In today’s scenario, wherein we have a profusion of technologies and brands, choosing any one brand can be difficult. Secondly, there is no right answer to the question "which brand to buy?", as it depends upon a load of factors..
Hence, I am not going to pick out any one brand as the best, for the simple reason that such a brand does not exist. It has to be a situational decision based on the underlying customer need, location etc- i.e. your needs, your location, etc. I would suggest that you go through the advice below which will help you to separate the gimmicks from the features of any product, and then make your own decision.
WHAT IS AN AC? It is simpy a device that cools a room- nothing more, nothing less. You can, of course have a technical sounding definition like a electro-mechanical device that aids in heat transfer from a room to the adjacent air or some such like---- {i forgot the exact jargon, folks. Look up any advanced physics or engineering book!!!}
SPLIT VS WINDOW?
1 They are the same. Both will cool the room, and equally well depending upon the room itself. That means, not every room can accommodate a window AC. Wherever there is a window in the room at eye level or a foot or so lower, , you can have a window AC. Everywhere else, split AC
2 Point to be noted : at eye level or a foot or so lower. That is the optimal. For example, if you have a window near the floor or a large ventilator near the roof, it will not give optimal performance. Go for splits there.
3 There should a clearance of at least a couple of feet, preferably 3 feet behind the window so as to enable flow of air. This is essential for heat dissipation
4 Technically, ACs comprise a condenser and a evaporator. In window ACs, both are in one unit, whereas in splits they are separated. Simple as that.
5 For fully enclosed rooms or rooms with no ideal external windows {otherwise you will end up making one room a little cool and another hot as a furnace!}, it’s split ACs.
6 Important for split ACs: if you chosen a split, take the dimensions of the brand you settle upon, and see whether it fits in the place you have kept for the AC in your room. This is cases where a pre-settled placement has been made in the room {some places do that like hotels and apartment blocks, which have overhangs running around the walls near the ceilings}
And that, my friends, is the end of the story.
Well, almost. There are a few other factors that you should take into account once have chosen split v/s window, enumerated below in the order of importance
CAPACITY
This is measured in Tons or BTU / Hr. Forget the BTU/Hr - it is a bit technical , and depends upon various factors - the size of the room, no. and size of windows, height of the ceiling, direction of the room, presence of false ceiling or not, no of heat sources in the room {occupancy, appliances, sun-facing window or not etc}, the average summer temperature and the maximum summer temperature in your town.
There is a very simple thumb rule that can be applied for homes: 1 unit of 1.5 tons for every 150 square feet. For larger rooms, simply divide the size by 150. If in doubt, you can, of course ask the technician to come over to your place. If his estimate does not tally with the thumb rule, ask for details
SERVICE
1 The most important differentiator. Look for a brand with a good service record. Shop around, ask for the service set-up, whether there is servicability at your town, nearest service center, but most importantly ask other consumers in your town
2 Do not rely on feedback from one counter- survey the market
FEATURES
There are loads of them, but few vital. The ones that are -
1 the configuration of the condensor {L-shaped is good, 3-coil is even better} The reason has to do with efficiency of heat exchange
2 Power consumption and efficiency
3 Noise levels
The rest are immaterial at least as far as cooling is concerned. You have fins in various "colours"!!, filters and what-not. Doesn’t matter all that very much. Fins are simply thin metal strips that increase the area of contact with the air. That’s all, no matter what colour they are -gold, silver, blue, yellow, orange, green, indigo etc!!!! Filter claim to clean the air... well, I wont say much about that. I think you people can understand... Yes, they have some effect. But the extent of the effect- well, let’s just say that the jury is still out on that one. But they have no effect on the cooling whatsoever, which is the basic function of the air conditioner
There are a load of brands in the market- Samsung, LG, Godrej, Onida, Electrolux, Carrier, Daikin, Voltas, IFB, Bluestar etc. These fit in various price-ranges to suit all pockets, so it is upto the customer - i.e. you. Just remember to compare all the options available in the market, and choose the one YOU feel ok with. DO NOT just choose one because it is the best known brand- you may be missing out on a better offering that way