User rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars with 750 reviews. By contrast, the other models we tested reached SACC scores between 7,200 and 8,500, even with a higher Btu rating by the old standards (although that also demonstrates some of the problems with those older measurements). 76. But contained within that hose are two separate conduits for intake and exhaust, making it even more efficient than the competition. Gofoit Evaporative Mini Air Cooler can provide you with cool air for up to eight hours, depending on your settings, and should be enough for a comfortable nights sleep. The one major exception, however, is if you plan on setting up your portable AC in a room with a furnace or hot water heater or anything else that uses combustion. Black & Decker offers a portable air conditioner that might meet all of your needs. The controls on the Black+Decker are touch-sensitive, but its hard to tell if youve activated them. 1. Our top pick overall is the Whynter Elite ARC-122DS, a mid-priced model that offers great functionality for most homes, though its certainly not the only stellar option out there. I bought some replacement window sash locks to doubly safeguard the window (it doesnt budge) and actually feel this is a safer option for a lower floor because of those. Get fast, easy access to all the help you need. If you find yourself in one of those situations, a portable air conditioner could make the difference between sweltering surroundings and comfort. This portable AC offers plenty of thoughtful features, including a variable-speed dual-rotor compressor, a built-in hose for easier setup, and a convenient storage pocket. Used wet towels to keep exhaust hose cool as it adds additional heat to living space!! This is normally fine, since the unit has wheels to help you move it around, but its weight can be a problem when youre trying to tip the machine over to use the drain plug, which is inconveniently located at the very bottom of the unit. Even when the temps outside are in the 90's, they keep my entire home nice and cool. It also has all the same smart-home features (though with a different user interface), a similar built-in accordion hose and sturdy window-installation kit, and a convenient pocket on the back where you can store the remote control, plug, or manual. Insignia refrigerators are largely produced in China by a company called Haier. 3. Although it doesnt have the same power or efficiency as an inverter model like the Midea or the LG, the single-hose Frigidaire somehow inexplicably managed to run at an even lower volume in our tests, beating both of those portable ACs by about 2 decibels. No ac in a rarely used room? In 2023, Frigidaire introduced the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1, a slightly larger version of the FHPW122AC1 that also adds a heat pump for year-round air conditioning. I was expecting some small thing that I could easily cart from room to room but it's actually rather large and heavy. Bu-zzz-ZZZ! as it shifts into gear as on other portable ACs; in fact, if the Duos fan is running on high, you probably wont even notice when its actively cooling. If youre looking for a similar unit that also heats, check out the brands ARC-14SH model. So I bought this thinking it would just be "OK". Thanks for joining the community of friends who own and enjoy insignia products. That said, you may have to pay extra for this convenience. We had initially dismissed the FHPW122AC1 simply because we thought the Frigidaire Gallery Cool Connect GHPC132AB1 was a better deal for just $100 more. The Whynter Elite ARC-122DS used to be our top pick. Redic!! ft. 4.3 (1218 reviews) $289.99 WAS * $299.99 Buy Now * Non US customer - check your local stores for pricing and availability Features Specifications Customer Reviews Support & Downloads This particular model is rated for 10,000 BTU ASHRAE (6,000 BTU DOE); its able to keep rooms up to about 270 square feet cool with an airflow of 290 cubic meters per hour. In this article, well look at the Insignia portable air conditioner as a solution to the ever hotter days we are all experiencing. Nonetheless, its fairly compact and comes with a remote so you can operate it from across the room, though theres also a simple control panel on the top of the unit as well. Our bigger gripe with the app concerns the lengthy registration process, which requires you to give Frigidaire all of your contact information, including your home address and the units date of purchase. These differ from other air conditioning systems and work by blowing air over a moistened pad or filter, causing the air to become cooler and reducing the temperature of a room. Hope this helps. Most models operate at an average of 55 decibels (dB), equal to the sound of a normal conversation. With climate change becoming an ever present danger in our lives, the result of the increasing heat of our summers can be clearly seen. The Whynter ARC-14S Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner is near the top end of what portable AC units can do. Like the Midea Duo, it has an inverter compressor that makes it quieter and more efficient than other portable air conditioners, with an SACC of 10,000 Btu per hourthe same as the Midea, even though its power output by the older standards was comparatively higher than the Mideas at 14,000 Btu per hour. We plan on testing several new portable ACs this summer, including a potential replacement for our discontinued Frigidaire pick. However, as a heater, it has slightly less reach, only good for about 250 t0 300 square feet. It worked so beautifully I came back this year and bought 2 more! the best portable air conditioner for large rooms. On hot days (low to mid 80's) it can cool each room in just a few minutes. This design is easier to manage than the hoses on other models we testedsome project awkwardly out of the back, sit perpendicular to the unit, or are completely detachable so they must be stored separately and can be misplaced. Weve considered nearly 175 different portable models and performed hands-on trials with more than 20 of the best options available. Ft., 3-in-1 AC Unit, Dehumidifier, & Fan, Portable AC with Installation Kit & Remote Control $446.95 $569.99 Buy now 16% The unit comes with a remote control that adds to the ease of use. Shop for insignia portable air conditioner at Best Buy. Even with the bedroom door cracked open and the bathroom door open, this unit has been cooling the bedroom just fine. Finally, well be taking a look at the Honeywell MO0CESWK7 Portable AC in consideration as a potential new budget pick. Depending on your specific needs, a portable air conditioner can be worth buying. Overall I think it's a great air conditioner for the price. Once we figured out what was happening, it made sense and actually helped to demonstrate the Duos impressive air-circulation prowess. Quiet, easy to setup and super portable. 8000-BTU DOE 115-Volt White Vented Wi-Fi enabled Portable Air Conditioner Cools 501-700 Sq Ft. It has an impressive 14,000 BTU ASHRAE (9,500 DOE) that can cool a 600-square-foot room with ease, moving 253 cubic feet per minute. Portable air conditioners can therefore be a good intermediary resolution to the problem. The Duos efficiency advantage is clearly demonstrated in the changing standards for measuring portable AC power output, as well. By prescreening for these stats, we got the impression that every model we tested would cool a room capably. The control panel and display on the Duo are large and easy to navigate, with just a few LEDs that are subtle enough that they probably wont keep you awake at night. We measured the volume at each units various settingscompressor on/off and fan high/medium/lowfrom a distance of about 6 feet with an audio spectrum analyzer app. It did not come with the hose!! . Then pass go!!!!! The Duos swinging fan is a rotating cylinder that sits on top of the unit and does an impressive job of spreading the cool air around the room. And its definitely a powerful beast, with the kind of fan that you can still feel blowing on your skin from 15 feet away. Like most portables it has the very outdated, wire spiral, plastic covered, collapsible hose. Power: 10,000 BTU ASHRAE / 6,000 BTU DOE | Coverage area: Up to 270 square feet | Noise level: 55 to 57 dB | Additional features: Includes fan and dehumidifier functions. All rights reserved. This is great if you think you might enjoy listening to an amateur White Stripes cover band with a snake on lead vocals, but it might not be the best if you want to sleep or get any work done. The fact that this hose is anchored to the body of the AC by default also makes it easier to wrangle when youre trying to set the AC up (thus helping you avoid the frustration of securing the hose into the window only to realize that you accidentally pulled it out of the AC, trapping yourself in a clumsy tug-of-war with an exhaust hose). This thing works amazingly well. (When in doubt, consult the EnergyGuide label on the box.). 21% BLACK+DECKER Air Conditioner, 14,000 BTU Air Conditioner Portable for Room up to 700 Sq. In fact, youd be hard pressed to find a portable unit able to cool a room faster. Bought one last year for my elderly mom's room during a mini heat wave in May. I absolutely recommend this unit. Power: 14,000 BTU ASHRAE / 10,000 BTU DOE | Coverage area: Up to 450 square feet | Noise level: 53 dB (highest setting) | Additional features: Includes fan and dehumidifier functions. The ONLY drawback I've found is that they work so well, I've found myself putting off having my central A/C system replaced! Most manufacturers include an estimated noise level, measured in decibels (dB), to tell you how loud an AC gets at peak performance. The app allows you to start and stop the cooling, set the temperature and change the fan mode. Well be testing this one as well. Unlike central air, which cools rooms, ceiling fans cool people directly. Cool up to 350 sq. The unit is very quiet on low and even on high it is tolerable. And BestBuy delivered in on the promised day free. I bought this the summer of 2019 and currently using it for the third summer now. Insignia Window Air Conditioner - 5000 BTU - White (16 Reviews) $179.99. The SereneLife SLPAC10 earns its status as the best affordable portable air conditioner thanks to its moderately powerful cooling abilities and its overall versatility. Its drain port works like the others, as well: You can screw it open when you need to empty the unit of condensation or attach a hose to it. I live on the second floor of an old Victorian and it's been like an oven in here. SAVE $70. In our tests, it was also remarkably effective at distributing the cool air, never leaving more than a 1-degree temperature difference across the room. What Causes An Air Conditioner To Stop Cooling? I already installed both new ones and tested them. If you wait to set up your AC until an already-sweltering day, youll be even more annoyed when you realize you need to sign up for more junk mail before you can get cool again. Its a little louder than our also-great pick (about 5 decibels, on average) and doesnt have quite the same thoughtful bells and whistles we enjoyed, but otherwise it performed nearly as well as the Cool Connect. The temperature was 81 degrees when we turn it on and within about 120 minutes the temp was down to 73. Many modern air conditioners offer a mix of smart features, including setting target temperatures and timers or controlling the device through a smartphone app. The remote control is standard, and the unit has a convenient recess on the back to store the plug at the end of the season. We also graded the air conditioners on the general usability factors that determine what its like to live with one in your home. Weve added details to the What To Look Forward To section. It has a temperature setting that will cycle the compressor on and off to hold the temperature you set. But the Mideas compressor design means that the initial difference in sound between fan-only mode and cooling mode is much less abrupt than it is on the Frigidaire. The 8000 BTU of cooling power helps keep your room at a comfortable temperature, while the three modes provide flexible functionality. Hello Clander12,Thank you so much for providing us with your review on this A/C, it pains me to hear that you are having these type of issues with it. But if you dont have central air, and a window AC isnt an option, a portable AC is the next best way to beat the heatand if thats the case for you, we recommend the Midea Duo MAP12S1TBL. No thermostat I was able to set the whole house to 78 (instead of the normal 76) and use this air conditioner in the bedroom. Overall, we made sure the picks we chose could fit a variety of spaces, budgets and lifestyles. The SACC metric measures not only cooling capacity but also how the unit performs on muggy days or hot and dry days, and it even accounts for the effect of heat radiating back into the room from the units vent. It could be a pain to set up as the window part will not fit all windows. We think its worth the extra $100 for the quieter performance and other thoughtful details, but the FHPW122AC1 is a great alternative. $29999 Model: NS-AC08PWH1. The Black+Decker BPACT14WT is loud and clumsy, yet its your best bet for a cheapish portable air conditioner that will actually get the job done. When shopping, make sure to look closely at each units BTU rating, which measures its power. There are two main types of portable air conditioners: Single-hose and dual-hose. What Does The Sun Symbol Mean on Air Conditioner? I wish I had purchased a window unit. Here are eight of the best portable air conditioners you can buy right now, along with the reasons why we think theyre great. Suffice to say, the Midea Duo is more likely to have the hardware that you need for your particular situation, whatever it may be.