Today, investing in air conditioning is commonplace for the average Indian consumer. Each year, summer temperatures increase, with 2019 being the 7th hottest year since 1991. This has caused the demand for durable air cons to skyrocket. The boom of the Indian economy allowed the widespread growth of ACs and greater technological innovation has led to better ones.
Air conditioners offer a variety of benefits. From 5-star air conditioners with the best energy efficiency to inverter AC helping with better temperature control, there is more range on the market for today’s buyers. Here’s everything you need to know before buying an air conditioner in India.
Types of ACs in India
There are 2 categories of AC: inverter/non-inverter and split/window. Here are the types of air conditioners in more detail.
- Split: Flat wide ACs that have two units, an indoor and outdoor unit. It can be energy efficient and offers more uniform cooling.
- Window: Boxy ACs that have a single attached unit. It can be energy efficient and conserves space at the expense of more uniform cooling.
- Inverter: Adjusts the speed of its internal compressor to control the rate of flow of the cool air. It consumes less electrical power due to its ability to alter its compressor speed.
- Non-inverter: Start or stop their compressors instead of adjusting them to control the indoor temperature. Consume more energy than Inverter ACs.
Based on the design of your room, your cooling needs, and other factors, you can find match the characteristics you prefer in your AC. For instance, somebody who wants to save on electricity costs in the long run, but doesn’t have space for a second unit can opt for a window AC.
What to Consider Before Buying an AC in India
There are multiple things one must consider before buying an AC. Cost, cooling capacity, energy efficiency, are some of them. Here’s what to look out for.
BEE Star Rating
It’s possible to invest in a powerful AC that does not contribute to a large monthly electricity bill. AC manufacturers prioritize energy efficiency in their models which measures the amount of electrical power your AC requires for the amount of cooling it offers. You will notice a 5-star grade as a sticker on your AC. These are ‘BEE stars’- a five-point scale for assessing how energy efficient, and hence, cost-effective your air-con is.
Started by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in 2006, the BEE stars rating takes into account:
- The British Thermal Units (BTU): the cooling capacity proficiency per certain square foot of area.
- Energy Efficiency Rating (EER): the degree of cooling per unit of power used.
5 BEE stars consume the least amount of electricity and provide the best cooling capacity. They are rare in most appliances. If energy efficiency in the long term is your goal, 5-star grading is for you. If you want to save on future electricity costs at a relatively affordable investment, look for 3 BEE stars, which are less costly and more widespread in India.
Tonnage
Almost all brands like Bluestar, LG, Hitachi, Voltas, and Godrej display the tonnage of their AC models online for customers to assess. Tonnage measures the amount of heat an air conditioner can eliminate from a certain area or room in 60 minutes. In other words, this is the cooling capacity of the air conditioner.
When ascertaining the tonnage of your air conditioner, follow this rule: The larger the room, the greater the tonnage. Here are the specifics from experts:
- 1-ton air conditioner: sufficiently cools rooms that are smaller than 140 sq.ft.
- 1.5-ton air conditioner: sufficiently cools rooms sized between 140 to 180 sq.ft.
- 2-ton air conditioner: sufficiently cools rooms larger than 180 sq.ft.
Climate Needs
The benefit of the variety among air conditioners today is that one can choose the ideal model suited to their external environment. While they are expensive, people invest in 5-star air conditioners because they use their ACs frequently, and want a lower electricity bill each month. 5-star air conditioners have been shown to be cost-effective in the long run and reduce the electricity bill 30% each month. However, if one lives in a colder part of the country, it might be wiser to go for 3-star inverter AC that adjusts its energy output to reduce costs during the chilly winters.
Where to Buy AC in India
With partner brands like Blue Star, Hitachi, LG, Godrej, and Voltas, the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network is a one-stop-shop to find the right AC for you. The EMI Network currently offers all varieties of the best ACs at no-cost EMIs. In addition to ACs, you can browse through over 1 million products from any of the EMI Network’s e-commerce partners or offline partner stores, spread across 1,900 cities. To choose from the best ACs in India, make Bajaj Finserv your shopping partner!