We have a large combo living room/diningroom with cathedral ceilings and lots of large windows which are no longer considered energy efficient (they were when they were put in 25 years ago) and this lowers the temperature by 3-4 degrees. In combination with our ceiling fan and solar blinds it makes the summer a lot more bearable. It's not the quietest, but we have had band practice in the same room and it hasn't interfered. I like that it's white, which blends in with our decor. When it's not in use, it easily wheels away, but you'll want to avoid taking it up and down stairs because it's heavy.