To cool, dehumidify and ventilate the house during the summer season, let’s see which are the best portable air conditioners, which are most powerful and easy to install, and how to choose which one to buy based on your needs.
The portable air conditioner is an excellent solution to refresh your home during summer days and nights. This conditioner does not require building works or electrical connections, and its installation is effortless compared to a fixed wall-mounted conditioner.
Furthermore, its practicality allows it to be moved from one room to another to refresh the whole house. Thus, for example, we can keep the air conditioner in the living room in the afternoon and then move it to the bedroom at night, a solution adopted by many families living in small or medium-sized apartments.
Otherwise, we will have to have an air conditioner in every room or wait for a single air conditioner to cool the whole house. Sometimes, installing a fixed air conditioner is impossible because there is no space to insert the external element equipped with a fan.
Or we live in rent, and we don’t want to invest in installing a fixed air conditioner, which we will have to remove anyway with the help of a paid technician.
Among the many models of portable air conditioners for the home, we also find those with dual function with cold and hot air, perfect to be used even in winter in homes without heating or as a support for general heating in the coldest rooms of the house.
Table of Contents
How to choose a portable air conditioner
We see the main features of portable air conditioners currently on sale to evaluate our home’s most suitable model and our family’s needs.
Structure and installation
The portable air conditioner, a monobloc, consists of the main body and an exhaust pipe. Once purchased, the exhaust pipe with its connector will be the only thing to install. Being an interlocking or screwed structure, assembling is straightforward and within everyone’s reach.
Must direct the discharge outside the house. In this case, if already present in the apartment, it is possible to take advantage of the air vents or make a special hole in a windowpane.
The simplest solution is presented with special window kits that allow the windows to be opened as little as possible to pass the pipe and then cover the space with a special insulating fabric. In many portable air conditioner models, the window kit is already included.
Portable air conditioner without hose
Alternatively, it is possible to have a portable air conditioner without a hose. This type of conditioner is slightly smaller and does not require an exhaust pipe. Its power is generally lower than normal portable air conditioners and is suitable for small rooms.
Cooling function
The main function of the air conditioner is cooling. Therefore, we need to consider the cooling capacity to understand the best portable air conditioner suitable for our home. This measurement is expressed in BTU/h (i.e., British Thermal Unit per hour), indicating the heat needed to raise/lower the temperature.
We will find a value between 10000 Btu/h and 14,000 Btu/h for cooling among the air conditioner characteristics. A higher value indicates the ability to cool the room faster or larger rooms.
The cooling power is the first thing to consider. It indicates the cooling capacity of the conditioner and is expressed in BTU/h. The higher this value, the higher the cooling power of the conditioner.
Refrigerant gas
The cooling of the air by the air conditioner takes place through a cooling fluid. It is generally a liquid gas. The refrigerant natural gas R290 has recently been used, as it has less impact on global warming than other gas types. A good portable air conditioner model will most likely be equipped with this gas type.
An air conditioner with a heat pump
We must buy a portable air conditioner with a heat pump to have a single appliance’s cooling and heating function. In this case, we are talking about air conditioning, suitable for all seasons.
Also, in this case, the air conditioner’s heating capacity is shown in Btu/h. Among the models currently on sale, we can find a heating capacity between 7,000 and 9,000 BTU/h.
Power
A good portable air conditioner starts at least 1,000 watts, while the most powerful air conditioners reach 3,500 watts. The higher the power, the better the conditioner will be. For example, if we intend to use it in a huge house or prefer to keep it on for many hours, day and night.
In addition to the maximum power used, this must also be adjustable. Therefore, even if the air conditioner has automatic regulation systems, it is essential to set the different speeds manually and power levels to avoid waste and use the air conditioner even at its minimum capacity.
Automatic Adjustment
The best portable air conditioner models automatically adjust thanks to a room-temperature detection system. In this case, we talk about portable inverter air conditioners.
Once the ideal temperature set with the thermostat has been reached, the air conditioner maintains the room temperature constant using only the power required to maintain ideal conditions.
In this way, great energy savings are achieved and, at the same time, a pleasant and healthier environment because we do not encounter any sudden temperature changes that are sometimes harmful to health.
Portable dehumidifier conditioner
To improve the objective of cooling the environment, opting for a dehumidifier conditioner is advisable. In addition to the temperature, humidity makes us perceive a more intense heat and a sense of suffocation.
Dehumidification, combined with refrigeration, is the fundamental element that distinguishes a good conditioner from a simple cooling system. The dehumidifier conditioner absorbs the air’s humidity and turns it into condensation, making the environment healthier and more comfortable.
In this regard, we find the dehumidification capacity expressed in liters per hour among the conditioner characteristics. A good air conditioner model will have a capacity between 1 and 2 liters per hour. The retained humidity is transformed into water. We can also distinguish the types of air conditioners based on the condensate disposal system.
In the most common air conditioner models, the water ends up in an internal tank that needs to be emptied occasionally. The air conditioner usually warns with an indicator light when the tank is full and automatically turns off.
Today, we can find portable air conditioners without an automatic condensate disposal system without a tank. It means they have an evaporation system that does not need containers. In this case, we do not have to worry about checking or replacing the tank.
Ventilation
Most air conditioners are also equipped with ventilation. The fan inside moves the air faster and spreads the fresh air evenly. Sometimes the ventilation can also be used without a conditioner, using only the ambient temperature. The air comes out of a special opening with a grill. It is also possible to find adjustable flaps that direct the air jet more precisely.
Speed
A portable air conditioner has a selectable speed. This can have three or more levels that allow us to choose the airflow intensity in ventilation and cooling/heating.
Adjusting the speed is important to allow a faster cooling of the room at maximum power, prepare the environment for our living room, or maintain minimum ventilation when we are already inside the room. In addition, we want to avoid sudden temperature changes.
Night function
The night function, or sleep function, is included in the best portable home air conditioners. The air conditioner maintains the ideal temperature and works at minimum power with this function. However, our body’s thermal dispersion increases during sleep, and an environment that is too cold could be harmful. Furthermore, the air conditioner must be super quiet.
Timer
The air conditioner timer allows us to make the most of its functions. We can set a timer within 8 – 12 hours or a 24-hour timer, depending on the models.
Thanks to the timer, we can set the time for switching on and off. By programming the air conditioner, we can find the house fresh when we return from work or sleep peacefully, knowing that the air conditioner will switch itself off within the set time.
Energy saving
Now almost all air conditioners are designed to save energy. Those with an Eco function use power and function intelligently to get the best results with the least electricity use. Thus we can find the echo function, especially in inverter air conditioners, that automatically detects the room temperature and adjusts.
Another parameter to consider is the energy-efficiency class. Class A+ air conditioners are the most common, although we can find Class A+++ air conditioners even more efficient. More intelligent energy use is essential for saving on the bill, but it is also an excellent solution to preserve the air conditioner’s functioning over time.
The noisiness of the portable air conditioner
The air conditioner’s noise level is fundamental to our well-being. We find air conditioners that emit a sound level between 30 and 60 dB on average.
The lower noise level is given by use at minimum power, and above all, when the night function is present, lowering the decibels up to 20. This way, the air conditioner is silent and does not disturb us during sleep.
Dimensions and weight of the portable air conditioner
Size is an essential aspect to consider when purchasing a portable air conditioner. When placing it in small rooms, we carefully evaluate the measurements in the bathroom or children’s bedrooms. Do not forget that we must place the air conditioner with a pipe near the window; at this point, we will consider the spaces.
The monoblock conditioner can easily reach 32 inches in height and 18 inches in width. However, there are compact models with only 8 inches of depth and 28 inches in height.
The weight of the conditioner is around 50 pounds. It is an important but necessary weight for an efficient air conditioner with a powerful engine. In this regard, it is useful for a model with four swiveling wheels and handles to move it easily from one room to another.
Window Kit
The best portable tube conditioners are also equipped with a window cover kit. This is a trick to close the space between the doors needed to pass the pipe to the outside of the house.
These kits are indeed available to buy separately, but having them already included in your air conditioner gives us the certainty that they are perfectly adherent to the tube and designed for this purpose.
The best portable air conditioners to buy
Below is the selection of portable air conditioners recommended for value for money with their respective technical features and prices.
- Portable AC: Use this personal air conditioner (15.3” x 14” x 24.8") in rooms up to...
- 3-in-1: 3-in-1: Our 5800 BTU DOE (10000 BTU ASHRAE 128) air conditioner also functions as...
- Impressive Features: Set the temperature just right with this ac portable air conditioner....
- ❄️【𝟒-𝐈𝐍-𝟏 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐢𝐫...
- ❄️【𝟒 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 & 𝟑 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬】Enjoy personalized...
- ❄️【𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐢𝐫...
- PRÁCTICO Y PORTÁTIL: El sistema de aire acondicionado portátil SereneLife cuenta con un...
- MODOS DE FUNCIONAMIENTO: La unidad compacta de aire acondicionado para interiores cuenta...
- DESHUMIDIFICADOR INTEGRADO: No solo obtienes el efecto de enfriamiento del aire...
- Award-Winning Portable AC Unit: Awarded Good Housekeeping's 2024 "BEST OVERALL PORTABLE...
- Powerful Yet Quiet: The ideal AC unit for bedrooms, this 14,000 BTU indoor air conditioner...
- Built-In Dehumidifier: This dual-hose portable air conditioner features a patented auto...
- ❄️【3 In 1-Air Cooler & Air Conditioner & Fan】This evaporative cooler can be used...
- ❄️【Internal Turbo Technology】 The internal turbo design of this windowless room...
- ❄️【120° Oscillation】 The inner blades are designed with auto-swings horizontally...
- Go Big on Cooling Power: The DREO AC515S portable air conditioner brings massive 12,000...
- Isolate Noise, Amplify Comfort: Featuring a new noise isolation system around the...
- Drainage-free in powerful cooling when the humidify under 85%: Bring uninterrupted cold...
- ❄️【3 In 1-Air Cooler & Air Conditioner & Fan】With three cooling processes...
- ❄️【0-12H Timer】 Set the time from 0-12 hours, by adding 1 hour each time you press...
- ❄️【2 Gallon Water Tank】 Equipped with a 2 Gallon large-capacity water tank, our...
- Three-in-one Function: Portable air conditioner (12000 BTU) has cooling, dehumidifying and...
- Energy Saving Cooling: The Portable air conditioner is equipped with 7100 BTU DOE/12000...
- Sleep Mode and Twenty-four Hours Timer: The sleep mode of the portable air conditioner...
- ❄【𝟑𝐒 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠】Mini air cooler quickly...
- ❄【𝟑-𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐲...
- ❄【𝟐𝐀𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 &...
Product prices and availability are subject to change. Therefore, any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to purchasing any products.