It’s summer time again and the weather is heating up. If your home or office doesn’t have central air conditioning and you want to bring the temperatures down, then you’re going to need to get a portable air conditioner. The decision to get an air conditioner is a simple one. Finding the right one for you? Well, that’s not quite as easy as one would think, mainly due to the fact that there are about several dozen different models of AC’s on the market, all of which to the layman may seem no different to one another. We here at GuideNerd know that “choice overload” can be a serious problem for consumers, which is why created this buying guide and comparison chart.
With the goal of helping our readers make a better, more informed buying decision, we invested over 28 hours into researching and comparing about 40 different portable air conditioners. We then narrowed the field down to the seven best units. Our selections were based primarily on the following 5 factors: cooling power, user-friendliness of controls, ease of installation, portability and price.
Best Overall: Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
If you want to purchase the best, most effective portable air conditioner on the market and price is not a big concern, then the Whynter ARC-14S is the one you want. This unit possesses an extremely impressive cooling capacity of 14,000 BTU’s, which is the highest output of any AC unit we looked at and will allow it to cool a room as large as 500 sq. ft. It also has a slew of great features and accessories that make this device safe, easy-to-use and install.
Although some portable air conditioners can be somewhat complicated to install, this is definitely not the case for the Whynter ARC-14S, as it comes with an easy-to-setup venting kit. The kit will allow you to vent the air conditioner through either a window or (with a bit of modification) via a wall/ceiling opening.
The Whynter ARC-14S uses dual exhaust hosesOne of the best features of the Whynter ARC-14S and what gives it an advantage over the other models that we looked at is that it uses a dual exhaust hose venting system. This allows the unit to draw air in from the outside through one hose, which is cooled by the machine’s compressor and then blown back into the room. The heat that the air conditioner generates is then blown out through the other hose. This offers an advantage over single exhaust hose AC’s that suck in air from the room instead of from the outside, which creates an air vacuum. This results in a situation in which hot outside air is “pulled” into the room, making single hose AC’s less efficient.
What’s also great about the Whynter ARC-14S is that it also functions as a dehumidifier, with the ability to remove 101 pints of moisture from the air per day. In addition, it has a fully digital adjustable thermostat that will allow you to maintain the temperature of a room from 89 degrees to as low as 61 degrees. The Whynter can also be conveniently controlled via a remote control, allowing you to turn the unit on/off, to set it to one of the 3 cooling/fan speeds or to activate the 24-hour timer all from the comfort of your couch. Read reviews on Amazon >
Honeywell MN12CES 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
The Honeywell MN12CES is a top rated portable air conditioner and another excellent choice. Although not as powerful as the Whynter ARC-14S, this is still a very effective air conditioner with a Max CFM rating of 163 and a cooling capacity of 12,000 BTU’s, enabling it to cool rooms and areas up to 450 sq. ft. in size. This unit also works as a dehumidifier with a dehumidifying capacity of 79 pints per day. And what’s great about this machine is that you have the choice of using it as an air conditioner/dehumidifier alone or you can have both functions working simultaneously.
Additionally, the Honeywell MN12CES operates at a fairly quiet 53 dbA, which is quite impressive for a portable air conditioner of this size and power. It also has a built-in, fully washable electrostatic filter, giving it some air purification capabilities as well. The included window venting kit is simple to install and most people will be able to have it set up in about 15 minutes or less. The Honeywell MN12CES’s heavy-duty castor wheels make the unit very portable as well, as you can easily roll it from one area to another with very little effort. Read reviews on Amazon >
Best Window-Mounted Air Conditioner: SPT WA-1222S 12,000 BTU
Unlike the other air conditioners on this list which you place on the floor and vent the hot air out via an exhaust hose, the SPT WA-1222S is a window-mounted unit that does not require an exhaust hose, as it sits partially outside of your room/building. This setup slightly increases the efficiency of the air conditioning process because there is no “leakage” that exists with portable air conditioners in which a small amount of hot air travelling through the exhaust hose will escape into the room (although this disadvantage can be minimized by placing the unit closer to the window). This efficiency advantage gives the SPT WA-1222S a slight edge over portable AC’s with comparable BTU’s.
You should be aware, though, that the SPT WA-1222S (and all window-mounted AC’s for that matter) does have a significant disadvantage compared to portable AC’s in that it’s much more difficult to install, and there’s also the extra burden of having to lift a machine that weighs almost 70 pounds up onto a window. The unit does come with all the hardware you need to get it set up and running, though, so even though installation can be a bit more complicated, it shouldn’t stop you from getting this unit if you prefer the space-saving qualities and increased efficiency of a window-mounted air conditioner.
Users will also like the fact that it has a removable, washable air filter that cleans and purifies the air that it takes in from the outside before circulating it into the room. And with its all-digital controls, multi-directional air flow and 12,000 BTU cooling capacity, it would be very hard to argue that the SPT WA-1222S isn’t the best window air conditioner currently on the market. Read reviews on Amazon >
4 Haier HPN12XCM 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
If you’re looking for a high-end portable air conditioner that’s slightly more affordable than the two AC’s above, then you should definitely consider the Haier HPN12XCM. This powerful and stylish 12,000 BTU air conditioner can bring down temperatures to a comfortable level in rooms as big as 450 square feet. It has 3 different pre-set fan and cooling speeds and a 24-hour timer, giving the user a high degree of control over how the machine is used. Some people complain about the loud sounds that AC’s can make, but that’s usually only an issue when you run it on the very highest fan setting. On the lower settings, noise is almost never an issue.
One of the most impressive features of this air conditioner is its high dehumidification capacity of 100 pints per day, which even exceeds the capacity of the Whynter ARC14S. And because this unit uses auto-evaporation technology, the user does not need to do any manual draining.
One very minor downside of the Haier HPN12XCM, however, is that it is a bit on the heavier side with a weight of about 77 pounds. This shouldn’t pose much of a problem for most people, though, since it has four caster wheels that will allow you to roll it around. Read reviews on Amazon >
5 Best Value: Honeywell MN10CESWW 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
Out of all the portable air conditioners that we looked at, the Honeywell MN10CESWW seemed to offer the most value for your money. This 10,000 BTU air conditioner has a maximum air flow rating of 174 CFM and can comfortably cool spaces and rooms as large as 350 sq. ft. Although this AC was not designed to cool an entire house, it will bring down temperatures throughout your home by several degrees. One of these alone will, however, cool a single bedroom or living room without much of a problem, and should be able to bring room temperatures down to the low 70’s.
Another advantage of the Honeywell MN10CESWW is that it’s fairly quiet with a noise rating of just 55 A-weighted decibels. In addition, the unit’s user-friendly controls are intuitive and the large, bright LED display is easy-to-read. The versatile Honeywell MN10CESWW, like most of the top air conditioners on the market, also has dehumidifying capabilities as well and can remove up to 79 pints of moisture per day. Additionally, the machine’s cooling process automatically evaporates the moisture, so no buckets or hoses are required with this unit. Read reviews on Amazon >
6 LG LP1015WSR 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
One of 2016’s hottest new releases, the LG LP1015WSR has instantly become a hit with online shoppers and is now one of the best selling portable air conditioners on Amazon. Although it hasn’t been out for very long, the reviews for this unit are already quite glowing, and most users seem to be very satisfied with its performance. It’s slightly pricier than the equally powerful 10,000 BTU Honeywell MN10CESWW, but there’s a reason for the price difference, even if it is a superficial reason – the LG LP1015WSR is just plain prettier to look at. This all-white room air conditioner is very sleek, stylish and modern looking, and will look great in just about any home or office.
Now if you’re someone who doesn’t really care about the aesthetics of your gadgets and appliances, then you’ll probably just want to go with the Honeywell air conditioner above to save a little money. But the LG isn’t just a pretty face, as it has some nice features as well. One of the things that users will like about this unit is that its 27″ height and 17″ width make it fairly compact, especially when compared to other AC’s with the same BTU rating. Other useful features include its two fan/cooling speeds, an LED remote control and a 59 pints/day dehumidification capacity. Read reviews on Amazon >
7 Best Budget Model: LG Electronics LP0814WNR 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
If you’re looking for a deal on a portable air conditioner, you’re unlikely to find a better one than the LG Electronics LP0814WNR. With a price of just under $300 (as of the time of this writing), it’s easily the best cheap air conditioner on the market (although the Frigidaire FFRA0511R1 Mini would take the title of best cheap “window” air conditioner).
This unit dishes out a respectable 8,000 BTU’s worth of cooling (good enough for rooms up to 200 sq. ft. in size) and can be connected to any standard 115V power outlet. The LG LP0814WNR is also easy to install, and even those of you who have never used a portable air conditioner before shouldn’t have much of a problem installing it, as the window venting kit is designed for use on all standard sized windows up to 5 feet in length.
Additionally, the LG LP0814WNR with a width of just 14″ is quite compact, and is lightweight as well, weighing just 48 pounds out of the box. This not only helps to save space, but it also makes the machine highly portable. And since the window venting kit is non-permanent, you can always move it to the room or area where you need cooling the most. The unit also functions as a dehumidifier and is capable of removing moisture from a room at a rate of 48 pints per day, which is on the lower end of the spectrum but still decent. All in all, the LG LP0814WNR is a great choice if you’re in need of affordable air conditioning. And although it’s not a substitute for central AC, it is sufficiently effective as a single room air conditioner. Read reviews on Amazon >
Comparison Chart
Our Top Pick
500 Square Feet
101 Pints
Yes
63
36 x 19 x 16
$$$$$
Best Value
350 Square Feet
79 Pints / Day
Yes
62
29 x 18 x 15
$$$
Best Budget AC
200 Square Feet
48 Pints / Day
Yes
48
30 x 14 x 12
$$
Best Window AC
550 Square Feet
77 Pints / Day
Yes
68
15 x 20 x 21
$$$
Top Rated
450 Square Feet
79 Pints / Day
Yes
68
29 x 17 x 16
$$$$
Very Good
450 Square Feet
100 Pints / Day
Yes
77
30 x 18 x 15
$$$$
Good
300 Square Feet
59 Pints / Day
Yes
59
27 x 17 x 13
$$$$
Best Budget Window AC
150 Square Feet
26 Pints / Day
No (Mechanical Controls)
41
12 x 16 x 15
$
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