With this summer really tipping the scales in terms of heat and humidity, air conditioners (among other things) are critical to staying cool, comfortable and safe in your apartment or home. And just as in-window units are great for specific reasons, for use in a multitude of different spaces, ranging from living rooms or offices to whole houses, the best portable air conditioners are an effective way to cool down your home.
On especially hot days (hello, 100°F+), portable AC units play an important role in ensuring the safety of the elderly, those who are immunocompromised, and also children and pets. In a 2012 study published in the Journal of Political Economy, researchers concluded that having air conditioning in the house cut heat-related deaths by as much as 80% since 1960, which feels like enough of a reason to have even a small portable air conditioner on hand for when things really heat up.
Depending on your needs and space, a portable AC might be the best cooling option. Since units are standalone, they can easily be moved from room to room. And while most models have great energy-saving modes, which help keep home energy bills down, it’s never a sacrifice on efficacy, many being just as powerful as window-based units. Plus, a lot of portable ACs are multi-functional, making them not only useful for cooling down your space but also for heating and dehumidifying too.
There are a few key factors to keep in mind when shopping for the best portable air conditioner. One is how it looks: Is it a total eyesore, or will it fit in decently well with your interior design? Another factor is added features, like timed settings or a remote control, which add to convenience. And lastly, there’s BTUs (British Thermal Units), which determine how much space a unit can fill with cool air (the higher the BTUs, the more square feet is can cover).
With these factors in mind, we’re put together a list of the best portable air conditioners on the market. From devices better suited for single rooms to units that can cover entire floors, they’ll surely help you beat the heat this summer. Here’s our quick list, but read on for an in-depth look at each model.
- Best Portable Air Conditioner Overall: SereneLife SLPAC10
- Best Portable AC Unit For Big Rooms: hOmeLabs Portable Air Conditioner
- Best Premium Portable Air Conditioner: Whynter ARC-14S Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
- Best Portable Air Conditioner For Looks: Frigidaire FFPH1222U1
- Best Portable Air Conditioner For One Room: Whirlpool Dual-Exhaust Portable Air Conditioner
- Best Portable AC Unit That’s Very Quiet: Black + Decker BPACT10WT
- Best Portable AC For Small Spaces: Midea MAP08R1CWT 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner
- Best Affordable Portable Air Conditioner: SHINCO 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
Best Portable Air Conditioner Overall
SereneLife SLPAC10
If you’re in the market for a portable air conditioner that comes with all the bells and whistles, consider the SereneLife SLPAC10. The device offers 10,000 BTU performance to cool a room of up to 450 square feet, but as one Amazon reviewer said, it’s so powerful, “it’s more like 12,000 BTUs.”
It has three cooling modes, including one that cools, another that dehumidifies, and one that pushes air around with its fan. At just under three feet tall and 13 inches wide, it’s compact, and the SereneLife air conditioner comes with a remote, so you don’t need to get up and down to change modes. It’s a fine device for general purpose use, and it won’t break the bank.
Best Portable AC Unit For Big Rooms
hOmeLabs Portable Air Conditioner
The hOmeLabs Portable Air Conditioner is one of the most powerful options in this roundup with 14,000 BTU performance. According to the company, it can cool up to a 600-square-foot room with ease. You can set your desired temperature on the air conditioner, but if you want to keep things quiet at night, activate its “eco-friendly sleep mode” to ensure it only turns on when the room gets too hot. Best of all, the hOmeLabs air conditioner features a remote control and a washable air filter, so you can ensure you’re only breathing in fresh air.
Best Premium Portable Air Conditioner
Whynter ARC-14S Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
If you don’t mind spending significantly more than our top-rated option for outstanding air conditioning performance, pick up the Whynter ARC-14S Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner. The device has an impressive 14,000 BTU and can cool a 600-square-foot room with ease. Better yet, it can dehumidify an impressive 101 pints of water per day from your home. And if you’re concerned about air quality, it has a washable pre-filter and activated carbon air filter to keep your air fresh.
Unlike some of the other options in this roundup, the Whynter air conditioner has a temperature setting between 61 degrees Fahrenheit and 89 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to set your desired temperature and let the device do its work. Just be ready to spend to get all of its features.
Best Portable Air Conditioner For Looks
Frigidaire FFPH1222U1
Let’s face it: While there are clearly times when air conditioning performance means most, there are others when a good design trumps functionality. And that’s where the Frigidaire FFPH1222U1 wins out.
The compact device comes with an attractive charcoal finish and can be easily moved from one place to another. And with help from its remote control, you can easily adjust settings (and set temperatures) without getting up. It delivers 12,000 BTU performance, which is good enough for a 500-square-foot room, and it can dehumidify up to 3.3 pints of liquid in the air per hour. It even features auto-swing louvers to efficiently move air throughout the home.
Best Portable Air Conditioner For One Room
Whirlpool Dual-Exhaust Portable Air Conditioner
Although portable air conditioners are meant to be moved, there are times when you simply want to use them in one place. And that’s where the Whirlpool Dual-Exhaust Portable Air Conditioner may come in handy. It has an attractive, white, portable design and it’s compact enough to sit in a room without being too noticeable. It features 12,000 BTU performance and should be able to cool a 300-square-foot room. It doesn’t have temperature settings, but you can count on it to cool at three different speeds and to deliver fan speeds at three levels. There’s also a timer built-in, so you can easily set it to run for a set period of time.
Best Portable AC Unit That’s Very Quiet
Black + Decker BPACT10WT
Make no mistake that portable air conditioners can be loud. But the Black + Decker BPACT10WT is all about keeping things as quiet as possible. While it features 10,000 BTU performance for rooms of between 150 and 250 square feet, it’s designed to blunt unwanted noise, and comes with a sleep mode to be especially quiet at night. Better yet, it’s designed to be bucket-less, so it’ll evaporate the condensation from the air conditioner without needing you to dump water out. The device has a filter you can clean twice a month to keep your air fresh. And since it’s one of the cheaper options in this roundup, it won’t break the bank.
Best Portable AC For Small Spaces
Midea MAP08R1CWT 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner
The Midea MAP08R1CWT isn’t designed for big spaces. Instead, it’s the ideal choice for small bedrooms, apartments, or other tiny areas that don’t need so many BTUs. In fact, the Midea features just 8,000 BTUs, making it capable of cooling just 150 square feet of space. But what it lacks in size (it’s extremely portable), it makes up for in a solid design and both fan and dehumidification capabilities. And since it has a 24-hour timer, you can easily cool your space throughout the day. Midea’s air conditioner, which also comes with temperature settings between 62 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, is one of the cheapest options in this roundup, making it a great choice for budget shoppers.
Best Affordable Portable Air Conditioner
SHINCO 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
If you’re not necessarily looking to break the bank on a new air conditioner, the SHINCO 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner might be a good place to start. With 8,000 BTUs, it can only cool down a room of up to 150 square feet, but at a price that’s nearly half of high-end models, it offers a great value. It features three functions (cooling, dehumidifying, and fan) and two cooling speeds for keeping your room comfortable. And since it has self-evaporative technology, the air conditioner won’t fill up with water during use.
