Selecting an air conditioner means looking at a number of different factors. It’s important to become familiar with the idea of BTUs (British thermal units) so that you can select a unit with the appropriate cooling capacity for your specific situation. A BTU rating basically tells you how fast an air conditioner cools a space down. A higher rating means more effective cooling, but not necessarily more efficiency – the size of your room is important, as well.
We’re looking at two different window-mounted air conditioners by LG (The LG LW8016ER & LG LW1216ER). Both of these models will stand you in good stead during a hot summer, but we’re going to put them head to head to see which one you should take home today. We’ll explore the features that each has to offer, as well as key differences between these two models.
Controls and Settings
LG LW8016ER & LG LW1216ER
You’ll find the exact same controls and settings on both air conditioners, but their convenience makes them well worth mentioning. Both models feature four cooling modes: Energy Saver, Cool, Fan, and Dry. Cool Mode runs the compressor and cools the room to your desired temperature, while Dry Mode is specifically designed to remove humidity.
Using the Fan Mode will just run the fan, the speed at which you can adjust with the fan speed settings (also available in Cool Mode). The Energy Saver is smart about cooling your room – the fan will stop when the compressor does, but every three minutes it will check whether the temperature and cool more if necessary.
The fan speed is easily adjusted with the Fan Speed selector. Choose between low, medium, and high speeds. Another nice feature included with both models is the 24-hour on/off timer. Set your air conditioner to turn on or off with a delay between 1 and 24 hours so that you can save energy and come home to a nice, cold house. A remote control also makes the operation of all these settings easy from across the room.
Verdict: Both air conditioners have the same controls and settings. A wide variety of modes and fan speeds means that you can experiment in order to find the exact configuration best suited to your specific cooling situation. The inclusion of the remote control is also a major bonus. With similar control setups, though, we’ll have to look elsewhere for our comparison.
Cooling Effectiveness
LG LW8016ER
This model has a BTU rating of 8,000. As we discussed above, BTU rating is a measurement of cooling effectiveness. But what does a BTU rating of 8,000 mean? Basically, this air conditioner is best suited to cool a room of 340 square feet. In a room of 340 square feet, the amount of cooling power the unit provides won’t be overkill, nor will it struggle to accomplish its job.
LG LW1216ER
A bit more powerful, this unit has a BTU rating of 12,000. This means that the best spot for an air conditioner like this is in a room of 550 square feet. At areas much above 550, this unit may have a hard time creating your desired temperature. Below 550, it will be just a bit too powerful, and it will likely stop and often restart because it cools the room so quickly. This constant stopping and starting will mean less efficient power usage.
Verdict: Here, the verdict depends solely on the room in which you’re planning to stick this unit. The square footage guidelines above are just that: guidelines. A little more or a little less is not a big deal at all. It’s likely, however, that the room you’re trying to cool has square footage closer to one or the other. If it’s right in the middle, consider other rooms that you may eventually use your air conditioner. Or read on and learn more about energy efficiency.
Energy Efficiency
LG LW8016ER
If you take a look at the Energy Guide for this model, you’ll see that it has an energy efficiency ratio of 12.1. What does this mean? The energy efficiency ratio is a ratio of the air conditioner’s cooling capacity (in BTU, as discussed above) to the power input. You want the most BTUs for your wattage, so higher is better. The other number you’ll see is the estimated yearly cost of operating this device, placed in a range of similar devices. This model is at the far left end of the range at $60, which means it’s one of the cheapest air conditioners to run in its class.
LG LW1216ER
This model has the same energy efficiency ratio as the LW8016ER, but because it produces more BTUs, its estimated yearly energy cost is higher – $89. It also falls in the mid-range as far as similar devices go. Keep in mind; these prices will vary depending on your location and the time of year. What we’re looking at is the relative difference between these two models.
Verdict: Clearly, the LW8016ER will cost you less money. While both models are rated at the same energy efficiency, the LG LW1216ER uses more power to produce more results. This may be another question you’ll have to decide for yourself. Is the extra power worth the extra money?
LG LW8016ER vs LG LW1216ER: Bottom Line
This race is very close. In many ways, the consumer will provide the deciding factor in this competition: what are you using your air conditioner for? Both models have terrific versatility with settings for every cooling situation. While they operate with different levels of power, their energy efficiency ratios are the same. And they both provide ideal cooling power for a specific room size: 340 or 550 square feet.
You know best which of these air conditioners you need. Measure your room and figure out which air conditioner will perform most efficiently. As mentioned above, however, also consider what other rooms in your house you might end up using your air conditioner. Measure those, too. If you’re still in doubt, stick with energy cost. The LG LW8016ER is still a powerful machine, but it will use significantly less energy than its competitor.
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