2 HP Air Conditioner: Which Model Suits Your Living Room

A closed living room of about ⁦24–28⁩ m² on a mid-level floor, about 24 m² on a top floor, and about 22 m² on a top floor with a west-facing façade.

The calculation, at about ⁦650 BTU⁩ per m² (the basis of the calculator on our site), for ⁦18,000 BTU⁩:

• Mid-level floor, closed living room: about 27.5 m².
• Top floor (15% extra): about 24 m².
• Top floor and sun exposure (25% extra): about 22 m².
• Living room open to the kitchen (10% extra): about 25 m² for the whole space, including the kitchen.
• Ceiling above 2.8 m (10% extra): subtract another ⁦2–3⁩ m².

In a typical 4-room apartment (Israelis count the living room as a room), a 25 m² living room that isn’t open to the kitchen is the classic case for a 2 HP AC. If the living room and kitchen together reach 30 m² or more, go to our 2.5 HP air conditioner guide. If the space is ⁦35–45⁩ m², read our 3 HP air conditioner guide.

2 HP also suits a particularly large bedroom of about 22 m² or more, or a small studio. In a regular ⁦12–16⁩ m² room it’s too big: it will cost more, be louder outside and remove less humidity.

Compare three numbers on the spec sheet: cooling output in BTU/h, SEER and heating output. The differences between them on 2 HP models are bigger than the price differences.

What we saw on the models we checked:

• Cooling: from ⁦16,241 BTU⁩ on the Electra Relax Inverter 240 up to ⁦18,900 BTU⁩ on the Tadiran Air One INV 240. The difference is worth about 4 m² of coverage.
• SEER: from 6.1 on the Air One INV 240 up to 7.3 on the Electra Platinum INV 250. A difference like that means about 15% less electricity for the same cooling over the summer.
• Heating: from ⁦10,966 BTU⁩ per the Relax 240 store page, a figure worth confirming with the seller, up to ⁦19,200 BTU⁩ on the Family Premium Inverter Wifi 25.

Another useful figure is the inverter range. The Electra Platinum INV 250 lists a range of ⁦5,000–⁦21,400 BTU⁩⁩, and the Family Premium Inverter Wifi 25 a range of ⁦4,500–⁦19,600 BTU⁩⁩. The upper range gives reserve for heat-wave (sharav) days, and the lower range lets the AC run quietly and economically once the living room is cool.

Also watch for contradictions on store pages. On the Tadiran Air One INV 240, for example, the specs state A++ for cooling and A+ for heating, while the features table says only A. In cases like this, trust the SEER and SCOP figures.

All the 2 HP models we checked are single-phase, but most need a line with a 16-amp breaker, compared with 10 amps for a ⁦1–1.25⁩ HP AC.

What the spec sheets say:

• Tadiran Air One INV 240: 230V single-phase, 16C fuse, running current of 10 amps in cooling and 6.7 amps in heating.
• Electra Platinum INV 250: single-phase, 16A type C breaker.
• Electra Relax Inverter 240: running current of 5 amps in cooling and 6 amps in heating, per the store page.

What this means in practice: if the previous living-room AC was 1.5 HP or an old On/Off AC, the line may already exist and be suitable. If it’s the first AC in the living room, you may need a dedicated line from the panel. Per Tadiran, adding a dedicated outlet costs about ₪⁦300–1,000.⁩ In an older home with a small household connection, an electrician should check the total load, especially if there’s also an induction cooktop and an electric water heater (dud).

A 2 HP AC doesn’t require a three-phase connection. At 4 HP and above there are already three-phase versions, which we cover in our 3 HP air conditioner guide.

Usually about ₪⁦3,400–5,200⁩: about ₪⁦2,200–3,400⁩ for the AC plus about ₪⁦1,200–1,800⁩ for installation.

Per pro.co.il (an Israeli contractors’ site), installing a ⁦2–4⁩ HP wall-mounted AC costs about ₪⁦1,200–1,800⁩ including VAT, more than a small AC because the units are heavier and sometimes an extra worker is needed. Other costs to expect:

• Piping beyond 3 meters: per pro.co.il about ₪120 per meter for ACs up to 2 HP, and about ₪150 per meter for larger units.
• Crane: about ₪250 per hour, or about ₪200 per floor when carrying the unit without an elevator.
• Drilling through concrete: about ₪⁦300–400.⁩
• Anti-theft bars for the outdoor unit: about ₪⁦150–300⁩ per Tadiran.

With “AC including installation” deals, ask for a written breakdown: how many meters of piping are included, whether there’s drilling, whether there’s a dedicated outlet and whether the price includes removing and disposing of the old AC. A full price list is in our AC installation cost guide.

For a square, closed living room, one 2 HP AC is cheaper and simpler. For a long or L-shaped living room, or one divided into a dining area and sofa area, two small units give better distribution.

The differences in practice:

• AC price: a 2 HP AC costs about ₪⁦2,200–3,400,⁩ and two 1 HP ACs about ₪⁦2,000–3,800⁩ together, based on the prices we saw.
• Installation: two small-AC installations cost about ₪⁦1,600–2,800,⁩ compared with about ₪⁦1,200–1,800⁩ for installing one large unit.
• Outdoor space: two outdoor units need two spots on the wall or in the laundry niche.
• Flexibility: on mild days you can run just one unit, and if one breaks down there’s a backup.

If you’re planning AC for the whole apartment, also compare against a mini-central AC. In a ⁦4–5⁩ room apartment, one central unit can replace ⁦3–4⁩ wall units, but it requires a dropped ceiling and planning.

Buy a 2 HP AC from an official importer (yevuan rasmi), and register the warranty within the time the importer sets. On the models we checked, warranties ranged from one to 7 years.

What we saw:

• Tadiran: per Tadiran’s warranty guide, wall-mounted ACs get ⁦5–7⁩ years of warranty depending on the series, provided you register the warranty within 60 days of purchase. One year is given in any case, by law.
• Electra: on the store pages we saw a 3-year warranty on the Relax Inverter 240. On other Electra models we saw between one and 7 years, depending on the series.
• Family: Zap doesn’t list the warranty terms. Check them with the store.

Prices vary a lot between stores and seasons. For the Family Premium Inverter Wifi 25, for example, we saw a gap of about ₪750 on Zap between the cheapest and most expensive offer. Compare prices on comparison sites before buying, and note whether the price includes delivery and installation.

An AC bought as a parallel import (yevu makbil) doesn’t always get service from the official importer. Check who actually provides the warranty, and how long a technician takes to arrive at the height of summer.