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The Best Portable Air Conditioners To Cool Down Any (Small) Space

Mike Dover
Written By Mike Dover
Writer and Editor
Last updated: Jan 14, 2025, 03:14 AM
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portable air conditioner

Portable air conditioners are one of the best ways to ensure that you can stay comfortable in your home, even on the hottest of days. Whether you’re looking for something simple and effective or something more advanced and powerful, we have you covered.

In this article, we’ll go over some of the best portable air conditioners on the market in 2025. We’ll discuss their features, performance, and prices so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to which one to buy. With our help, you’ll be able to stay cool and comfortable no matter the weather!

View all Contents
  • Buying Guide: Portable Air Conditioners
    • What Are Portable Air Conditioners and How Do They Work?
    • Where Can I Use a Portable Air Conditioner?
    • The Advantages of a Portable Air Conditioner
    • Things To Consider When Buying Portable Air Conditioners
  • People Also Asked
  • Your Trust, Our Core Commitment
  • Contributors
  • Related Reads

Best Portable Air Conditioners

  • Portable Air Conditioner: Best Overall (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this Portable air conditioners ↓
  • De'Longhi Portable Air Conditioner: Great Value (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this Portable air conditioners ↓
  • Pro Breeze Portable Air Conditioner: Most Versatile (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this Portable air conditioners ↓
  • Whynter Portable Air Conditioner: Efficient and Quiet (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this Portable air conditioners ↓
  • BLACK+DECKER Portable Air Conditioner: Perfect for Large Spaces (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this Portable air conditioners ↓
  • Ivation Portable Air Conditioner: High Tech Intergration (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this Portable air conditioners ↓

Comparing the Top Portable Air Conditioners of 2025

Portable Air Conditioner

Best Overall
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Stay cool, comfortable, and in control of your indoor climate with the SereneLife Portable Air Conditioner and Dehumidifier. As a versatile solution when you want to beat the heat, this air conditioner and dehumidifier is a portable powerhouse. Designed to transform any living space into an oasis of refreshment, it offers cooling and dehumidifying functions in on user-friendly unit.

With the flexibility that comes with this portable device, you can roll it into any room that needs a temperature or humidity boost. That way, you can enjoy the effects of this product wherever you need it most. This device is engineered for efficiency and convenience. Thanks to the way the settings are programmable, the device is customizable. With its user-friendly digital display and energy-saving features, you’ll have full control over your indoor environment, making it our top choice.

Product Pros
  • Excellent cooling and heating capabilities
  • Operates quietly
  • Energy efficient heating
Product Cons
  • May be too noisy for some

De’Longhi Portable Air Conditioner

Great Value
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Boasting 14,000 BTUs of power, this portable AC unit from De’Longhi can cool down large living spaces and open-plan areas of up to 700 square feet. It has a sleek, futuristic, black design that won’t stand out or ruin the aesthetic of your home, and it comes with various modes and features, including a dehumidifier and energy-saving modes. This unit not only cools down a room, but it also circulates air inside it as well, resulting in great, clean airflow and breeze (there’s nothing I appreciate more than that in the summer!). Adding to its futuristic nature is the fact that this portable air conditioner is incredibly quiet, only as loud as a whisper, making it something that will truly fade into the background.

Product Pros
  • Attractive, modern design
  • Offers impressive cooling power
  • Lots of modes and features
Product Cons
  • More expensive than most other models

Pro Breeze Portable Air Conditioner

Most Versatile
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The Pro Breeze Portable Air Conditioner is the perfect option if you’re looking for an AC unit that can do it all. This powerful and compact unit has 10,000 BTU of cooling units, making it perfect for your bedroom, office, or kitchen. For smaller spaces, the included window kit is easy to install and has a long extension system to position it exactly where you need it. This option also functions as a dehumidifier, perfect for humid climates. The included fan and sleep modes add to the multifunctionality of this choice.

The best part about this portable air conditioner is its innovative home features. Easily control this option with your phone through Alexa or Google Home. You can control your home’s temperature from anywhere with just a few taps. If you’re not near your phone, simply use the convenient remote to set the proper temperature. If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly option, this choice uses greener materials to ensure it’s a sustainable choice.

Product Pros
  • Dehumidifier, fan, and sleep modes
  • Compatible with Alexa and Google Home
  • Suitable for smaller spaces
Product Cons
  • Less power than some other options

Whynter Portable Air Conditioner

Efficient and Quiet
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Looking for a portable air conditioner that does more than simply cool down the air? Then you might be interested in theARC-14S portable air conditioner from Whynter. It comes with an activated carbon filter and performs as an air conditioner and air purifier in one sleek, two-tone package. 

Thanks to the presence of its filter, this portable air conditioner can effectively purify the air you breathe, getting rid of unwanted odors and elements and making your home a safer and more pleasant place to be. It’s also quite powerful, and it can cool rooms up to about 500 square feet. It even has dehumidifying modes and a 24-hour programmable timer for your cooling convenience in harsh summer weather. This is something I really can appreciate since it gets so humid where I live. If you live in a humid climate, this is a great portable AC for you.

Product Pros
  • Features an activated carbon filter
  • Purifies and cools the air
  • Features a handy programmable timer
Product Cons
  • Large and heavy

BLACK+DECKER Portable Air Conditioner

Perfect for Large Spaces
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One of the issues that many people encounter with portable air conditioners is that they just don’t have enough power to cope with big rooms or large living spaces. That’s not an issue you’ll have with this portable air conditioner from Black+Decker. 

This portable air conditioner has 14,000 BTUs of power and some of the top technology in the business, so it’s more than capable of cooling spaces of up to 700 square feet. It also happens to be a 3-in-1 unit, so not only does it function as an air conditioner, but it’s also capable of dehumidification and operating as a fan as well. The icing on the cake? This portable air conditioner comes with a handy remote control and a full installation kit.

Product Pros
  • Easy to install
  • Can cool large rooms and spaces
  • Efficient, powerful design
Product Cons
  • Pretty loud during use

Ivation Portable Air Conditioner

High Tech Intergration
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Last but certainly not least, we have this impressive smart air conditioner from Ivation. The first thing to note about this model is that it utilizes WiFi technology, which means you can connect this portable air conditioner to your home’s WiFi network and control its settings on your smartphone — all you have to do is download its corresponding app onto your device. 

With 13,000 BTUs, this portable air conditioner is powerful enough to handle most spaces, such as apartments and open-plan living areas. It also has a dehumidifier and a fan mode, and it comes complete with all the necessary accessories you’ll require for an easy, stress-free installation.

Product Pros
  • Features WiFi technology
  • Easy to control with your phone
  • Comes with all you need for setup
Product Cons
  • Not compatible with voice assistants

Buying Guide: Portable Air Conditioners

It’s not a coincidence that portable air conditioners are a popular choice around the world; they take up little space, can be easily relocated, and allow you to cool down any small room. Read on to learn more about how these units work, why you should buy one, and how to pick the ideal model when shopping for portable air conditioners in 2024.

What Are Portable Air Conditioners and How Do They Work?

As the name implies, a portable air conditioner is simply an air conditioner unit that doesn’t need to be installed into a window frame or into a ventilation system. Portable units make use of the same technology as other AC systems, but they’re smaller and self-contained, allowing users to easily move them around at the cost of effectiveness.

In terms of how they work, it’s actually quite simple — portable AC units contain refrigerant, which cools warm air as it passes over refrigerant-containing coils. Portable air conditioners effectively pull in air from the room, cool it down, send the warm air and moisture out of the window via a hose, and recirculate the cooler air back into your space.

Where Can I Use a Portable Air Conditioner?

Portable air conditioners are quite versatile, but they lack the power and performance levels of whole-house AC systems. Because of this, they may not be the right option for use in large spaces, such as working areas or offices, but they can be ideal for home use.

Many homeowners invest in portable AC units and place them in rooms that need cooling, like living areas and other commonly-used spaces. Since these units have wheels, you can easily roll them into another room if you want to move them elsewhere. My partner and I like to keep our portable AC in our bedroom, even though we can move it easily to our living room. We don’t have AC units in our home, so we really like to focus to cold in the bedroom in order to keep it at a comfortable level for sleeping during warmer summer days.

The Advantages of a Portable Air Conditioner

Is a portable air conditioner the right choice for you? That depends on your lifestyle and needs, but in general, these devices are very useful for many people and have tons of advantages, including:

Easy set-up and use

One of the things that many people enjoy about portable AC units is the fact that they’re really easy to work with — all you have to do is plug it in, connect the window kit, and you’ll be good to go. Portable air conditioners often come with handy remote controls, too, allowing you to operate them from the comfort of your bed or sofa.

Effective cooling

Even though portable air conditioners aren’t as powerful as integrated AC systems with ducts and outdoor units, they’re still quite powerful and effective. You can rely on these devices to cool down most spaces in the house, such as your home office or bedroom, for example. If you want to make your AC as effective at cooling as possible, we’ve found that closing the doors and windows of your “target” room will help you do so.

Portable

The most obvious feature of portable air conditioners is their portability, which allows you to pick them up or roll them around from room to room with minimal hassle. This gives you lots of ways to use these devices, and you can take them into other buildings or even bring them with you on vacation.

Cost-effective

Keeping your home cool costs money, and whole-home AC systems are often very expensive. A nice advantage of portable units is that they usually cost a lot less than larger window units. You can find good portable air conditioners for just a few hundred dollars. Portable units also have lower running costs compared to whole-home systems as well.

Things To Consider When Buying Portable Air Conditioners

Since there are so many portable air conditioners on the market, picking the right one can be a challenge. Here are some handy factors you can focus on to narrow down your search.

BTUs

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. In simple terms, this is a measurement of how powerful each AC unit is — the higher the number, the more powerful the unit. A portable air conditioner with 14,000 BTUs should be able to cool down a larger space than one with 12,000 BTUs, for example.

Size and weight

Check out the size and weight of a portable air conditioner before you buy it. Even though these units are “portable,” they can still be pretty heavy and bulky. If you plan to move your unit around a lot, you’ll want to find a relatively lightweight one.

Modes and features

You should take a look at the various modes and features included in a portable air conditioner. Some units are pretty basic and only have standard cooling modes, but others may have dehumidifying modes, heating modes, fan modes, and sleep modes. I’m a fan (pun intended) of these extra modes, especially dehumidifying. We all know that more moisture in the air in the summer feels incredibly hot sometimes.

Cost

You’ll probably also want to think about the cost of your portable AC unit. Price tags for these devices can vary from a few hundred dollars to much higher prices, so try to set a budget and stick to it.

People Also Asked

Are portable air conditioners good enough for big homes?

Portable air conditioners usually won’t be able to cool down the whole home, but you can move them around from room to room to lower the temperature in its main spaces.

Do portable air conditioners cost less to run?

Yes, it generally costs less money to power and run a portable AC unit than it does a whole-home AC system. Running a ton of portable units may not be cheaper than just installing and running a new system, though.

Do all portable air conditioners have to be vented out a window?

Not necessarily, as it depends on the unit’s design. Most portable air conditioners need window venting, but not all of them do.

How loud is a portable air conditioner?

Portable air conditioners are generally quieter than window air conditioners but can still generate quite a bit of noise depending on the model and design. On average, most portable air conditioners produce sound levels between 40-60 decibels, similar to a conversation level at home.

Is it easy to install a portable air conditioner?

Portable air conditioners are relatively easy to install and many models require only minimal assembly and no tools at all. Some models may require some additional setup such as attaching hoses or mounting brackets, but these tasks can usually be completed by a single person in just a few minutes with little effort.

What type of maintenance do portable air conditioners require?

Portable air conditioners typically require regular cleaning and filter changes in order to keep them running efficiently and effectively. You should also check all connections periodically to ensure they are secure and free of debris or dust buildup.

Do I need to buy additional accessories or supplies in order to use a portable air conditioner?

Most portable air conditioners come with all the accessories needed for setup and use including mounting brackets and hoses if needed; however, you may want to buy additional items such as window seals or exhaust hose extensions depending on your specific installation requirements.

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Contributors

Mike Dover
Mike Dover
Writer and Editor
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