The latest batch of room air conditioners in Consumer Reports’ tests meet tougher energy requirements so in addition to keeping you cool they help you keep your cool over rising utility bills. Small window air conditioners are the biggest sellers and we found five to recommend that cost in the $200 range. We also tested more than a dozen portable air conditioners but unfortunately, most struggled to cool a room. Here are the details.Our top small window air conditioner, the GE AEM05LS, $210, gets excellent marks for cooling a room of 100 to 300 square feet, is fairly quiet, and bounced back from brownout conditions when power is iffy. And at that price we named it a CR Best Buy, which combine performance and value. Four other small GE models made our top-picks list including the GE AEH06LS, $160, from Sam's Club,  and the GE AEL06LS, $180 from Home Depot. We also like the Friedrich Kuhl SQ05N10B but at $580 it costs almost three times as much as the others. If you like that brand, consider the Friedrich Chill CP05G10, $220.

It’s a little noisier than the Kuhl but quiet enough. Almost all the room air conditioners in our tests have digital controls and remotes. We did test three small units with mechanical dial controls and although they get very good scores for comfort, none performed well enough on our ease of use tests to make our list of picks.4 ton ac unit house sizeGE also tops our tests of mid-sized air conditioners, which cool rooms of 250 to 400 square feet, followed closely by the LG LW8014ER, $240, a CR Best Buy, and the Friedrich Kuhl SQ08N10, $700. furnace blower motor will not startWe also took a look at the Quirky Aros, $250, made in part by GE, and it was indeed a little quirky. ac unit drain pipeThe air blows out the top instead of toward you, which is a nice option if you’re sitting in front of it.

And the Quirky Aros has a sleek, modern look with solid rather than accordion-style side panels. But its scores for noise and energy efficiency were lackluster.The same brands dominate our picks of large air conditioners, which cool 350 to 650 square feet, with the LG LW1214ER, $350, and Friedrich Chill CP10G10A, $400, leading the pack followed closely by the GE AER10AT, $250, a CR Best Buy. If you live in an apartment that doesn’t allow window air conditioners or have casement or another type of window that can’t accommodate a window unit, your only option may be a portable air conditioner. We tested three small and 13 large portable air conditioners and the best got a score of 55 out of 100. The worst scored 27. But if you absolutely need one, the bigger units (9,000 to 15,500 BTU) were marginally better than the small (5,500 to 8,500 BTU) and the dual hose models bested single hose units. Try the Friedrich ZoneAir P12B, $600, if you have no other choice. But like the other portables in our tests, we found that most operate at only 60 percent of their claimed capacity.

For more good cooling choices, see our full air conditioner Ratings and recommendations.Last Updated May 26, 2011 1:57 PM EDT Here are the top budget picks, by size: Before you buy any model, CR recommends the following tips: An air conditioner that's too small (5,000 to 6,500 Btu) may fall short when it comes to cooling an entire room. If your room is greater than 300 square feet, consider sizing up. If you have a room that's between 250 to 400 square feet, consider a midsize air conditioner (7,000 to 8,200 Btu) and finally, large rooms with 350 to 650 square feet usually require a large air conditioner (9,800 to 12,500 Btu). If you want your AC as quiet as possible, get into the details on the Consumer Reports ratings. The models that got an excellent or very good rating in CR's noise tests have minimal sound. The only noise might be the sound of the fan running. Others that didn't score at least "fair" for noise could keep light sleepers awake! Psych Yourself Rich, Get the Mindset and Discipline You Need to Build Your Financial Life

Photo courtesy: RedJar's photostream on FlickrThose five or six days you decided to grace us with your presence sure were nice. You are a jerk. People say they like you, but you only serve to make everything hot and uncomfortable. We’re not going to take this lying down, Summer. Especially at night when we’re trying to sleep. And we’re going to fight you room by room. With these portable air conditioners. 7 ON YOUR SIDE7 On Your Side: Consumer Reports offers tips to allergy-proof homes 7 On Your Side partnered up with Consumer Reports on the best ways to allergy proof your home. Spring is in the air and so are many people's allergies.7 On Your Side partnered up with Consumer Reports on the best ways to allergy proof your home.The pollen count outside may not be the only thing that has you reaching for an antihistamine. Allergens can lurk indoors, too. Consumer Reports has some tips on how to make your house a safe haven for allergy sufferers.

Reducing allergens in your home is nothing to sneeze at. A good place to start is bedding. Washing sheets weekly in hot water and running them through a hot dryer can ease allergy symptoms."Hot water reduces pet dander. Dust mites will either drown or die in the hot-air cycle," said Sarah Goralski of Consumer Reports.Next, cover box springs, mattresses, and pillow cases with a tightly woven fabric that's dust-mite proof. "It's also a good idea to control the moisture in your home. Humidity at 30 to 50 percent helps reduce mites and mold," Goralski said.The right-size air conditioner helps cut humidity. Dehumidifiers also work, but they generate heat, so, save them for your basement.Air purifiers can also be useful for removing dust and pollen. Consumer Reports tested their effectiveness in a sealed chamber.Top-rated portable air cleaners include a Honeywell for $250."If you have a heating or cooling system that is forced-air, you may want to opt for a thicker filter, which we found more effective.

But it may require professional installation to accept them," said Dave Trezza of Consumer Reports.A good choice is the $29-dollar Filtrete Healthy Living Filter, available online.And don't forget, your vacuum can kick up dust and aggravate allergies.Consumer Reports finds these vacuums are good for emissions: the Hoover Wind Tunnel Max for $180 and the Kenmore for $350.Allergy and asthma suffers might want to stay away from bagless vacuums, which can stir up dust.Consumer Reports says there are other simple remedies. Dust can harbor allergens, so keep your house clean. Also, ban smoking and make sure your home is well-ventilated with exhaust hoods or fans in the kitchen and bathroom.Consumer Reports is published by Consumers Union. Both Consumer Reports and Consumers Union are not-for-profit organizations that accept no advertising. Neither has any commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site. (All Consumer Reports Material Copyright 2014. Consumers Union of U.S. Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)