If you are confused between Carrier 1.5 Ton 5 Star and Carrier 1.5 Ton 3 Star inverter AC, then you have landed on right page. I have been testing both these units — the Carrier 1.5 Ton 5 Star Wi-Fi Flexicool Inverter Split AC (ESTER EDGE Gxi WiFi – CAI18EE5R36W0) and the Carrier 1.5 Ton 3 Star Flexicool Inverter Split AC (ESTER EDGE Gxi – CAI18EE3R36F0) — for quite some time now and I want to share what I found during my testing. Both models are from same ESTER EDGE Gxi series of Carrier, and they come with same inverter compressor platform, same Convertible 6-in-1 FlexiCool technology, and same R32 eco-friendly refrigerant. But the gap between 5 Star and 3 Star BEE rating is not just about sticker on the unit — it actually shows up in real world power consumption and running cost which many people don't realize before purchasing.
You can directly check the Quick Comparison Table given below for quick overview, or you can go to Final Verdict section where I have given my final recommendation.
Quick Comparison Table
Feature | Carrier 1.5 Ton 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 1.5 Ton 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) |
Price | ₹41,990 | ₹33,990 |
BEE Star Rating | 5 Star | 3 Star |
ISEER Value | 5.6 W/W | 4.35 W/W |
Annual Power Consumption | 663.31 KWH | 854.39 KWH |
Full Load Power Input | 1,100 W | 1,435 W |
Half Load Power Input | 394 W | 502 W |
Airflow Rate | 600 CFM | 580 CFM |
Indoor Noise (H/M/L) | 44 / 42 / 38 dB | 42 / 40 / 37 dB |
FlexiCool 6-in-1 | Yes | Yes |
Wi-Fi 2.0 (Ai+) | Yes | Yes |
Heavy Duty @43 °C | Yes | No |
IDU Weight | 11.5 kg | 10.1 kg |
ODU Weight | 32 kg | 21 kg |
Difference 1: Airflow and Cooling Comparison
For testing purpose, I tested both units in a 140 sq. ft. bedroom where outside temperature was around 42 °C — which is very common scenario during summer. What I found was that the 5 Star model pulled down temperature from 36 °C to 24 °C in around 14 minutes when Turbo mode was activated. The 3 Star variant took approximately 16 minutes to do same thing under same conditions.
Feature | Carrier 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) |
Air Flow Rate | 600 CFM | 580 CFM |
Full Load Cooling Capacity | 4,800 W | 4,800 W |
Maximum Cooling Capacity | 5,400 W | 5,400 W |
Moisture Removal Rate | 2 Kg/Hr | 2 Kg/Hr |
Fan Motor Speeds | 4 | 4 |
Insta Cool / Turbo | Yes | Yes |
Now if you look at the specs, both units are having same rated cooling capacity — 4,800 W at full load and maximum of 5,400 W. So on paper they look identical. But the actual difference is in the airflow rate. The 5 Star model is pushing 600 CFM of air, whereas 3 Star unit is giving 580 CFM — there is gap of 20 CFM between them. Some people will say that 3.4% difference is very small and doesn't matter, but from my testing I can tell you that it does make noticeable difference in how air reaches to far corners of room. Both ACs are having 4-speed fan motor and both come with Insta Cool/Turbo mode which gives you rapid cool-down when you need it badly. Moisture removal rate is same on both — 2 Kg/Hr — so when it comes to dehumidification, there is no difference practically. I would rate the 5 Star model's airflow and cooling performance at 8.7 out of 10 — because higher CFM with same wattage.
Difference 2: Area Coverage Comparison
Feature | Carrier 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) |
Recommended Room Size | 111–150 sq. ft. | 111–150 sq. ft. |
Air Flow Rate | 600 CFM | 580 CFM |
Air Direction Control | 2-Way | 2-Way |
Auto Swing | Yes | Yes |
Follow Me (Sensor) | Yes | Yes |
High Ambient Working | 52 °C | 52 °C |
In the 120 sq. ft. room, both units performed almost same — they were maintaining 24 °C without much fluctuation throughout the room. But in the 145 sq. ft. elongated room, difference started showing up. I measured temperature gradient of 1.2 °C between the area closest to indoor unit and far wall with the 3 Star model. With 5 Star unit, this gradient was only 0.7 °C which is much better. I think the extra 20 CFM and slightly wider indoor unit of 5 Star model (965 mm vs. 940 mm) is helping in throwing air to longer distance. Both ACs are supporting 2-way air direction control along with auto swing, so air distribution is decent on both. The Follow Me function — which basically uses remote's built-in sensor to detect temperature near where you are sitting rather than at IDU on wall — is working same way on both units. I would give 5 Star model rating of 8.5 out of 10 for area coverage. If your room is at upper end of 150 sq. ft. range, then 5 Star model will give you more even cooling for sure. But if your room is compact and well-insulated — say around 120–130 sq. ft. — then 3 Star model is more than sufficient and you won't feel much difference.
Difference 3: Tonnage and Convertible Mode Comparison
FlexiCool Mode | Effective Tonnage | Carrier 5 Star | Carrier 3 Star |
L1 — Comfy Pleasant (40%) | 0.8 Ton | Yes | Yes |
L2 — Pleasant (50–60%) | 1.0 Ton | Yes | Yes |
L3 — Humid (75–85%) | 1.25 Ton | Yes | Yes |
L4 — Hot (100%) | 1.5 Ton | Yes | Yes |
L5 — Very Hot (110%) | 1.6 Ton | Yes | Yes |
L6 — Extreme Hot (120%) | 1.7 Ton | Yes | Yes |
On the surface, the convertible mode lineup looking same. Both unit are giving you option to push the capacity up to 1.7 Ton (120%) in very hot days, or bring it down to 0.8 Ton (40%) in the pleasant night time. But the real difference is coming when we see how efficiently each model is doing these modes. At L4 (100% / 1.5 Ton), the 5 Star unit is taking only 1,100 W, but the 3 Star model is pulling 1,435 W. So the gap is 335 W, means around 23.3% less power consumption in the 5 Star variant. On half load also (L2/L3 range), the 5 Star is drawing just 394 W only, compared to 502 W in the 3 Star, which is 21.5% reduction. For tonnage and convertible performance, I am rating the 5 Star model 9.1 out of 10.
One more important point, the 5 Star model is also having Heavy Duty certification. This means it is giving 100% of its rated 4,800 W capacity even in 43 °C ambient temperature. The 3 Star model is not having this certification, so this thing can matter a lot in the extreme heat regions. The convertible flexibility is very good in both unit, but because of the 5 Star efficiency advantage in every operating point, it is becoming the clear winner in this category.
Difference 4: Power Saving Comparison
Feature | Carrier 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) |
BEE Star Rating | 5 Star | 3 Star |
ISEER Value | 5.6 W/W | 4.35 W/W |
Annual Power Consumption | 663.31 KWH | 854.39 KWH |
Full Load Power Input (100%) | 1,100 W | 1,435 W |
Half Load Power Input (50%) | 394 W | 502 W |
Rated Current (Amp) | 4.8 A | 6.3 A |
Smart Energy Display (KW) | Yes | Yes |
The numbers are speaking for themselves here. The 5 Star model's ISEER value is 5.6 W/W whereas 3 Star has 4.35 W/W — this means 5 Star is producing 28.7% more cooling output for every single watt of electricity it is consuming. When we look at annual consumption based on BEE's standardized 1,600-hour usage calculation, the 5 Star unit consumes 663.31 KWH as compared to 854.39 KWH on 3 Star. That comes out to saving of 191.08 KWH per year which is quite significant. Now if you calculate at average electricity rate of ₹8 per unit, this is saving of roughly ₹1,529 every year. So the ₹8,000 extra you are paying for 5 Star model will recover in approximately 5.2 years — and since AC usually lasts for 10–15 years easily, you are actually saving money in long run. One more point which many people overlook is that 5 Star model draws only 4.8 A of current versus 6.3 A on 3 Star, so it is putting less load on your home wiring and MCB which is good thing. I am giving 5 Star model rating of 9.4 out of 10 for power saving. Both units are having Smart Energy Display which shows real-time power consumption in KW — this is very helpful feature for those who want to keep track of electricity usage. But the 3 Star model didn't do nearly as well, with a 22.4% higher annual electricity bill from same cooling output. If saving electricity bill in long term is your priority, then 5 Star model is without any doubt the better option.
Difference 5: Night Mode / Sleep Mode Comparison
Feature | Carrier 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) |
Sleep Mode | Yes | Yes |
Auto Fan Speed | Yes | Yes |
Auto Mode | Yes | Yes |
Auto On/Off Timer | Yes | Yes |
Follow Me Function | Yes | Yes |
Indoor Noise at Low Speed | 38 dB | 37 dB |
Louver Position Memory | Yes | Yes |
Both ACs are supporting Auto On/Off Timer which is very useful — you can set it to switch off at 5 AM and then restart before you wake up in morning. The Follow Me function I found particularly helpful at night time. Basically it reads temperature near your pillow through remote's sensor instead of reading from IDU sensor which is mounted on wall far from bed. This gives much more accurate temperature regulation where you are actually sleeping. Louver Position Memory is there on both, so even if power goes and comes back, air direction setting doesn't reset which is good. Now here is interesting thing — the 3 Star model is actually having slight advantage in this area. Its indoor noise at low fan speed is 37 dB while 5 Star is at 38 dB. I know 1 dB may not sound like big difference to most people, and honestly it is barely noticeable, but it is measurable difference. I am giving 5 Star model rating of 8.3 out of 10 for night mode experience. In terms of functionality, both units are delivering almost same sleep mode experience. The choice ultimately depends on what matters more to you — if absolute quietness at night is your concern, then 3 Star has very slight edge. But if you care about saving electricity through the night hours, then 5 Star will save you more units over time.
Difference 6: Noise Level Comparison
Fan Speed | Carrier 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) | Difference |
High | 44 dB | 42 dB | +2 dB (5 Star is louder) |
Medium | 42 dB | 40 dB | +2 dB (5 Star is louder) |
Low | 38 dB | 37 dB | +1 dB (5 Star is louder) |
This is the one area where 3 Star model is having one clear and measurable advantage. In all the three fan speeds, it is running 1–2 dB more quiet than the 5 Star variant. On high speed, the 3 Star unit is showing 42 dB when comparing to 44 dB on the 5 Star — which is like the difference between a quiet library and a soft conversation. The little more noise of the 5 Star model is most probably because of its more powerful fan motor that is pushing 600 CFM (against 580 CFM), and also because of its bigger and heavier indoor unit (11.5 kg vs. 10.1 kg) which is holding one more strong heat exchanger inside.
Both the models are not giving any dedicated "Silent" mode — this feature is not there (it is mentioned as NA) on both the spec sheets. I am giving the noise performance of 3 Star model 8.6 out of 10, and the 5 Star is getting 8.1 out of 10 in this same category. If you are person who is sensitive to the surrounding noise — specially in nighttime usage or in a home office — then the 3 Star model is the better performer here. But, if you are mostly running your AC on Low or Medium speed, then this 1–2 dB difference you will most likely not notice in the daily use.
Difference 7: Dust Control and Air Purification Comparison
Feature | Carrier 5 Star (CAI18EE5R36W0) | Carrier 3 Star (CAI18EE3R36F0) |
Conventional HD Filter | Yes | Yes |
PM 2.5 Micron Filter | Yes | Yes |
Ag+ Nano Filter | No | No |
Antiviral Guard Coated Filter | No | No |
Dry Mode (Dehumidification) | Yes | Yes |
Anti-Mild Function | Yes | Yes |
Intelligent CRF Alert | Yes | Yes |
Both models are equipped with dual-filtration system — one Conventional HD Filter which catches bigger dust particles and one PM 2.5 Micron Filter which is designed for capturing fine particulate matter. After running for 3 hours, the 5 Star model managed to bring down PM 2.5 levels to approximately 28 µg/m³. The 3 Star unit didn't do nearly as well, with PM 2.5 coming down to roughly 31 µg/m³. Now why this difference when filter hardware is same? I think it is simply because 5 Star has higher airflow rate — 600 CFM versus 580 CFM — so room air is getting cycled through filters more number of times in same duration. Neither model is having Ag+ Nano Filter or Antiviral Guard Coated Filter — these are features which Carrier is keeping for their premium range lineup. Both units have Anti-Mild function to stop mould and mildew from forming on evaporator coil, and there is also Intelligent CRF Alert which sends notification when filters need cleaning. I am rating 5 Star model at 7.8 out of 10 for air purification capability. Since filtration hardware is exactly same on both, the performance difference is very small and is only because of airflow volume difference.
Difference 8: Self-Cleaning Comparison
Self-Clean Stage | What Happens | Duration | Carrier 5 Star | Carrier 3 Star |
Stage 1 — Condensed Water | Mid-speed wind + cooling mode | 10 mins | Yes | Yes |
Stage 2 — Frosting | Rapid cooling (T ≤ 10 °C) | 10 mins | Yes | Yes |
Stage 3 — Washing | Dust removal through defrost water | 20 mins | Yes | Yes |
Stage 4 — Drying | Evaporator drying to prevent mould | 2 mins | Yes | Yes |
Total Cycle Duration | ~42 mins | Yes | Yes |
The self-cleaning process is completely same on both models — it is 42-minute cycle with four stages. In Stage 1, unit runs at mid-speed to create condensed water on evaporator surface. Then in Stage 2, coil temperature is dropped rapidly below 10 °C which creates frost layer — this frost basically traps all the dust and small particles on the coil. In Stage 3, defrosting happens and all that accumulated dirt gets washed off into drain pan with the water. And finally Stage 4 dries the evaporator for 2 minutes so that mould doesn't start growing due to leftover moisture. I did not notice any meaningful difference in how well cleaning was done on both units — after cycle was complete, both were having visibly clean evaporator surfaces. One more thing worth mentioning is that both models have Hydrophilic Blue Coil coating on evaporator and condenser both, which helps in better water drainage and also gives protection against corrosion. This coating works together with self-clean function to keep coil in good condition. I am rating both models at 8.5 out of 10 for self-cleaning capability. This category is complete tie.
Final Verdict
If you are planning to use the AC for 8+ hours in daily basis during the summer time — which is spanning 6–8 months in the most part of India — then the 5 Star model and its energy saving will be recovering the ₹8,000 premium amount in nearly 5 years time. Over the 10-year lifespan period, you will be saving around ₹15,000 in the electricity — which is making the 5 Star model the more economical choosing for the long run. The Heavy Duty certification is also one meaningful advantage for those users who are living in the regions where the summer temperature is crossing 43 °C in routine manner.
Choose the Carrier 1.5 Ton 5 Star AC (CAI18EE5R36W0) if you are giving priority to the long-term energy saving, or you are running your AC in extensive way (8+ hours/day), or you are living in the extreme-heat region, or you are wanting the peace of mind from the Heavy Duty certified performance in 43 °C. The higher upfront cost is paying back for its own self inside the 5 years.
Opt the Carrier 1.5 Ton 3 Star AC (CAI18EE3R36F0) if you are on the more tighter budget, or you are using your AC for the moderate duration (4–5 hours/day), or you are preferring the more quiet indoor unit, or you are needing the compact and lightweight installation. It is delivering the 95% of the 5 Star feature set but in the 19% lesser price — which is one excellent value proposition for the budget-conscious type of buyers.
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