Affiliate Disclosure

Last updated: August 2026

The short version

Some of the "Check Price" links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — you pay the retailer's normal price. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

What this does not change

Rankings, ratings, and recommendations are produced before and independently of any commercial consideration. We rank by measured specifications — efficiency (CEER/EER/SEER2), low-fan noise in decibels, cooling capacity, coverage, and owner-review record — using the process described in how we rate.

Concretely, that means:

• No manufacturer or retailer pays for placement, inclusion, or a higher position.
• Commission rates are not a ranking input, and we do not favor a unit because it pays more.
• We keep units in the catalog that we recommend against, and we say plainly when a cheaper or non-affiliate option is the better buy.
• When a product genuinely has no good option — or when we do not stock the unit a reader is asking about — we say so rather than substituting something we do earn on.

Which links earn a commission

Most retailer links point to Amazon and carry our Associates tag. The catalog also links to retailers we are not affiliated with — including Home Depot, Lowe's, HVACDirect, Sylvane, SupplyHouse and manufacturers' own stores — and those links earn us nothing. Every outbound retailer link is marked with the sponsored or nofollow attribute so search engines can identify it correctly.

About the prices we show

Prices on this site are typical street prices recorded when we last reviewed a unit — they are estimates for comparison, not live retailer pricing, and they are labeled "est." throughout. Air-conditioner prices move constantly, especially in season. The price you see at the retailer at the moment of purchase is the one that counts, and it is the only price we would ever ask you to rely on.

Why we monetize this way

The tools, guides, comparison table and contractor directory are free and carry no advertising. Affiliate commissions are what pay for the spec research and the site itself. We think it is the least intrusive option available to an independent site — but it only works if the recommendations stay honest, so that is the part we protect first.

Questions

If you think a recommendation looks influenced by commercial interest, tell us — get in touch and we will address it directly. See also our privacy policy and terms of use.