Planning to buy an AC this Diwali or in winter? Check how much Daikin, Blue Star will hike prices

Are you planning to buy an AC this Diwali or during winter? Your purchase could become costlier as leading brands raise prices amid rising production costs.

Daikin and Blue Star have already increased prices while other brands are preparing fresh hikes. However, stocks purchased earlier by dealers could help some festive shoppers pay older prices.

Daikin has increased prices by 8-10% from 16 September. Chairman and Managing Director Kanwaljeet Jawa confirmed the increase. He said rising copper prices, a stronger dollar and costlier materials were pressuring companies.

“Copper prices have gone up by almost 25-35%. The dollar is strengthening, and commodity prices continue to rise. Companies are under tremendous pressure,” Jawa told PTI.

Blue Star has already raised prices for ACs and deep freezers by 5-8%. Managing Director B Thiagarajan said copper, steel and plastics had become costlier because of the US-Iran war. This is Blue Star’s third price increase this year.

“All the commodity prices have been going up because of the war. Copper, steel and plastics have all become costlier,” he told PTI.

Across the industry, AC prices are expected to rise by 5-8%. Manufacturers face higher metal prices, transport expenses and currency fluctuations amid the West Asia crisis. This marks the industry’s third round of price increases in 2026.

Haier has also outlined further increases in December and January if production costs continue to rise. Its planned increase between now and January is about 15%, according to PTI sources. These plans mean winter shoppers could face higher prices than festive buyers.

According to insiders cited in the PTI report, LG has also increased AC prices. Bosch Home Comfort, which owns Hitachi-branded ACs, has done the same. Both increases are around 5 per cent.

Panasonic is still assessing costs before deciding on any increase. For buyers, available older stock could therefore affect the final purchase price.

Relief for Diwali buyers

Still, Diwali buyers may find some relief through stocks bought before the latest increases. Dealers and distributors purchased these products in August and September under advance-buying schemes.

Godrej’s Kamal Nandi said existing stocks could last around one to one-and-a-half months. These supplies should largely cover Diwali.

“Price hikes of 5-7% across categories will happen. The timing may differ from brand to brand, with some implementing it from October and others from November, but it has to happen,” he told PTI.

Waiting until winter could bring further increases, particularly for those considering Haier. The company plans to raise AC prices by around 5 per cent from October 1.

AC prices on Amazon

We checked Amazon.in for AC prices on 27 September. Daikin’s 0.8 ton, two-star AC costs ₹26,490, against an MRP of ₹36,000. Its one-ton, three-star model is listed at ₹33,490. A one-ton, five-star model is offered at ₹42,990.

For Daikin’s 1.5-ton, three-star ACs, two listings show ₹37,275 and ₹37,490. The four-star version costs ₹40,990, against an MRP of ₹60,000. The five-star version is priced at ₹48,990, with a 28% discount.

Daikin’s larger 1.8 ton, three-star model costs ₹51,500. It’s a two-ton, three-star AC is listed at ₹63,500.

Hitachi’s 1.5-ton, three-star AC costs ₹41,500, against an MRP of ₹73,990. A coupon brings the payable amount down to ₹41,000, saving another ₹500.

Haier’s one-ton, five-star AC is listed at ₹36,990. Its coupon price is ₹35,990. Haier’s 1.5-ton, five-star model costs ₹43,990, falling to ₹43,490 with a coupon.