If you're considering air conditioners that are not in our Ratings (available to subscribers), use these profiles of six of the most popular brands sold in this country as a guide. Based on an analysis of test results from the past four years, models from these brands cooled very well, but some were better in other areas. (We didn't have enough data to evaluate other brands.)

FRIEDRICH

High Often quieter on high setting.

Low Slightly less convenient to use.

FRIGIDAIRE

High Consistently excellent cooling on energy-saver mode.

Lows Overall performance is slightly less consistent. Some models are noisy on high or low settings. Slightly less convenient to use.

GE

High Often quieter on high and low settings than most.

Low Not as good at directing air to left.

HAIER

High Consistently excellent cooling on energy-saver mode.

Lows Overall performance is slightly less consistent. Some models are noisy on high or low setting.

LG

High None.

Lows Overall performance slightly less consistent. Performance on energy-saver mode worse than others. Some models are noisy on high.

SHARP

High Consistently excellent cooling on energy-saver mode.

Lows Overall performance slightly less consistent. Some models are noisy.