This U-Shaped Air Conditioner Lets You Open Your Window

The window has to stay clamped down on it, holding it steady as it collects dust during the colder months of the year, because my tiny home doesn't have space to store the AC unit during the winter months.That rickety old AC still cools my room fine, but I've been testing the Midea U-Shaped Air Conditioner, a new unit that promises to solve all of the problems I've had with almost every traditional window AC while offering the same (or brisker!) temperatures. You don't have to remove it to open your window in the cool months of the year, and it does a great job of keeping the street sounds out.Whatever you do, don't use the setup instruction booklet that comes with the Midea U-Shaped AC. There's less open space for your cool air to leak out (or hot air to seep in), and that also means better soundproofing than traditional window ACs.Mind you, there's still a small gap since the window doesn't slide all the way down. If you're paranoid, there's a separate window lock you can screw in for more security, but then you won't be able to open your window at all.The Midea U-Shaped AC comes in three different sizes: 8,000 Btu (British thermal units), 10,000 Btu, and 12,000 Btu. Midea sent me the 8,000-Btu model, which is actually not the model I should use for my 450-square-foot room. You also don't need to use the app at all.Outside of that, and the longer-than-normal installation process, the Midea U-Shaped Air Conditioner is an excellent way to cool your home while avoiding the usual pitfalls of traditional window ACs. Its price is reasonable too—check a store like Home Depot for other 8,000-Btu window ACs and you'll see prices ranging from $275 to $400, if not more.