If you have considered purchasing an ice cream maker the one thing that might be putting you off is where to put another kitchen appliance! While all these wonderful gadgets are great, it is easy to run out of storage place. Who wants a kitchen counter top to be filled with nothing but appliances?

Kitchen Aid has come up with an ice cream maker attachment that conveniently fits on to their mixers. So if you have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer then this is a fantastic way to have that ice cream maker without needing a whole lot of space for it.

Main Features of the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker Attachment

KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment

For use with KitchenAid stand mixers; includes freeze bowl, dasher, bowl adapter, and drive assembly

Creates up to 2 quarts of ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet in about 25 minutes

Powered by stand mixer; pour in batter and dasher and freeze bowl does the work

Dishwasher-safe dasher, drive assembly, and adapter ring

Recommended to hand wash the freezer bowl

Measurements:

10-8/9 by 10-2/7 by 10-2/7 inches

Weight: 9 pounds

Includes 1-year hassle-free replacement warranty

Overview

It is recommended to freeze the bowl unit in your freezer for at least 15 hours before making your ice cream. You can also make a variety of frozen desserts with this ice cream maker.

Your frozen treat will turn out with a nice soft consistency and you are able to make up to 2 quarts of ice cream at one time. If you are adding flavorings such as chocolate chips, fruit and nuts allow enough room in the bowl for expansion. Remember your ice cream mixture will increase in size as air is incorporated into it. Plus as ice cream freezes it also expands.

Making Your Ice Cream

Just follow these basic steps with your KitchenAid Ice Cream Attachment for great tasting ice cream and frozen desserts.

1. Freeze the bowl for at least 15 hours, or simply always store in the back of your freezer.
2. Make and cool your ice cream custard mixture.
3. Place the frozen bowl on your mixer stand and attach paddles.
4. Switch the mixer on at low speed, at your custard mixture.
5. Allow the mixture to stir the custard until it is a soft consistency, about 25 minutes.
6. Place the mixture into a bowl with a lid and freeze until firm.

Even though the mixing bowl accommodates 2 quarts it really is best to make 1 quart batches. Most people like to add some type of flavoring and as the ice cream mixes the volume increases. To avoid overflowing and cleaning up a messy spill it is much easier to make multiple smaller batches.

What Customer’s Are Saying

If you go to Amazon and look up this ice cream maker attachment you will see that there are well over 650 comments there. Next consider that over 400 of customers are giving this product a 5 star rating. This is a great testament to KitchenAid in itself.

Customers are having a great time trying out all kinds of flavors with this machine. Flavors with names like Cherry Garcia, Coffee Chip and Chocolate, Chocolate Chip.

Here are a couple of actual comments left by customers:

• This is the best attachment ever for the Kitchen Aid mixer!
• Once you get a good feel for making a custard mix, all the rest of the work is done by the attachment.
• Anyone who owns a KitchenAid Mixer really, really should purchase the attachment of the ice cream maker –it fits each and every single type of the KitchenAid Mixer made since 1990!!! You cannot beat that!! Wonderful. Best purchase ever.
• I have made 10 batches so far and they’ve all been absolutely delicious! I usually keep my attachment in the freezer for a whole day, just to ensure that it’s extremely cold.
• Using the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Book, I’ve been able to perfect the chocolate and vanilla recipes, as well as a homemade cookie dough recipe using Egg-free homemade cookie dough.
• Everyone who has tried the ice cream from this attachment has loved it! I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to make delicious ice cream time after time!

Where to Buy the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker

As I am sure you have deduced by now we are totally recommending that you buy this ice cream maker attachment from Amazon. While you are there you may want to treat yourself to the Ben and Jerry’s Recipe book: Click Here

This book has been raved about in the reviews by many customers. This recipe book comprises 128 pages and contains plenty of recipes both new and old. You won’t have to worry about which type of ice cream to make next. Your biggest concern is making it quickly enough so you can try out all the flavors!

Mixer Product Link: Click Here

Pretty much everyone recognizes the name Cuisinart when it comes to kitchen appliances. They are a well known household name with a reputation to uphold. They have several ice cream makers on the market and today we will look at their ICE 50BC Supreme Cream Maker model.

To start off with this is a higher priced ice cream model which has the advantage of not needing to freeze the ice cream bowl ahead of time. This can be a huge time saver, especially if you don’t have the opportunity to store your bowl in the freezer on a permanent basis. It is definitely more of a commercial style ice cream maker. So if you make tons of ice cream and frozen desserts it may be a model to take a serious look at.

Main Features

Cuisinart ICE 50BC Supreme Cream Maker

Fully automatic 1 1/2 quart machine that can make frozen yogurt, sorbet and ice cream

Brushed stainless steel housing

Commercial style compressor freezer – pre freezing not necessary

Precise temperature control

Efficient mixing

Fully automatic 60 minute timer

Ingredient spout

Lid, paddle and bowl easy to remove for washing

Instructions and recipe book included.

Measurements:

15 1/2 x 10 3/4 x 10 1/2 inches

3 year limited warranty

Weight 9 pounds

Shipping weight 32 pounds

Click Here to Buy This Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

Overview of Main Components of the Cuisinart ICE 50BC

Lid – transparent lid so you can see the machine at work

No need to pre freeze bowl

Add ingredients, set timer for 60 mins and you are done

Built in timer will automatically stop the machine when the ice cream is ready

No waiting in between batches

Easy to add fresh fruit, chocolate chunks, nuts and more to your mixture

Built in Compressor – this is the reason why you are not required to pre freeze your bowl ahead of time. Easy to make several batches one after the other.

One Step Operation – add ingredients and set timer, that’s it!

Powerful motor – this motor is strong enough to make ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet. The performance of this machine will allow you to get professional results every time. It really is a fast easy way to make frozen treats.

Customer comments

Below are some of the comments from people who have actually purchased the Cuisinart ICE 50BC Supreme Cream Maker. As you can see we have added both good comments along with a couple of concerns that some customers had.

• The only ice cream maker I used prior to this was an Italian gelato machine. That device required the work bowl to be frozen for several hours prior to making ice cream AND the use of alcohol to assist in the transfer of cold from the compressor to the work bowl. This machine from Cuisinart eliminates the need for both. This is accomplished by finely manufacturing the components so that the work bowl fits VERY snugly in to the device. The result is an ice cream maker which is much easier to setup with less mess.
• The ICE-50 comes advertised as a stainless steel machine. The sides are brushed stainless steel which is very nice, but the top, the arm and the bottom are a silvery grey plastic.
  

• On the top there is a turn-dial timer which works for up to 60 minutes. I would have preferred some kind of digital timer. I don’t think it would have added too much to the overall cost but the turn dial works well so I’m fine with it.
• There is a negative about the motor I should mention and that is that it’s LOUD. You definitely do not want to be in the same room or watch television when this thing is running.

The loud factor seems to be prevalent with most brands of ice cream makers unfortunately. On the good side though your machine will only be running for one hour, so if possible make plans not to be in the kitchen while it is running.

Where to Buy the Cuisinart ICE 50BC

Currently the best place we have found this ice cream machine to be selling at the lowest price is on Amazon. As we mentioned this is a higher priced model than some other machines and it does qualify for free shipping, which is good to note.

You can see all the details for this ice cream maker here: Cuisinart ICE 50BC

Here are some additional tips on how to make the perfect ice cream every time.

Whynter IC-2L SNO 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker

The most important think to note about making ice cream is that you must prepare your ice cream bowl ahead of time. This applies to most models of ice cream makers, though there are some commercial grade ice cream machines that do not need this pre-freezing time.

It is so critical to have your freezer bowl completely frozen before you begin your recipe.  How long you leave your bowl in the freezer will depend on how cold your freezer is.

If you are intending on making ice cream or frozen treats regularly then it is worth leaving the bowl in your freezer at all times. You may need to clear a permanent place for your bowl in your freezer first though!

If your bowl is always in your freezer you can pretty much make ice cream and treats on the spur of the moment. Think how nice this will be on a hot summer day when you suddenly get a craving for something creamy and cold!

If you prefer not to place your bowl in the freezer remember that in general it will take between 6 hours and 22 hours to freeze your ice cream bowl. The best way to determine if your bowl is cold enough is to shake it. You should not hear any liquid move around.  All freezer bowls have a cooling liquid in the insulated walls which freezes and keeps the temperature even.

White Mountain Wooden-Bucket Electric-Motor Ice-Cream Maker

Before you freeze your bowl we recommend washing and drying the bowl. You then want to place it inside a plastic bag to prevent freezer burn. The back of your freezer is normally the coldest spot of the freezer and this is the best place to put your bowl.

Your freezer should be set to 0°F to ensure proper freezing of all foods.

When it comes to adding ingredients you can pretty much add anything you like. It is important to use small sized chunks. Try to keep everything about the size of a chocolate chip piece. It is easy to chop up nuts and fruits to accommodate this size.

When adding these ingredients you want to add them during the last 5 minutes of mixing. At this time the dessert or ice cream is becoming thicker and the final ingredients will be easier for the machine to incorporate.

Some of our favorite combinations are chocolate and peanut butter, banana and nuts, chocolate chip ice cream and vanilla flavored ice cream with different fruits added into it. Blueberries work extremely well as do bananas.

What’s your favorite flavor combination?

NewAir AIC-210 Cream Maker With BuiltIn Freezer

Lello 4090 Gelato Pro Quart Ice Cream Maker

If you have never experienced home-made ice cream before, then you are in for a treat. There is just nothing like that soft, silky texture flavored with your own personal choice of ingredients. This is the very best way to create your very own custom ice cream!

With most basic ice cream machines you will have two standard ways to make your ice cream. The first is to use a recipe that contains eggs and resembles more of a custard mixture. This custard must be cooked first before being added to your ice cream maker.

Lello Musso Pola 5030 Desert Maker

The second method, which is normally the quickest, is to prepare the ice cream with no eggs. This is normally done directly into the freezer bowl of the ice cream machine.

The difference between the two methods is the texture of the ice cream. Custard based ice creams normally result in a smoother, creamier and richer ice cream.

Below we have put together some ice cream making tips to help you develop your own recipes and ensure that they turn out fabulous! Enjoy!

1. If at all possible try to make the ice cream base the night before. This allows the flavors to blend, especially with the custard bases, and it also ensures that your base mixture is cold. Having a cold base allows your ice cream to freeze rapidly and will result in less ice crystals forming.
2. Allowing your custard to sit helps to develop the flavors as well.
3. For chocolate ice cream always use a premium chocolate as opposed to cocoa powder as this results in a richer, chocolaty flavor.
4. Ice cream is easier to make when the recipe does not call for lots of ice and rock salt. Machines that use these ingredients tend to not produce great results.
5. It is important to pre-freeze your ice cream maker bowl. Make sure you have lots of room in your freezer.
6. When choosing an ice cream maker you may want to look for a model that can freeze sorbets, sherbets, frozen yogurt and one that can make slushies.
7. To get softer ice cream you need to incorporate air into it. Without air your ice cream will turn into one solid box. You must allow for expansion inside your bowl, as when air is whipped into the mixture it will expand in size. For this reason you may want to stick with smaller recipes of a one quart size.
8. If you add final ingredients towards the end such as chocolate chunks, chips or fruit this will also increase the volume of the ice cream.
9. Some people prefer to stir in their final choices as this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the ice cream.
10. Full cream will result in a creamier ice cream though it will have a higher fat content and be full of more calories.

When it comes to ice cream once you see how your machine works you can adapt your recipes accordingly. Experiment with different flavors and trying adding dried or fresh fruit chunks into your mixture. Remember to have all the fruit chopped small enough so it fits through the chute.

Today’s ice cream makers allow you to easily prepare ice cream in as little as 25 minutes or up to 60 minutes at the most. Now it is so easy to prepare frozen treats for your family.

White Mountain Appalachian Series Wooden Bucket Electric Ice Cream Maker

One of the main things you want to keep in mind when buying a new air conditioner is the size of the room it can cool. There is nothing worse than buying a new unit only to discover it cannot cool your room completely. This is why this Frigidaire FRA086AT7 is a nice window unit that you should consider when shopping for a new air conditioner.

This Frigidaire unit is a compact window mounted air conditioner and has a cooling capacity of 8,000 BTU and comes with a variable speed fan. This particular unit can easily cool and maintain the temperature in a room up to 350 square feet. This unit would be ideal for a large master bedroom or even a family room or downstairs area.

Main Features of the Frigidaire FRA086AT7

Compact

Window mounted

8,000 BTU cooling capacity

Variable speed fan

Cools up to 350 square feet

Anti bacterial mesh filter

Electronic controls

Dimensions:  18.2 x 21.5 x 14.8 inches

Weight: 55 pounds

Warranty is One year full coverage and 5 years for the AC compressor

The Frigidaire FRA086AT7 has a very quiet operating system which will keep you cool while sleeping without disturbing you. With many air conditioners they can cost a lot of money to actually start up and reach their desired settings. With this unit the manufacturer has developed a low voltage start up system which helps you to conserve energy and save money.

Additional Handy Features

The Ready Select electronic control allows you to set the comfort level easily. It has a convenient temperature readout display as well. The multi speed fan features 3 different fan speeds for more cooling flexibility and comfort.

The 8 way comfort control design allows you to control the direction of the cooler air. While air conditioners are wonderful they can also make the air in your home feel less fresh and possibly stale. This unit comes with a clean air ionizer which helps remove pollen and air impurities keeping your home freshener and healthier!

The Temperature Sensing Remote Control allows you to see, set and maintain room temperatures. Use the remote control to adjust setting from a distance. The signals are sent in 3 minute intervals from the remote control.

This is a window mounted compact air conditioner which is easy to install. It quickly allows you to keep a room cool on a hot day or during the night. The Sleep Mode gradually increases room temperature once activated which can help save you money while not running as much during the night.

The Frigidaire FRA086AT7 is an energy efficient model with a rating of 10.8. Once put into energy saver mode the fan will keep running for 1 minute after the compressor shuts off. The fan will then cycle for 20 seconds at 10 minutes intervals until the temperature rises. After which time the compressor will turn back on again.

The Ready Select Controls provide you with the ability to set your own cooling options with the touch of a button. The unit comes with 3 cooling speeds as well as 3 fan speeds.

Recap of Main Buying Features

• Energy Star 8,000 BTU with 115 volts
• Cools room up to 350 square feet
• Dehumidification up to 1.7 pints per hour
• Clean air ionizer great for allergy sufferers
• Low voltage start up to conserve energy and save money
• Restarts automatically after power outage
• Auto cool mode allows fan to adjust speeds as the room temperature changes
• Antibacterial mesh filter removes harmful bacteria

Customer Remarks & Comments

Customers so far have been on the whole happy with their purchase of the Frigidaire FRA086AT7 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Compact Air Conditioner with Temperature Sensing Remote. They love the easy to use digital controls and find the features useful. The remote works very well even when not in direct sight of the unit.

This air conditioner comes in white which most customers where happy about but others would have preferred a color choice.

Customers have stated that the unit is very easy to install and weighs about 50lbs so is manageable to put in. The unit does come with a unit and window installation kit. All the hardware that is required is included with your original purchase.

The digital display is a green LED one which makes it easy to read and use. You simply press buttons to control the unit. The buttons beep with each press. If you want to scroll faster just hold in the button to enable this feature.

The display buttons include on-off mode, fan speed, temp/timer up, temp/timer down, timer, sleep, filter reset, clean air.

Air speeds are low, med and high. AC has auto fan which regulates the fan speed automatically.

Pros

The outstanding points on this Frigidaire Air Conditioner are that it is very quiet, it cools fast and works extremely well. The power cord is 6 ft long which makes it no problem to plug in to an outlet.

The unit will remember the last settings you had even after a power outage, when it simply restarts itself.

The sleep feature prevents you from getting too cold at night, it raises the temperature slightly keeping you comfortable and not allowing un-necessary running while it is cooler.

The filter has an automatic reminder feature which tells you when it needs cleaning.

Plus customers are happy with the way the unit looks once installed. It is clean and attractive looking.

Cons

There were a couple of cons or negatives made about this unit. First there is no vent open and closing control. When the unit beeps, apparently these beeps can be very loud and were annoying to some people.

Where to Buy the Frigidaire FRA086AT7

The best deal on this unit we have found to be at Amazon. Plus this unit qualifies for their free shipping and delivery is fast. You can see all the product information and more comments from customers by visiting the following link. Frigidaire FRA086AT7

I don’t know about you but I love the comfort of an air conditioner. It is the one thing that is definitely worth investing in and the one item that I would replace as soon as it stopped working and was not repairable.

Summers are wonderful but they seem to be getting hotter and more humid each year. Not sleeping at night can be hard if you don’t have an air conditioned home. If you have thought about installing an air conditioner you might be surprised to see just how affordable they are. For up to $200 you can easily cool your home and enjoy a comfortable sleep.

Main Features of the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 Mini Air Conditioner

This air conditioner unit is a small unit that mounts inside your window. It is perfect for a small bedroom. I have highlighted the main features for you below.

• Energy Star rated 5,000 BTU window mounted air conditioner
• Cools rooms up to 165 square feet
• 2 speed fan with 2 way direction control
• Full width air discharge vents
• Anti bacterial mesh filter with slide out access
• Effortless temperature control
• Energy save function
• 24 hour timer
• Electronic controls and fully functional remote control
• Dimensions:  15.25 x 16 x 12 inches
• Weight 36 pounds
• Shipping weight 45 pounds
• Quickly cools rooms on hot days.
• Low voltage start up

Click Here to Buy FridgeAir FRA54XT7

Additional Features of the Frigidaire FRA054XT7

This air conditioning unit comes with ready select electronic controls which allow you to easily set your comfort levels. The display is large and easy to read so you can see the current temperature at a glance.

The mini compact design has optional pleated side panels which enables you to adjust the unit to fit snuggly inside your window. Plus the energy star efficiency rating of this unit is a 10.7.

This small air conditioner dehumidifies up to 1.1 pints per hour. It comes with an extra long power cord at 6.5 ft which has three prongs.

Customer Reviews & Feedback

I took a look at various customer comments on this particular air conditioner and have summarized them below for you.

Customer’s really love the fact that this unit is very quiet to run and easy to install inside your window. The motor turns itself on and off to keep your room at a constant temperature.

For the price it is a fabulous buy and well worth the money. If you are looking for an affordable air conditioner that works great then this is a good unit to buy.

Customers also mentioned that the unit is so quiet that it won’t keep you awake at night, the way some other units do.

You can find more details and additional customer reviews by following this link. Frigidaire FRA054XT7

This link will also take you to the best price that I have currently found for this compact air conditioner.

When you look at the features and the price of this unit there really isn’t any need for you to be staying awake at night because of the hot and humid weather. Amazon ships their products fast so you can easily have this unit installed and be getting a better night’s sleep in a matter of days, if you order today that is!

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When summertime hits it is time to check on your air conditioner and make sure that it is in good working order. You may discover that it is time to buy a new air conditioner or you might just want to cool another room.

While summer is the peak buying season for air conditioners it is also the time when you can find great units on sale. Shopping online can be one way to find great bargains and keep your house cool at the same time.

Main Features of the Frigidaire FRA052XT7

This air conditioner is a mini window unit that has a 5,000 BTU cooling capacity. What this means is that it is suitable for cooling a room up to 150 square feet. It also comes equipped with a 2 way air direction control along with rotary controls.

As well as cooling your home you can help improve the air quality with this Frigidaire unit as it has an anti bacterial mesh type filter. It slides out on the side of the unit for easy access. This mesh filter will help clean the air in your room and removes harmful bacteria.

The nice feature of the Frigidaire FRA052XT7 is that it runs extremely quietly, so it won’t keep you awake at night. Plus it acts very quickly and your small room will feel nice and cool almost immediately.

Dimensions & Additional Features:

The measurements of this unit are 13.2 x 16 x 12 inches and it weighs 35 pounds.

The unit has a low energy consumption plus it will automatically restart after a power outage. There is no need to reset the unit, the unit will restart from the last available settings that were programmed into it.

The rotary controls come with 3 options: The temperature selector sets room temperature when used in COOL MODE. High Cool offers maximum cooling effects and Low Cool has minimum cooling effects and airflow. The Fan Mode allows you to rotate the mode know to select your choice of fan speeds. If you select fan only the compressor will not run.

The 2 way directional air flow allows you to direct the air where you want it to go. So if you would like to concentrate on one particular area in your room you can. Air flow is obtained using the Auger Wheel and can be moved up or down or from right to left.

Main Buying Features to Keep in Mind

When buying any type of air conditioner there are certain features that you want to keep in mind.

The first is to know the BTU rating of the unit and the area that it can keep cool. The Frigidaire FRA052XT7 has a rating of 5,000 BTU and cools a room up to 150 square feet.

Units with a low voltage start up will help keep your hydro bill lower and save you money.

Automatic restart features – this is handy to have and means that if the power restarts in the middle of the night the unit will start cooling your room from the last settings. No need for you to get out of bed.

A good dehumidification rate is important and this particular unit has up to 0.8 pints per hour.

For comfort you always want to look for units that have variable cooling speeds and fan speeds. Again this unit has 2 cooling speeds and 2 fan speeds. Being able to direct the air flow is a nice feature and is something to take into consideration before purchasing your new air conditioning unit.

Customer Reviews and What They Are Saying

So far customers have been happy with this Frigidaire FRA052XT7 mini window air conditioner. It is very easy to install and a full instruction manual is provided with the unit.

When you unpack your new air conditioner you will find foam tape inside the box. This is to help you fill in any gaps around the unit and the window. This was a useful item to include as not all windows are perfectly sized. Plus it allows you to get the unit installed and running without having to go out and buy tape or foam. This is a really nice and thoughtful touch from the manufacturer.

Customers found that for spending under $100 this unit provided great value for money. The love the way it runs so quietly, and definitely doesn’t interfere with you getting a good night’s sleep.

Where to Buy The Frigidaire FRA052XT7

Currently the best place to buy this mini window air conditioner is at Amazon. Visit their sales page for all the details on this particular unit and to read more customer comments.

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While going out and buying an air conditioner sounds like an easy task, it is not always that easy to accomplish. Once you start researching air conditioners you can easily see that there is lots to know about them. What size do you need, what is the BTU rating? Do I want one that automatically restarts after the power comes back on and do I want a remote? These are just a few of the questions you are probably asking yourself.

To help you choose the right air conditioner for your home we have reviewed 3 similar units for you. You can see the main features and benefits of each one and this will help you decide which one is the right unit for your home.

The Frigidaire FRA052XT7 5,000-BTU Mini Window Air Conditioner is a compact unit which can easily cool an area of up to 150 square feet. This is perfect for a bedroom or a small office.

Nice features of this unit are that it has 3 temperature options Cool Mode, High Cool and Low Cool. You can easily adjust these to suit the temperatures outside or run the unit on a lower setting for overnight usage. It also has a fan option and when this is selected the compressor will not run. Great for using when you just want to feel some air movement in the room.

This unit is priced at just over $100 depending upon where you purchase it from. So for a small room option with affordable pricing this would be a great choice.

The Frigidaire FRA086AT7 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Compact Air Conditioner with Temperature Sensing Remoteis a unit that can handle a larger sized room compared to the unit mentioned above. This room can easily manage to keep a room of up to 350 square feet cool.

The other handy feature of this air conditioner is the remote control. It is easy to use and comes with a green digital LED display which is easy to read. Plus it works extremely well even when the remote is not directly aimed at the unit.

This unit is easy to install even at just over 50 lbs. It has a nice sleek design which looks great once installed in your window. It doesn’t look big and bulky the way some other air conditioners do.

Now the only downside to this unit is that when it beeps customers have said that the beep can be a little too loud. So this is something to keep in mind. However, if you are looking to cool a larger area then this is a good model to seriously consider.

Our next air conditioner that we reviewed is the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 Window Mounted Mini Conditioner.  Now this unit cools a room of up to 165 square feet which is slightly more than the FRA052XT7 model.  It basically has the same features other than the power cord is a little longer at 6.5 ft long. This might be something worth noting and of course depends on where you outlet is in relation to your window.  A half a foot can sometimes make a huge difference!

Customers were extremely happy with this model and loved the price. The best price we found was at Amazon where it was selling at just over $150. This is about $30 more than the FRA052XT7 model, which only cools a room up to 130 square feet. This might be a better buy for the square footage alone!

All three models have the same features including automatically restarting after a power outage. The Frigidaire FRA086AT7 is obviously suited for a larger room and because of this has more choices for directional air flow.

If you decide to purchase from Amazon you will not have to pay for shipping. All three models qualify for their free shipping program and delivery is normally within a couple of days.  All the units are easy to install and come with all the hardware needed for installation.

Final Choices

In our opinion I would purchase the Frigidaire FRA086AT7 model if I wanted to cool a larger downstairs room, possibly the family or TV room, or even a very large master bedroom. For other smaller bedrooms I would choose the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 unit just because it cools a slightly larger room for only an additional $30!

• Frigidaire FRA086AT7 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Compact Air Conditioner with Temperature Sensing Remote
• Frigidaire FRA054XT7 Window Mounted Mini Conditioner
• Frigidaire FRA052XT7 5,000-BTU Mini Window Air Conditioner

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The following chart will help you correctly determine the right size of your air conditioning unit. When you get into larger square footage areas it is usually more cost effective to install a central air conditioning system.

 Size of Room to Cool in Square Feet

 Running any type of air conditioning system can be expensive. Because of this it is important to understand the energy rating efficiency of each unit as well. A slightly more expensive unit may have a much better energy rating which will translate into huge savings on your electric bill! So paying a little more upfront might place you in a better position in the long run.

All window air conditioners have a compressor, fan motor and surfaces which transfer heat. Energy efficiency models have the same features but the above areas work more efficiently.

Let me attempt to explain this more clearly. An air conditioner works by passing hot air over refrigerant coils to cool them down. These coils actually have small fins or pleats on them that resemble the radiator in your car. The compressor then sends the air through these coils and the air becomes cooler as it is forced through this process.

Energy Star air conditioners use better and normally more advanced techniques and technology to accomplish this process. This allows the consumer to save energy on their units. There is less energy needed to compress and cool the coils and less energy equates into less money for you!

There are federal standards for energy consumption appliances. Some manufacturers of air conditioners have managed to reduce these federal standards by 15% or more.

With new air conditioners there is an energy saver feature which allows the compressor to cycle on and off, it is not running constantly as with older models. Again this can help drastically reduce your operating budget for the summer.

When looking for an energy efficient model look for those that have a 3 speed fan or one that allows you to control the amount of air flow being used. Some models will allow you to regulate the temperature overnight for example, again saving you money.  If you are at work during the day you can use this feature to regulate the temperature during the day. It doesn’t take long to cool a room down and you can easily set your timer to have the home cool 30 minutes before you arrive home.

Try to select an air conditioner that allows you to set the temperature and adjust it as necessary. This is much better than having a unit that works on room temperature alone and cannot be controlled.

Remember too that air conditioners have filters that need cleaning regularly. Many units will indicate when the filter needs cleaning while others do not.  The easiest ones to maintain and clean are those with a slide out filter. By doing regular maintenance you will save money on your energy bill and keep your air conditioner running in top shape for many years to come.

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When choosing an air conditioner for your home there are several things you want to take into consideration.

Most people will place the air conditioner in their window during the summer months and then remove it over the winter. If you decide to do this too, it will help cut down on drafts and help lower your energy bill. However if your air conditioner fits snuggly into your window or is in a difficult to install area you can decide to leave it in year round. Just make sure that you seal around the window with a good foam tape.

One of the main buying points is to buy a unit that is suitable for the room size. There is no point in buying a small air conditioner for a larger room. The unit will just constantly run without cooling the room sufficiently. All this will do is put your hydro costs up without you receiving any benefits at all.

On the other hand buying a bigger unit isn’t always a smart move either. If the unit is way too large for the area it won’t work effectively. This is because an air conditioner works by removing both the heat and the humidity levels in a room.

A unit that is too large will cool the room very quickly! In fact this will be too quickly as the room will become cold but it will remain humid. The room will actually feel damp and clammy and not at all comfortable.

To determine the size of the room the air conditioner can properly cool you must look at the BTU’s. To determine the square footage of your room just multiply the width by the length. So a bedroom of 10 x 20 feet will have 200 square feet.  For this size you would need an air conditioner the capacity of 6,000 BTU’s.

Other factors that you want to take into consideration are:

Whether the room is in the sun or shade? For shady rooms you can lower the BTU by 10% and for a sunnier room you would want to increase it by 10%.

If the room you are cooling is a family or TV room and will regularly have more than 2 people in it you should add an extra 600 BTU per person.

If you want to keep your kitchen cool then it is recommended to add 4,000 BTU.

Look for an energy star rating on your air conditioner. This will help you save money in the long run. You may also want to consider a unit that has a built in thermostat or timer. This way you can set the temperature of the room as necessary. Set the temperature higher for when you are not home or for when you are sleeping at night. Even making a small adjustment can mean a huge savings on your summer energy bill.

Don’t forget to fill any gaps around your air conditioning unit with foam tape. This will stop drafts and keep the cool air in.

As you can see there is more to purchasing an air conditioner than just looking at the price of the unit. Determine the size of your room first and then select a unit with the correct BTU’s. Then try to find the most affordable energy efficient model you can. These models will be fitted with the latest in technology and will last you longer.