If you don’t have central air at home, the best way to combat sweltering days and nights is with a window air conditioner. Window air conditioners remove hot and humid indoor air by drawing it inside the unit, where it’s converted to cool, dry air that gets blown into the room while heat is dispersed outside. We tested a range (and included promising models we haven’t tried yet) to find the best window air conditioners out there and help you select the right one. We tested several of the window air conditioners we recommended by installing them in work studios, large apartment living rooms, small bedrooms, and dens. We measured how far away the cooling breeze could be felt (known as throw) and recommend models that throw cool air at least five feet.