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Cool Your Room With the 10 Best Portable Air Conditioners

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Lea Kuscer Avatar
Lea Kuscer
4 March, 2024 • Updated 21 days ago
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Did you know that the basic idea behind the functioning of an air conditioner was invented in ancient Egypt?

A lot of has passed since the prehistoric times but the technology stays almost the same. Today we have different upgrades and versions of the same product. One of them is a portable air conditioner.

It’s the coolest invention for your room during the hot summer months. Especially if you live in an area that doesn’t cool down when the sun sets.

When you want to cool your room temperature fast, the best solution is to buy a portable air conditioner. You can place it in your home, office, or shop as it doesn’t need permanent installation. These appliances consume less power but work fast.

However, if you’re a first-time buyer of such a product, there are a few things to consider before adding one in your shopping cart.

IN A HURRY? CHECK OUT OUR EDITOR’S CHOICE
TOSOT Air Conditioner

Let’s make your research easier. After going through dozens of independent media outlets and Amazon, we found important information and compiled a list of the best portable air conditioners on the market.

Things to Consider 

Before you decide on one portable air conditioner, you should check out its features. Here are some of the things to consider if you want to pick the right product for your needs.

1. Size

Since you opted to buy a portable air conditioner, it probably means that you’ll move it from one room to another. Make sure to choose the one that you can move without issues. In other words, choose the one that has enough power but it’s compact enough to fit in your home office or lightweight enough to move it around the house.

2. Power

Portable aircons are rated in British Thermal Units per hour (BTUs). You’ll need between 6,000 and 8,000 BTUs for a room of 200 square feet and between 12,000 and 14,000 BTUs for a 500 square feet room. So, ensure that you have enough power to cool your room.

3. Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is another crucial feature. Here you should check the energy efficiency ratio or EER. The higher the ration, the more energy-efficient the device is. Also, check if the aircon has a programmable thermostat to shut off if the room reached the desired temperature and save energy.

4. Noise level

The noise level is extremely important if you want to place the air conditioner in your bedroom. Nobody likes a noisy device ruining your good night’s sleep. Remember that every portable air conditioner unit will produce some level of noise, regardless of the model. However, you can research which one is too loud for you and simply avoid purchasing it.

5. Price

Last, check the price factor. The jump in the price from $200 to $700 for home-use appliances means that either the appliance is more powerful or that there are some additional features, such as a programmable thermostat or the AC can double as a heater or a dehumidifier.

QUICK OVERVIEW

The Best Portable Air Conditioners


Products Features
EDITOR’S PICK
4.4
130+
130+
TOSOT Air Conditioner
TOSOT Air ConditionerTOSOT Air Conditioner
  • 8,000 BTU
  • Operation of 49 dB
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $400
  • 8,000 BTU
  • Operation of 49 dB
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $400
Check price
at Amazon
MOST REVIEWED
4.3
4,585+
4585+
Black+Decker BPACT08WT
Black+Decker BPACT08WTBlack+Decker BPACT08WT
  • 8,000 BTU
  • 3 fan levels
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $400
  • 8,000 BTU
  • 3 fan levels
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $400
Check price
at Amazon
TOP PICK
4.2
4,100+
4100+
Whynter ARC-14S
Whynter ARC-14SWhynter ARC-14S
  • 14,000 BTU
  • 3 operational modes
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $600
  • 14,000 BTU
  • 3 operational modes
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $600
Check price
at Amazon
BUDGET PICK
4.2
55+
55+
Toolsempire Air Conditioner
Toolsempire Air ConditionerToolsempire Air Conditioner
  • 8,000 BTU
  • 3 modes and 2 fan speeds
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $300
  • 8,000 BTU
  • 3 modes and 2 fan speeds
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $300
Check price
at Amazon
BUDGET PICK
3.9
680+
680+
JHS A019-08KR/A
JHS A019-08KR/AJHS A019-08KR/A
  • 8,000 BTU
  • 2 fan speeds
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $300
  • 8,000 BTU
  • 2 fan speeds
  • PRICE RANGE: Under $300
Check price
at Amazon
EDITOR’S PICK
TOSOT Air Conditioner
Reliable and durable

After reviewing a few dozen portable air conditioners on the market, we decided that the best one is TOSOT 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner. It’s a real value for money. 

4.4
130+
130+
  • 8,000 BTU
  • Operation of 49 dB
  • Easy installation
  • Extremely quiet
  • 11.8 x 15.4 x 30.4 inches

Under $300

Toolsempire Portable Air Conditioner

Toolsempire Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 8,000 BTU
  • 3 modes and 2 fan speeds
  • 15 x 11.5 x 29 inches

The Portable Air Conditioner from Toolsempire is engineered for cooling a room of 230 square feet with power consumption of 50 watts. This air cooler weighs 47 pounds but it has side handles and caster wheels that allow you to drag it easily.  

Moreover, it has electronic display, carbon dust filter, shutoff timer, 3 modes and 2 fan speeds, remote control, and noise level of 56 dB. The remote enables you to set the temperature, time, and mode from across the room.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Quiet
  • Remote control
Cons
  • Shuts off randomly

JHS 8,000 BTU Small Portable Air Conditioner

JHS 8,000 BTU Small Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 8,000 BTU
  • 2 fan speeds
  • 13 x 12 x 26.7 inches

The Small Portable Air Conditioner from JHS is the quiet cooler for your home office or your little apartment. It can cover up to 200 square feet and doubles as a fan and dehumidifier. The digital LED panel shows you all the important features, while the remote control lets you control the conditioner from a few feet away. 

The JHS has a sleep mode and a programmable timer setting. It weighs 44 pounds and it can be moved easily with 4 stainless steel castors and one sturdy handle.

You can use it as a dehumidifier if you have too much humidity in your home, but also an airflow fan if it’s not too hot outside. It has a washable dust filter that catches allergens, so you don’t have to worry about the dust flying around when operating.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Cools the room quickly
  • Remote control
Cons
  • Not that we know of

Under $400

SereneLife SLPAC105W Portable Air Conditioner

SereneLife SLPAC105W Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 10,000 BTU
  • 3 modes
  • 27.6 x 12.8 x 11.6 inches

The SereneLife SLPAC105W Portable Air Conditioner is designed to work on low energy and provide greater cooling that is good enough for the room of 300 square feet. It is available at a still reasonable price, so you can afford it if you want to cool off during the hot summer months. 

This model has a classy style that looks nice in bedrooms, living rooms, or workshops. It doubles as a dehumidifier that collects up to 1.2 liters of water and has 3 operating modes. It comes with the remote control, so you don’t have to stand up when adjusting the temperature.

Although it is on the heavy side, at 56 pounds, it has 4 caster wheels to move around easily. The SLPAC105W operates at 57 dB.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Cools the room quickly
  • Remote control
Cons
  • A bit heavy

AireMax 12000 BTU 3-in-1 with Remote Control

AireMax 12000 BTU 3-in-1 with Remote Control

Features

  • 12,000 BTU
  • 3 modes
  • 14.02 x 11.81 x 30.94 inches

The AireMax 12000 BTU 3-in-1 with Remote Control works well for rooms of 400 square feet. It offers a functional control allows you to set the temperature, speed, fan, mode, and time according to your desire. The multi-colored LED display shows you all this information. If you’re close enough to the appliance, you can set these functions on-board. 

Additionally, it has a 3 fan and cooling speeds. You can easily move it from one room to another as it has smooth caster wheels. The 2 washable AireMax filters catch excess dust and pet hair and can dehumidify up to 60 pints of water. At 60 pounds, it’s heavy, but the 4 caster wheels at the base make it easily movable.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Remote control
  • Quiet
Cons
  • Not suitable to have it turned on for long
  • Heavy

TOSOT 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

TOSOT 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 8,000 BTU
  • Operation of 49 dB
  • 11.8 x 15.4 x 30.4 inches

TOSOT 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is perfect for beating the hot weather. It has a sleek and compact design that goes nice with your house décor. It has a dehumidifying and auto-evaporation system, temperature control, on/off switch, a child lock, an LED panel, washable air filter, a fan, and smooth caster wheels.  

This model from TOSOT works in rooms of up to 300 square feet and can take out 2.3 pints of water from the air in an hour. The adjustable timer enables you to set the time needed for cooling your room. This model is extremely quiet, with an operation of 49 dB, so you can easily leave it on while sleeping.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Remote control
  • Extremely quiet
Cons
  • Heavy

Black + Decker BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner

Black + Decker BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 8,000 BTU
  • 3 fan levels
  • 16.5 x 11.5 x 26 inches

The BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner is ideal for rooms of up to 300 square feet. It has good features that make your room a cozy place during the hot summer months. It comes with 3 window panels and a threaded exhaust hose, as well as a rear panel hose connector and a window panel hose connector. The BPACT08WT features a top-mounted LED display and a 24-hour timer.

Moreover, the model comes with a washable filter and dehumidifies the air while cooling to prevent mold. This model from Black + Decker has a sleep mode with an operation of only 51 dB. Also, it’s a compact size and it fits perfectly into smaller rooms.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Remote control
  • Extremely quiet
Cons
  • A bit heavy
  • Does not keep room at one temperature
  • Heavy exhaust hose

Under $500

Whynter ARC-122DS 12,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner

Whynter ARC-122DS 12,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 12,000 BTU
  • 3 modes
  • 17 x 29.5 x 16 inches

The ARC-122DS is easy to move with caster wheels; you can take it with you in other rooms of your house. It is ideal for the room of up to 400 square feet and dehumidifies the air of 1.2 pints in an hour. You can plug it into an outlet of 115 volts. It works at only 52 dB, so it’s extremely quiet. 

This air conditioner has 3 operational modes: an air conditioner, a fan, and a dehumidifier. It is extremely quiet, with only 52 dB of operational noise. It has a full thermostatic control with a digital readout, and you can control it with a remote. The auto drain function removes the condensate, while the activated carbon air filter and washable pre-filter keep you safe from allergens.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Remote control
  • Extremely quiet
Cons
  • Heavy
  • Poor customer service

Honeywell 10,000 BTU Smart WiFi Portable Air Conditioner

Honeywell 10,000 BTU Smart WiFi Portable Air Conditioner

Features

  • 10,000 BTU
  • 3 fan speeds
  • 17 x 29.5 x 16 inches

The BTU Smart WiFi Portable Air Conditioner from Honeywell is suitable for rooms up to 450 square feet and has a filter clean alert to notify you when to take out and wash the filter to keep you safe from allergens.

The biggest difference between the previous models and this one is in the WiFi controls. You can turn it on remotely when you’re coming home from work during the summer and your room will cool to your desired temperature. 

The Honeywell model has a 24-hour energy saving timer and although a little heavy, you can move it easily with 4 caster wheels at the base. It’s quiet operation at 52 to 54 dB enables you to have a good night’s sleep.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Remote control
  • Extremely quiet
Cons
  • Heavy
  • Poor customer service

Under $600

Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner (ARC-14S)

Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner (ARC-14S)

Features

  • 14,000 BTU
  • 3 operational modes
  • 16 x 19 x 35.5 inches

Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner (ARC-14S) offers a compact size and Eco-friendly design. It works amazingly and keeps a room of 500 square feet cool. You can place it even in your living rooms, workshops, bedrooms, and server rooms due to its portability.

It withal offers an automatic drain, dual hose, installation kit, simple control panel, washable filters, automatic restart, and detection of current leakage. The Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner dehumidifies 101 pints in a day. Its three different operating modes include fan, cooling, and dehumidifying.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Remote control
Cons
  • Heavy
  • Poor cooling considering other models

Under $700

Honeywell MN10CESWW 10000 BTU Portable Conditioner

Honeywell MN10CESWW 10000 BTU Portable Conditioner

Features

  • 10,000 BTU
  • 3 fan speeds
  • 15.2 x 18.1 x 29.4 inches

Honeywell MN10CESWW 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner earned a tag of ‘Best Seller’ on Amazon due to its perfect quality, great performance, nice design and tremendous functionalities. It is designed for the room of 400 square feet and dehumidifies 79.2 pints in a day.

Now you can enjoy the desirable atmosphere with a fully functional remote control. It works quietly without disturbing your work and sleep. This air conditioner features feather touch control, an LED display, on/off timer, and 3 cooling speeds. Its installation is very easy; you can install it yourself without any help.

Pros
  • Easy installation
  • Intuitive control panel
  • Remote control
Cons
  • Heavy
  • No warranty
The best Portable Air Conditioners of 2022

We want to help you get through summer, and for that particular reason, we bring you the best portable air conditioners of 2022 for you.

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4.7

Conclusion

A portable air conditioner could save you hundreds of dollars if you have a smaller room that needs to be cooled during the Summer months. Before you decide you need to purchase one, make sure to go through our guide. Happy shopping!

*All prices mentioned above are at the time of publishing.

Lea Kuscer Avatar
Written by
Lea Kuscer
Lea Kuscer is a nature admirer, ecological cosmetics and jewelry maker, avid traveler, language professor by trade, but above all, a marketing maniac who's enthusiastic about testing new products. Her mission is to share her passion with gadget lovers and those who would like to make their life more comfortable with the best products on the market. Let's get on an exploring adventure together!