3-Star or 5-Star: What’s the difference?

While shopping for air conditioners, be it online or at an electronics store, one thing that is sure to catch your eye is the star rating system. Often in physical models, the star stickers are visible front and center near the logo of the AC. In case you are shopping online, the star rating is most often the top spec of any home air conditioner.

Now if you are a keen observer, you would have also noticed that the most popular star ratings on the air conditioners are either 3 or 5. The question is, what does this mean and which one is better? Of course, all through our schooling and even in entertainment such as films, we have all come across a star rating system. More often than not, 5 stars is considered the best and 3 stars is perhaps slightly better than average. Is this true for air conditioners as well? Let's find out!

As discussed in one of our previous blogs, star rating refers to the energy efficiency of air conditioners. It is accredited by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and ranges between 0 to 5. This rating is determined via the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) and the more power-saving the air conditioner is, the more stars it gets! The EER is the ratio of the cooling capacity in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per hour, in watts.

Difference of Power Consumption between 3-star and 5-star ACs

Based on the average cooling capacity and tonnage, here is a simple chart that shows the power consumption for various kinds of 3-star and 5-star rated ACs.

From this chart, it is very clear that a 5-star rated home air conditioner consumes significantly lesser power than a 3-star rated AC and is therefore more energy efficient. Based on many researches, a 5-star AC can save up to 28% more energy than a 3-star AC, on average.

Advantages of 5-star ACs

Based on the above data, we can conclude that 5-star ACs are:

• Power Saving Obviously, with 5-stars being more energy efficient, they save much more power and will reduce the cost of your utility bills in the long run.
• More Cooling Compared to 3-star air conditioners, Daikin 5-star Split ACs offer a higher cooling capacity and also cool the room faster due to their energy efficiency ratio.
• More Powerful 5-star rated air conditioners turn out to be the best inverter AC as it cools more effectively and consistently by managing the power fluctuations. All this while still keeping the noise levels to a minimum!

The only downside to a 5-star air conditioner is its price. It is much more expensive than the average 3-star rated air conditioner. This is why, many middle-class Indian homes often opt for the 3-star AC as its budget-friendly and has a decent power-saving and cooling capacity.

Which AC should you go for?

After considering all the aspects of a 3-star and a 5-star AC, it is time to make a decision! As mentioned earlier, the only disadvantage of a 5-star AC is the premium price tag it comes with. It is highly recommended that you consider the potential usage of your air conditioner to make the right choice.

If you live in a region that is hot and humid all year round, then a 5-star AC is your best bet as it will save your electricity costs in the long run due to an average daily consumption. On the other hand, if you require the AC just for a few months every year and that too just for a few hours, a 3-star AC is a safe bet.

So, what’s your pick?