Boaters often wonder who makes the best marine air conditioner when looking to install a new unit. 

Here at Citimarine Store – a top retailer of marine air conditioning, for well over a decade now – we’ve prepared a comparison of some of the most popular marine air conditioners available in 2024, using information gathered throughout all of our years of selling marine ACs, as well as an analysis of feedback on each brand from real boaters themselves on popular boating forums.

We looked into the following criteria – the most positive features and feedback, least number of complaints, and the quality of support a company provides should problems arise with their units.

Note: There are a few other brands that are said to build solid marine AC units, such as Frigomar, King Air and Pompanette, which we did not include in this brand comparison. We did not come across enough information in our research to include them in our comparison below, but this does not mean they are not quality marine AC brands as well.

Also, when listing the best marine air conditioners for each brand, we are comparing self-contained units, which are generally the most used units.

 

CTM Marine – Our Choice for Best Marine Air Conditioner

After much research and discussion, we can confidently stand behind a recommendation of CTM Marine as the best marine air conditioner on the market.

 

Reasons We Decided On CTM Marine as Best Marine Air Conditioner

• CTM Marine uses stronger materials than other brands when it comes to corrosion-resistance and ability to thrive in the marine environment (titanium coils for instance are much more corrosion-resistant than the more commonly used copper coils, which often have serious, irreparable issues down the line due to corrosion).
• Energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly and quiet
• Compatible with cables and controls from other major brands
• Industry standard 2-year warranty
• Priced very attractively (lower than most other major brands for comparable models), without sacrificing quality

Most of the major marine AC brands listed below will give you years of solid performance as long as they’ve been installed correctly and you perform all of the proper maintenance, however at this time we feel strongest about recommending CTM Marine for all of the above-mentioned reasons. For another article comparing details of the CTM vs. Dometic and Webasto’s top self-contained units, see here.

For more information as well as analysis of the pros and cons of the major marine AC brands, please read on!

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Marine AC Analysis – Pros and Cons of Each Brand, Top Units Sold and Feedback from Real Boaters

 

CTM Marine

Miami, Florida based CTM Marine has taken a decade of experience selling marine air conditioners, and has put this wisdom into the creation of a highly-efficient, durable marine air conditioner that handles issues not yet resolved in other popular marine AC units.

CTM marine AC units are built using quality materials meant to withstand the harsh marine environment – including highly corrosion-resistant titanium coils as opposed to copper coils – and compatibility features – such as ability to use most major controls from Dometic, Cruisair and Marine Air units.

CTM marine air conditioners are offered at a lower price point than comparable models of same BTU capacity from other major brands.

 

Pros of CTM Marine

• Titanium coils provide corrosion resistance not found in copper coils of other brand A/C systems
• Stainless steel pan frame with ABS tray
• Low price point compared to other similar quality models
• Excellent drop-in replacement, compatible with controls and cables from Dometic, Cruisair, Marine Air and Micro Air units
• Compact, lightweight
• Knowledge of what is needed in a marine AC unit

 

Cons

• Warranty lasts only two years
• Blower cannot turn more than 170 degrees
• Control sold separately

 

CTM’s Top AC Unit – The CT-16 Marine Air Conditioner – 16,000 BTUs

CTM Marine’s 16,000 BTU AC unit is built with marine-ready materials, such as corrosion-resistant titanium coils and ABS tray. The CT16 is fully compatible with most Dometic, Cruisair, Marine Air and Micro Air controls and cables, and is lightweight with a small footprint, making it a good drop-in replacement option for Dometic’s popular DTU16 model.

CTM backs their units up with an industry-standard, 2-year warranty and skilled technical support.

• See the CTM CT-16 Marine Air Conditioner, here!

 

What Boaters Have to Say About CTM

 

“Purchased an A/C from CTM back in May, has worked like a champ. Extended the warranty another year for 29 bucks.”

-capn_nik, The Hull Truth, 1,214 posts

 

“I had a Cruisair stowaway turbo (16000 BTUs) go bad after many years of good service. Was considering purchasing one of the newer Dometics, but have heard quality of their units has reduced in recent years.

I was between choosing a Webasto FCF and a CTM unit, and decided on the CTM. Buddy of mine installed one early this year, and is content with it. Low price point, solid looking unit, good replacement option for cruisair (I was able to use the same SMXir control from my cruisair).

I like the titanium coils. My cruisair’s compressor actually failed because of a hole in the rusted condensing coil.”

-Jstadnik, Trawler Forum, 764 posts

 

“Installed a CTM Marine 16000 BTU unit earlier this year. Met the owner at last year’s Ft. Lauderdale boat show, nice guy, explained to me about the units.

Quality materials, like the titanium coils (won’t rust) and good price as well. The unit’s comparable to the higher end dometic models. I had a dometic turbo go bad after a few years, and was able to swap it out with the CTM myself pretty easily. It was compatible with all of my dometic’s cables and controls.

The unit ran throughout the summer like a champ, and I’ve used the reverse cycle heating on a couple of occasions already so far, works well”

-thundert76, Cruisers Forum, 1,617 posts

 

“I installed two CTM 16k BTU AC units with Wifi Remotes and they are awesome.”

-Destination Unk, The Hull Truth, 206 posts

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Webasto

Founded in 1901, Stockdorf, Germany-based Webasto has been manufacturing cooling, heating, ventilation, roof and convertible roof systems for the marine and automotive industries for a long time now.

Webasto is family owned and has 50+ locations around the world (more than 30 of them production sites), as well as a large dealer network to provide products, installation and support services for their marine air conditioners and other products. Research and development is carried out in Stockdorf, Germany.

 

PROS

• We found many excellent reviews, very few negative reviews found
• Inexpensive
• Known to be quiet from what we know and what other boaters have said
• 2 year free replacement warranty if it can’t be repaired
• A wide network of authorized repair shops
• Will come out to boat to do repairs, no need to ship unit unless completely necessary
• Painted with marine grade paint – extends unit life

 

CONS

• FCF Platinum and Classic marine air conditioner models assembled in China, with a mix of German and Chinese components
• 20 – 30% heavier than Dometic units of the same capacity
• Not a composite pan, stainless steel pan (adds weight)
• Fan runs continuously; we saw complaints from boaters who don’t like this

 

Best Webasto Marine AC Unit – Webasto FCF Classic 16,000 Marine Air Conditioner – 16,000 BTUs

Webasto offers two marine air conditioners that are very popular, including the Webasto FCF Classic, with a slightly lower price point, and the new Webasto FCF Platinum, which offers some advantages over the Classic.

Webasto’s FCF Classic Series reverse cycle marine air conditioners provide compact, easy-to-retrofit, efficient and whisper quiet cooling. Quality manufacturing includes long-lasting enamel finish, robust blower able to handle multiple vents and a quiet, low-vibration compressor. Stainless steel epoxy coated uni-body chassis make up the back bone of this rugged unit. The FCF Classic series bring all items necessary to complete a new installation or refit. Reverse cycle heating, excellent price point and offers an industry leading 2 year warranty.

• For more information on the best-selling Webasto FCF Classic 16000 Marine Air Conditioner, see here.

 

Other Top Webasto Marine Air Conditioner – Webasto FCF Platinum 16,000 Marine Air Conditioner – 16,000 BTUs

The all-new FCF Platinum series is a newer Webasto marine AC model, and provides some advantages over the classic. The FCF Platinum features improved design and a higher BTU/h rating across a variety of environments, while still providing unmatched product reliability and a two-year warranty. FCF Platinum units have been designed with a long and slim footprint to allow for easy replacement of other major brand air-conditioning units. Powerful, quiet and efficient, at just a slightly higher price point.

• For more information on the Webasto FCF Platinum 16000 Marine Air Conditioner, see here.

 

Feedback on Webasto by Real Boaters

 

“Just called TS at Webasto. First was very impressed to immediately reach a tech that was able to answer all my questions and then some…”

“….Well if I spent a couple thousand on a piece of equipment and it had a problem while under warranty it seems like a pretty big imposition on me as the customer to have to ship the unit to the factory for repair. Not sure of the policy on this but if I have to pay for that it’s a couple hundred round trip shipping, depending on where I’m located. That would put a pretty big premium on a free warranty repair.

Most companies have a dealer/support network and have local reps that will handle repairs. Webasto if the unit can’t be repaired on the boat will ship you a new unit at their cost. That sounds like a good way to handle it to me.”

-skipmac, CruisersForum, 14,497 posts

 

“- UPDATE – I ended up going with the Webasto 16000 FCF primarily because of space. It had the smallest footprint and the best price. I ended up getting the unit at West Marine on a price match. With the price match I was able to get a 4 year “on the boat” warranty for less than the normal West Marine cost of the unit alone. So far the unit works well. Currently it is putting out 40-45 degree air at the vents and is extremely quiet. I am happy with my decision at this point and hope to get many years of reliable service out of it. it does have the fan issue others have mentioned (fan runs non-stop) but I actually prefer that.”

-SeaBreeze, Cruisers Forum, 169 posts

 

“I have Webasto 16k units for 6+ years. One quit due to trying to start off an inverter I think but was replaced at extremely low price. Customer service has been good. I run the compressors off 50hz with no problem in Europe but keep the blowers and pumps on 60hz per their recommendation. Controls however are not as sophisticated as more expensive units – e.g. can’t blower on and off independent of compressor.”

-Ostinato, Cruisers Forum, 497 posts

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Dometic

  

With headquarters in Solna, Sweden, Dometic was introduced as a brand to the US in 1968. Dometic purchased Cruisair and Marine Air from Taylor Made in 2003, and sold their marine air conditioners under both brand names until combining both under one Dometic brand name starting in 2016.  

Dometic sells food & beverage, climate, power & control solutions for RVs / mobile homes, trucks and boats. Dometic is a very well-known and established marine AC brand, having sold tens of thousands, if not more, units over the years.

 

Pros of Dometic Marine Air Conditioners

• Well-known
• Huge support network
• Purchased Cruisair and Marine Air, and offer a wide variety of models and AC types
• Compact, lightweight
• 2 year warranty, first year labor second year parts 
• Composite pan on DTU, light and rust resistant
• Sound cover available for compressor

 

Cons

• We came across a significant number of complaints from boaters online as to reduction in quality and shorter life spans of units built in recent years (to be taken with a grain of salt, as more units are sold than other brands)
• Control sold separately on DTU
• Not painted with marine-grade, rust resistant paint
• Coil copper not painted – easier to rust
• Mostly manufactured in China (not always a bad thing, but perceived as a con for many), assembled in the US
• Condensing coil located where intake comes in – makes filter hard to clean
• Heat from coils gets pulled in by blower; doesn’t dissipate

 

Dometic’s Best Marine Air Conditioner – DTG16 – Dometic Turbo Unit

The most popular Dometic marine AC unit is without a doubt the DTG (formally Turbo DTU), with the DTG12 (12,000 BTUs) and DTG16 (16,000 BTUs) being its top sellers.

The DTG reverse cycle marine air AC unit has several patented innovations, and won the IBEX Innovation Award in 2007. Smaller, quieter and more energy-efficient than Dometic’s other popular marine air conditioner, the ECD (Envirocomfort), the Dometic Turbo Unit (now DTG) replaces previous identical Turbo units, the VTD and STX. The molded composite drain pan is rust-free and has a small footprint, allowing plenty of installation options.

Dometic’s DTG was engineered to use environmentally friendly R-410A refrigerant, and has a vibration-isolation mounting system, resulting in quieter, vibration free performance compared to other models. An optional sound cover further reduces noise up to 50%.

 

Feedback on Dometic Marine Air Conditioners from Boaters on Top Boating Forums:

 

“Since Dometic bought CruiseAir their units are not lasting but about 3-4 years top. My boat neighbors are very unhappy. These units start to leak Freon though water heat exchange bundle. Unrepairable, seems that Dometic is using a much cheaper heat exchanger since they bought.”

Username: -KadeyKrogen38, Forum: Cruisers Forum, Posts: 1,467

 

“No more Dometic for me, had to replace same unit 3 times in 4 years due to condenser failure…”

-R2boat, Cruisers Forum, 107 posts

 

“Guess my Dometic is a fluke, but I have a Vector Turbo 8k BTU unit and a March pump and never had a problem with either. It is very quiet and the composite pan doesn’t rust. Now ten years old…”

“….Might be that Dometic has more complaints due to more units sold. Plus people tend to post about problem with units, and be silent on trouble-free ones. Everyone expects trouble-free to just the the norm”

-sailjumanji, Cruisers Forum, 1,467 posts

 

“I have two units aboard my 45 foot sailboat. The after unit is a Mermaid, which replaced a Mermaid unit, that failed – compressor locked up after seven years. The forward unit is currently a Webasto, which replaced a Dometic which failed at less than three years – the electronics went bad. The Dometic was professionally installed, and I had to change out the thermostat during that three year period twice. The Webasto has been in for two years and runs like a top.

The Mermaid had to go back to the shop for an electrical problem, which they could not duplicate. Rather than argue with m about the problem, they replaced the unit completely. It is noisier than the Webasto, but that may be because of differences in the installation.

I outdone definitely consider another Webasto, probably consider another Mermaid and never have another Dometic.”

-CaptFrankM, Cruisers Forum, 143 posts

 

“Stay away from Dometic.”

-#1Stunner, The Hull Truth Boating Forum, 2,651 posts

 

“I have installed two a/c on my 36 from scratch, never had a/c before. One was a Flagship Marine 18,000 btu and would not recommend. The 2nd one a 10,000 Btu, Marine Air by Dometic and cannot say enough positive things..

Rotatable discharge, Three different spots to take your condensate line from, the thermostat is a sensor in the return air so no issue with mounting the control panel anywhere you want and the panel to connect your Electric and lines to the water pump are on a cord so you can also mount that in a convenient place.

Only in two years so long term can’t say.”

-Bill R., Trawler Forum, 67 posts

 

“I replaced two 16k btu units last fall with Dometic Turbos -. very quiet and not power hogs, as recommended by Larry M.”

-Erben Renewal, Trawler Forum, 12 posts

 

“I may have a Dometic Turbo 16k btu unit new in box for sale, if interested PM me. I currently have four Dometic Turbos on my boat and they work well.”

-mystery, Trawler Forum, 762 posts

 

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Flagship Marine

Flagship Marine — founded in 1995 and located in Stuart, FL — is a manufacturer of marine air conditioners for the recreational, commercial, and military markets. Every Flagship Marine unit is made in the US using only domestic metal alloys.

Flagship units are installed on US Coast Guard and US Navy vessels, and you often hear of boaters saying their Flagship units last 20+ years.

While Flagship is known for making dependable, and rugged commercial / military quality marine air conditioners, it is a favorite among many recreational boaters as well.

 

Pros of Flagship Marine AC Units

• Made in the USA with domestic metal alloys
• We found many reviews praising Flagship for being rugged, long-lasting
• High quality materials
• 5 year warranty on parts, 1 year on labor
• Knowledgeable and helpful customer service
• Little need for replacement of parts
• No PCB circuit boards, uses relays
• Aluminum drip pan slopes to drain
• We found very few negative reviews found online

 

Cons

• No variable speed
• Any issues with unit, if the problem cannot be solved speaking with technical support, the unit must be shipped to factory for repair or replacement
• Strict warranty

 

Flagship’s Best Marine AC Unit – Flagship FM16H Marine Air Conditioner – 16,000 BTUs

Powerful and rugged, the Flagship Marine FM series of marine air conditioners enjoys an excellent reputation among boaters.

Unbelievably quiet due to mounting isolator bushings, insulated blower chamber and rotary / scroll compressors, many boaters install their Flagship FM units directly under their bunk. LG Rotary Compressors have been an industry leader for many years, and are known for being quiet — barely making any noise when starting, running or stopping.

Flagship FM Air Conditioners are easy-to-start and have a very low startup surge, and include dry drain pans — The rotary and scroll compressors do not sweat, so do not condensate or rust.

• You can find the Flagship FM16H Marine Air Conditioner, here!

 

Feedback from Boaters on Flagship Marine Air Conditioners

 

“Three boats, three Flagship systems self installed, full time liveaboard over 25 years…..

I simply would not buy anything else. Superb customer service that will spend talk you through any issues on the phone, never had a warranty issue, have replaced two $20 relays in all that time and never seen a single spot of corrosion.

Just read the specs and materials used, look at the build quality or even just look at the photos. Far ahead of all the usual suspects.”

-boatpoker, Cruisers Forum, 4,078 posts

 

“I personally wouldn’t stray from a company with stellar customer service, which Flagship has. I bought a USED frankensteined Flagship unit, and they still served me very well. Their commitment to their customers is top notch.

And nothing on a boat is bullet proof.”

-TooCoys, Cruisers Forum, 466 Posts

 

“On mine the squirrel cage bearings were shot within a few months. I too had to take it out, mount it to a pallet and ship it back. There is one fan speed, high and to my thinking loud. Even though the stupid thing still works I plan on replacing it with a quality unit as soon as possible. Rich”

-cabo_sailer, Cruisers Forum, 1,988 posts

 

“On my previous boat, a Tartan 37, I installed a Flagship 16,500 BTU unit with the heating capability. Never had one problem, cold enough to hang meat in the summertime but was somewhat noisy as the unit was just behind a louvered door in the main saloon. Very happy with the unit overall after about a decade of using it…”

“…I cannot speak to the quality of other manufacturers, I just know the Flagship units are well made and should present few problems if any from my experience with them.”

-Tortuga’s Life, Cruisers Forum, 450 Posts

 

“I went with flagship marine, and it runs flawless. They are well built, a bit on the large size, but puts out more air then any I have had before. Also the first I have had that does not freeze up.”

-Sailnow 2011, CruisersForum, 421 posts

 

“I also like Flagship marine for a couple of reasons. I have two of them. They use a household thermostat, controls are standard parts no expensive circuit boards, Heat is add on resistance heat and does not require the compressor to run. Only weak spot is the control relays. Have replaced 2 in ten years.”

-obthomas, Trawler Forum, 496 posts

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Mermaid Manufacturing

Fort Myers, Florida based Mermaid Manufacturing started out as Mermaid Marine Air in 1983, providing marine air conditioners both nationally and internationally.

In 1999, a Marine Officer and Vietnam Veteran by the name of William Banfield purchased the company and renamed it Mermaid Manufacturing. Mermaid Manufacturing now also produces a dehumidifier and a climate controlled drug cabinet for the medical industry.

Mermaid boasts very low turnover rates, with the majority of the staff being part of the company for 10+ years. Mermaid has a very knowledgeable staff and support team, and the company is known to stand behind their marine air conditioners.

 

PROS

• 5 year warranty – covers defects in materials and workmanship
• Made in the US
• Known to be well-constructed, long lasting
• When calling technical support, you speak with someone who actually builds the units and knows them well
• Easy to repair and install
• In our experience, a very fair company, will replace units if needed without hassle
• Excellent reviews (could not find one outright negative review)
• Low amp draw

 

CONS

• Unit must be shipped back to factory if technical support is not able to walk you through repair
• After 6 months, should unit need to go back to the factory, customer covers shipping to factory (but Mermaid covers shipping to return unit)
• We came across some noise complaints with their air conditioners, but not many

 

Mermaid Air’s Best Marine Air Conditioner – Mermaid M16 Cool and Reverse Cycle Unit – 16,500 BTU

The Mermaid M16 is Mermaid Manufacturing’s work horse unit. This 16,500 BTU marine air conditioner provides excellent climate control to vessels, with a cooling capacity of 1,400 cubic feet, designed to cool/heat up to a 40′ cruiser or 45′ sailboat.

Every unit is constructed of quality components assembled on high-grade, solid stainless steel bases, right here in the US, and is available in right, left of top air discharge configurations. Mermaid Manufacturing M series AC units provide no-nonsense cooling, and top-notch company support if ever needed.

• You can find the Mermaid M16 Cool and Reverse Cycle AC Unit, here!

 

Mermaid Manufacturing Air Conditioner Reviews from Boaters

 

“I’ve had 3 units from them. Still using 2 now since I sold the other boat that had one. So. 7 years on one which replaced the OEM dometic unit which went bad shortly after buying my carver. 11 on the other which I had added it for the vberth in my trojan and took it out after buying my carver and installed it in the aft cabin on my 405. And left one in another boat I had. I’m sure you’ll here from others on what they like but this my experience. Here’s a link to them if you want. .https://www.mmair.com/”

-G36, Carver Yacht Owners, 672 Posts

 

“I have a Mermaid 16K unit which is 7 years old working fine on my Sigma 41 in Miami. Very quiet unit and cools the boat with low amp draw. The thermostat( not Mermaid) failed and Mermaid told me what to replace it with and easy to contact them in Florida also. I had a 5 year warranty but never needed it.

Call them and discuss your concerns. Nice folks to talk to.

Good Luck!”

-dneve, Cruisers Forum, 66 Posts

 

“The Mermaid had to go back to the shop for an electrical problem, which they could not duplicate. Rather than argue with me about the problem, they replaced the unit completely. It is noisier than the Webasto, but that may be because of differences in the installation.”

-CaptFrankM, Cruisers Forum, 143 posts

 

“I used to work for a yard that installed dometic and Mermaid. I always found the mermaid easier to deal with. They were kind of no frills units but can’t recall ever having issues with one. We did alot of installs of under 12k units (most boats in the yard were 34′ or less) and Mermaids seemed quite a bit better on these smaller units.”

-Colin A, Cruisers Forum, 646 posts

 

“FWIW I have a 1600 btu Mermaid that was installed by the po in 2000, not sure how often he used it but it has worked flawlessly for me for 2 1/2 cooling seasons in SC. I start it up in April and run it through to October pretty much 24/7(dog on board).”

-Spindrift NH, Cruisers Forum, 108 posts

 

“I have put Mermaid 16K units in 4 boats. Had great success with all of them. Great customer support.”

-Comodave, Trawler Forum, 6,956 posts

 

“I’m with Comodave – Mermaid sells good equipment at reasonable cost and the factory support is great. The factory support comment is not based on equipment malfunction – too long a story to tell here, but really good people.

Based on the experience of a couple of friends, I’d also consider Flagship Marine.

Thoroughly underwhelmed by Dometic – never bought their gear based on the attitude of the sales people I encountered.”

-sbu22, Trawler Forum, 1,223 posts

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MarinAire

Around since 2007, MarinAire is a US-based marine air conditioning manufacturer with headquarters in Medley (Miami-Dade), FL and the actual manufacturing done out of Guangdong, China.

MarinAire has a pretty solid reputation on the boating forums and good reviews on the quality of their marine air conditioners from many boaters. Their company has 150+ employees working in production, R&D, logistics, marketing and IT departments.

 

Pros of MarinAire

• We see many positive reviews on the quality of the manufacturing and materials
• Excellent customer support
• Quiet
• Affordable units
• Installed by an increasing amount of boaters, good reputation

 

Cons

• We came across some complaints of a short unit lifespan
• Complaints of occasional freon leaks
• Only a 1 year warranty
• Complicated electric box

 

MarinAire’s Best Marine AC Unit – 14000 Btu/h Self Contained Marine Air Conditioner and Heat Pump

Keeping up with the other brand’s, MarinAire’s top selling marine AC unit is designed with built-in pressure gauges that help boaters better monitor how well the unit is operating. Includes a sound cover surrounding the compressor compartment, which reduces noise by more than 50%. 360 degree blower and small size / footprint helps provide a wide range of installation possibilities.

Stainless steel drain pan helps to keep away corrosion, and the D-smart control system provides humidity detection and built-in safeguards protect the entire system from damaging conditions, such as low or high refrigerant pressure or any other abnormalities.

• You can find the unit on Amazon, here: MarinAire 14000 Btu/h Self Contained Marine Air Conditioner.

 

Feedback from Boaters on MarinAire Marine Air Conditioners

 

“Have had one in the previous boat and now 3 of them in the Carver. Never an issue and really quiet. The materials and quality is above anything else I have seen. If you call them a real person will answer and knows his stuff which is rather exceptional in todays world. They are called MarinAire not to me confused with Marine Air.”

-Midnightsun, Carver Yacht Owners, 1,193 posts

 

“Bought the Marinaire after seeing the one Hans installed on his other boat. Very quiet, I installed one in my Rinker and it was a heck of a lot better then Dometic.”

-Pepmyster, Carver Yacht Owners, 376 posts

 

“I had 6 Marinaire units that I installed on my previuos Cheoy Lee, no problems for the 5 years I used them. And they got plenty of use every night in the Caribbean. I’ve just ripped out thecentral chilled awater system in my present Cheoy Lee and am in the throes of installing 5 Mainaire units in that boat. Always found Marinaire pleasant and helpful.”

-Martin J, Trawler Forum, 398 posts

 

“Even though it is Chinese made, they have a comprehensive website and their 16,000 btu 120V unit looks impressive. It has all of the protection features of a Cruiseair, a SS drip pan, amperage draw looks to be the same and interestingly it has high and low side pressure gauges installed.

And it is cheap, $1,642 including Fedex ground shipping. I would take a risk on one if I needed a new A/C.”

-DavidM, Trawler Forum, 5,183 posts

 

“NO!!!! I had one. Brand new. Lasted one year… The evaporator rotted. The aluminium on it dissolved, and it leaked out all the freon. The cost of the replacement part was nearly as much as the entire unit….”

“….The evaporator rotted. The aluminium on it dissolved, and it leaked out all the freon. The cost of the replacement part was nearly as much as the entire unit.”

-sailnow2011, CruisersForum, 421 posts

 

“Hi. My experience with MarinAire has been one of excellent customer service. By that I mean every time the unit malfunctions, they are happy to assist in providing the parts and information needed to fix it. That has occurred approximately 5 times since I got the unit. Now the unit leaks, and leak stop has not helped. I’m now told this is probably because of ‘user installation issues’ ie no bonding. I have a 15 y.o. Marine Air (different company) unit I personally installed (including bonding) that still works great!”

-CapnJB, CruisersForum, 7 posts

 

“I have two Marinaire 15,000btu units and they have worked well for 5 years and are running as I write. Never needed maintenance and still with the original fill of gas.

I met the owner of the company and he seemed a very competent honest man.”

-s/v Moondancer, CruisersForum, 1,459 posts

 

“I installed 2 of the 16,000 Marin units to replace older Dometic units that were not worth repairing. They were the same footprint and installation couldn’t have been easier, basically “plug and play”. The only issue is the control panel was smaller. I used starboard to make a plate to cover the larger hole and mounted the smaller panel in that.

They have worked great for over 4 years and wouldn’t hesitate to use them again if my other unit dies. Being full time for over 2 1/2 years the unit in the master SR gets almost 24/7 use.”

-Spike, Trawler Forum, 74 posts

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10 Most Popular Marine Air Conditioners Sold in 2023

Being one of the top marine air conditioner retailers in the US, I’ve tallied the inquiries into different marine AC units, sales numbers per unit, as well as analyzed our Google Analytics data in order to see which air conditioners were most inquired about + searched from January 1st to January 31st, 2023. This gives us a pretty good idea as to which were some of the most popular marine air conditioners up until now, at least according to our information:

• CTM CT-16 – 16,000 BTU – 115V – 50/60HZ
• Webasto FCF Classic 16,000 BTU Marine AC Unit – 115V
• Webasto FCF Platinum 16,000 BTU – 115V
• Webasto FCF Classic 12,000 BTU – 115V
• CTM CT-12 Marine Air Conditioner 12,000 BTU – 115V – 50/60HZ
• Flagship FM16R 16,000 BTU  – 115V – Cool Only
• Flagship FM16H 16,000 BTU Marine Air Conditioner – 115V – Cool & Heat
• CTM CT-10 10,000 BTU – 115V – 50/60HZ
• Webasto FCF Platinum 10,000 BTU – 115V
• Webasto FCF Platinum 12,000 BTU – 115

Need Help Choosing the Right Marine AC Unit for Your Boat? We’re Here!

Any questions or comments on selecting the right marine air conditioner for your boat, how to install, or any other questions you may have, you can reach us here or chat with us in the chat box below!

 

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