GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner (AHC08LY) Review
The GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner AHC08LY ($329) is an 8,000-BTU Wi-Fi-enabled window unit air conditioner that you can control with your phone or with your voice.
It offers support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands, and it works with other smart home devices via Apple HomeKit and IFTTT applets.
It also uses your phone's location services to cool down rooms in your home before you arrive and offers flexible scheduling options and energy usage reports.
You'll pay a bit more for this model than you will for a non-connected AC, and you might need some assistance installing it, but the GE AHC08LY is hands-down the smartest room air conditioner we've come across and is our first Editors' Choice for the category.
Design and Features
Designed for rooms up to 350 square feet, the AHC08LY air conditioner delivers 8,000 BTUs and is Energy Star certified.
The white enclosure weighs 49 pounds and measures 14.6 by 19.0 by 15.9 (HWD) inches.
It fits in windows 24 to 38 inches wide with a minimum opening height of 15.1 inches.
It's a top air discharge AC with a four-way adjustable louver.
Between the louver and the filter grill is a control panel with a power button, a white backlit digital temperature readout, a Mode button (Cool, Energy Saver, Fan Only), a Fan Speed button (Low, Medium, High, Auto), and indicators for Wi-Fi, Filter (replacement), and Sleep.
The Sleep button lets you configure the AC to reduce fan speed during night hours for quieter operation and reduced energy usage.
The panel will display the current room temperature and mode, the target temperature, and the fan speed for one minute before it goes dark.
To see these readings again, simply press any button on the control panel or the included remote.
You can press and hold the Sleep button for five seconds to disable the auto dimming feature if you prefer.
The AHC08LY uses an embedded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio that connects to your home network and allows you to control it using GE's Comfort app for Android and iOS devices.
It also lets you add the AC to your Apple HomeKit platform and control it and other HomeKit devices using Scenes and Automations, but you'll need an Apple TV or another device that acts as an Apple Home Hub for Automations.
Similar Products
Hisense 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner With Wi-Fi
Frigidaire Gallery Smart Room Air Conditioner With WiFi Control (FGRC0844S1)
Frigidaire Gallery 12,000 BTU Cool Connect Smart Portable Air Conditioner
LG 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (LP1417WSRSM)
IcyBreeze Portable Air Conditioner and Cooler
In addition to HomeKit, the AHC08LY supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands that allow you to do things like turn it on and off, switch modes, and change the target temperature and fan speed.
Other smart features include support for IFTTT (If This Then That) recipes that allow it to interact with other connected device such as security cameras, smart plugs, and thermostats.
Location Assist uses your phone's location to automatically adjust temperature and fan settings when you are home, away, on vacation, or in Sleep mode.
It's far more interactivity than you get with the Frigidaire Gallery window unit, which really only supports basic app control.
The GE Comfort mobile app is easy to use.
It opens to a screen that lists all of your GE connected devices.
Tap the air conditioner tab to open a Device screen with a large circle that displays the AC's current status.
The screen will be gray and the circle will display OFF when the AC is turned off, and when the AC is on the screen turns blue and the circle displays the current room and target temperatures, the mode, and the fan speed.
Above the circle is the current outside temperature reading for your area: Tap it to open a seven-day forecast.
Just below the circle is the current power draw in KWh.
At the bottom of the screen are buttons labeled Routines, On/Off, and Energy.
Use the On/Off button to turn the AC on and off and the Routines button to enable Location Assist and configure Home, Away, Sleep, and Vacation settings.
Here you can also create daily schedules to have the air conditioner turn on and off with specific target temperatures and fans speeds.
The Energy button takes you to an Energy Monitoring screen where you can view the daily history of power usage (in KWh).
Back at the Device screen is a house icon in the upper right corner that lets you manually switch between Home, Away, Sleep, and Vacation modes, as well as add new devices to your account.
Tap the gear icon in this screen to adjust time zone settings, manage Location Assist settings, edit account information, and link to GE's support site.
The three-bar icon opens a menu where you can enable filter replacement alerts, set temperature units (Celsius or Fahrenheit), and update the firmware.
The AHC08LY comes with a 4.7-inch remote control with On/Off, Mode, Fan Speed, Delay, and Temperature Up and Down buttons.
It also comes with two adjustable side panels, a mounting rail, an owner's manual, mounting screws and hardware, and weather stripping.
Installation and Performance
The unit isn't difficult to install, but it does weigh almost 50 pounds and requires some physical effort and possibly an assistant to help lift it into a window frame.
I installed the AC in a bedroom window and had to remove the lower window panel in order to meet the minimum height requirement, but that was simply a matter of pressing two release buttons and lifting the window out.
I prepared the air conditioner by installing the top rail using the included screws and attaching the two side panels.
I lifted the AC into the window opening and used the remaining screws and hardware to secure it to the frame and the upper window.
After applying some weather stripping insulation, I plugged it in and moved on to setting up Wi-Fi.
I downloaded the mobile app, created an account, and tapped the plus button in the app to add the AHC08LY to my network.
Following the app's instructions, I pressed the Wi-Fi button on the AC and entered the network and password information found on the right side of the unit.
The app immediately recognized the device.
Next, I selected my network SSID, entered my network password, and waited around 30 seconds for the app to log into the cloud and add the AC to my account.
I gave it a name and the installation was complete.
The AHC08LY did a superb job of cooling of my 360-square-foot bedroom.
It needed around 30 minutes to bring the room temperature down to 68 degrees from its current temperature of 77 degrees.
The fan was relatively quiet, but not as quiet as the fan used on the Hisense 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.
The AHC08LY reacted instantly to remote control and mobile app commands to turn on and off, change the target temperature, and raise and lower the fan speed, and it followed my cooling schedule to a tee.
Alexa and Siri voice commands also worked perfectly, as did my HomeKit Arrive Home scene to have the AC turn on along with a Hunter Signal 54-inch ceiling fan.
I created an IFTTT applet to have a Philips Hue light turn on when the AHC08LY reached its target temperature, and it too worked without issue.
The Location Assist feature always turned the unit off when I left the house and set the target temperature to 70 degrees when I returned home, and power-usage reporting was right in line with the readings I received from a Kill-A-Watt power meter.
Conclusions
With the GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner (AHC08LY), you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn the AC off when you leave the house, and will always return to a perfectly cooled room.
It performed wonderfully in our tests and responded instantly to app and remote control commands.
As with any window air conditioner, you may need a helping hand while installing the unit, but once you do, you'll enjoy its numerous smart features including support for Apple HomeKit and Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands, Location Assist, and the ability to have the AC interact with other smart devices via IFTTT applets.
All this earns it our Editors' Choice for smart air conditioners.
GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner (AHC08LY)
Pros
Supports Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands.
Works with HomeKit and IFTTT.
Reports power usage.
Location-based temperature settings.
View More
The Bottom Line
The GE AHC08LY is a very smart window air conditioner that connects to your home Wi-Fi and supports HomeKit, IFTTT, and multiple voice services.
It also tells you how much power it's using and will adjust its temperature based on your location.
The GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner AHC08LY ($329) is an 8,000-BTU Wi-Fi-enabled window unit air conditioner that you can control with your phone or with your voice.
It offers support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands, and it works with other smart home devices via Apple HomeKit and IFTTT applets.
It also uses your phone's location services to cool down rooms in your home before you arrive and offers flexible scheduling options and energy usage reports.
You'll pay a bit more for this model than you will for a non-connected AC, and you might need some assistance installing it, but the GE AHC08LY is hands-down the smartest room air conditioner we've come across and is our first Editors' Choice for the category.
Design and Features
Designed for rooms up to 350 square feet, the AHC08LY air conditioner delivers 8,000 BTUs and is Energy Star certified.
The white enclosure weighs 49 pounds and measures 14.6 by 19.0 by 15.9 (HWD) inches.
It fits in windows 24 to 38 inches wide with a minimum opening height of 15.1 inches.
It's a top air discharge AC with a four-way adjustable louver.
Between the louver and the filter grill is a control panel with a power button, a white backlit digital temperature readout, a Mode button (Cool, Energy Saver, Fan Only), a Fan Speed button (Low, Medium, High, Auto), and indicators for Wi-Fi, Filter (replacement), and Sleep.
The Sleep button lets you configure the AC to reduce fan speed during night hours for quieter operation and reduced energy usage.
The panel will display the current room temperature and mode, the target temperature, and the fan speed for one minute before it goes dark.
To see these readings again, simply press any button on the control panel or the included remote.
You can press and hold the Sleep button for five seconds to disable the auto dimming feature if you prefer.
The AHC08LY uses an embedded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio that connects to your home network and allows you to control it using GE's Comfort app for Android and iOS devices.
It also lets you add the AC to your Apple HomeKit platform and control it and other HomeKit devices using Scenes and Automations, but you'll need an Apple TV or another device that acts as an Apple Home Hub for Automations.
Similar Products
Hisense 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner With Wi-Fi
Frigidaire Gallery Smart Room Air Conditioner With WiFi Control (FGRC0844S1)
Frigidaire Gallery 12,000 BTU Cool Connect Smart Portable Air Conditioner
LG 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (LP1417WSRSM)
IcyBreeze Portable Air Conditioner and Cooler
In addition to HomeKit, the AHC08LY supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands that allow you to do things like turn it on and off, switch modes, and change the target temperature and fan speed.
Other smart features include support for IFTTT (If This Then That) recipes that allow it to interact with other connected device such as security cameras, smart plugs, and thermostats.
Location Assist uses your phone's location to automatically adjust temperature and fan settings when you are home, away, on vacation, or in Sleep mode.
It's far more interactivity than you get with the Frigidaire Gallery window unit, which really only supports basic app control.
The GE Comfort mobile app is easy to use.
It opens to a screen that lists all of your GE connected devices.
Tap the air conditioner tab to open a Device screen with a large circle that displays the AC's current status.
The screen will be gray and the circle will display OFF when the AC is turned off, and when the AC is on the screen turns blue and the circle displays the current room and target temperatures, the mode, and the fan speed.
Above the circle is the current outside temperature reading for your area: Tap it to open a seven-day forecast.
Just below the circle is the current power draw in KWh.
At the bottom of the screen are buttons labeled Routines, On/Off, and Energy.
Use the On/Off button to turn the AC on and off and the Routines button to enable Location Assist and configure Home, Away, Sleep, and Vacation settings.
Here you can also create daily schedules to have the air conditioner turn on and off with specific target temperatures and fans speeds.
The Energy button takes you to an Energy Monitoring screen where you can view the daily history of power usage (in KWh).
Back at the Device screen is a house icon in the upper right corner that lets you manually switch between Home, Away, Sleep, and Vacation modes, as well as add new devices to your account.
Tap the gear icon in this screen to adjust time zone settings, manage Location Assist settings, edit account information, and link to GE's support site.
The three-bar icon opens a menu where you can enable filter replacement alerts, set temperature units (Celsius or Fahrenheit), and update the firmware.
The AHC08LY comes with a 4.7-inch remote control with On/Off, Mode, Fan Speed, Delay, and Temperature Up and Down buttons.
It also comes with two adjustable side panels, a mounting rail, an owner's manual, mounting screws and hardware, and weather stripping.
Installation and Performance
The unit isn't difficult to install, but it does weigh almost 50 pounds and requires some physical effort and possibly an assistant to help lift it into a window frame.
I installed the AC in a bedroom window and had to remove the lower window panel in order to meet the minimum height requirement, but that was simply a matter of pressing two release buttons and lifting the window out.
I prepared the air conditioner by installing the top rail using the included screws and attaching the two side panels.
I lifted the AC into the window opening and used the remaining screws and hardware to secure it to the frame and the upper window.
After applying some weather stripping insulation, I plugged it in and moved on to setting up Wi-Fi.
I downloaded the mobile app, created an account, and tapped the plus button in the app to add the AHC08LY to my network.
Following the app's instructions, I pressed the Wi-Fi button on the AC and entered the network and password information found on the right side of the unit.
The app immediately recognized the device.
Next, I selected my network SSID, entered my network password, and waited around 30 seconds for the app to log into the cloud and add the AC to my account.
I gave it a name and the installation was complete.
The AHC08LY did a superb job of cooling of my 360-square-foot bedroom.
It needed around 30 minutes to bring the room temperature down to 68 degrees from its current temperature of 77 degrees.
The fan was relatively quiet, but not as quiet as the fan used on the Hisense 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.
The AHC08LY reacted instantly to remote control and mobile app commands to turn on and off, change the target temperature, and raise and lower the fan speed, and it followed my cooling schedule to a tee.
Alexa and Siri voice commands also worked perfectly, as did my HomeKit Arrive Home scene to have the AC turn on along with a Hunter Signal 54-inch ceiling fan.
I created an IFTTT applet to have a Philips Hue light turn on when the AHC08LY reached its target temperature, and it too worked without issue.
The Location Assist feature always turned the unit off when I left the house and set the target temperature to 70 degrees when I returned home, and power-usage reporting was right in line with the readings I received from a Kill-A-Watt power meter.
Conclusions
With the GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner (AHC08LY), you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn the AC off when you leave the house, and will always return to a perfectly cooled room.
It performed wonderfully in our tests and responded instantly to app and remote control commands.
As with any window air conditioner, you may need a helping hand while installing the unit, but once you do, you'll enjoy its numerous smart features including support for Apple HomeKit and Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands, Location Assist, and the ability to have the AC interact with other smart devices via IFTTT applets.
All this earns it our Editors' Choice for smart air conditioners.
GE Energy Star 115-Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner (AHC08LY)
Pros
Supports Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands.
Works with HomeKit and IFTTT.
Reports power usage.
Location-based temperature settings.
View More
The Bottom Line
The GE AHC08LY is a very smart window air conditioner that connects to your home Wi-Fi and supports HomeKit, IFTTT, and multiple voice services.
It also tells you how much power it's using and will adjust its temperature based on your location.
