12,000 BTU Window Air Conditioners: Which One to Buy
A 12,000 BTU window AC is the size for a living room or a studio apartment: about 450 to 550 sq ft by ENERGY STAR's chart. Buy the TCL T12WV9S ($489.99 on Amazon): it is the most efficient 12,000 BTU window AC on Amazon today, CEER 16, about $106 a year to run.
Our pick at 12,000 BTU
TCL T12WV9S
$489.99 on Amazon
Check price on Amazon- CEER 16, the highest of the 5 certified 12,000 BTU window ACs on Amazon today (ENERGY STAR / DOE).
- About $106 a year to run at U.S. average electricity prices.
- The maker publishes no noise figure.
Is 12,000 BTU the right size?
| Room size | Size to buy |
|---|---|
| 350 to 400 sq ft | 9,000 BTU |
| 400 to 450 sq ft | 10,000 BTU |
| 450 to 550 sq ft | 12,000 BTU |
| 550 to 700 sq ft | 14,000 BTU |
| 700 to 1,000 sq ft | 18,000 BTU |
ENERGY STAR's chart for an 8-foot ceiling. The BTU calculator adjusts it for sun, people and a kitchen.
One size up or down?
One size down, the 10,000 BTU pick (TCL T10WV9S) costs $439.99, $50 less, and about $18 a year less to run. It suits a room up to 450 sq ft.
One size up, the 14,000 BTU pick (TCL T14WV9S) costs $629.99 and about $18 a year more to run. Only step up for a bigger, sunnier or busier room than the chart above.
Before you buy a 12,000 BTU unit
Every window AC certified at 12,000 BTU runs on a standard 115-volt outlet. Give it an outlet that does not also feed a microwave, space heater or other big load.
Our pick weighs 52 lb and is 19.8 inches wide, so measure the window opening first.
Want heat too? 4 of the certified 12,000 BTU window ACs also have a heat mode. Look for it on the listing before you buy.
Every 12,000 BTU window AC on Amazon today (5)
| Unit | CEER | To run per year | Quietest (dBA) | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL T12WV9S | 16 | $106 | — | $489.99 | Buy |
 BLACK+DECKER BD12NWES | 15 | $113 | — | $488.51 | Buy |
 ELEMENT EHWR12BE | 15 | $113 | — | $499 | Buy |
 LG LW1222IVSM | 15 | $113 | — | $519 | Buy |
 LG LW1224IVSM | 15 | $113 | — | $542.51 | Buy |
We pick the most efficient unit, the same rule as best window air conditioners. At this size the units here cost within $7 a year of each other to run, so the gap between them is small either way. CEER is the certified DOE rating. Noise is the maker's own figure, with its mode: cooling, fan only, low fan speed, or not stated. Prices read on Amazon today.
Questions buyers ask
- How much does a 12,000 BTU window AC cost?
- $488.51 to $542.51 on Amazon today, and about $106 to $113 a year to run.
- Is 12,000 BTU too big for a bedroom?
- For most bedrooms, yes. ENERGY STAR puts 12,000 BTU at 450 to 550 sq ft. In a smaller room it cools the air before it dries it, so the room feels cold and damp. An 8,000 BTU or 10,000 BTU unit fits a typical bedroom.
- How heavy is a 12,000 BTU window AC?
- The certified 12,000 BTU window ACs weigh 50 to 110 lb. Our pick weighs 52 lb. Lift it in with two people and use the support bracket if the maker supplies one.
- Does a 12,000 BTU window AC need a 230-volt outlet?
- No. Every certified 12,000 BTU window AC runs on a standard 115-volt outlet. Keep it off an extension cord.
Every certified window AC rated 11,500 to 12,499 BTU (80)
The full certified list at this size, ranked by CEER, with each unit's certified capacity. Use it to check a unit you see in a store. The table shows the 20 with the highest CEER; the full product list has all 80.
The 20 highest-CEER of 80 certified units · 3 with a verified place to buy
| Brand & model | CEER | Certified BTU | Quietest (dBA) | Price | To run | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kühl KCVS12B10B | 16.2 | 12,300 | — | — | $107/yr | — |
| Midea MAW12V1WBK | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| Midea MAW12V1WBK-T | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| Midea MAW12V1WWT | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| Midea MAW12V1WWT-T | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| Midea MWEUWA-12CRFN8-BCP0 | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| TCL T12WV4S | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| TCL T12WV9S | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | $490 | $106/yr | Buy |
| TCL T12WV9SB | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | $490 | $106/yr | Buy |
| TCL W12WC72 | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| TCL W12WC72-B | 16.0 | 12,000 | — | — | $106/yr | — |
| GE Profile AHTR12ACH2 | 15.4 | 12,200 | — | — | $112/yr | — |
| Midea 1010451379 | 15.2 | 12,000 | 32 (mode not stated) | — | $111/yr | — |
| Midea 1014278205 | 15.2 | 12,000 | — | — | $111/yr | — |
| Midea MAW12U2QWT | 15.2 | 12,000 | 32 (mode not stated) | — | $111/yr | — |
| Midea MWAUQB-12CRFN8-BCN12 | 15.2 | 12,000 | — | — | $111/yr | — |
| TCL H12W4KWH | 15.2 | 12,000 | — | — | $111/yr | — |
| TCL H12W4KWH-CA | 15.2 | 12,000 | — | — | $111/yr | — |
| TCL KCR-35/YXRDBp(E1/6)(080002) | 15.2 | 12,000 | — | — | $111/yr | — |
| BLACK+DECKER BD12NWES | 15.0 | 12,000 | — | $489 | $113/yr | Buy |
CEER and capacity are certified ENERGY STAR / DOE values. Yearly running cost is computed by us from the certified power draw and EIA average electricity prices; see methodology. Quietest setting is the maker's own published figure; a dash means none is published. A price shows only for a listing read on Amazon today.