Best portable air conditioners (updated September 2023)


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#1 Haier HPP08XCR 8000 BTU

This Haier unit is our number 1 pick for the best portable air conditioner in 2020. it simply does what it needs to do – cool off rooms in the summer and it does it in a simple, elegant and affordable way.

This unit feature 3 cooling and fan speeds, Dehumidify mode and can cool up rooms up to 50-200 square feet

#2 LG LP1217GSR 

The LG 8,000 is a dynamic and reasonably priced air conditioner that offers quality performance for less. Coming in at a remarkable price point, the LG snags the spot for best cheap portable air conditioner on the market.

It Uses a standard 115V electrical socket for ultimate ease of use and simple installation. Adjustable fan allows you to precisely aim the airflow for ultra flexibility

#3 Frigidaire Cool Connect Smart Portable Air Conditioner

The Frigidaire Cool Connect Smart Portable Air Conditioner is a wonder of 21st-century luxury and efficiency. Designed with LED lighting and a modern mesh grill, it’s 12,000 BTU allows it to cool larger rooms, up to 550 square feet. The unit has a 360-degree air flow that moves air upward in a continuous spiral motion; this allows the air to reach all corners of the room and cool it evenly. There are three cooling and three fan speeds.

The Frigidaire portable unit is wi-fi ready. Connect it to the official app, which you can download through Apple iTunes or Google Play. Use the app to program features such as the unit’s 24-hour on/off timer. It has an auto-cool function, as well as energy saving and sleep modes.

In addition to top-notch cooling capabilities, the Frigidaire also boasts a powerful dehumidifier; it can generate up to 3 pints of liquid per hour.

This product comes with a 1-year warranty.

#4 DELLA Air Conditioner Cooling Fan 

The Della 8,000 BTU Portable AC is an ultra-affordable unit that fits into any space with ease. With the ability to keep rooms up to 150 square feet perfectly chilled, the Della 8.000 is a great purchase for single rooms and smaller settings. Low noise volume makes the Della 8,000 the best quiet portable air conditioner for small rooms

#5 Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner

This 14,0000 BTU AC from Whynter has a dual hose so it can cool down a room faster than other portable units. It also works as a fan (with 3 speeds) and a dehumidifier that can remove up to a claimed 101 pints per 24 hour period. The 24 hour programmable timer lets you set a schedule for throughout the day (read: scheduling it to turn on 30 minutes before you’ll be home from work), and you can monitor temperature on the digital readout.  The exhaust hose extends up to 5 feet so you’ll have some flexibility in placing it, but you’ll definitely want to clear some space.

#6 Contempo Series

This 12,000 BTU unit is quieter than others, with the manufacturer claiming it can stay as low as 52 dBA — about as loud as a quiet conversation. It has a built-in dehumidifier that removes 86 pints/hour, and  you won’t have to change a bucket of drained moisture unless you live somewhere excessively humid, since it has built in evaporation to help manage moisture it collects. It fits in vertical or horizontal windows and filters clean with a rinse in the sink. The 4-foot hose will install into vertical or horizontal windows and it has an included remote.

#7 NewAir AC-14100E

The NewAir AC-14100E is extremely powerful. It can cool up to 700 square feet on its own. Although some other portable AC units in our comparison can handle 550-square-foot rooms that are nearly as large, the AC-14100E also has the highest airflow rating of 250 cubic feet per minute.

Despite the power you get with this unit, it only costs around $410, which is slightly cheaper than the industry average of $427. The AC-14100E’s extra power also means it has a lower energy efficiency ratio (EER), 9.88, compared to the best portable AC units. For comparison, three other units we tested have EER ratings over 10. This lower energy efficiency means it costs more than average to operate throughout the year. You can offset the operating costs by programming the unit’s timer.

The AC-14100E is the loudest unit we tested, with a decibel rating of 57. This is almost twice as loud as the 48 dB of the quietest portable AC we tested, which could affect your slumber if you’re a light sleeper. At 61.9 pounds, this unit weighs about as much as the average unit we tested. It’s fairly easy to move using the unit’s wheels, though stairs might be a problem. The AC-14100E has a one-year compressor warranty, the shortest in our comparison.

#8 LG Electronics LP1214GXR 12,000 BTU

LG Electronics LP1214GXR 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner 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 450 square feet and also dehumidifies the air of 1.2 pints in an hour.

You can plug it into an outlet of 115 volts. The LG Electronics LP1214GXR Portable Air Conditioner proffers a 3 fan and cooling speeds, automatic swing louvers, on/off timer, front air discharge, and an LED display panel.