Best Air Conditioners For a Small Room: Your Ultimate Buying Guide for 2022

Looking for an air conditioner for a small room in your home?

Split systems are the best solution. In fact, they’re the most common type of air conditioner here in Australia. 

But what type of air conditioning unit do you get?

But what sized AC unit do you buy?

An air conditioner for a small room can range in size from 1.7kW to 2.5kW. You can cool or heat rooms up to 20m² with this size—perfect for a home office or guest bedroom.

But how do you choose one? If making a decision leaves you as confused as a hungry baby in a topless bar, not to worry.

Here is our air conditioner buying guide for 2022 the top split system air conditioners for small rooms in no particular order. 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bring us two cracking, super-efficient units perfect for small spaces. The Avanti range’s smallest air conditioningsizes include 2.0kW and 2.5 units.

Why You’ll Love It

• 3D Auto airflow distributes air evenly and effectively at the touch of a button
  
• An Allergen Clear System captures and eliminates pollen, lice, allergens and, odours
  
• Uses energy-efficient R32 refrigerant
• Optional Wi-Fi control and Wi-Fi adapter

Warranty

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries offers a five-year parts and labour warranty. If you need to submit a warranty claim, you can fill out a warranty service request online.

Price (Inc GST and Installation)

SRK20ZSA-W/SRC20ZSA-W: From $1,700.00 to $2,100.00
SRK25ZSA-W/SRC25ZSA-W: From $1900.00 to $2135.00

Mitsubishi Electric

Mitsubishi Electric’s energy-saving units are engineered for high performance, and their new streamlined design blends nicely with a modern home interior.

Why You’ll Love It

• Uses energy-efficient refrigerant R32 
  
• Control the unit from your phone, laptop, tablet, smart-watch, or computer
  
• Super-quiet operation 
  
• Night Mode reduces bright lights and noises from the unit
  
• Advanced inverter technology delivers consistent temperatures and high-speed heating and cooling
  
• A Dual Barrier Coating reduces dirt and dust build-up for cleaner air
  
• Large vertical and horizontal vanes optimise airflow direction and control

Warranty

Mitsubishi Electric offers a full five-year warranty on parts and seven years on the compressor. Register your new unit online within 90 days of installation to receive an extra five years of parts and compressor protection.

Price (Inc GST and Installation)

From $1800.00 to $2315.00

Samsung

Create a refreshing and calming atmosphere inside your home throughout the year with the Samsung Geo+ split system small room air conditioner.  

Why You’ll Love It

• Innovative cooling technology cools spaces fast, disperses air far and wide while minimising energy consumption
• A large fan and blades deliver greater airflow
• The Dehumidification Mode reduces moisture in the air and circulates fresh, dry air throughout the room
• Digital Inverter Boost technology maintains your desired temp with less fluctuation, reducing energy consumption 
• The Easy Filter Plus features an anti-bacterial coating to protect your family from airborne contaminants

Warranty

Samsung offers a 5-year parts and labour warranty.

Price (Inc GST and Installation)

From $1830.00 to $2195.00

Haier

Haier’s Tempo air conditioner for a small roomis quiet and powerful. The remote Wi-Fi air conditioner control works through your home's smart speakers.

Why You’ll Love It

• Intelligent airflow sends cool air upwards and warm air downwards—exactly where you need it, when you need it
• Wi-Fi and voice control
• Self-cleaning technology freezes moist air in the evaporator, trapping dirt and ensuring air is dust and bacteria-free
• A Smart Reminder notifies when it’s time to clean the filters
• Sleep Mode ensures ultimate comfort, so you’re not too hot or too cold at night
• Dry Mode adjusts the indoor fan motor speed automatically to achieve mild or strong dehumidification (perfect for Queenslanders)

Warranty

Haier offers a full five-year warranty for the AC's indoor unit and seven years of protection for the compressor. 

Price

From $1680.00 to $2000.00

Fujitsu

Fujitsu’s Lifecycle series AC for a small roomfeatures a sleek design and a human sensor control feature. This helps to maximise energy efficiency by measuring human movement in the room. 

Why We Love It

• The apple-catechin filter sanitises your home by absorbing dust, mould, spores, and any harmful microorganisms in the air
• Economy mode limits the maximum operating current, inhibiting excess power consumption
• Setting the sleep timer at night changes the temperature gradually as you doze off
• An automatic filter cleaning sign displays to remind you when it’s time to clean

Warranty

The Fujitsu air conditioner warranty covers your air conditioning system for parts and labour for five years. 

Price (Inc GST and Installation)

From $1810.00 to $2365.00

Panasonic

Panasonic’s smallest air conditioningunit boasts voice-activated controls and multiple control options for maximum convenience, all in a small, sexy package.

Why You’ll Love It

• Aerowings technology delivers precise airflow upwards over a wider area then showers down gently and evenly across the room
• Control, connect and adjust the temperature from your mobile device
• Features intuitive voice control using Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa
• An Anti-Bacterial Filter provides cleaner air
• Whisper-quiet operation

Warranty

Panasonic stands by a 5-year parts and labour warranty. 

Price

From $1778.00 to $2130.00

Rinnai

The Rinnai Q Series is the perfect small air conditioner for bedrooms. This 5-star energy rating unit is packed with innovative features, comes encased in a sleek contemporary design, and is super-easy to maintain.

Why You’ll Love It

• Inverter technology delivers cool or warm air on demand even in extreme weather (from minus 15°C up to 52°C)
• Intelligent Defrosting means the outdoor unit runs an anti-frost mode in below zero temps to ensure high-performance heating
• Supplies a cooling airflow up to 15 metres 
• Wi-Fi control allows you to set your temperature from anywhere via the app
• The self-cleaning function ensures the unit is mould, bacteria, and dust-free
• A Fresh Function removes excess moisture
• Sleep Mode operates on a two-way temperature control that mirrors outside ambient temperatures for a comfortable snooze

Warranty

Rinnai provides a five-year full product warranty. And, if you do need to cash in on the warranty, you can book a service online that takes less than five minutes to complete.

Price (Inc GST and Installation)

From $1665.00 to $1925.00

Carrier

Carrier brings powerful, efficient, and sustainable heating and cooling solutions to every Australian home. Choose from two Aura Ultimate split systems—2.1 kW and 2.36 kW.

Why You’ll Love It

• Follow Me sensor technology regulates the room temperature based on the conditions around the remote controller
• A two-step filtration system removes airborne dust, fur, and common household odours
• The Outdoor Unit Clean function rotates the fan in reverse to keep the outdoor unit clean and operating efficiently
• X-ECO mode reduces the electrical frequency and fan speeds for greater energy efficiency while maintaining comfort
• Wi-Fi-ready models allow you to switch on your air-con and set the time with a swipe of your smartphone. 

Warranty

Carrier Air Conditioners come with a five-year parts and labour warranty.

Price

42QHB020N8-1/38QHB020N8-1: From $1565.00 to $1790.00
42QHB026N8-1/38QHB026N8-1: From $1630.00 to $1905.00

Daikin

Daikin’s Cora series is the ideal small air conditioner for the bedroom. Choose from two units—2.0kW and 2.5kW. These fully featured models are whisper quiet and stylish. Plus, all Daikin's split system AC units are approved by the National Asthma Council Australia Sensitive Choice® program.

Why You’ll Love It

• 2-Area-Intelligent Eye sensor enables energy-saving when the room is unoccupied for 20 minutes
• Uses environmentally friendly R32 refrigerant
• Coanda Airflow louvres stream air upwards along the ceiling for longer throws, delivering rapid cooling and even temperature distribution
• Whisper-quiet 
• A deodorising air purification filter traps microscopic particles, decomposes odours, and destroys bacteria

Warranty

Daikin stands by a 5-Year Parts and Labour warranty.

Price

FTXV20UVMA/RXV20UVMA: From $1835.00 to $2070.00
FTXV25UVMA/RXV25UVMA: From $1880.00 to $2255.00

Benefits of Small AC Units 

Righto. Now we’ve discussed the different options for an air conditioner for a small room. 

But why bother with a small unit? Why not just get a big one? Well, in this case, bigger isn’t always better.

We understand you want to cocoon yourself in an icebox in summer. But it’s not a good idea to go the whole hog and buy a massive unit. You’ll just spend more money than you need to—on the unit—and your power bills.

So, let us tell you the benefits of buying the smallest air conditioning unit for your space.

They Cost Less

Smaller AC units cost less to run. That includes how much energy they chew through and what it costs to maintain them. 

If you go with an oversized unit, it’s more likely to kick on and off throughout the day as it reaches its thermostat set point. This leads to more wear and tear on the unit and more frequent repairs.

They’re More Efficient

A small room air conditioner effectively cools the air while extracting moisture (humidity). Choosing a unit that’s too big for your room will quickly drop the temps but won’t dehumidify the air—which will leave you feeling cold and clammy.  

They’re Friendly to the Environment

A modern unit doesn’t release toxic gases, with many using eco-friendly R32 refrigerants.

They’re Compact

Unlike the units of the 80s, smaller units take up less space and often go unnoticed. Plus, their modern designs blend in nicely with the decor.

What Now?

We’re sure our air conditioner buying guide will help make your choice in buying a suitable unit easier. 

Speaking of easier—here at Hello Breeze, we’re here to make your life easier. But, unfortunately, we can’t help you take care of the ankle biters. Or take the mother-in-law off your hands. 

But we can offer the very best air conditioning service around. Plus, we only supply and install top brands you can trust. 

Want more info on split systems? Check out our installation guide and our super-easy booking process.

Or, if you want to have a mag with us about the best AC for a small room in your home, give us a jingle on 1300 712 732, or ask us for a quote!