The best option you can buy today is the LG Electronics LP1419IVSM Portable Air Conditioner, which is extremely quiet and has Wi-Fi capabilities, so you can control it right from your phone. The following are the best portable air conditioners to keep your home cool this summer. In terms of installation, the AC comes with a window vent kit that’s easy to install, but keep in mind that the vent hose is fairly short at just 35.5 inches, so the unit has to be close to the window. When it’s time to pack the air conditioner back up, there’s a storage tray on the back of the unit where you can easily stash the window kit and hose, making it simple to keep everything together. Price at time of publish: $740 While this SereneLife unit only cools rooms up to 225 square feet, it comes in five different versions, so you can opt for a higher BTU version or one that includes a heat setting if that better suits your space. However, customers note that the noise level significantly increases as the BTU increases. Price at time of publish: $320 This portable air conditioner comes with a window venting kit, complete with insulation tape and an adjustable bracket, and while the kit is designed for standard single-hung windows, the brand also offers instructions on how the AC can be installed in casement windows. The unit is mounted on caster wheels for portability, and it has a digital display and remote that make it easy to adjust the settings. You can choose from high, medium, or low fan speeds, and there’s even a programmable timer for automatic operation. The main drawback of this unit is its noise level, though—it operates at 58 decibels, which is loud enough to disrupt a normal conversation, but still quieter than your average vacuum cleaner. Price at time of publish: $650 The window bracket that comes with this air conditioner fits openings between 19.4 and 62.2 inches, and the unit has a 5-foot vent hose that lets you arrange it further away from the window, if needed. It has an LED display, as well as a remote control, and you can have it operate automatically with its 24-hour timer. However, this portable air conditioner does require regular draining, especially in humid climates, and this requires emptying the collected water into a bucket (not included), your sink, or shower. Price at time of publish: $319 At 53 decibels, this AC is relatively quiet, although some report hearing a loud noise when changing modes. There is an included window kit for easy installation, and most customers said that installation was straightforward, while some noted that fitting their specific window was tricky. Price at time of publish: $419 The Hisense AC has cooling, fan, and dehumidifier modes, and it offers a 24-hour programmable timer that you can adjust to fit your schedule. It has a snap-in window assembly that expands from 18 to 50 inches so it should fit almost any window, and you’ll be able to install it without any cutting or drilling. The AC has multi-directional air flow to cool down your space quickly, but it does require fairly frequent draining when it’s operating in humid weather. Price at time of publish: $329 In addition to heating and cooling, this air conditioner has dehumidify and fan modes, and it offers sleep, max, and air swing functions that adjust the air flow to meet your needs. It has a remote control and top-mounted LED display where you can change the settings, but unfortunately, the display can’t be dimmed or turned off, so it’s highly visible at night. The AC has a self-evaporating design when in cooling mode, meaning there’s no need to drain off any water, and it has a 24-hour timer, to boot. The window installation kit works in horizontal or vertical window openings between 20.5 and 59 inches, but it can be somewhat tricky to secure, as the included foam isn’t the best quality. Price at time of publish: $430 This dual-hose air conditioner is fairly large, and it weighs 80 pounds, so you may need help moving it. However, it is mounted on caster wheels so once it’s in your home, you can push it from room to room as needed. In addition to a washable pre-filter, this air conditioner has an activated carbon filter to help remove odors from the air, and it also offers a 24-hour timer, convenient remote control, auto restart after power outages, and more. Plus, it comes with a protective cover that will keep the unit free of dust and dirt when it’s not in use. Price at time of publish: $600 One of our favorite evaporative coolers, the Hessaire MC37M has a manual design with three fan speeds and optional oscillation. For continuous operation, you can hook it up to a garden hose, which will automatically refill the water tank when it gets low. The unit is mounted on heavy-duty locking casters and is fairly lightweight when empty, making it easy to move around your home, but it does have a fairly large, bulky appearance. Also, keep in mind that swamp coolers are only effective in low-humidity climates—they won’t do much if you live somewhere with hot, humid weather. Price at time of publish: $371 There are also single and dual-hose options. Single hose options pull air from the interior of your home, cool it down, then expel excess heat through a single hose vented out a window or door. Dual-hose models, on the other hand, use one vent hose to pull in fresh air from the outside and a second to expel heat, allowing them to work more quickly and efficiently. Dual-hose air conditioners are typically larger and more expensive than single-hose options. Alternatively, those who live in low-humidity climates may want to opt for an evaporative cooler. These less-expensive models work by pushing air through a water-soaked filter, which cools down the air while increasing humidity. Also called swamp coolers, these units can often be used both inside and outside, and they typically require less energy to run. However, they need a steady supply of water to operate—some can be hooked up to a garden hose, while others require manual refills.
Room Size
One of the most important factors when choosing a portable air conditioning unit is the recommended room size. “Load calculation helps to determine the appropriate size of the AC your home will require,” explains Roth. “It is done by matching your home’s thermal characteristics with cooling capacity in BTUs.” Generally speaking, a higher BTU rating means that the unit can cool a larger room, but as you look at different portable air conditioners, you’ll notice that there are often two BTU ratings—a DOE or SACC rating and an ASHRAE rating—which can make things a bit more confusing. BTU ratings were traditionally calculated based on criteria from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), which evaluated their ability to cool a room at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 51 percent humidity. However, in 2017, the Department of Energy (DOE) introduced the concept of Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity (SACC), which evaluates a portable AC’s cooling abilities in multiple conditions to more accurately depict real-life use. As you may have noticed, DOE BTU ratings are always lower than ASHRAE ratings, and the former is typically considered more accurate.
Condensation Drainage
Unlike window air conditioners, which are able to drain moisture to the exterior of your home, portable air conditioners collect moisture from the air inside the unit, and this liquid needs to be removed periodically, especially during humid weather. Some units have a water tank or tray that must be manually emptied, while others have a drain hose attached to allow continuous draining. More advanced units sometimes offer self-draining systems that recycle moisture back into the air to eliminate the need for drainage. The best setup for you will depend on your climate, how much condensation your air conditioner collects, and the layout of your room.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce. While researching portable air conditioners, she spoke with Chris Roth, CEO and owner of National Technical Institute and a licensed HVAC technician, for insights on selecting the best air conditioner for your home. Evaporative portable air conditioners don’t need to be hooked up to a window or vent, but they work best in a well-ventilated area. Keeping yours near an open window will prevent the room from getting too cold or clammy. Using his suggestions, she vetted each model for its cooling power, noise level, settings, and energy efficiency, and she scoured dozens of user reviews for insights on the installation and operation of different portable units from top brands. She also spoke to her parents, who have owned the LG LP1419IVSM 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner for several years, to get their opinion on the top-rated model.
