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Cold air is comfortable air.
Just because the air is cold does not necessarily make it comfortable. The humidity level of the air is just as important as the temperature. When the humidity of the air is at the optimum (around 55%), even temperatures in the upper 70s feel good.
Some brands are better than others.
At first, air conditioners seem a little like cars: there are numerous brands, all of which look a little different on the outside. And, like cars, there are people who firmly believe that one brand is better than another. However, ownership of each brand has changed numerous times. The air conditioning system has matured as a product, and each brand has the same technology. In fact, many brands use components from the same third-party manufacturer.
Air conditioning contractors have reasons for selling the brand that they do, but it typically has to do with which brand they are most familiar with, or which distributor has the best deals or service.
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Bigger is better.
It's true that the ton rating of an air conditioner translates to cooling power. However, it's not true that more cooling power is going to make your house more comfortable. This is because an air conditioner doesn't just cool the air, it also dehumidifies it.
Dehumidifying air is a slower process than cooling and requires the air to make more passes through the system. Putting an oversized ton system will cool the air faster, causing the system to shut off quicker. As a result, the air makes fewer passes through the system and more humidity is left in the air. Air conditioners are sized to fit the heat load of the home and reach the balance of cooling and dehumidification.
Larger ton systems also have higher initial and operating (electric) costs, so it just doesn't make sense to oversize the system when the comfort benefit is minimal.
