The Top 10 Best Portable Air Conditioners

Which portable air conditioner is the best to buy? This is a pretty common question we get through out our reviews and shopping guides. Actually, just a few months ago our air conditioner broke and this is what ignited our reviews and research of the most popular AC’s in the market today. Our ultimate pick came out to be the Honeywell MN10CESWW, but in case you needed some more options, we review the 10 best portable air conditioners in the market today. Let’s see what we found.

Picking the best portable air conditioner

• Your budget – The best portable air conditioners aren’t considered to be exactly cheap. We did find quite a few models within different price-points to help you get some options. Who knows, you may find a unit worth saving up a few more weeks for.
• Intended use – This will combine with the next factor (size) as well. If you’re looking to cover a larger room than most, you’ll need to make sure the AC can project through out the entire intended space. If you’re envisioning need to cool only 300 ft. or so, you can be fine with a smaller-sized unit. Otherwise, the bigger the room, the higher capacity you’ll need.
• AC size – Where do you foresee yourself using your portable AC? In an apartment? Go for a smaller, slim size. Huge living room? A large one could be great. With all of this being said however, most of these are pretty small to where they’ll even fit in a studio apartment so we wouldn’t be too worried about size unless you’re really trying to cram it in a corner somewhere.
• Additive features – Some of the best portable air conditioners come with side features that make it well worth the money (which also depends on what you prefer to have in yours). Some popular features out there include remote, wheels

The top 10 best portable air conditioners

Honeywell MN10CESWW

In our opinion, this is one of the best portable air conditioners in the market today. With its sleek and modern design, it has the capacity of dehumidifying areas of over 350 square feet. It uses 3-in-1 technology with a 3M electrostatic filter and its compressor is environmentally friendly. As a portable air conditioner, it delivers some of the best and most optimum cooling and dehumidification within its class. This item has a fan-only function in case you’re in the mood for some lighter cooling (or need that white noise to sleep like us). The air conditioner supports the use of a remote, so you can control all its features when you are around the home (a bit more convenient than you’ll assume). Contrary to the fixed AC, the air conditioner does not require you to make a permanent installation, and its four caster wheels offer easy mobility. On top of everything else, the auto-evaporation system allows continuous operation without the need to drain any water or empty any bucket. The model includes flexible exhaust with an easy to install window. Check out the Honeywell MN10CESWW for one of the best portable AC’s out there.

Whynter ARC-14S

Up next, this is another one of the best portable air conditioners since it is lead free with high energy efficiency. It’s a bit more costly than the previously listed model, but if you have the money, you’re getting a few more advanced features. It is able to keep you cool while at the same time following the environmental standards that were established and reducing energy consumption. The air conditioner features an eco-friendly CFC free refrigerant and a lead free RoHS compliant component. The unit has patented advanced auto drain technology while in use and also recycles the moisture that is collected in the cooling process in order to produce cool air.  The air conditioner comes with cast wheels for easy mobility and with its digital display, it is easy for the user to control. The Whynter ARC-14S is the latest eco-friendly air conditioner and well worth it if you have the money.

Shinco YPL3-10C

You are able to enjoy cooling from this portable and self-evaporative system that does not require the use of a water tank so that it can function. It’s a bit cheaper than the few previous models so if you wanted to save some money, grab this model by Shinco. The portable air conditioner has the capacity of cooling rooms of up to 300 square feet and it has two speeds of cooling and fan use. The air conditioner does feature four-way air directions, which can help in distributing the air in an even way throughout the entire room. The digital controls let the user easily manage the system and in terms of additive features, a remote control has been included with this one. The Shinco YPL3-10C is the air conditioner that will help you keep cool for the entire summer season or help the airflow in your home or office year-round.

Honeywell MN12CES

This is another portable air conditioner by Honeywell considered to be the best by many, and it is capable of cooling the surrounding air in a quiet manner. It offers the right performance with its sleek design and although quite costly as compared to their other model, well worth it if you have the budget. The product is capable of dehumidifying and cooling at the same time. It also can cool up to 450 feet, and contrary to the traditional fixed AC, the unit does not need to be installed permanently. With its four caster wheels, it is possible to transfer the unit from one room to another if you feel the need to do so. The remote control added will ensure that you can get access to the air conditioner features without having to move from where you are sitting. This thing has all of the necessary features and more. The Honeywell MN12CES was rated way too highly not to include in here, and as you can see, comes from a brand that knows how to make a solid portable air conditioner worth looking at.

Luma Comfort EC110S

As you can see here, we have a bit of a different design than the others. This one actually looks like a fan while the others more of a refrigerator-type of look. We’d consider this to be one of our favorite budget-friendly portable air conditioners since it’s seen priced at nearly half the others (you’re still sacrificing a few features for the price-tag, don’t forget). When it is used in the best environmental conditions, the unit is capable of lowering the indoor temperature to be less than 30 degrees. The air conditioner is a perfect cooling solution for small and medium size bedrooms, sun rooms, offices, patios and living rooms. It uses less electricity, reducing the energy costs while it offers a refreshing breeze. The AC unit also uses cyclonic cooling technology with 3 speeds of air modes.  It offers high-efficiency rigid cooling with a large capacity removable water tank. The Luma Comfort EC110S is the best portable air conditioner which combines quality with its advanced design in order to keep the living space cool and comfortable for the entire summer, not to mention for a relatively low price.

LG LW1015ER

As we’re halfway down our list now, we start to get into some more unique portable air conditioners that may be exactly what you’re looking for. This is an AC that fits the build for what many would associate a portable AC to look like. The unit is capable of reaching up to 10,000 BTUs, and it can cool an entire room of over 450 sq. ft. With its stylish remote, you can have full control of the system. You can set it up quickly with the easy to use installation kit. The unit has 3 speeds for cooling along with fan speeds and an auto cool for the user’s convenience. It allows the user to control the temperature according to their preference for the home. The digital electronic touch is used to control the temperature of the room with one push of a button. With the LG LW1015ER, you are able to stay cool while at the same time-saving money in energy costs. LG also made it into SweetHome’s best portable air conditioner post.

Global Air NPA1-10C

This is more rare model that we feel makes it in the list of the best portable air conditioners because it offers cool air and the dehumidifying ability to remove at least 46.5 pints of moisture each day. It’s also within the middle price-point of the best portable AC’s. The cooling power of the unit is enough for spaces of 250 sq ft up to 400 sq ft. A 2 speed fan with 4 way air direction helps in cooling the air evenly in the entire space and the digital controls offer the best temperature setting along with a remote control that lets the user conveniently control the air conditioner from different places in the room.  The 24 hour on or off timer makes it easy to set up a cooling schedule and it helps to save on the electricity bills (you’d be surprised at how often you may mistakenly leave this thing on while racking up the money costs). The Global Air NPA1-10C is rated highly by many for a reason.

Honeywell CS10XE

Yes, another Honeywell model to check out, but this is in here for a reason as well. This is another one of our favorite budget-friendly picks, and if the previous cheap portable air conditioner didn’t catch your eye and you wanted a Honeywell, here it is. The unit is a non compressor system and it cools in a natural manner. It is inexpensive and efficient and you can use it with open doors and windows. The water tank is 2.6 gallons which isn’t gigantic but can get the job done and it has a less water alarm feature.  The user will find it easy to use this system — you only have to unpack it, add water, put it near an open window or door, and then plug it in to use it. The Honeywell CS10XE is the best portable air conditioner for any person who wants to reduce electricity use while cooling a room which is over 175 sq. ft. It is the best to have in the hot and dry climates where the humidity is also low.

Whynter ARC-10WB

This one is portable, easy to set up and compact even when it is put in small spaces. The unit can remove humid and warm air from a compact room and it replaces it with clean and cool air that the user needs to have a comfortable environment. The mobile and compact unit comes with a nifty self-evaporative system to control the condensation, and it is easy to install using only a single hose venting system. The unit has three operation modes, which are dehumidifying, fan only, and cooling. It is environmentally friendly, CFC free, and has been designed to achieve minimal energy consumption. The air conditioner uses the ozone safe R0410A refrigerant which is lead free on top of it all. The Whynter ARC-10WB is another one of the best portable air conditioners by the brand to provide excellent cooling in your home, especially if a big concern was the friendliness of the unit.

Frigidaire FRA052XT7

Last but not least, this is a solid budget-friendly model for smaller spaces. The unit is considered to be a “mini AC” and it offers 5,000 BTU as a room air conditioner. It is the perfect solution to have in small rooms that are up to 150 square feet. The air conditioner has rotary controls with the top full width air discharge.  An antimicrobial filter is used to reduce the bacteria, room odors and airborne particles that are found in the room environment. It also includes the pleated quick mount window with its mounting kit, which makes the air conditioner easy to be installed. It is capable to fit a window that is 23-36 inches wide and 13 inches high so make sure measure first if that was your intended use. Other features that you can find with this best portable air conditioner are the rotary controls and low voltage start-ups. The Frigidaire FRA052XT7 is an effective cooling unit that can be used in small rooms.