AC units

I've gone the last four or so summers without an AC unit in my room. Due to some rather warm weather on the Ice Coast and the fact my apartment feels like a sauna (I don't mind really), I might buy my first AC unit. The question is, where do you go? Home Depot, Lowes, Wal*Mart, thrift store, Sears, your unsuspecting neighbor's window... Personally, I can deal without it but when my friends come to visit, they pretty much sweat to death. And I guess it wouln't be too bad to have one ya know..?

So, where to?

 

I bought a room Kenmore AC at Sears and haven't had one problem in several years of use. It's a winner, I tell you.

 

Lowe's or the Depot are fine, I would stay away from Wal-Mart for any appliance.
Make sure the unit you buy is compatible with your place's electrical outlets.
Some of the big ACs use another voltage, which my house didn't have.
I had to uninstall it, repack it in what was left of the box and return it to Lowe's.
I give them credit, since I had the receipt, they took it back.
If it's a small AC, you should have no problem.

 

How big of one are you looking for?

I got a 5200 BTU one for about $100 five or six years ago from Kmart I think and it works beautifully. 5200 is one of the smaller ones, so it didn't cool off the whole apartment, but it kept the main room comfortable. And I just slept in there, rather than be hot in the bedroom.

Normally, I wouldn't buy too many appliances from Kmart or Walmart, but a small room air conditioner shouldnt be a problem. Go where you can get the best deal.

 

I've seen some really cheapo Haier units at Target ... that brand doesn't have the best rep, but I bought a PORTABLE Haier 11,000 BTU unit for under $400 last summer, and so far, so good. The fucker rolls, too, so you can move it around.

 

Yeah I just want a small one; 5,200 or 8K to keep the living room area cool. IMO, the heat doesn't bother me that much but last night my friend said something like, "God damn, I think the temp increased by 10*!" while I had two fans blowing in my face playing NHL 2005...ha
Just something to keep the area comfortable while watching movies, playing cards and all that jazz.