Top 10 Best Portable Air Conditioners (Reviews & Buyers’ Guide 2022)

We have BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner as the best of the best portable air conditioners of 2021. This cool air on wheels can fit into RVs, dorm rooms, and small apartments very easily and not take up that much space.

What sets this portable air conditioner apart from the rest is its 3-in-1 functionality. For a considerable price, you get to enjoy cooling, fan, and dehumidifying modes for the best experience possible especially during the summer. It’s even bucket-less and self-evaporating for easier maintenance of the unit itself and your home. What more can you ask for?

The buyers’ favorite feature in this unit is the 24-hour timer. The 24-hour timer lets you control when the air conditioner is on. For instance, if you need to go to work during the day, you can schedule the AC to turn on and cool the room at least an hour before you go home. There’s nothing better than coming home to a cool, refreshing room after a long day at work.

Buyers also love the reusable air filter that is easy to slide out and clean. The low noise motor will ensure you get a good night’s sleep. It can double as a white noise machine as well, according to some buyers. The unit gives them relief from the heat without increasing their electric bills. Some customers have this unit running for up to 20 hours a week and saw no increase in their bills.

SereneLife 12,000 BTU Portable Electric Air Conditioner comes second in our best portable air conditioners list. It packs a lot of punch especially for its size. Buyers report that it’s powerful and can cool a room in a short amount of time even in its lowest setting.

The handy remote control lets you control the air conditioner’s settings from afar. No need to get up from the bed or the couch!

Does the humidity make you feel like you’re breathing underwater? Stuffy days are a thing of the past thanks to the built-in dehumidifier. You can breathe the cool air easier!

Customers also say that the wheels and the handles enable them to carry the SereneLife Portable Air Conditioner around the house. It also won’t be out of place inside the house with its sleek and stylish design. They also think the way the front panel opens and singing a little tune when it opens is a lot of fun.

Third on our list is Midea’s 3-in-1 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner. As the name suggests, you get an air conditioner, fan, and dehumidifier in one portable machine. How awesome is that?

The auto-swing louvers move air around the room for constant even temperature. No more hot spots or too cool spots in the room. If the air is cool enough, you can just use the fan just to maintain the temperature. If it’s hot and stuffy outside, keep dry by using the dehumidifier. Keep you and your family from heat exhaustion through these features.

Customers report that it’s silent enough to not be heard in conference calls or video calling with friends. This is important if you have a job where you always need to be on call. You can always be heard and hear what people are saying in a meeting.

They also love how easy this portable conditioner is to install. You can set it up on your own in just a few minutes. Aside from that, the full-function remote control lets you set things up without moving from your spot. It also has a proximity sensing feature that signals the AC unit to adjust the temperature depending on where you are in the room.

Another helpful feature is the indicator light that reminds you to clean out the filter. The filter is removable and washable so you don’t need to worry about replacing it every few months.

Vremi 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner comes at number four on our list. It wields a powerful cooling capacity at 14,000 BTU. Add that with the swing setting that moves the air up and down the room, you’ll have a refreshing room in a matter of minutes. Humidity is not an issue as it can also dehumidify a room 3.5 pints of moisture per hour.

This unit is sleek and attractive, according to some customers. Its modern design in bright white is not an eyesore and can fit in with any style your home has. When it comes to maintenance and overall cleaning, the removable and washable filter takes the stress out of the work. All you need to do is run it under the faucet or even put it in the dishwasher.

Anyone can use this AC as it has a clear and easy-to-read control panel. The full-function remote lets you set your preferred mode and temperature from the comfort of your bed or couch. The remote is also very simple to navigate.

The best thing about this portable air conditioner, customers say, is that you can run it constantly and still pay the same amount in electric bills. It’s so energy efficient that it doesn’t carve out a huge amount of money in your bill.

California appliances company Whynter bags the slot for our fifth best portable air conditioner. The Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner, Dehumidifier, Fan & Heater is an award-winning AC. Good Housekeeping regarded it as one of 2020’s best portable air conditioners!

What makes this award-winning? Here are the two main factors: safety and environment-friendly. This portable air conditioner has lead-free RoHS-compliant components and a CFC-free refrigerant called GREEN R-32. It’s also Energy Star and UL-certified, so your safety is assured.

This AC also has a patented advanced auto drain technology. It uses and recycles moisture collected during the cooling process to produce cool air. This means no need for drain pans! Some buyers report that even after a year of using this portable air conditioner, they haven’t had the need to empty out water from it.

This unit has not one, but two filters - a washable pre-filter and an activated carbon air filter. The pre-filter takes care of the particles bigger than dust. On the other hand, the activated carbon filter eliminates odors such as smoke, food odors, or pet odor. You can eat a burger inside without your housemates knowing it.

What sets this portable conditioner apart even more is it also has a heating function. When winter comes, you don’t need to store it away - you can still use this appliance to keep you warm in cold nights.

Next on our list is Shinco 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner. It can cool spaces up to 300 sq. ft, so it’s perfect for living rooms and bedrooms. The four caster wheels make it easy to transport to any room you need it in - cool air on wheels indeed!

A reason we chose this is as one of the best portable air conditioners for sale in 2022, is because it can lower the temperature of the room in just 10 minutes. After you use the air conditioner to swiftly cool the room, you can use any of the three fan speeds to maintain the cold air but use less energy. Keep the room cool and dry on humid days with the dehumidifier mode.

The unit is easy to use with a simple selection LCD control panel. If you don’t want to get up from your seat, you can just use the full-function remote control to make the changes you want in the settings.

You won’t need to empty out water from it very often as it has a self-evaporative system. This system cools the condenser coils with water from the air. This then increases the unit's cooling efficiency.

What buyers like so much about this AC is that you only need 5 to 10 minutes to install it. You don’t need your entire toolbox - all the components you need are included in the package. All you need to do is install the exhaust hose, plug the AC in, and enjoy the cool air.

Seventh on our list of best portable air conditioners is Rosewill Home 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner. It is ideal for single-room apartments, dorm rooms, bedrooms, garages, or RVs. The automatic motorized swing-louvers help spread cool air to wider areas, cooling the room faster and more evenly.

You can also use this unit in the winter because of its heating mode. If you don’t have a heater yet, this appliance will be your companion through the seasons. Summer will be hot and humid, so you’ll have the air conditioner and dehumidifier modes to help you beat the heat. Spring and Fall might be cool enough for you to just use the fan mode - not too cold, not too hot. Winter will find you using the heater mode, keeping you warm and cozy through the cold season.

It has two LED digital touch control panels, which makes this unit easy to use. A handy feature buyers like with this control panel is you can still see the room’s temperature even when the unit is off. If you have pets sensitive to high temperatures, seeing the exact temperature easily is necessary. With the full-function remote control, you can also conveniently choose the settings you like without getting up.

TOSOT’s 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is ideal for your bedroom, living room, or home office. Thanks to its 3-in-1 features, this unit easily gets rid of stuffy rooms as its built-in dehumidifier can remove 1.1 liters of moisture per hour. Meanwhile, its cooling power is good for up to 300 square feet and you can set it to as low 61-86 ℉. Should you want just a simple fan setting, you can adjust the speed and direction of the fan for maximum comfort.

The new X-Fan Technology also enables the unit to efficiently self-evaporate. When activated, it will keep the fan spinning at a slow speed to dry residual water in the machine and exhaust hose.

Another standout feature of this portable air conditioner is its additional safety settings. Children, curious about everything they see, love to play with anything they see around the house. Portable air conditioners are not safe from their curiosity. The child lock feature is TOSOT’s answer to that, stopping children from messing with the AC’s control panel. To activate it, all you need to do is press and hold the + and - buttons for three seconds.

Buyers report that this portable air conditioner is very easy to install. Since it doesn’t need special tools and everything you need is in the window venting kit, you can install it in no time.

If you are sensitive to lights, especially when going to sleep, the night mode can help you. This mode shuts off all lights on the control panel, leaving you with a dark and cool room. Thanks to this mode, you’ll definitely sleep like a rock.

Next on our list is another one from Shinco, this time with a cooling power of 8,000 BTU. This portable air conditioner is perfect for dorm rooms, living rooms, home offices, and bedrooms. The dehumidifier function will keep your room cool and dry, and prevent the growth of bacteria and mold as well.

Buyers report that this unit can cool their rooms in a matter of minutes, especially with the swing mode. They feel like they’re in a hotel room when they use this portable air conditioner. The full function remote and clear LCD control panel also makes this AC easy to use. You can customize your cooling experience even from a distance.

Shinco 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner has a self-evaporative system. Due to this, you won’t need to drain the tank as often. Another perk is this also increases the AC unit’s cooling efficiency!

Here’s a tip on using this portable air conditioner at night. When the room is cool enough, you can switch to the first speed level. Through this, the AC will make less noise. You can maintain the temperature and have a nice sleep without disturbances!

Euhomy 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner can cool your bedroom, home office or RV in a short amount of time. You can be assured of its safety, as it’s UL-certified. With the CEC certification, you’re sure that this portable air conditioner is energy-efficient.

You can switch between modes, speeds, and temperatures easily with the easy-to-read LCD control panel and a full function remote. The remote has a built-in temperature sensor, so the unit can adjust its temperature depending on the temperature around the remote control. Customers report that they put their remote controls near them in bed and get the ultimate cooling experience.

Aside from a powerful cooling power, its many functions make using this unit more enjoyable. The swivel function cools the room faster and more evenly. It also has 3 special settings: auto mode, constant fan, and sleep mode.

Auto mode will make the portable AC automatically select the setting depending on your desired temperature and the temperature of the room. If you turn the constant fan on, once the desired temperature is reached, the fan will continue to run, maintaining the temperature. The sleep mode increases the temperature throughout the night to match your body temperature.

Customers say that installing this portable AC didn’t take too much of their time, especially with the installation kit included. If you're handy, you can even install it in 15 minutes.