Recently, I spoke with someone who had just moved cross-country to a new apartment. “Hang the pinwheel in the window,” she told me, as if she were naming her cable company. "light is on."
I had seen minimalist window AC units in the background of some home decor Instagram posts, but didn't realize that the company, which launched in 2020, had become another household name and direct-to-consumer brand. These engineered devices are marketed as quieter and more environmentally friendly. As I researched the company on my phone before bed, my 4-year-old, dusty window unit buzzed in the background. “Wouldn’t it be great to upgrade the air conditioning?” I asked out loud to my partner who complained every night that our bedroom was too hot to sleep.
This was certainly evident when I received an email from the company the next day announcing a new program to reduce the impact of air conditioning on the local grid. I requested a unit review and immediately moved my old air conditioner to the other end of my NYC Railroad apartment. After three weeks of using the 8,300 BTU Windmill air conditioner, I can confidently say that this machine proves that efficient air conditioning doesn't have to be ugly. Read on for my full review of the Windmill Air Conditioner.
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quick overview
- Price: $365 for 6,000 BTU; $415 for 8,300 BTU
- Best for: Apartments with rooms up to 350 square feet
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Dimensions: 13.2 inches high x 19.3 inches wide x 19.4 inches long
- What we like: Well designed, easy to install, eco-friendly, and most importantly, quiet
- What we don’t like: Filter needs to be cleaned immediately after installation
Windmill air conditioning design
Windmill is known for its minimalist aesthetic. The matte white machine features rounded edges and soft LED lighting that displays the current temperature. You know that ugly plastic expandable thing that comes with your typical air conditioner to seal off the side gap between the unit and the window? Windmill replaces it with a matte white insulator, seamlessly isolating your apartment from the outside world. Objectively speaking, it looks very nice as a window sill accessory.
science
However, what interests me most about Windmill is the company’s sustainability statement. As climate change warms the planet, people will need more air conditioning to stay safe, but these machines have serious environmental impacts: 16% of all buildings consume electricity, according to a 2021 report by the International Energy Agency for Cooling, Intergovernmental Organization for Environmental Policy.
The windmill's sustainability commitments include a carbon offset program, the use of greener refrigerants (a chemical linked to ozone depletion and other hazards), and remote-controlled efficiency. I also signed up my account for the company's Eco Rewards program, which remotely reduces your air conditioning usage during peak demand periods to protect the grid during heat waves, in exchange for up to $60 in cash back. However, the plan is only available in New York City, and I didn't see it take effect during the early summer weeks when I tested the AC.
my first impression
The windmill came in a box that was too big for me to carry upstairs alone. However, together with my partner we moved the device to the bedroom window. It was easy to install, sliding in between my sash and window sill. It took a minute to download the app, create an account, and connect the device to my Wi-Fi, but after that it was smooth sailing.
How does a windmill air conditioner work?
The windmill features classic air conditioning settings - fan, cool or eco mode; automatic, low, medium or high fan speed - which you can adjust in the app via physical buttons on the machine's front panel or via the remote control. You can also set up automation features in the app, such as turning off the device at a specific time each day, and controlling the device remotely. There's even a night mode that turns off your device's lights while you sleep. One nice detail: The air is sucked out through the top of the unit so you don't feel a blast of cold air on your sweaty face. That might be a drawback if you like that immediate, icy feeling, but I didn't miss it.
result
During the three weeks I was testing the windmill air conditioner, I had the windmill installed in my bedroom while I moved the old air conditioner to the other side of the apartment (roughly the same size) to cool the kitchen and living room. I use my Windmill air conditioner the same way I use other devices, setting it to eco mode during the day and cool mode at night.
There is no noticeable difference in coolness between the two areas of my house, separated by a door that I keep closed, but the bedroom where the windmill is located is significantly quieter. While working in my bedroom, I barely noticed Eco Mode's clicks, while in my living room the sound distracted me. The unit's clean design also adds a welcome element to my bedroom.
However, at the beginning of the third week, an unexpected red light appeared on the windmill display indicating that I needed to clean the filter. Even though I live in a very polluted city, I've never changed an air conditioning filter in my life - the need to do so after only two weeks of use seems excessive. (A Windmill representative confirmed that the unit was on "overdrive," improving air quality during the first week of use; after that, the filter will no longer need to be replaced and cleaned as often.) The filter housing is removed from the front of the unit Pops off and magnetically reconnects, and you simply rinse the filter with cold water. This made the process less annoying than I expected.
Is Windmill Air Conditioning Worth It?
The 6,000 BTU model of the Windmill AC, launched this spring, starts at $365, which is about $100 to $150 more than a product with similar features on Amazon. While Windmill does offer a $50 credit toward the purchase of a new unit when it recycles your old air conditioner, that price difference may be too much for something that essentially boils down to aesthetics. That said, other highly rated, unsightly window AC units on the market are even more expensive — another startup, July, starts at $449 for 6,000 BTUs, while the Energy Star-certified Frigidaire Gallery For $599 (12,000 BTU).
final verdict
A windmill air conditioner works pretty much the same as any other air conditioner you have ever used. What sets it apart is how quiet it is and how it blends into the background of your home decor (or your Instagram, if that's important to you). If you value a quiet, cool sleep and an elegant design to match, then a windmill is the perfect choice for you.
