12,700 BTU window air conditioner
Friedrich KCVS12B30A
Below average efficiency for its size: a CEER of 15.0 ranks #18 of 34 12,000 BTU window air conditioners.
It cools a room of about 450-550 sq ft, draws about 847 watts and costs about $115 a year to run at typical U.S. use and prices.
- CEER
- 15.0 Combined efficiency, higher is betterBelow average · beats 38%
- Cooling
- 12,700 BTU/hFor about 450-550 sq ft
- Energy use
- 635 kWh/yr38% less than the federal minimum
- Unit size
- 25.9" wide 15.9" high, 29" deep, 110 lb
A good fit if…
- You want a certified 12,700 BTU window air conditioner at a typical efficiency level.
Think twice if…
- Running cost matters most - its CEER is below average for 12,000 BTU window air conditioners.
- You only have ordinary outlets - it needs a 230 V circuit and plug.
- You plan to install it alone - at 110 lb it is a two-person job.
- You also need heat - it cools only.
Calculate my running costCheck the size for my room
Details
Specifications
| General | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Friedrich |
| Model number | KCVS12B30A |
| Type | Window |
| Design | Standard box |
| Heating | No, cooling only |
| Compressor | Variable speed (inverter) |
| Voltage | 230 V (needs a 230 V outlet) |
| Refrigerant | R-32 (GWP 675) |
| Support bracket included | Yes |
| On the market since | March 12, 2025 |
| Last certified | March 13, 2025 |
| Performance | |
| Cooling capacity | 12,700 BTU/h |
| CEERCombined energy efficiency ratio, includes standby power | 15.0 |
| Yearly energy useENERGY STAR test: 750 hours | 635 kWh |
| Better than federal minimum | 38% less energy |
| ENERGY STAR Most Efficient | No |
| Size | |
| Width × height × depth | 25.9" W × 15.9" H × 29" D |
| Weight | 110 lb |
How it compares with 33 other 12,000 BTU window units
- CEER (class median 15.0)15.0, tied with 13 others
- Yearly cost vs. class median ($108)$6 more
- Width 25.9" (class median 20.3")narrower than 3%
- Weight 110 lb (class median 59 lb)lighter than 6%
- Rank among 13 similar designs#8
Compared with the other ENERGY STAR certified 12,000 BTU window units. Yearly cost at 750 hours and 18.0¢/kWh.
Questions
- How many square feet does the Friedrich KCVS12B30A cool?
- At 12,700 BTU/h it suits a room of about 450 to 550 sq ft with normal sun and two people, following the ENERGY STAR sizing guide. In a heavily shaded room that stretches to about 495-605 sq ft; in a very sunny one it shrinks to 405-495 sq ft. A kitchen needs 4,000 BTU more.
- How many watts and amps does the Friedrich KCVS12B30A use?
- About 847 watts at full power (12,700 BTU/h divided by its CEER of 15.0), which is 3.7 amps at 230 V. That is 47 W more than the typical unit in its class (800 W), or $6 a year dearer to run at 18.0¢/kWh. Its inverter compressor slows down instead of cycling, so real use is usually lower. Its CEER beats 18% of the 34 units in the class.
- What outlet does the Friedrich KCVS12B30A need?
- It is a 230 V unit that draws 3.7 A, so it needs its own 230 V circuit with a matching plug (typically NEMA 6-15 or 6-20). If the room has only ordinary 115 V outlets, an electrician has to add one. Only 12% of the 34 certified units in this class are 230 V.
- What are the dimensions of the Friedrich KCVS12B30A, and will it fit my window?
- 25.9" W × 15.9" H × 29" D, 110 lb. It is narrower than 3% of its 33 competitors and lighter than 6% of them. The window must be wider than 25.9"; the side panels fill the remaining gap.
- Can the Friedrich KCVS12B30A also heat the room?
- No, it only cools. If you also need heat, 5 certified units in this class can do both; see the list of air conditioners with heat.
- Is the Friedrich KCVS12B30A worth buying to replace an old air conditioner?
- An old unit of the same size at 9 CEER would cost about $191 a year to run at 750 hours and 18.0¢/kWh; this one costs about $115, so it saves roughly $76 a year.
Running cost calculator
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Closest alternatives
Units with a similar CEER in the same class, and what sets each one apart from the Friedrich KCVS12B30A.
| Model | CEER | Compared with this one |
|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool WHAW-121IN | 15.0 | same CEER, 1.7" narrower, 45 lb lighter, U-shaped, 115 V |
| LG LW1222IVSM | 15.0 | same CEER, 2.3" narrower, 25 lb lighter, U-shaped, 115 V |
| LG LW1224IVSM | 15.0 | same CEER, 2.3" narrower, 25 lb lighter, 115 V |
| TCL H12W4MW | 15.0 | same CEER, 2.9" narrower, 51 lb lighter, 115 V |
| TCL T12WQ2S | 15.0 | same CEER, 5.2" narrower, 51 lb lighter, U-shaped, 115 V |
See all 34 12,000 BTU window air conditioners, ranked
Source: ENERGY STAR Certified Room Air Conditioners (U.S. EPA), certification of March 13, 2025. How we use the data.