The 9 Best Portable Air Conditioners of 2023

Best Overall

LG Electronics Portable Air Conditioner

4.7

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If you have the budget for it, we think you'll be very satisfied with the LG LP1419IVSM 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner. It earns high marks for its cooling ability, smart features, and easy installation. Plus, it’s equipped with a variable speed compressor, which translates into quieter noise levels and improves energy efficiency to save you money. This top option for a portable air conditioner is sized right for rooms up to 500 square feet, making it an ideal choice for keeping a spacious room—or even a small apartment—cool and comfortable.

Adjusting the settings of the LG LP1419IVSM is super simple, thanks to the push-button control panel and LCD display. There are three fan speeds, along with user-friendly features like a timer function and sleep mode. An optional "Auto Swing" setting on the louvers (the slats of the air conditioner where the air comes out) helps to better distribute cold air throughout the room. At the same time, the smart features of this unit mean that you won’t even need to walk over to the unit to make adjustments. Instead, this portable air conditioner with Wi-Fi can be controlled using the LG app on your smart device or with voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Home. This feature comes in handy if you want to turn on the unit before you arrive home, or if you need to adjust the temperature setting but have your hands full with cooking or another task.

The sleek white housing is simple and sleek enough to blend into most rooms without becoming a major eyesore in your home. It’s mounted on four caster wheels for easier maneuvering, but don’t expect to do much repositioning. This model has a 34-inch vent hose that doesn’t allow the unit to stray too far from the window where it’s installed. On the subject of installation, this model is consistently praised for being easy to unpack and set up. At the end of the season, a storage tray on the back of the unit keeps the hose and window kit stowed away with the unit so that you don’t have to hunt for these essential items when setting up the air conditioner in the spring. 

This three-in-one unit functions as an air conditioner, fan, and dehumidifier, but it's missing a heater element that some other multi-functional portable air conditioners have. Even still, it’s powerful and reliable, giving it the upper hand over models on the market.

Price at time of publish: $698

_{Type: Single hose | BTU: 10,000 DOE/14,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 500 square feet | Dimensions: 30.43 x 19.41 x 18.11 inches | Weight: 71 pounds}

Best Budget

Midea Portable Air Conditioner

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The Midea EasyCool Portable Air Conditioner is a more economical option if you need a cooling solution for spaces that measure up to 200 square feet. This model has 10,000 BTU to bring down the temperature in your bedroom, office, or small living area. While you'll find a couple of slightly cheaper models on this list, we consider this our best budget pick because it offers the best value for your money overall.

We’re most impressed by the fact that the Midea MAP10S1CWT includes Wi-Fi. You can pair the unit with Amazon Alexa or Google Home and issue voice commands to raise or lower the temperature setting, among other things. Even if you don’t utilize a smart home assistant, the Midea app puts control over the unit in the palm of your hand with an app. An included remote control provides another convenient way to control the settings of this portable air conditioner. Users have reported that installation using the included adjustable window brackets is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes.

The most frequent complaints about this unit’s performance have nothing to do with cooling power. Reviewers point out that it’s noisy at high fan speeds, although that’s not unusual for any type of portable or window air conditioner. One thing to keep in mind is that while it has four caster wheels to support its weight, it's still nearly as heavy as our best overall option—something to keep in mind if you plan to carry it up a flight of stairs. Unlike some pricier models, it doesn't have heating or dehumidifying capabilities. Still, all in all, its features are hard to beat if you're on a budget.

Price at time of publish: $399

_{Type: Single hose | BTU: 5,800 DOE/10,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 200 square feet | Dimensions: 28.3 x 17.1 x 13 inches | Weight: 67.9 pounds}

Best Splurge

DeLonghi 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner

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The DeLonghi EX390LVYN Portable Air Conditioner is a premium option with substantial cooling power (it has 8,600 BTU DOE). It's a super quiet model that can also function as a fan or dehumidifier. Notably, this air conditioner uses the brand’s Cool Surround Technology, referred to as CST. The enhanced remote control included with the unit looks like a small box, and it is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors. The remote connects to the air conditioner via Bluetooth—if you keep the remote near you, it can provide the air conditioner with location-specific information about how cool and humid it is where you are, even if you're across the room.

The best way to sum up this DeLonghi portable air conditioner may be: quiet and effective. Compared to previous DeLonghi portable air conditioners, the Pinguino Arctic Whisper model is 3 decibels quieter, according to the manufacturer. It has three fan speeds, plus an auto option that balances comfort and energy efficiency. Another mode is Arctic Whisper Extreme, which is the mode that results in the most minimal amount of operating noise. At its highest setting, its sound level registers at 52 decibels. We think this mode is especially handy if you’re using the portable air conditioner in your bedroom and want cool, comfortable temperatures but not a lot of excessive noise. 

This portable air conditioner costs right around $700, but it’s not short on cooling power. It can cool large spaces up to 700 square feet and has a long 51-inch vent hose so you have a bit of flexibility in how close to the window used for venting it needs to be. The biggest downsides are its heft—it weighs over 80 pounds— as well as its lack of a heater and smart features. The option to control the unit within an app or using popular smart home assistants are features that we’d expect based on the price of this high-end model. Still, it performs well and does use sensor technology to keep the temperature in the room consistent. Buy the DeLonghi EX390LVYN if you want a quiet and effective portable air conditioner for your home. 

Price at time of publish: $700

_{Type: Single hose | BTU: 8,600 DOE/14,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 700 square feet | Dimensions: 18.3 x 34.3 x 20.1 inches | Weight: 83 pounds}

Best for Small Rooms

SereneLife Compact Portable Air Conditioner

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If you only have a small space to cool, the SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner is a great option at an affordable price. This 4,000 BTU DOE portable air conditioner isn’t the most powerful model you can buy, but it should be all you need to keep comfortable in a small room of about 200 square feet. Plus, it costs less than $350. It’s also lighter and more compact than some other options on our list, weighing in at just under 47 pounds and saving a few inches in height and width.

This portable air conditioner for small rooms has push-button controls on the top of the unit for settings like target temperature, fan speed, or activating the swinging louvers—a must-have feature if you’re looking for maximum air circulation. There’s an included remote control so that you can adjust the mode or settings from across the room. 

Speaking of making adjustments, this three-in-one model serves as an air conditioner, fan, and dehumidifier. In cooling mode, it has a self-evaporating feature that means you shouldn't need to empty the drain tank of condensation very often. It’s easy to set up according to users, and the four caster wheels make it simple to position the air conditioner in place.

As long as you use this compact model in the right-sized room (like a small bedroom, playroom, or den,) it should keep the temperature in check. There are few complaints about its cooling performance. Instead, the main gripe is that this portable air conditioner is noisy on high—which is something to keep in mind if you plan on using it in a bedroom and are a light sleeper.

Price at time of publish: $320

_{Type: Single hose | BTU: 4,000 DOE/8,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 215 square feet | Dimensions: 27.2 x 13.8 x 14.6 inches | Weight: 46.3 pounds}

Best with Heater

BLACK+DECKER 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Heat

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Designed for more than keeping cool, the BLACK+DECKER Portable Air Conditioner is a multifunctional model that does the work of four appliances in one sleek package. In addition to air conditioning, this portable unit can function as a heater, fan, and dehumidifier. In short, it offers year-round comfort, making it a smart investment and well worth the cost.

In cooling mode, this portable air conditioner is rated for 6,000 BTU (according to DOE standards). But if you need to take off the chill, then this unit is equipped with a 10,000 BTU heater to warm up your space. The manufacturer recommends this model for rooms up to 550 square feet in size. Swinging louvers distribute the cool breeze or warm air throughout your space and you can take advantage of other modes, too, like a sleep option or a 24-hour timer.

Aside from heating and cooling performance, the BLACK+DECKER Portable Air Conditioner with Heater stand stands out with a self-evaporating design, which reduces the need to empty the drain pan when the unit is functioning in cool mode. It also comes with a remote control to adjust the mode or setting of the unit, even from across the room. The most noticeable shortcomings are the fact that the LCD display can’t be dimmed at night and the unit lacks smart features. It is also loud at its highest fan speed, registering at about 75 decibels. But we recommend this portable air conditioner with heater if you aren't sensitive to ambient light at night (or don’t plan to use this model in the bedroom), don't require app or voice assistant integration, and can give up a little peace and quiet for cool or warm air when you want it. 

Price at time of publish: $509

_{Type: Single hose | BTU: 6,000 DOE/12,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 550 square feet | Dimensions: 27.9 x 16.5 x 11.7 inches | Weight: 53.8 pounds}

Best Design

Newair AC-12200E Portable Air Conditioner with Easy Setup Window Venting Kit

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The NewAir Portable Air Conditioner combines a small footprint with clever features, making it stand out from the competition. Some of the most noteworthy aspects of the design of this portable air conditioner include the side louvers, which blow air towards you rather than up to the ceiling, easy-to-clean air filters that slide out from the unit’s housing, and a super slim 12.33-inch depth that makes this unit a great fit even in tight spaces. It’s a three-in-one unit, with modes for cooling, fan-only, and dehumidifying. One feature this model lacks is a heater function.

The portable air conditioner has a rating of 7,700 BTU DOE and it’s recommended for use in rooms up to 425 square feet. With compact dimensions and four caster wheels, it’s easy to position it where you’ll get the most benefit from the airflow. It has three fan speeds, along with a 24-hour timer function. An "Auto" mode aims to maintain a target temperature without unnecessarily running the compressor, but some reviewers find it to be unreliable in terms of temperature management. Still, most users have broadly reported that in cooling mode, the unit works well. 

One of the most unique things about the NewAir Portable Air Conditioner is the option to add water to the machine to cool the compressor. Referred to as an Efficiency Booster, this practice helps cool the compressor after it’s been running for at least an hour. There is a water funnel on the side of the unit where you can add 2.5 pints of water if you'd like to take advantage of this feature.

Price at time of publish: $550

_{Type: Single hose | BTU: 7,700 DOE/12,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 425 square feet | Dimensions: 29.3 x 18.9 x 12.33 inches | Weight: 57.3 pounds}

Best Dual Hose

Whynter ARC-14S Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner

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When compared to single-hose portable air conditioners, a dual-hose model can cool a room more quickly and is a better choice for larger spaces, according to Dixon. A model like the Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner uses one hose to draw in outside air and another hose to exhaust hot air from the room. The tradeoff is that these air conditioners are usually larger and more expensive than single-hose models. 

However, if you have the extra space and the budget for a dual-hose portable air conditioner, the Whynter ARC-14S is a popular choice. It has 14,000 BTU to cool living rooms, small apartments, or any space up to 500 square feet in size. The built-in thermostat controller makes it easy to select your target temperature from 61 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit. You can pick from three fan speeds, set a timer for up to 24 hours, and make adjustments to the operation using a remote control. Aside from cooling the air, this portable air conditioner assists in keeping it clean and odor-free, too. A washable pre-filter and activated carbon filter assist are found in the back of the unit.

Like all dual-hose portable air conditioners, you won’t need to drain the Whynter ARC-14S very often. The exhaust hose expels condensation along with hot air, reducing the amount of water that collects in the drain tank. According to the user manual, it will only need to be emptied when humidity levels are above 70 percent. Even then, the amount of water will be minimal since the unit is still capable of exhausting about 98 percent of the condensation.

Neither the lightest nor heaviest option on this list, the Whynter ARC-14-S weighs 73 pounds—and it has four rolling wheels to make the job of moving it around much easier. If you store this unit away during the cooler months of the year, a protective cover safeguards the housing and keeps out dust and dirt.

Price at time of publish: $600

_{Type: Dual hose | BTU: 9,500 DOE/14,000 ASHRAE | Room size: 500 square feet | Dimensions: 35.5 x 19 x 16 inches | Weight: 73 pounds}

Best with No Hose

Honeywell Indoor Portable Air Conditioner

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If you don’t have an accessible window to vent your portable air conditioner and you live in a hot, dry climate, an evaporative cooler may be a good alternative to an air conditioner. While technically a different type of appliance from an air conditioner, evaporative coolers are sometimes referred to (albeit inaccurately) as air conditioners with no hose. Evaporative coolers blow cool, moist air to create a more comfortable environment. The Honeywell CL25AE is a popular indoor evaporative cooler and the best no-hose model for small to medium rooms measuring up to 300 square feet in size, thanks to its 500 CFM air volume rating. 

Similar in shape and size to a portable air conditioner, the Honeywell CL25AE plugs into a standard household outlet. Setup is minimal, but you will need to fill the 6.6-gallon water tank and add ice if you want to maximize the cooling effect. Pick from three fan speeds or set a timer to get your cooling session started. One feature that amplifies the effects of this evaporative cooler is its swinging louvers to better distribute cool air throughout the room. The included remote control is a convenient way to control the functions of the evaporative cooler from across the room. 

Keep in mind, however, that evaporative coolers will add more humidity to the air (which won't be ideal if you're looking to make a room less humid). That’s why they’re recommended for use in dry conditions like those you’ll find in the southwestern United States. When used indoors, you should crack open a door or window and arrange for cross-ventilation to supply the unit with fresh air while providing a route for moist air to exit. 

Like many models of portable air conditioners, fan noise is a concern to some users of this evaporative cooler. While it’s generally agreed that it’s quieter than a window air conditioner, the noise level of the Honeywell CL25AE does surprise some reviewers, especially on high fan speed settings. Even still, if you want a portable unit to cool air without a hose, this evaporative cooler is your best bet.

Price at time of publish: $330

_{Type: Evaporative cooler | BTU: Not applicable | Room size: 300 square feet | Dimensions: 33.3 x 18.9 x 14.6 inches | Weight: 25.4 pounds}