Best Portable Air Conditioners for Homes and Offices

Whynter ARC-14S is a powerful portable air conditioner with a total of 14000 BTU ASHRAE rating (9500 BTU DOE). But besides these numbers, what really sets ARC-14S apart from its competitors is its dual-hose system.

Compared to the single-hose designs of other units, ARC-14S can achieve a high BTU level due to better airflow. With two hoses and a total of 253 CFM, it can replace the air being expelled faster and this results in better cooling performance. With all of this, it is no wonder why it can cool a room faster.

It has a 500 sq. ft. area capacity. When we tried it in a 500 sq. ft. space at 65°F, it managed to cool the place within 15 minutes. Also, it was very consistent in maintaining the set temperature and was incredibly quiet at medium fan settings. When we tested its maximum setting, it reached at least 60 dB which is pretty decent given its airflow capacity.

As for its control panel and build, we were a bit divided. It is not the best in terms of aesthetics, especially that the buttons seem flimsy. Yet, using them is almost intuitive. Thankfully, it comes with a remote control and every function and setting on the panel is available in it.

BPP10WTB is an all-in-one package that will give the best bang for your buck. Instead of just a plain AC unit, it is a multifunctional appliance. Not only can it serve as an AC, a fan, or a dehumidifier, but it can also work as a heater! Despite that fact, none of its sections are compromised. Every function delivers excellence and unbeatable performance.

It starts with the air-conditioning function of BPP10WTB that employs 10,000 BTU SACC/CEC (14,000 BTU ASHRAE). It can handle up to 450 sq. ft. room and cool it down to 61 degrees Fahrenheit at the maximum setting. When we tested it in a 500 sq. ft. test room, it managed to reach the temperature within 20 minutes. The blow of air is truly excellent that at the highest setting, it reached 202 CFM. However, and as expected, it was a bit loud at 60 dB. Nonetheless, you have the option for the Sleep Mode which improves the noise level.

Moreover, and as said, it can be a reliable appliance as a heater, humidifier, and fan. Besides the maximum 202 CFM it can produce to comfort you in the middle of a hot season, it can also provide warmth up to 88 degrees Fahrenheit during winter with its 11,500 BTU ASHRAE 128-rating. Just hook up the clear rubber hose to water drainage and in no time, it can heat a 250 sq. ft. room. On the other hand, it is also very capable as a dehumidifier due to its ability to collect up to 90 pints of moisture each day.

All of these functions can be accessed either via the remote control provided or the control panel at the top part of the unit. The best thing about its capacitive touch buttons is that they are appropriately sensitive. With just a slide and feather-touch motion of your finger, you can access anything without a bit of fuss.

If you are looking for a reliable and easy-to-use air conditioner model, MIDEA ‎MAP10S1CWT is your best choice. One of the reasons is its control panel that is properly labeled. There are also light indicators that allow you to see the mode and setting currently running. It also notifies you when there is already a need to clean the internal filter! Nonetheless, besides its unit control panel, you can also access all the settings using its wireless app support which is also one of the best. Setting it up can be a challenge at first (in our case) but the overall feature of the application is very intuitive. With the app, you can access things faster from setting a schedule to selecting the mode and temperature. There is also an option for SLEEP/ECO Mode, allowing the unit to adjust the temperature and noise level for your comfort. And if you want a more advanced way of cooling your room, ‎MAP10S1CWT supports third-party voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant! Sweet!

Even though portable models are cheaper than conventional ACs, some of them can still cost quite a lot. This is why we automatically included SereneLife SLPAC8 on our list after we spotted it during our search. It doesn’t have the best bells and whistles but it can meet the cut for a decent AC.

Unlike others, it just comes with 8,000 BTU ASHRAE rating (4,000 BTU SACC). However, when we tested it in a suggested 225 sq. ft. space, it managed to completely improve the temperature within 20 minutes. The airflow was also relatively powerful at 290 m3/hr under the max settings. However, this is where the caveat starts as it is not the quietest system out there. Despite the 55 to 57 dB rating indicated, it reached up to 65 dB in our test. Yet, for the performance and the fact that it is very affordable (almost half the price of other models!), it is hard to complain.  After all, you can remedy it by opting for a lower setting which only hits 30 dB.

It can also double as an effective fan and dehumidifier.  Besides the fact that it has a great airflow level, we think its auto-swing airflow louvers are a huge help in distributing the air. As a humidifier, on the other hand, it won’t disappoint as it can collect up to 1.2 liters of moisture per hour.

BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT has a 5,000 BTU DOE rating (8,000 BTU ASHRAE). It doesn’t have the dual hose system that is popular in the market now but it can still deliver great performance.

It can cover 150 sq. ft. of space and achieve 65°F at the coolest setting. The cooling action of the AC was so fast that in less than 10 minutes, we already felt the full improvement in the temperature when we tried it to the suggested space coverage. At a 12 feet distance from the unit, you can also feel the strength of its fan. Nonetheless, it is not that loud. In our test, at the lowest settings, it only produced a minimum of 25 dB. However, it could reach up to 75 dB when set to its max setting. 

We also love its dehumidifier function which gives it more value. Its system is not the most sophisticated one out there as the unit is primarily meant as an AC, but in terms of stabilizing the humidity, it works really great! When we tested it in the basement, it managed to clean the musty odor of the space within 6 hours. We also like how active its dehumidifying system is. Within an hour, we already saw water in its dripping pan. Nonetheless, if you intend to use it for serious dehumidifying activity, it has a drain plug and the package comes with a drain pipe.

To change its function, you have the controls located at the top of the machine. There is almost no guesswork in its usage (though we would really love to see the icons properly labeled). On the other hand, the capacitive touch buttons are decently sensitive so their use isn’t a challenge in any way.

Besides the option to change the function of the unit from AC to fan to dehumidifier, you can also change the temperature of the AC and the speed of the fan. The control panel also provides other settings and some of our personal favorites are the selection of modes which means true convenience for anyone. First of them is the Auto Mode which can regulate the temperature according to your preference. There’s also the Sleep Mode which will dim the light on the top panel and will regulate the noise level of the machine. You can also do these commands with the included remote control in the package!

Besides the intuitive controls, we also found the installation of the portable AC very manageable for anyone. It comes with 4 casters, so moving it from one room to another isn’t a problem. (though it’s quite heavy!) When we opened the package, we received a 4’ 11” hose and window adapters. It worked with our sliding window and we basically just used foam cotton (as suggested in the instruction). All in all, the instruction and the installation process itself didn’t take us more than 15 minutes and we managed to install everything in place.