The GE + Quirky Aros air conditioner, announced a few months ago, is a pretty cool (lol) idea for a smart appliance. But replacing an entire window-unit air conditioner with something smarter is expensive and a hassle.
If you already have a window A/C unit, the ThinkEco smartAC Wi-Fi Kit can bring some of the Aros's smart capabilities to your existing air conditioner. It's a plug-in module that resides between your air conditioner and your wall outlet, and it connects to your home Wi-Fi network to give you remote access to your cooling system via a mobile app.
The ThinkEco module lets you adjust your air conditioner while you're away to save energy, and it also gives you a real-time reading of your room temperature thanks to an on-board sensor. While it doesn't "learn" your habits like the Aros system, it does let you set A/C schedules from an iOS or Android device. (It also comes with its own basic in-home remote.) Like ThinkEco's other products, the kit is built to save money on energy bills. To that end, the app will also give you a running tally of your energy consumption.
At full price, the ThinkEco smartAC kit is already half the price of an all-in-one smart unit like the Aros---it costs $140, but it currently has a special launch price of $120. If you live in New York City, Baltimore, or San Antonio, you may be eligible to get the plug-and-play unit for free through the company’s Cool Savings program.
