | 6000 BTUs |
| 250 – 350 | 8000 BTUs |
| 350 – 450 | 10000 BTUs |
| 450 – 550 | 12000 BTUs |
| 550 – 650 | 14000 BTUs |
| 650 – 750 | 15000 BTUs |
Too Big
It is too large for most spaces less than 600 square feet, unless that space is especially warm – discussed shortly and in the Sizing Guide.
For example, in a 400 square foot bedroom, these units would be too loud and probably make the space uncomfortably cool. Not much humidity will be removed. The room will cool quickly, and the compressor will shut off before it has a chance to remove much humidity.
When any type of AC is too large, it does something called short-cycling. The unit comes on, quickly cools the space, and shuts off. On/off, on/off in shorter bursts than normal. Results?
- Too much noise
- Not enough dehumidifying – Your room will end up cool and clammy
Too Small
Your space will be warm and sticky, and that’s no better.
Just Right – That’s the Goal
OK. We start with space 650 to 750 square feet. If the room is on a first floor and doesn’t get a full afternoon of direct sunlight, it will likely be sufficient in size.
However, consider a larger unit if several of these are true – the room is sunny in the afternoon, is on the second floor, adjoins enclosed and uncooled space like the attic or if the central AC doesn’t do much for the room at all.
There is complete window AC sizing information in the Buying Guide below. It gives specific sizing details.
Best 15,000 BTU Window Air Conditioners
We have done research and comparison of the best 15,000 BTU window air conditioners available in the market. Our selected list includes units with strong cooling capability to cover bigger rooms or open areas, usually up to 700 square feet. These air conditioners are efficient, durable and easy to use to enable you to overcome the heat.
Amana 15,000 BTU Window AC
This Amana window air conditioner is our recommendation because it has high cooling ability and energy saving characteristics.
Pros
- Eco mode energy saving
- Easy remote control
Cons
- Rather noisy work
- Bulky size
- Installation may be difficult
We have just tried the Amana 15000 BTU window AC and we were surprised by its cooling capacity. It cooled our 600 sq ft living room in a hot day very fast. The digital readout allowed us to program the temperature we wanted.
The eco mode assisted us in saving our energy bill without compromising comfort. We liked the sleep mode which slowly raised the temperature at night to have a good sleep. The filter was easy to wash.
It is very heavy at 105 pounds. Two people were needed to install it. The unit is also quite loud and this can be annoying to light sleepers. Nevertheless, these small flaws did not stop us to conclude that it is a decent cooling solution to use in large areas.
Whirlpool 15,000 BTU Window AC
We suggest this Whirlpool window AC, because of its high cooling power and ease of use.
Pros
- Various cooling options and time setting
- Simple installation and maintenance
Cons
- Can be loud when the fan is running fast
- It is quite heavy weighing 105.8 pounds
- More energy consumption as compared to some models
The Whirlpool 15,000 BTU window AC was a powerful cooling system that we could recommend to cool bigger areas. We were impressed with its cooling and dehumidifying capability of rooms up to 700 square feet.
Its operation was easy with the digital control panel and remote control. We liked the versatility of the three cooling speeds, eco mode and sleep mode. The programmable timer that had 24 hours enabled us to set the cooling times to our preferences.
The window mounting kit that came with it was easy to install. Maintenance was easy because of the washable filter, but we pointed out that it is necessary to clean it regularly to ensure its proper functioning. Although this is effective, we found out that the unit is a bit loud when the fan is at high speeds.
BLACK+DECKER 14,500 BTU Window AC
We suggest this efficient but not big unit because of its effectiveness in cooling and convenience of use.
Pros
- Chills 700 square feet
- Simple installation procedure
- Convenience through remote control
Cons
- A little bit noisy work
- Possibly too heavy to install alone
- Not Energy Star certified
This BLACK+DECKER window air conditioner is a good product in larger rooms. Its 14,500 BTU was able to cool our 500 square foot space in a short time and hot summer days were much bearable.
It was easy to install but we had to have an additional pair of hands because it is heavy. The window kit provided in it facilitated the process. After installation, we liked the digital display and remote control to change the temperature easily.
It is not the quietest AC that we have ever used but the cooling power compensates. We especially enjoyed the 24-hour timer, which enabled us to set cooling cycles. It has a good feature of R32 refrigerant, which is more efficient than the previous models.
Midea U-Shaped Smart AC
We strongly suggest this new window air conditioner because it is energy saving and quiet.
Pros
- Ultra-quiet performance
- Inverter energy efficient technology
- Design of flexible window opening
Cons
- Greater initial price
- More complicated installation
- Problems with Wi-Fi connection reported
The Midea U-Shaped Smart AC was very quiet in operation. Its special design prevents the outdoor noise, and it is 9 times quieter than the conventional units. We hardly felt it running even during hot days.
The inverter technology brings about huge savings in energy. Our electricity bill was reduced significantly as compared to our old window unit. The Energy Star certification makes us assured of its efficiency.
We liked the adjustable window. It enabled us to open the window to get fresh air without the unit removal. This aspect along with the intelligent control through the app or voice made it a flexible cooling system in our house.
LG Smart Cooling Powerhouse
This LG window AC is powerful in cooling and smart, but it comes with noise issues, which we recommend.
Pros
- Efficient two inverter technology
- Voice control and Wi-Fi features
Cons
- A little bit louder than the advertised one
- Installation may be a problem
- There are certain reliability issues
We have discovered that the LG LW1522FVSM is a powerful cooling system that can be used in bigger rooms. It has a 14,000 BTU capacity that is able to cool rooms of up to 700 square feet. The dual inverter technology also impressed us because it is energy efficient which could save electricity bills.
It is easy to control this unit. We liked the Wi-Fi connection, which enabled us to change the settings using a smartphone. Another level of convenience is voice commands using Google Assistant or Alexa.
Although LG boasts of silent performance, we found out that it is not as silent as it is advertised. The level of noise is acceptable yet evident. It needed a little effort to install, so it is recommended to have a second pair of hands.
15000 BTU Window Air Conditioner Sizing Guide
Here is more information on sizing a window AC followed by additional resources you might find useful.
Sizing your Window AC
As noted above, an AC that is too big isn’t much better than one that is too small. The small one won’t cool the room enough. The big one won’t remove as much humidity unless it runs all the time and makes the room colder than you’d like.
15000 BTUs is enough to cool 650 to 750 square feet, all else being equal.
It might not be large enough if the room has any more than one of these conditions:
- Ceilings higher than 8 feet
- A wall facing west
- It’s a kitchen, and the stove or range are on in the afternoon or early evening
- The room is on an upper floor – and heat rises, so those rooms need extra cooling power
- The room adjoins a garage or attic, two rooms that tend to get very warm on hot, sunny days
If the room is less than 700 square feet, the AC will be OK with one of these factors.
If the room is 700-750 square feet, then we recommend adding 1000 BTUs for each of the issues your room has.
Examples:
#1 A 725 square foot master bedroom on the first floor with walls facing east and north – A 15000 BTU window AC would be large enoug.
#2 A 700 square foot bonus room faces south (+1000 BTUs), is on the second floor (+1000 BTUs) and is next to the attic (+1000 BTUs). This room would be better served by an 18000 BTU window air conditioner.
