Beat the Heat With the Best Portable Air Conditioners (2024)

Portable air conditioners are just as reliable and useful as other styles of air conditioners. They're usually easy to store and very versatile, says Chris Roth, former CEO of National Technical Institute. He also notes, “A portable unit can be on wheels and rolled from room to room and includes a tube to exhaust heat out of a window or through an opening in a wall." Some versatile models can function as dehumidifiers or heaters, too.

As you compare portable air conditioners, it helps to understand how the performance of these appliances is rated. You’ll see a Btu rating for any portable air conditioner. Btu stands for British Thermal Units. “The more Btu, the higher the cooling capacity,” says Lane Dixon, Vice President of Operations at Aire Serv. “Between 7,000 and 10,000 Btu is a sufficient choice for small rooms, like a single bedroom or living room area.” But as space increases, so does the cooling power you'll need to maintain a comfortable temperature.

To find the best portable air conditioners, we tested and researched a wide range of models from top brands like LG, Midea, and Black+Decker, taking into account their cooling abilities, energy efficiency, noise level, and installation requirements.

What We Like

  • Very quiet operation

  • Dual-inverter technology for better energy efficiency

  • Easily portable with handles and wheels

  • Also works as a dehumidifier

What We Don't Like

  • Large and bulky to store

  • Initially confusing setup instructions

Portable air conditioners provide a great way to cool off your space in situations where a window or mini-split air conditioner won’t work, and our favorite is the LG Home Comfort LP1419IVSM. With a cooling capacity of 14,000 Btu, it’s well equipped to cool off big bedrooms, living rooms, and other large spaces, while its variable speed compressor keeps noise levels and operating costs down. It’s also easy to move around, with big caster wheels and convenient handles, though it is a little big and bulky if you ever need to store it away during cooler parts of the year.

We installed this air conditioner in the open-plan, living-and-dining room of a high-rise Chicago apartment, and it impressed us with how well it handled the humid heat of summer. It did take a while to bring the temperature down due to the large area and high ceilings, but the portable air conditioner was able to maintain consistently comfortable temperatures even as the outdoor temperatures fluctuated.

The initial installation was a little difficult, because we found the instructions to be unhelpful. We ended up ignoring the quick installation guide and relying on the owner’s manual, and were able to figure out how to connect the exhaust hose and window vent. The vent hose locks into the vent, which is an important safety feature that we were glad to see. It never popped out when moving the air conditioner around, so the locking mechanism seemed to work pretty well.

One thing we really like about this air conditioner is that it works as a dehumidifier, and it functions just as well in that capacity as it does as an air conditioner. It has a 2-pint water chamber you may need to empty pretty frequently if you’re in a particularly humid environment. It’s actually designed to evaporate the stored water in the hot air conditioner exhaust though, and we never had to empty the water chamber as a result.

If the water collection tank does fill up, the air conditioner will shut down and provide an alert that it’s time to empty the water. The only other maintenance you need to worry about is cleaning the filter (located on the back side, and very easy to access), and there’s an alert to let you know when it’s time for that too.

We also like how many control options the LG Home Comfort LP1419IVSM air conditioner provides. It includes a push-button control panel and LCD display with three fan speeds, along with user-friendly features like a timer function and sleep mode. It also comes with a physical remote control, and it has Wi-Fi connectivity that lets you monitor and control it through an app on your phone. It also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Home for voice controls, if you have a compatible smart speaker.

Type: Single-hose | Btu: 10,000 DOE/14,000 ASHRAE | Room Size: 500 square feet | Dimensions:30.43 x 19.41 x 18.11 inches | Weight: 71 pounds

What We Like

  • Can be used with its app or remote control

  • Installation is easy

  • Great option for small spaces

What We Don't Like

  • Large and bulky to move

  • Won't work for large spaces

The Midea EasyCool Portable Air Conditioner is a good option if you need a cooling solution for spaces that measure up to 200 square feet. This model has 10,000 Btu to bring down the temperature in your bedroom, office, or small living area.

We’re most impressed by the fact that the Midea air conditioner includes Wi-Fi. You can pair it with Amazon Alexa or Google Home, and issue voice commands to raise or lower the temperature setting—among other things. Even if you don’t utilize a smart home assistant, the compatible app puts control over the unit in the palm of your hand. An included remote control provides another convenient way to control the settings.

Installation using the included adjustable window brackets is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes, too. The most frequent complaints about this unit’s performance have nothing to do with cooling power. It’s noisy at high fan speeds, although that’s not unusual for any type of portable or window air conditioner.

One thing to keep in mind is that, while it has four caster wheels to support its weight, the Midea EasyCool Portable Air Conditioner is also almost as heavy as our best overall option; that's notable if you plan to carry it up a flight of stairs. Unlike some pricier models, it doesn't have heating or dehumidifying capabilities. Still, its features are hard to beat if you want to spend less than $500.

Type: Single-hose | Btu: 5,800 DOE/10,000 ASHRAE | Room Size: 200 square feet | Dimensions: 28.3 x 17.1 x 13 inches | Weight: 67.9 pounds

What We Like

  • Cools spaces up to 700 square feet

  • Dehumidifier and fan modes

  • Temperature and humidity sensors on remote control

  • Long vent hose for installation

What We Don't Like

  • No smart features

  • Heavy design

The DeLonghi 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner (model #EX390LVYN) is a premium option with substantial cooling power (it has 8,600 Btu). It's a super-quiet model that can also function as a fan or dehumidifier. Notably, this air conditioner additionally uses the brand’s Cool Surround Technology, referred to as CST.

The best way to sum up this DeLonghi portable air conditioner may be: quiet and effective. At its highest setting, its sound level registers at 52 decibels, making it a great option for your bedroom, where you may want cool, comfortable temperatures but not a lot of excessive noise.The enhanced remote control that's also included with the unit looks like a small box, and it is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors.

The remote connects to the air conditioner via Bluetooth; if you keep the remote near you, it can provide the air conditioner with location-specific information about how cool and humid it is where you are, even if you're across the room.

This portable air conditioner costs around $700, but it’s not short on cooling power. It can cool large spaces up to 700 square feet and has a long, 51-inch vent hose so you have a bit of flexibility in how close you have to be to the window for venting. The biggest downsides are its heft—it weighs over 80 pounds—as well as its lack of a heater and smart features.

The option to control the unit with an app or smart home assistant are features that we’d expect based on the price of this high-end model. Still, the DeLonghi 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner performs well and uses its sensor technology to keep the room a consistent temperature.

Type: Single-hose | Btu: 8,600 DOE/14,000 ASHRAE | Room Size: 700 square feet | Dimensions: 18.3 x 34.3 x 20.1 inches | Weight: 83 pounds

What We Like

  • Compact, lighter design

  • Dehumidifier and fan modes

  • Self-evaporating feature that limits the need to empty the drain tank

What We Don't Like

  • Noisier than expected on higher settings

If you only have a small space to cool, the SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner is a great option at a great price. This 4,000 Btu portable air conditioner isn’t the most powerful model you can buy, but it should be all you need to keep comfortable in a small room of about 200 square feet. It’s also lighter and more compact than some other options on our list, weighing in at just under 47 pounds and saving a few inches in height and width.

This portable air conditioner for small rooms has push-button controls on the top of the unit for settings like target temperature, fan speed, or activating the swinging louvers—a must-have feature if you’re looking for maximum air circulation. There’s an included remote control, so you can adjust the settings from across the room.

Speaking of making adjustments, this three-in-one model serves as an air conditioner, fan, and dehumidifier, much like our best for large rooms pick. In cooling mode, it has a self-evaporating feature, so you shouldn't need to empty the drain tank of condensation very often. It’s easy to set up according to users, and the four caster wheels make it simple to position the air conditioner.

As long as you use this compact model in the right-sized room (like a small bedroom, playroom, or den) it should keep the temperature in check. There are few complaints about its cooling performance. Instead, the main gripe is that this portable air conditioner is noisy on high—which isn't uncommon, but is something to keep in mind if you plan on using the SereneLife Portable Air Conditioner in a bedroom with a light sleeper.

Type: Single-hose | Btu: 4,000 DOE/8,000 ASHRAE | Room Size: 215 square feet | Dimensions: 27.2 x 13.8 x 14.6 inches | Weight: 46.3 pounds

What We Like

  • Four-in-one design for year-round comfort

  • Self-evaporating in cooling mode

  • Not as bulky as expected

What We Don't Like

  • Hose prone to disconnecting

  • Overly sensitive controls can be easily activated by pets

  • Some features only available on the remote

If you live in a climate where you need some extra cooling in the summer and a bit of heat in the winter, the Black+Decker Portable Air Conditioner can get both jobs done in a single package. In person, it wasn't as big and bulky as we were expecting. It also operates in a fan-only mode and as a dehumidifier to round out its four-in-one functionality.

We think that makes it a great alternative to buying both an air conditioner and a heater, but we did run into a couple issues during testing that are important to mention. Setup wasn't too difficult, but the instructions were very unclear, and we found the hose and vent connection to be insufficiently secure. It even popped out before we took additional measures to secure it in place. That isn't unheard of for portable air conditioners, but we do prefer a system like the LG Electronics Portable Air Conditioner (our best overall pick) where the hose locks in place securely.

The other issue we ran into with this portable air conditioner is that the controls on the unit itself are far too sensitive. Our cats were able to change the settings twice (one time adjusting the temperature all the way down to 62 degrees Fahrenheit). The controls are convenient and easy to use, but we recommend taking measures to keep your pets away or to block the controls.

That said, we found this air conditioner to be very effective and surprisingly quiet, with a filter that's easy to access and clean. We noticed a cooling effect immediately after turning it on, and the air conditioner never failed to maintain the temperature we set. Some of the functions are only available on the remote, including the sleep mode that gradually adjusts the temperature while you're asleep, so don't lose the remote.

Aside from heating and cooling performance, we also like the self-evaporating feature. This model has a built-in drain pan to collect moisture during operation, and then evaporates that moisture in the hot exhaust stream whenever the air conditioning mode is engaged.

This air conditioner is loud at its highest fan speed (about 75 decibels), but we didn't have any problems with noise output. We were able to sleep soundly with the Black+Decker Portable Air Conditioner operating on a lower fan speed, with the rumbling sound providing some soothing white noise. We liked that there wasn't any window rattling or any other annoying noises, either.

Type: Single-hose | Btu: 6,000 DOE/12,000 ASHRAE | Room Size: 550 square feet | Dimensions: 27.9 x 16.5 x 11.7 inches | Weight: 53.8 pounds

What We Like

  • Comes with a protective cover

  • Has an activated carbon filter and washable pre-filter

  • Good option for large spaces

What We Don't Like

  • No major complaints

When compared to single-hose portable air conditioners, dual-hose models can cool a room more quickly and are a better choice for larger spaces, according to Dixon. A model like the Whynter Portable Air Conditioner uses one hose to draw in outside air and another hose to exhaust hot air from the room. The trade-off is that these air conditioners are usually larger and more expensive than single-hose models.

However, if you have the extra space and budget for a dual-hose portable air conditioner, the Whynter ARC-14S is a popular choice. It has 14,000 Btu to cool living rooms, small apartments, or any area up to 500 square feet in size. The built-in thermostat controller makes it easy to select your target temperature from 61 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit. You can pick from three fan speeds, set a timer for up to 24 hours, and make adjustments to the operation using a remote control.

Aside from cooling the air, this portable air conditioner assists in keeping the air clean and odor-free, too. Much like what you'll find in one of our favorite air purifiers, a washable pre-filter and activated carbon filter assist are found in the back of the unit.

Like all dual-hose portable air conditioners, you won’t need to drain the Whynter Portable Air Conditioner very often. The exhaust hose expels condensation along with hot air, reducing the amount of water that collects in the drain tank. According to the user manual, it will only need to be emptied when the humidity levels are above 70%. Even then, the amount of water will be minimal, since the unit is still capable of exhausting about 98% of the condensation.

Neither the lightest nor heaviest option on this list, the Whynter ARC-14-S weighs 73 pounds—and it has four wheels to make the job of moving it around much easier. If you store this unit during the cooler months of the year, a protective cover safeguards the housing and keeps out dust and dirt.

Type: Dual-hose | Btu: 9,500 DOE/14,000 ASHRAE | Room Size: 500 square feet | Dimensions: 35.5 x 19 x 16 inches | Weight: 73 pounds

What We Like

  • No installation required

  • Operates very quietly

  • Weighs less than 2 pounds

What We Don't Like

  • Includes USB charging cable but no wall plug

  • Not a true air conditioner

  • Only works in low humidity environments

Portable air conditioners are heavy, bulky, and require exhaust hoses, so you may find that they just aren't portable enough for your taste. If you're looking for something you can set on your desk during the day and move to your bedside table at night, we recommend the Evapolar Evachill Portable Air Conditioner. Now, it's technically an evaporative cooler and not a true air conditioner, so it only works if the humidity in your home is low, but it's surprisingly effective in dry climates. It's also very quiet and more energy efficient compared to traditional air conditioning while still helping to cool down your home in the specific areas you need it.

Open the box of this mini model and you’ll find that setup is as simple as plugging the included cable into a USB port. (Important note: If you want to plug it into a wall outlet, you'll need to use a separate adapter.) Then fill the 27-ounce water tank, and turn the unit on to create your own personal cooling breeze. If you relocate to another room, it's simple to lift the 1.6-pound unit by its handle and move it to a new spot.

As long as you have accurate expectations, you’ll find this to be one of the best options for a mini portable air conditioner. It covers an area of about 27 square feet and operates very quietly, registering at only 25 decibels, according to the manufacturer.

When compared to portable air conditioners with a noise output between 50 and 60 decibels, you’ll notice a major difference—especially if you’re using the device while you’re on the phone or watching television. The biggest limitation of the Evapolar Evachill Portable Air Conditioner is, again, the fact that it functions best in dry climates. It only works in environments where the humidity levels are below 70%, and works better at lower humidity levels.

Type: Evaporative cooler | Btu: Not applicable | Room Size: 27 square feet | Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 7 inches | Weight: 1.6 pounds

Final Verdict

The LG Electronics Portable Air Conditioner is our best overall pick for a portable air conditioner, frequently praised for its excellent cooling ability in rooms up to 500 square feet and a quieter-than-average noise level. Plus, you can control it with your smartphone. For our best value option, take a look at the Midea EasyCool Portable Air Conditioner. It also offers smart features, but is a better fit for smaller spaces measuring around 200 square feet in size.

How to Shop for a Portable Air Conditioner

Know the Types of Portable Air Conditioners

Portable air conditioners are usually divided into single-hose models and dual-hose models. Closely related to this type of appliance are evaporative coolers, also referred to as swamp coolers.

  • Single-hose portable air conditioners are the most popular option. They are usually more affordable and more compact than a dual-hose model, and have one less hose that needs to be vented through a window or wall opening. One drawback is less efficient performance, especially for larger spaces or when battling very hot temperatures. This is because the unit pulls in air from the room or from the exterior of your home, which can cause a negative pressure situation if the air isn’t replaced quickly enough. That’s primarily a concern if you have a gas hot water heater or a gas stovetop, since it can lead to high levels of carbon monoxide in your home if you don’t take the right precautions. But for an average-sized room, most people will be satisfied with the performance and value of a single-hose model.
  • Dual-hose portable air conditioners have the advantage of using two separate hoses to intake fresh air and exhaust hot, humid air. This results in greater efficiency and more cooling power, but it’s likely only to be noticeable if you are cooling off a very large space. The extra requirements of a dual-hose model, like our best dual-hose option, the Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner, are something to carefully consider. If you need all the help you can get in cooling off a big room, or you have concerns over a negative pressure scenario, dual-hose portable air conditioners are worth considering, though.
  • Evaporative coolers are a closely related cooling appliance. While technically not a portable air conditioner (since it doesn’t have a compressor that uses refrigerant), an evaporative cooler is sometimes an alternative for shoppers looking for a portable air conditioner with no hose. Instead of requiring installation and an exhaust hose, these units usually have a water tank that needs to be filled and a basic power plug. They use evaporative cooling to create a breeze that's cooler than ambient air temperatures. They're most effective when the ambient humidity is 30% or less, but they can provide some level of cooling in environments up to 60% humidity. You're unlikely to experience a cooling effect if your humidity is above 70%, in which case you're better off just using a floor or ceiling fan (or investing in a real air conditioner).

Consider the Unit's Cooling Power and Your Room Size

One of the most important factors when choosing a portable air conditioner is the recommended room size. “Load calculation helps to determine the appropriate size of the AC your home will require,” explains Chris Roth, former CEO ofNational Technical Institute. “It is done by matching your home’s thermal characteristics with cooling capacity in Btu.”

Generally speaking, a higher Btu rating means that the unit can cool a larger room, but as you look at different portable air conditioners, you’ll notice that there are often two Btu ratings—a DOE or SACC rating, and an ASHRAE rating—which can make things a bit more confusing.

Btu ratings were traditionally calculated based on criteria from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), which evaluated their ability to cool a room at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 51 percent humidity. However, in 2017, the Department of Energy (DOE) introduced the concept of Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity (SACC), which evaluates a portable AC’s cooling abilities in multiple conditions to more accurately depict real-life use. As you may have noticed, DOE Btu ratings are always lower than ASHRAE ratings, and the former is typically considered more accurate.

Note Any Installation Requirements

While you may think that a portable air conditioner means you can skip installation altogether, that’s not the reality of this type of appliance. “A small exhaust will need to be set up through a window,” says Lane Dixon, Vice President of Operations at Aire Serv, “so there are limitations on where it can be placed.” The exhaust hose fits into a window panel insert, which you’ll most likely have to cut to the size of your window. This means that, while you can technically move the unit to another room and window, you’ll have to repeat the setup steps and the windows must be the same size for the sake of the insert, or else you’ll need a new window insert.

Some units require a drainage line to remove condensation, but most portable air conditioners are equipped with a drain pan. While the drain pan needs to be emptied regularly, Dixon says this is one of the easiest options for self-installation of a portable air conditioner. Choosing a model with a self-evaporation feature, like the SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner (our best for small rooms pick), will reduce how often you need to complete this task.

FAQ

  • When should you choose a portable air conditioner over a window unit?

    While window air conditioners are excellent long-term cooling solutions, they tend to be less versatile and harder to install than their portable alternatives. Portable air conditioners also tend to be the better option if you need to be able to move your unit from room to room, or even between buildings.

  • How much does a portable air conditioner typically cost?

    The cost of a portable air conditioner ranges from about $250 to $700 or more. At the lower-end of the price range, you’ll find units with less power. These are more suited to smaller rooms or light-duty cooling, perhaps as a supplement to a central air conditioning system. At the other end of the spectrum, portable air conditioners that cost more than $500 usually offer greater cooling power for larger rooms, along with features like app control or integration with popular smart home assistants.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Jeremy Laukkonenis an updates writer for The Spruce with more than a decade of experience writing about air conditioners and heaters, along with related topics, likedehumidifiersand air quality monitors.

He currently uses a portable air conditioner in his own home to keep the humidity in his office in check on days when it wouldn’t make sense to run the whole-house air conditioner. To prepare for this piece, Laukkonen researched air conditioners from top manufacturers like LG, Midea, Whynter, and others, considering factors like cooling capacity, portability, ease of setup and use, and cooling modes. He also relied on data from our real-world testing, in addition to advice and insights from two industry experts, to identify the best portable air conditioners for different rooms and situations.

Our Experts:

  • Lane Dixon, Vice President of Operations at Aire Serv
  • Chris Roth, former CEO of National Technical Institute
  • Michelle Lau, editor at The Spruce
  • Erica Puisis, freelance writer at The Spruce

The 5 Best Air Conditioners of 2024

Beat the Heat With the Best Portable Air Conditioners (2024)

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