REASONS TO BUY
Handy digital interface
Slide in side panels
Independent louvers
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
Relies on the remote for some functions
Poor weight distribution
Hisense WC05R25A Review
With solid 5K performance at a reasonable price, the digital interface lets you fine-tune adjustments
Credit: Natalie Kafader
By Austin Palmer ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ December 2, 2025
Contributions From: Chris Maxcer
RELATED: Best Window Air Conditioners of 2025
Our Verdict
The Hisense WC05R25A is the best budget air conditioner for anyone who wants a modernized look with a digital control panel. With just 5,000 BTU, it's a competitive cooler in its 5K class, easily capable of reducing temperatures in small rooms and bedrooms — but it isn't powerful enough to take on large rooms effectively. Its standout feature is its clean digital interface, which is rare at its low price range. The remote extends functionality and makes it easy to adjust settings from a chair or bed. Overall, it's a standout performer for small rooms that simply looks and feels less dated than those that still use knobs for control. If you're looking for options that are more advanced or even simpler to use, check out our guide to window air conditioners for more options.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The actual performance of the Hisense WC05R25A ticked all the boxes with solid scores in all of our tests, but our first impression was purely based on looks. We have to admit that opening the box on this handsome little model was like a breath of fresh air: If you're on a budget but still want to avoid a style vibe from the previous century, Hisense delivers here.
If you're tired of knobs and want specific temperature settings, a digital interface, like on this Hisense 207203, is the way to go.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Cooling
The Hisense WC05R25A is an average cooler in the 5K BTU class, but, as expected, it underperforms when compared against larger models. It was able to cool our test room by 8°F in just one hour, dropping a hot ambient temperature of 83.3°F to 76.3°F.
Of course, with a longer run time, this unit is capable of reducing temperatures to even cooler ranges. We feel comfortable recommending this model to friends and family for bedroom or office use.
We check the temperature of the air as it leaves each machine to make sure each unit is functioning properly while we test them, so we have data to inform our results and recommendations.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Energy Consumption
The Hisense WC05R25A consumes less energy than the average of all the window AC models we tested, earning it a higher ranking in our ranking, but its consumption compared to other 5K options is just average — which is what we usually see from budget models.
When we tested it on high, it consumed 0.45 kWh, which is very comparable to other 5K models. If we assume an average energy cost of 16.88 cents per kWh, you can expect to pay around $82 if you theoretically ran this machine for 12 hours a day on high for 90 straight days. Based on our tests, this is a very competitive operating cost.
As is common from the 5K models we've tested, the Hisense WC05R25A consumes 0.45 kWh of electricity while running on its highest mode.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Noise
Unfortunately, smaller budget models aren't any quieter than larger models, and the Hisense WC05R25A is not an exception to this norm.
When we tested noise output from four feet away with the machine on high, it produced a level of 58.8 dBa. What does this sound like? A loud fan that you can talk over with purposeful conversation. While this is a totally average result that's common to most models, we don't recommend air conditioners that make this much noise if you need to work in a home office environment and hold video conference calls.
This affordable Hisense model sounds like most window air conditioners running on high — loud enough to make close conversation a bit annoying.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Of course, if you run the fan on low, you'll get less cooling power but also less noise. As long as you're trying to cool an appropriately-sized small room of 150 square feet or so, you likely won't need to run this model on high all the time.
Convenience
The Hisense WC05R25A has a nice digital interface, and while it is not remarkably more convenient than other digital models, it's much better than those that use general knob-based controls and indicators because you can set the temperature to a particular number.
The included remote control increases functionality over the panel, letting you also set timers. If you plan to use this model in a bedroom, the remote also lets you dim the indicator lights, which is a nice feature if you find device lights annoying in the middle of the night.
The included remote lets you run the machine as well as set timers and dim the lights.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Installation
The Hisense WC05R25A is lightweight and easy to install, but the weight is a bit unbalanced, which surprised our tester during our install. Keep that in mind as you lift it into place and consider having a second person nearby.
One of the handiest benefits of a fresher, modern design is the use of slide-in side panels rather than those that screw in. Yes, it only takes a minute or two to screw in side panels, but slide-in options make disassembly much easier when you remove the unit and prep it for storage over the winter.
Most manufacturers recommend a two-person install, but our experienced testers had no trouble installing this model alone, so we expect many homeowners will be able to install it easily with another person.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Should You Buy the Hisense WC05R25A?
For any small room, we were very impressed with the Hisense WC05R25A's ability to cool. If you don't want a digital interface, you can choose knob-based options, but they don't usually cost any less, so we tend to recommend this modernized option if you want to be able to set specific temperatures or use timers. It's not a good choice for rooms much larger than 150 square feet, simply because it's a small model.
What Other Window Air Conditioners Should You Consider?
The Frigidaire FHWC084WB1 is a solid, basic contender for rooms up to 350 square feet, and the 8K BTU Midea MAW08HV1CWT is our favorite ultra-quiet, do-it-all midrange model with superior controls and a handy WiFi app.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Hisense WC05R25A versus top competing products:
—Austin Palmer and Chris Maxcer
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