Here's my take at this consumer info. This is not intended to be all inclusive.
LG and Frigidaire in the category have very good ratings according to Consumer Reports.
LG model LW1210ER (1210, 1211, 1212).
cooling power 12k BTU (350-650 sq ft)
sells for approx $320
Pros:
The energy saver mode could reduce your utility bills. The unit also features a slide-out chassis, exterior support brackets, and up/down louver control. The complete sealed refrigeration system and the compressor are backed by a 5-yr guarantee.
has a remote control
Cons:
reported to be much harder to install than others.
reported to somewhat noiser than othera.
Frigidaire LRA107BU1 (Lowes)
Frigidaire FRA106CT1 (equiv of above)
Cooling Power: 10k BTU (350-550 sq ft)
Sells for approx: $270- $295
Pros: energy saver mode could reduce your utility bills. This model also features auto-fan speed, and up/down louver control.
The complete sealed refrigeration system and the compressor are backed by a 5-yr guarantee.
Unit is relatively lightweight at 58 pounds
has remote control
Cons: model lacks a slide-out chassis and is much harder to install than others.
Not especially quiet at any speed. Some consumers say it's noisier indoors than the avg so it's not recomm for a bedroom but fine for living room or lounge
Buying Guide info:
All the air conditioners in our latest tests do an excellent job of cooling and come with such convenient features as a digital display, a built-in timer, a remote control, or touchpad controls. But some models are noisy and others struggled to cool during brownouts. Find out which to buy for your home.
Low prices and high efficiency make room air conditioners an inexpensive alternative to central air for cooling one or two rooms. Some 5,000- to 6,000-Btu units now cost less than $150. Our air-conditioner guide will help you choose what's right for you.
All the models we tested meet the 9.7 Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) now required for small and medium-sized models below 8,000 British thermal units (Btu) per hour, and the 9.8 EER required for larger, 8,000- to 13,999-Btu models. Most also meet or exceed the 10.7 EER needed to qualify for Energy Star. And all now have electrical plugs that help prevent fires by shutting down if the power cord is damaged.
Find out whether replacing your air conditioner makes sense by using the savings calculator on the room air conditioners page at www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_properly_sized. (Every 0.1 increase in EER translates into about a one percent drop in electricity use.) Also keep the following in mind:
Size it correctly
An air conditioner that's too small won't do a good job cooling a room. One that's too big cools the area so quickly that it doesn't have time to remove enough moisture, so it leaves you with a cold, clammy room.
Note the noise
Models that scored excellent or very good in our noise tests are so quiet that the only sound you might hear is the fan running. But air conditioners that scored fair for noise could disturb light sleepers when set on low and are distracting on high.
Factor in the window location
Air conditioners generally do a better job blowing air in one direction than in the other. That can be a problem if your window isn't centered on the wall. To uniformly cool a room, you'll need to direct air to its center, so check whether your A/C needs to blow air to the right or to the left.
Check the warranty
Frigidaires sold at Lowe's come with a five-year warranty, but it's just one year for similar models sold at other retailers.
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