The 5 Best Portable Air Conditioners

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Portable air conditioners can be used in any room in your home or office. They are easy to use and setup, so you won’t have to worry about precariously propping it on a window ledge or dealing with a complicated installation process. These energy efficient units will save you money on your cooling costs by only cooling the are you are in, when you need it, whereas central cooling can waste money by cooling the entire home.

What Is a Portable Air Conditioner?

A portable air conditioner can be used to cool a room or your entire home. It works by taking in air, cooling it, and directing it back out throughout the room. The warm air is passed through an exhaust house and out the window. The unit can also pull excess moisture from the room and some portable A/Cs even have dehumidifying options to further condition the air, as well as self-evaporative options so you won’t have to manually empty the reservoir of water.

Some units need to have the exhaust hose passed through the window so excess moisture can easily escape. You will receive an installation kit to ensure the unit is quickly and correctly set up in any room. Once installed, you can control the fan speed and temperature, just as you would with a window-installed unit.

Top 5 Portable Air Conditioners

Honeywell 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

The Honeywell 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is ideal for smaller rooms of up to 350 square feet and can dehumidify up to 70 pints/day. It includes a fan and dehumidifying mode, auto thermostat control, three cooling speeds, a 24-hour programmable timer, a remote control, and an auto-evaporation system. It is quiet, efficient, powerful, and easy to use. It features a sleek, modern design with digital LED display and comes in three color options to best suit your personal style. It also includes a washable dust filter and a convenient end-of-season storage cover that houses the unit and all accessories. It is quick and easy to install with a flexible exhaust hose, an included window venting installation kit, and caster wheels so it can easily roll from room to room. It is covered by a one-year warranty and a five-year parts warranty on the sealed cooling components.

The Honeywell MN10CESWW 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is what all other portable air conditioners are compared to. It is recommended by Consumer Reports and Consumer Search, is an Amazon bestseller, tops the lists in expert testing, and is backed by outstanding online reviews, including nearly 500 5-star reviews on Amazon.

Currently $349.00 on Amazon

Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

The Koldfront PAC1401W Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is compact, but powerful enough to cool a larger room of 500 square feet or more, with a moisture removal capacity of 72 pints/day. It includes three cooling speeds, fan and dehumidifier options, a remote control, and an automatic self-evaporative system, so you won’t have to ever empty the reservoir. The 24-hour programmable timer will allow you to set the A/C to start only when you need it, so you can save even more on your energy bills. It also includes an adjustable digital thermostat ranging from 62 - 88 degrees. It has a modern design and is equipped with caster wheels, so it can easily be moved from room to room. The powerful A/C is quiet, easy to use, and easy to install, with an included window kit and vent hose. It also includes a washable pre-filter and replaceable carbon filter to control odors and pollutants.

This portable A/C is composed of quality materials and is built to last. It includes a one-year warranty and three years of parts only coverage for the compressor. It is recommended by Consumer Search and has outstanding reviews online.

Currently $399.99 on Amazon

Friedrich ZoneAire Series 11,500 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

The Friedrich P12B ZoneAire Series 11,500 BTU Portable Air Conditioner has a dual hose system that allows the unit to quietly cool the room up to 40% faster and is also more energy efficient. There are three cooling speeds, a fan mode, and a dehumidifier mode to further improve the air condition. It can cool rooms up to 550 square feet and has a dehumidifier capacity of 72 pints/day. You will never have to worry about overflow with a self-evaporative system that handles condensation, a water tank to hold excess water, and an auto shut off feature. It includes an LCD display, 24-hour programmable timer, washable air filter, and remote control. Equipped with built-in handles and caster wheels, you can easily wheel the conditioner from one room to another. It is easy to install with an included window kit and hoses that can be trimmed to fit any window openings.

This is the most expensive option on our list, but reviewers tend to agree that the quality and effectiveness are worth it. It is backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor and a five-year warranty on compressor and sealed refrigeration system. It is recommended by Consumer Reports and Consumer Search, and backed by outstanding online reviews.

Currently $549.00 on Amazon

Haier 12,000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner

The Haier 12,000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner, 10,000 BTU Portable Heater Combo Unit is comparable to the award-winning Haier HPN12XCM Portable Air Conditioner, 12000-BTU, with the addition of a portable heater. It is easy to use and works quickly and efficiently to cool up to 550 square feet. It offers a number of features, like a time/temperature display, digital temperature adjustments, three cooling speeds, and heating capabilities. It features a sleek, modern design and includes a washable filter and remote control. This combo unit can save you money year-round by providing the efficient heating and cooling services you need, only in the areas you need it.

It is recommended by Consumer Search and backed by outstanding online reviews. Consumer Reports also recommends a number of Haier portable air conditioners, in case you don’t need the additional heating capabilities.

Currently $413.00 on Amazon

Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner

The Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner (ARC-14S) has a dual hose system, so it is very effective and can quickly cool the room. It can cool up to 500 square feet and dehumidify up to 101 pints/day. It is quiet, efficient, easy to use, and features a modern, classy design. The powerful system has an auto drain function to control condensation, so you won’t have to worry about emptying the reservoir. It can be easily moved from room to room with caster wheels. It has three fan speeds, fan and dehumidifier-only options, full thermostat control with digital readout, a 24-hour programmable timer, and a remote control. The eco-friendly option is gentle on the environment and also includes a washable pre-filter and odor-neutralizing carbon filter to further improve the air quality. It is easy to install with an extendable exhaust hose and included window venting kit.

It includes a one-year limited warranty and three-year warranty on the compressor. It is also an Amazon bestseller and backed by outstanding online reviews. Consumer Reports also recommends the Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner with Heater (ARC-14SH).

Currently $485.00 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best portable air conditioners. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

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