Best Portable Air Conditioner TechnoBuffalo 2021

A portable air conditioner is an efficient and effective way to cool down your home, or an individual room, on hot summer days (or even year-round in some places). You can place the unit and direct the airflow to exactly where you need it, and most air conditioners are quiet enough to hold a conversation while it is running.

Black Decker BPP05WTB Portable Air Conditioner

Best overall: Black & Decker BPP05WTB

Staff Pick

The Black & Decker air conditioner cools your room down to 61 degrees Fahrenheit. The fan is adjustable and can be controlled from the unit or with the included remote control. It features a 24-hour timer, so you can set the Black & Decker to automatically adjust the thermostat depending on the time of day. It has an extra-long window adapter and power cord, so you can position the air conditioner where you need it. It also features a sleep mode that keeps the ac running on a quieter setting, so you can sleep comfortably without being disturbed.

$346 at Amazon
SereneLife SLPAC Portable Air Conditioner

Best value: SereneLife SLPAC Portable Air Conditioner

The SereneLife portable air conditioner cools up to 215 sq. ft. It has a built-in humidifier that helps maintain comfortable humidity levels. It also works as a dehumidifier to reduce allergens and other small particles in the air. It comes with a window mounting kit and is easy to set up by following the step-by-step guide. You control the speed and other settings from the unit itself, or with the included remote control. You can choose to display temperatures in either Fahrenheit or Celsius.

$310 at Amazon
portable AC

Best smart air: MIDEA 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner

The MIDEA smart air conditioner connects to your smartphone and Bluetooth enabled devices, like Amazon Echo, so you can control, set, and start this portable air conditioner. This unit cools up to 200 square feet of space and chills down your room to 62 degrees Fahrenheit. The window hose extends to almost five feet. The MIDEA air conditioner can be easily maneuvered out of the way because of the caster wheels it's set on.

$390 at Amazon
Whynter Arc-14S Portable Air Conditioner

Best for large rooms: Whynter ARC-14S

With two hoses, the Whynter ARC-14S portable air conditioner cools down large areas - up to 500 square feet - quickly. It collects moisture from the air each day and recycles it to both cool your home and eliminate the need to empty a collection bucket. You can control temperatures and program settings from the digital control panel or with the included remote control. This Whynter air conditioner doubles as a heater.

$511 at Amazon
portable AC

Best for small rooms: Black & Decker BPACT10WT

This portable air conditioner cools a decent area, including small homes and apartments. Its lowest setting reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit, with both temperature and 24-hour programming easily set from the control panel or the included remote control. This Black & Decker air conditioner has a bucket-less design, so as it pulls moisture from the air; it allows it to evaporate rather than collect. The filter is removable and washable for easy care.

$380 at Amazon

What we recommend and why

Before choosing a portable air conditioner, get an idea of how big the room is where the unit will be placed. The average size of a living room is 216 square feet while a bedroom is about 132 square feet. \A standard kitchen is between 240 and 360 square feet. Knowing this will eliminate several air conditioning models based on their inability to cool your home.

The Whynter ARC-14S is one of the best and most flexible options because it is efficient enough to cool down large areas, including a studio apartment. It works in both humid and arid environments and will recycle moisture pulled from the air to help cool the air circulating through it. This means there isn't a collection bucket that needs to be emptied. You can set the thermostat down to 61 degrees Fahrenheit, but this unit can also be used as a heater. Settings can be controlled from the digital panel on the air conditioner or with the included remote control. The Whynter air conditioner is pretty big, weighing 80 pounds, and has a high price tag. But the amount of flexibility and the efficiency of its cooling, and heating, capabilities are worth the cost.

But overall, I like the Black & Decker BPP05WTB best. This is because it still cools a good size space - 150 sq. ft., has convenience features like a 24-hour timer, sleep mode, and remote control, but doesn't cost as much as the Whynter. I've used several Black & Decker ac units, and a MIDEA too. I love that the Black & Decker doesn't have a collection bucket that needs to be emptied. Instead, this air conditioner uses the collected moisture to cool the air and then evaporate the rest. In essence, it works as a dehumidifier, too. It is also effortless to use the included window adapter, even with older windows.

Why trust us

At TechnoBuffalo, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Author:

Nicole Johnston writes for multiple Future Publishing brands, covering topics from antivirus to kitchen appliances to SAS. She has over 15 years of research and writing experience, including eight years of testing and reviewing consumer products. Nicole earned bachelor's degrees in both English and Political Science with a focus on empirical research. In her spare time, Nicole serves as a member of several school councils and volunteers for a local arts board.

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