Air conditioners are one of the best ways to beat the scotching summer heatThey can make homes in warmest places comfortable, however, their efficiency and performance depends on their suitability for the area they are meant to coolThe following tips will help you determine an air conditioner's suitability for your home or office.

There are three main types of air conditioners available in the market-
· Window ACs
· Split ACs
· Portable ACs

To decide on the type of air conditioner you should buy, examine the area where you want the AC to be installedIf it has a window in which the AC can be fitted, you can invest in the window modelHowever, if for some reason you can't fit it in a window, a split AC that can be mounted on a wall will be ideal for youThe portable model is best suited for those, who do not want the AC to be installed in any particular roomBut, you must remember that even a portable AC needs ventilation, this means that you can use it in a room, which has a small window or hole in the wall through which the hot air generated by the AC can be vented out.

The second most important thing to consider before buying an AC is the size of the room/rooms you want the AC to coolThe general standard is 20 BTUs for every square footSome people make the mistake of buying a large AC (with more BTUs) for a small room, thinking that it would give a better performance, this however is a wrong perceptionLarge ACs in small rooms are not energy efficient and small ACs in large rooms are unable to give optimum performance.

If you live in a place where the mercury moves from one extreme to the other, you must make sure that your Air Conditioner is able to function as a heater in winters.

User friendliness is also an important criterionEase of cleaning, LCD display, built in timers, a remote control, built in water tank or extended tube for external drainage (in case of portable ACs), 2-3 fan speeds etc are some of the features which differentiate a good product from the mediocre ones.

Finally, you must make sure that you AC is energy efficient, after all you wouldn't want to protect yourself from the unbearable summer heat only to sweat profusely when you see your electricity bill!