10 Best Split-Type Air Conditioners in the Philippines 2026 | Buying Guide Reviewed by Mechanical Engineer

An air conditioner's electricity consumption will be hugely influenced by its energy efficiency, which is given by its energy efficiency ratio (EER). Having a higher EER means that the air conditioner is better at converting electricity into energy for cooling, which will ultimately translate to lower electricity costs. 

Modern air conditioners are slowly transitioning to the use of inverter motors for their products. The biggest advantage of an inverter aircon system is its energy-saving property, where it constantly adjusts its power output to precisely maintain room temperature. 

Once the target room temperature has been achieved, the compressor rotation speed is regulated by the inverter control to efficiently maintain the exact temperature without consuming too much power.

The air quality inside the room is equally important too, so some brands offer ACs with HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. These high-performance filters can remove around 99.97% of particles that are as small as 0.3 microns, which include most dust, pollen, and other airborne particles. Some advanced systems even include anti-mold filters and ionizer systems for odor prevention.

Air conditioners with HEPA filters essentially act as air purifiers that improve your room's overall air quality. However, take note that you will have to regularly wash or replace your AC's HEPA filter to maintain peak performance.

The insides of air conditioners are prone to accumulating micro-organisms and dust due to the moisture that could build up as you use them. Luckily, plenty of modern ACs have a self-cleaning function where they automatically clean their evaporator by blowing away the moisture. 

Not only does this feature get rid of potentially harmful microbes, but it also helps avoid rust from developing inside your air conditioning system for better longevity. And in most models, you can activate this function with the press of a button!

Nowadays, most air conditioners also have different operation modes that you can choose from for lower electricity consumption. For example, you could use an AC's Timer Mode if you want it to automatically shut off after a specified period of time. If you prefer to keep your unit running for the whole day, you could opt to use its Eco Mode, especially if your room doesn't need much cooling.

Sleep mode is a particularly interesting feature, as it's designed to provide optimal cooling while you sleep. As we sleep, our body gradually requires less and less cooling, so an AC on sleep mode will slowly increase its temperature to match our cooling needs. This allows it to conserve energy while still keeping the room at a comfortable temperature.

Air conditioners with Wi-Fi access offer plenty of advantages. This feature allows you to control your AC and access its features directly from your smartphone anytime and anywhere. Aside from control, it also allows you to monitor your air conditioning statistics like energy consumption and temperature fluctuations, and it even gives you information on whether your unit needs cleaning.