If you are planning to buy an Air Conditioner, then it is better to get it done sooner to save money! How is it so? To uncover the secret behind the same esp buying between a 3 star vs 5 star AC, kindly read this post thoroughly.
It will be going to give you a brief idea about the energy star rating of Air Conditioners. Also, in case you are confused about which among 3 star vs 5 star AC to consider for purchase then you are reading the right article to save your time! So let us get started!
Gone were the days, when air conditioners were considered as premium appliances to have in our homes! But by as per the climate of India, especially in summers, today AC is a basic need to use everywhere. Not only in our homes but in Cars, places to hang out like Restaurants, Hotels, and many more!
But, we do need to take care of our Mother Nature. No question is there behind the fact that AC consumes lots of power so it will go against nature! However, all thanks to the development of technology. There are continuous advancements in ACs and their features to make them more nature-friendly than before.
E.g., using more nature-friendly cooling gas. Or, by providing heating pump in some models that can help us to avoid using room heaters in our homes at winters also increase the usability of the AC. Lastly, most important is, continues analysis in the energy efficiency of every model of an AC by the Government!
Before Comparing 3 star vs 5 star AC’s Let us first understand the energy star ratings!
| Best 3 Star AC: Voltas 1.5 Ton 3 Star Split AC | Best 5 Star AC: LG 1.5 Ton 5 Star Inverter Split AC |
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Checkout the complete best AC in India ranking.
What is Star Rating in AC?
It is also known as Energy rating of an Air Conditioner that indicates the cooling efficiency of the same. An individual can know about the features and specifications of any AC with ease. But it is somehow hard to know exactly how much electricity an AC will be going to consume!
Thus, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency or BEE is a Department that works on Energy Saving, and the Indian Government governs it. It has formulated Star Rating by using which customers can get some idea about the power consumption of a particular AC model.
There are many benefits to buy a star rated AC as compared to one with no energy rating stars! The reason is simple! It can help one to understand that the AC has been tested before to check for its energy consumption based on its cooling capacity. All this info is necessary to uncover the main difference between 3 star vs 5 star energy rating in AC. Also, a high star rated AC is having the capacity to condition the air of a large area as compared to low rated ones!
How to Identify the Star Rating of an AC?
So, whenever we buy any appliance that consumes power or electricity, we found a big ‘window shaped with curved top’ sticker somewhere on it!
It looks bit complicated or something technical for any newbie, one who does not have any idea about it. However, at the same time, it is easier for one to understand the energy consumption of the appliance by taking a quick look on the sticker!
Hence, the most important thing to look in the sticker is how many stars are highlighted with a red background. These stars are indicated right at the top of the label in the curved part! If only one star is highlighted, then the energy star rating of that appliance or AC is only 1, and so on! At the centre of those stars, “More Stars More Savings” is written for the awareness of what it is, for its customers.
Further, if you want to go into the details of the energy consumption of efficiency of the AC, then look at the green highlighted Box. It gives the exact measure of ISEER. Anyone can refer it to get the actual rating provided by the BEE to the product! How? Well, let us see;
How can the Energy Efficiency Ratio for Ratings be calculated?
ISEER means Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. To understand more about it, we can refer it to as the Ratio that can be calculated between two factors of any Air conditioner. One is the net amount of heat that the product can remove from inside the room annually while operated in active mode for cooling purpose.
It is measured in British thermal units or BTU concerning an hour. Second is the net consumption of the energy by the equipment measured in watts to do the same within that period. So, if we divide the first measure to the second, the result will be called an ISEER ratio for energy efficiency of the Air conditioner!
Now as per this Ratio the star rating of the equipment can be defined!
In the case of Air conditioner, the revisions in the range of ISEER for each star level will be going to be revised from 1 Jan 2021 as follows:
| From 1stJan, 2018 to 31stDec, 2020 | Star Level | Minimum
ISEER (kWh/kWh) |
Maximum ISEER (kWh/kWh) | From 1stJan, 2021 to 31stDec, 2023 | Star Level | Minimum
ISEER (kWh/kWh) |
Maximum ISEER (kWh/kWh) |
| 1 Star | 3.1 | 3.29 | 1 Star | 3.3 | 3.49 | ||
| 2 Star | 3.3 | 3.49 | 2 Star | 3.5 | 3.79 | ||
| 3 Star | 3.5 | 3.99 | 3 Star | 3.8 | 4.39 | ||
| 4 Star | 4.0 | 4.49 | 4 Star | 4.4 | 4.99 | ||
| 5 Star | 4.5 | 5 Star | 5.0 |
If you are interested to know more related details, then you can also refer to the list of information provided at the below of sticker in small fonts!
Whether Star Rating Affects the Cost of an Air Conditioner?
Yes, no doubt, a high star rated AC indicates you have to pay more to buy it! Similarly, you have to pay less for a less star air conditioner. But, why there is a difference in cost and is it right to look ahead to purchase a 5 star rated AC? Well, all these things will surely be going to confuse anybody!
Manufacturers need modifications in the design parameters of ACs to lift their energy efficiency. It can be done by using a highly efficient compressor, by changing the surface area of copper pipes, increasing the flow of air, and much more. So all these tweaks can enhance the price of the AC that a buyer needs to pay. But looking for long term savings, a 5 Star rated AC will benefit you the most.
So, in case we compare the initial+ running cost as a heavy user of an AC. You will surely be going to cover the extra amount in some years that you have paid to buy a 5 star AC as compared to less star ACs. So, all in all, it can reduce your payback period.
Also, there is a recent amendment from Ministry of power, India. As per which, all types of air conditioners from 1 star to 5 star ratings will be set to the default temperature of twenty-four degree Celsius. It is already active from this year, i.e. 1st Jan 2020. It is an approach to save electricity for people who are generally confused with what temperature to maintain on ACs inside their dwells!
An Outlook on 3 Star vs 5 Star AC’s
Currently, on the local appliance market or by searching online, you will find a lot of choices and confuse among 3 star vs 5 star energy rating in AC models. After all, the market is influenced by the demands and needs of its consumers. So no doubt these two different star rated AC’s are on high demand. It is due to the future benefits that they will deliver to their customers as savings on monthly electricity bills!
So, let us focus only on 3 star and 5 star ACs and further discuss more on them. It might help you to get an idea about which one will work best for your needs!
Thus, after reading and understanding facts and figures about star rating in air conditioners till now what you have decided?
You should not be confused! Are you all set to purchase an Air Conditioner for long term benefits in saving some money in every monthly electricity bills for years to come?
You might be sure that you will be going to use the AC for more than 8 to 10 hours every day for more than seven to eight months of a year. If yes, then the right decision for you would be to have some patience.
You can wait for the next year 2021 to get the range of revised energy rated Air conditioners. But it doesn’t matter a lot! How? We will see it in the next section.
3 Star vs 5 Star AC: Which One would be the Best to Buy?
If you compare the current and future energy ratings from the table specified before, then we can come to a decision. It is if you buy a 5 star rated AC now, then after a year hardly it will be going into the category of a 4 star rated AC. And to be frank, there is a small difference of a few hundred rupees between the monthly electricity bills of a 4 star and a 5 star AC. It is something that can be neglected by many consumers. If you buy one now then till the next year, you already have enjoyed with conditioning the air of the room with some savings!
There are also many energy-saving tips for AC users to save some money on monthly electricity bills!
Do you want to save your Initial cost? You might be on a Limited Budget! Are you not a heavy user? Can you not wait for long? If the answer all these questions are YES, then a smart decision for you is to buy an air conditioner sooner in 2020. It is because from 1 Jan 2021 the chances of a hike in price are sure with the changes in energy star ratings! Also, to avoid rush periods and avail convenience in service it is better if you can plan to buy an AC in Off-seasons!
Are you still confused? Kindly refer next section to understand and make the right choice as your future Air Conditioner!
Comparison of 3 Star vs 5 Star Energy Rating in AC: Pros and Cons
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a) Advantages of Buying a 5 Star Rated AC
1) Long Term Cost-Effectiveness – TCO or Total cost of ownership of 5 star AC is less as compared to buying a 3 star AC at the less initial price. By the way, TCO refers to the sum of the cost it needs for a consumer to pay for purchasing the equipment, installation, and maintenance cost!
2) Good ISEER ratio for many Years – If you buy a 5 star rated AC in 2020, then it will surely be having an ISEER ratio of 4.5 or above. So, at least for the next 3 to 5 years, your AC will hardly come under the range of a 3 Star AC, after revisions of energy ratings.
3) They come with more advanced and useful features as compared to a 3 Star AC.
4) Take less time to cool an area or room as compared to 3-star that too with less power consumption in a 5-star AC of same Ton or capacity.
5) Less Electricity Bill for sure every month as compared to a 3 Star Air conditioner.
6) They usually generate less heat than low rated AC models.
7) They are suitable to be used for around the year even 24/7. 5 Star Ac works well to balance the heat dissipated by electrical appliances and electronic gadgets in our homes. The commonly available equipment’s generate heat, like a computer, refrigerator, oven, etc.
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b) Disadvantages of Buying a 5 Star Rated AC
1) Not recommend for places where outside climate temperature has not much difference as compared to the room temperature.
2) The difference in the electricity bill is in few hundreds that might be negligible for many consumers who do not want to use an AC for long hours
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c) Profits of Purchasing a 3 Star AC
1) Less cost of the initial ownership.
2) Best option than 5-Star to save some penny if a user does not want to use the AC for more than 8 hours a day!
3) Best for seasonal use!
4) Less maintenance cost if the purpose of its use is less.
5) The best option in case of low budget and an occasional cooling system for homes.
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d) Downsides of choosing a 3 Star AC
1) More power consumption as compared to a 5-Star AC.
2) A 3 Star rated AC will turn out to be 1 Star after next 4 to 5 years.
3) More operational cost for long term use.
Final Thoughts
Like Refrigerators, AC is a needed appliance these days! Different well-known manufacturer brands are targeting different needs of their consumer. By presenting great options of air conditioner models.
These are available in the market with having many extra features as compared to only conditioning the air. It includes air purification, climate control, humidity control, and Mosquito repellent. You can also buy a model that comes with a Heat Pump, Internet Connectivity for convenience in its functioning & use, and much more.
Even it is a 1 ton AC or a best inverter AC in India, you will always check the star ratings before making your big purchase. We hope our effort here helps in in-depth understanding of this important term and rating. Now you know about the star ratings so no one can misguide you to buy one especially in between 3 Star vs 5 Star AC. After all, now you are knowledgeable enough as a smart buyer!
Best 3 Star AC to Buy:
Best 5 Star AC to Buy:
