How energy-efficient is the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner?

Its efficiency rating is CEER 14.4, and it is ENERGY STAR certified.

What size room does the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner cool?

It is rated to cool a room up to 1,000 sq ft (18,000 BTU · 5.3 kW).

Do I need a professional to install the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner?

Not for a window installation, which you can do yourself like any window unit (it is heavy, so plan on two people). Through a wall it goes in a sleeve made for its chassis size, and cutting a new wall opening is contractor work that usually needs a building permit.

Window or wall unitENERGY STAR

Friedrich · Model KCVM18B30A

18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner

Name: Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner
Brand: Friedrich
Price: 1729 USD
Availability: InStock

A window-or-wall air conditioner rated at 18,000 BTU for rooms up to 1,000 sq ft. It fits a window or its own wall sleeve.

$1,729

Live price at Sylvane

Buy at Sylvane In stock

compare.ac may earn a commission on purchases, at no cost to you. It never changes the price you pay or how we rank units.

Will it cool your room?

Room size (assumed)861 sq ft ≈ 80 m²

Fits a 80 m² room

This unit's cooling matches a 861 sq ft room. Set your room size to check the fit for your space.

Running costest.

~$185/year

Estimated from ENERGY STAR's published annual energy use at about 750 hours of cooling a year (the DOE test standard) and the US average electricity price of 18.44¢/kWh (U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (residential average, May 2026)). A standardized figure for comparison; your real cost depends on how much you run it, your local rate and your climate.

Local rates vary widely (about 15¢/kWh in Florida to 33¢ in California), and hotter regions run their AC more hours, so your real cost differs.

At a glance

Best for larger open-plan rooms.

Cooling

5.3 kW

Size

Large

Noise

Install: In a window, or in its own wall sleevePermission: A new wall opening usually needs a permit

Performance

Cooling capacity: 18,000 BTU · 5.3 kW
Heating capacity: Cooling only
Room coverage: up to 1,000 sq ft
Energy Star: Yes
CEER: 14.4
Annual energy (cooling): 995 kWh

Noise, size & features

Model number: KCVM18B30A
Indoor noise: Not published
Outdoor noise: Not published
Indoor unit: 25.94 x 17.94 x 29 in
Outdoor unit: None
Refrigerant: R-32
Wi-Fi / app: Not published
Outdoor unit needed: No
Wall sleeve: Fits a window, or a Friedrich Kuhl sleeve of its size
Warranty: 5-Year Warranty

Will it fit your wall sleeve?

Its cabinet is its sleeve: it goes in a window, or through a wall in an opening sized for its chassis (Q, S, M or L). Friedrich says its sleeve sizes have not changed in over 45 years, so a new Kuhl fits an existing Friedrich sleeve of the same size. Its side air intakes must stay clear, so the wall can be no thicker than Friedrich's limit for that size (8½ in. for Q, 7⅜ in. for S and M, 15⅛ in. for L). Source: Friedrich Kuhl brochure (sleeve sizes)

Every through-the-wall AC and PTAC by the sleeve it fits

What is good

Uses R-32 (GWP 675), the low-GWP class new US residential equipment moved to.

What to watch

Its CEER 14.4 is less efficient than 38 of the 47 other window units we list with a published CEER.
At $1,729 it costs more than 17 of the 17 other 15,000-18,000 BTU window units we list with a live price.

Installation & the rules that apply

This is a window-or-wall air conditioner. In a window it follows the same rules as any window unit. Through a wall it sits in the maker's own sleeve, and cutting a new opening usually needs a building permit and, in a condo, co-op or historic building, approval first.

Installation

In a window, or in its own wall sleeve

Refrigerant

R-32

GeneralRenters: get written landlord consent firstReviewed June 2026Often blocks install

GeneralCondo / HOA: exterior changes need approvalReviewed June 2026Permit required

GeneralHistoric / listed buildings: consent before any exterior unitReviewed June 2026Permit required

MassachusettsMassachusetts: local historic district approval (MGL c.40C)Reviewed June 2026Permit required

United StatesUS: local mechanical and electrical permits (vary by city)Reviewed June 2026Permit required

See full rules by region

Common questions about the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner

How much does the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner cost to run per year?: About $185 a year. Estimated from ENERGY STAR's published annual energy use at about 750 hours of cooling a year (the DOE test standard) and the US average electricity price of 18.44¢/kWh (U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (residential average, May 2026)). A standardized figure for comparison; your real cost depends on how much you run it, your local rate and your climate.
How energy-efficient is the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner?: Its efficiency rating is CEER 14.4, and it is ENERGY STAR certified.
What size room does the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner cool?: It is rated to cool a room up to 1,000 sq ft (18,000 BTU · 5.3 kW).
Do I need a professional to install the Friedrich 18,000 BTU Kuhl Window Air Conditioner?: Not for a window installation, which you can do yourself like any window unit (it is heavy, so plan on two people). Through a wall it goes in a sleeve made for its chassis size, and cutting a new wall opening is contractor work that usually needs a building permit.