Share This Article
Top 10 Portable Air Conditioner
Whynter Elite Arc-122Ds
Amazon Whynter Elite ARC-122DS The Whynter Elite ARC-122DS is the most portable AC unit on the market. It offers many of the same features at a lower price. The 12,000 BTU ASHRAE (7,000 BTU DOE) cooling engine can accommodate rooms up to 400 square feet and has three operating modes: cooling, fan-only and dehumidifier-only.
Unlike most air conditioners in this price range, this is a dual-hose system; one hose serves as an input and the other as an exhaust, which makes it run more efficiently by cooling room without drawing in warm air. You can program it to run for up to 24 hours and then drain the water automatically.
Whynter Arc-14S Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
Amazon You have large spaces you want to cool. Portable AC units with dual hoses are capable of cooling large spaces. Although the ARC-14S Dual Hose Portable AC Conditioner is a great option, it’s important to be certain that you really need it. The unit weighs in at 80 pounds, and can only be moved on smooth, flat surfaces. (Where the casters come in handy). The ARC-14S is not a standard air conditioner. It looks like Darth Vader might have used it as a portable AC. It’s not bad, but it is very different from most portable ACs.
The unit can do business. Contrary to most portable air conditioners intended for use at home, this unit has dual-hose technology. The input hose is used as an outlet and the output hose as an inlet. It is therefore more efficient in cooling your home and less likely to leak warm air. With a staggering 14,000 BTU of ASHRAE (or 9,500 DOE), it can cool down a 600-square-foot area with ease. It moves 253 cubic feet per second. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a portable unit able to cool a room faster.
The best part is that it can humidify as much as 101 pints (of water) per day within your home. It also has an activated carbon and washable prefilter to maintain fresh air. The Whynter conditioner can adjust its temperature from 61 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a significant difference from other models in this list.
Frigidaire Fhph132Ab1 Heat/Cool Portable Air Conditioner
Amazon Frigidaire HPH132AB1 Portable Heat/Cool Air Conditioner. Portable air conditioners are loud and some models don’t mention the noise. Frigidaire FHPH132AB1 Portable Air Condition can generate as little noise as 49dB. This sounds very similar to the sound from quiet rainfall. It won’t sound exactly like actual rain, but it will still make the typical white noise that an air conditioner makes. It still produces 12,000 BTU ASRAE (6.600 BTU DOE) and can cool down as many as 500 square footage. It is a great choice for bedrooms that require a moderately quiet AC.
The LG is quiet and has a 4,100 BTU heating power. This means that it can be used even when the temperature drops. To capture moisture, it has three speeds as well as a drainage tube at the rear. It also has a simple set of controls on the AC unit itself, as well as a remote control for operation from across the room. It’ll run for up to 24 hours at a time before automatically going to sleep, and you can preset it to turn on or off in half-hour increments to customize its cooling schedule.
Serenelife Slpac10
Amazon SereneLife SLPAC10 Evaporative coolers like the Evapolar Personal Evaporative Air Cooler mentioned above might technically be cheaper than the the SereneLife SLPAC10, but it earns its status as the best affordable portable air conditioner thanks to its moderately powerful cooling power with a real compressor-style cooling system and its overall versatility. A Evapolar AC can cool a room, but it isn’t the best AC.
Not only does the SereneLife SLPAC10 operate as a simple air conditioner, but it can be used with a circulating fan (the fan automatically swings around to spread the airflow) and a dehumidifier. They come in different capacities, including 8,000 and 12,000 BTU. This model has a rating of 8,000 BTU ASHRAE (4000 BTU DOE); it can keep 250 square feet cool and have an airflow speed of 290 cm/hour.
The SereneLife is just over three feet high and measures 17×13 inches in size. The SereneLife is easy to maneuver around your house thanks to its easy-rolling wheels and easy-to-grip sides. It is not the most quiet air conditioner available. The rated noise level of the unit is around 57 decibels. However, the actual operating sound can be louder, with it sometimes making a whining sound like a vacuum cleaner. It is still compact. The remote can be used to control the unit from any location. However, there is a small control panel that’s located at the top.
Best Budget Portable Air Conditioner
James Brains/Insider Our Frigidaire Portable Air Conditioner FHPC102AB1 is one of our most affordable units. The unit does a great job of cooling and doesn’t make a lot noise.
Con: The unit is silent, has a quick installation and fits most window sizes. There are also no power requirements. Frigidaire’s FHPC102AB1 Portable Air conditioner offers quiet operation and cooling (55 decibels at high), for half the cost of the top choice.
After just 10 minutes, the Frigidaire AC was up and running. I liked that the window slider could extend to 52.5 inches. This was enough for my windows. You don’t need to work as hard to keep the room cool with the foam seals included.
Frigidaire’s FHPC102AB1 is equipped with wheels, handles, cord storage, and cord management to make moving the appliance easier. The hose was not connected to the unit, and I felt slowed down during transportation. It doesn’t appear that there is a way of keeping it secure when it moves. Yet, this will be little to no inconvenience for most users.
Frigidaire AC portable was our best pick when it comes to energy efficiency. It consumed 1.71kWh electricity within a 2 hour period.
The unit also reduced temperature by 2.6°C, which is remarkable considering that it had the lowest Btu rating among all the units tested. It wasn’t intended to cool larger rooms such as the one we were testing.
Are Portable Air Conditioners A Lot Of Hot Air?
Consumer Reports found that the units were difficult to cool and are not portable. We may also earn affiliate commissions if you purchase through our retailer links. The nonprofit we support receives 100% of the commissions that they collect.
Learn more portable air conditioners as the cooling choice of last resort. Portable air conditioners offer a better cooling option than a fan and are much more cost-effective than an AC window unit.
Portable air conditioners are intended for homes in which window configurations or building regulations prevent the installation of window units “A portable air conditioner is an alternative but not an ideal one,” says Chris Regan, who oversees Consumer Reports’ air conditioner tests. The portable units can be larger, noisier and require more electricity. In fact, retailers report that many portable air conditioners are returned each season by dissatisfied customers.
These are the Best Portable Air Conditioners for Your Apartment
Last updated April 23, 2021.
Pin It See More Images Courtesy of Frigidaire
Summer calls for cooling , but not all of us have the luxury of central air. A portable air conditioner could be the best solution, depending upon where your windows are located or where you need to cool down (hello heat garage!). A portable air conditioner (PAC), is one that can be placed on the ground and moved about with relative ease. How do you choose the right one for you?
BTU (British thermo units) are the main indicator to watch out for. It is simply the required heat to bring one pound of water to one degree Fahrenheit.
Most window AC units come with a cooling capability of 5,000-12,500 BTU. For every square foot, the rule of thumb says that you should have 20 BTU. You should choose a higher BTU for larger rooms. Below, we rounded up 10 of the best portable air conditioners for all spaces (and budgets!) on the market today, guaranteed to keep you cool as temperatures heat up.
The iBaste Portable Air Condition This unit won’t cool a large room. But if your workspace is in an office or garage and you need to keep it cool, this will be the right product for you. You can use it as both an air conditioner AND humidifier. This compact unit can fit on any table or desktop.
Do you feel stuffed in your office space? To cool your work space, this three-speed portable air conditioner works well under your desk and next to your bed. It can be easily moved from one room to the next with its handle. The price is very reasonable at less than $50.
12 Energy-Efficient Portable Ac units (Below $132.36/Year costs)
The energy efficiency of any portable air conditioner is expressed with an EER rating. EER rating refers to the combination of electrical power input and useful cooling effect in BTU.
Portable air conditioners that are most efficient use the least energy.
The cost of an energy-efficient AC unit portable can be as low as $70 annually. In 10 years, that’s $700 less in electricity bills.
LearnMetrics is a company that selects HVAC systems, such as portable conditioners, based on the numbers.
Our view is that every person would prefer an AC unit freestanding and energy efficient with minimal hassle.
Capacity per BTU. You can find small portable AC units from 600 to 8,000 BTU that will cover 100 to 300 square feet, or 10,000 BTU which covers 400 sq.ft. There are also large portable AC units in the 14,000-BTU range for rooms measuring between 450 and 700 square feet.
#1 Whynter Arc-14S Double-Hose (Most Energy Efficient Portable Air Conditioner).
If you are looking for portable air conditioners that will last, the Whynter ARC-14S might be the one you came across. Customer Report rates the Whynter ARC-14S as one of three best portable AC units.
We’ll look at the numbers to see how it actually measures up to the competition. It is certain that the R410A refrigerant and washables filters along with 3 speeds of fan speed are the best portable air conditioners have to offer.
The Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner is the only dual-hose unit. They are extremely energy efficient, can supply fresh air from the outdoors without increasing room pressure and have excellent energy efficiency.
We were immediately struck by the EER rating 11.20 when we looked at the metrics. That makes the Whynter ARC-14S model the most energy-efficient (and environmentally-friendly) air conditioner on the market. It is the best portable AC unit on this list.
Whynter ARC-14S air conditioner, which is also the most popular in the industry, boasts an 11.20 EER rating.
The average EER level, however, is around 8.5. Calculating the EER involves dividing BTU by power in Watts. A Whynter-ARC-14S mobile AC unit is 30 percent more efficient than the average one, saving you $40 annually on electricity. That’s an impressive number, especially when you think about how much you’ll be paying for electricity over 10 years.
This dual-hose system configuration is what makes this setup so efficient. It is the main reason this AC unit of 14,000 BTU can extract 4.21 pints (lowering humidity) per hour.
#2 Homelabs 14,000 Bu (Top-Rated Air Conditioner In 2021).
In an industry that is heavily dominated by Honeywell and LG, hOmeLabs has just begun to emerge. The lack of experience might be considered a negative thing, that’s true.
However, hOmeLabs is a pioneer in the HVAC system industry. Modern, they placed the emphasis on how users use portable air conditioners. You’ll notice all the built-in handles that allow you to easily move the unit around, as well as the remote control and simple installation.
A whole range is not available for them, unlike LG’s portable air conditioners. The 14,000 BTU standalone device they have is called simply the “hOmeLabs 14,000BTU portable air conditioner”. Let’s simplify this a little: The hOmeLabs HVAC is the same as Apple’s iPhone for smartphones.
The device looks great and is simple to use.
hOmeLabs’ HVAC products are as similar to Apple’s iPhones. It’s a simple model with elegant features.
Is it true that Android owners often point out the iPhone’s superior specs? Let’s take a look at some specifications:
The EER rating is 9.8 which makes it one of our most energy-efficient portable air conditioners. The ones with an EER rating of 9.8 are excellent, while those below 10 are average. This is important when it comes to saving on your electricity bill and, well, saving the planet.
#3 Lg Lp1419Ivsm Dual Inverter (Good Use Of Dual Inverter Tech)
The LG LP1419IVSM portable conditioner is hard to resist. You will instantly notice the specifications and that the LP1419IVSM portable air conditioner is the most quiet, efficient, and capable of cooling larger areas while maintaining record humidity levels.
These numbers make the LP1419IVSM LG’s most portable air conditioner. LG cooling products are the most trusted worldwide manufacturer, making having the best AC possible the best bet.
LG LP1419IVSM Portable Air Conditioner is one of the most quiet and powerful in 2021.
Nearly 20% more efficient than the 8.5 EER rating, 10.14 EER has been rated. It is because the auto-evaporation system has been widely accepted to be the most cost-effective way to run an air conditioner.
Running LG’s environmentally-friendly AC unit will save you about $30/year in electricity costs. This is a substantial amount to think about when purchasing the high-end $700 AC unit.
It is the LP1419IVSM’s two most important metrics. They are both the lowest levels of noise and highest levels of dehumidification.
.Top 10 Portable Air Conditioner