Another spate of hot weather across the country has caused brownouts, power surges–and a spike in traffic to our forum devoted to air conditioners. Hot topics for those seeking cool relief include: 

• Sound advice for noisy ACs? looks at installation methods and which models deliver quiet operation and effective cooling.
• Window unit + Central system covers the many creative ways our users mix and match air conditioning systems with portable and ceiling fans.
• Split ductless systems are being described as  “quieter, more efficient, lots of features that a room A/C can't touch” by frequent contributor Robert Lemley. See our tests of two popular split ductless systems for more insights.
• Portable air conditioners are getting slightly less enthusiastic reviews, as readers’ opinions reflect what our testing has shown about performance.
• Air conditioner efficiency focuses on the many factors that can affect comfort and energy consumption (see our recommendations on the proper temperature to run your air conditioner). We’ve also got information on financial incentives and detailed instructions for tuning up a window air conditioner and straightening bent fins.

–Gian Trotta

The ABC's of ACs: Watch for updated ratings of 13 small, mid-sized and large window air conditioners early next week. They’ll include full test results for the Friedrich Kühl SS08M10-A model, among others.