Best Portable Air Conditioner: Stay Cool And Fresh

Best Portable ACs For Travel

Portable Air Conditioner Fan

This portable air conditioner/fan is the most affordable travel-friendly AC. It is USB operated and it has a rechargeable battery, so you can actually use this mini AC wirelessly. And that is really cool.

It’s a super lightweight and portable air conditioner and you can easily travel with it. And since you can use it wirelessly, you can actually use this to cool down a bit on the beach or on the train. That’s actually a bit of a downside – this portable air conditioner is not able to cool down an entire room because it’s so small.

But it will cool you down rather efficiently. It takes the warm air from the room and drags it through the filter so that it only puts out cool air. Naturally, it runs on water. But, you can also add some ice cubes to the water tank, for a stronger cooling effect.

This unit can also work as an air purifier and humidifier. You’re not supposed to move it around while it is working so that the water in the tank doesn’t spill into the other parts.

This portable air conditioner features a large handle on the top, so it is pretty easy to carry around when it is not working. The portable air conditioner has three fan speeds and the front shutter allows you to adjust the direction of air output. Overall, it’s a pretty good unit for the money.

ONXE Portable Air Conditioner

The Onxe unit is a great travel-friendly option. Thanks to the convenient top handle, it’s very easy to carry around. It is also a lightweight and fairly small portable air conditioner, so you can actually fit this in your bag.

It can easily cool down the area around you – some 40 square feet. But it won’t do much, in terms of cooling down an entire room. In addition to that, this portable air conditioner can reduce the temperature by some 12 degrees (Celsius), and even more if you put ice cubes in the water tank.

The design of the tank is really great – there’s a funnel inside the unit, so it’s super easy to fill this up and not spill a drop of water. Plus, there’s a water level scale on the back of this air conditioner, which helps you know when to stop adding water to the Onxe.

This cooling unit also works as a humidifier and a fan, as well as a night light. It has an LED light with 7 different color options, which is pretty great. Additionally, the grill on the front of the device allows you to adjust the direction where the air is blowing. But, you can only adjust the grill up or down; you can’t move it to the side.

The Onxe portable air conditioner is pretty quiet, and it will not disturb your sleep. However, I’m not sure if it turns off automatically when it runs out of water. You should probably test that out before you let it work overnight.

OVPPH Portable Air Conditioner

The OVPH is a bit different from the other portable air conditioner units because of its shape. It is rectangular, so it’s kind of tall, but also pretty narrow. And because of its shape, the position of the water tank is pretty unique. It’s at the very bottom, and it is totally separate from the rest of the unit, so it’s really easy to fill it up without spilling anything.

This portable air conditioner can work for about 4-6 per fill, which is a decent amount of run time. And you can add ice cubes in the water tank, for a better cooling effect. In addition to being an AC unit, you can also use this as a fan. Just keep in mind that the fan mode is not as efficient as the AC mood in cooling the air.

There are three fan speeds on the OVPH and you can adjust them with a knob below the digital display. Additionally, there is also a water level indicator on the display, which lets you know how much water is left in your air cooler.

One downside to this unit is that it doesn’t have a carry handle. So, it’s not as convenient for traveling as some of the other portable air conditioners I’ve shown you. In addition to that, this comes with a DC adapter, and you can’t really plug it into your computer. That’s one advantage of the USB-powered units.

SUNBOND Portable Air Conditioner

The Sunbond AC unit is probably the best small air conditioner in this review. It is so compact and lights that it might actually fit into your bag. And, even though this unit is not that large, it actually does a decent job at cooling down a room. Of course, this isn’t really suitable for large rooms, but it’s one of the best things that you can keep on your desk.

This portable air conditioner comes with a USB cable, and you can just plug it into your laptop. It needs only water to work, and it does not use any Freon, which means that it is not harmful to your health.

Additionally, this nifty little air conditioner also works as an air purifier, humidifier, and sterilizer. Plus, this also has an aromatherapy spray function, so it also works as an air freshener. The unit has three fan speeds, and it stops producing cold air as soon as it runs out of water. It also turns off when you take off the lid, which is a great safety precaution.

The Sunbond also features an LED light on the side, which functions as a night light. You can adjust the color of the light, and that’s a pretty cool addition. It is a really quiet unit, so it won’t disturb your sleep at all.

Overall, if you are looking for a really affordable and portable air conditioner, this is probably the best one you can get.

IcyBreeze Cooler Chill Package

The Icy Breeze is probably the most interesting portable air conditioner you can buy. It’s also a pretty versatile product since it is both a cooler and an air conditioner. This actually makes it a great option for travel – it’s something that will not take up too much space in your car, and it actually works!

The IcyBreeze is a cooler that can hold 30 lbs of ice. It works really well as just a cooler – the ice takes a really long time to melt, especially if you use large frozen cubes. Don’t use the ice you put in your drink, but rather just freeze a big bottle or Tupperware dish of water.

And then it also has a fan in the hose on top. So, when you feel like you want to cool down (and not with an icy drink), you pick up the hose, turn on the fan and enjoy the icy air blowing in your face.

There are three fan speeds on this thing, and obviously, the higher the speed you choose, the faster the ice inside the cooler will melt. For longevity, you want to use the IcyBreeze at lower speeds. And for a quick cooldown just load it up with ice and turn it on high.

This portable air conditioner comes only with a 12V car adapter, which is one downside. That’s okay if you want to use this in your car or boat, but not really if you want to use it at home or while you’re traveling. You can purchase a battery pack separately, and I recommend you do that for the full functionality of the IcyBreeze.

One thing to note is that there are other IcyBreeze units that have rechargeable batteries (The Flurry Package and The Frost Package), but they are more expensive than this unit, and they do not perform as well.

Best Portable ACs For Home

JHS Small Portable Air Conditioner

The JHS unit is a good affordable option. It’s one of the few portable air conditioners under $300, which is a pretty good price point. And it actually works – with 8000 BTUs, this unit is able to keep an area of 200 square feet cool for hours at a time.

There are three functions you can choose from – air conditioner, fan, and dehumidifier. It has two fan speeds and, as a dehumidifier, it has a capacity of 31.7 pints per day. The JHS unit has wheels, so it is pretty easy to move from room to room.

It has an LED panel and comes with a full-function remote control. There’s also a programmable 24-hour timer on this unit, as well as sleep mode, which means that the air conditioner is operating on energy-saving mode and running quieter than usual.

One downside of this portable air conditioner is that there’s some fuss when you’re just setting it up. When it first arrives, you’re not supposed to turn it on for at least 24 hours if it was not transported in the upright position. And you should always assume that it wasn’t. Plus, this unit is only compatible with slide windows, so keep that in mind.

As for noise, the JHS is not exactly a quiet portable air conditioner. At the lower fan speed, this operates at 49dBA, and at the higher fan speed, it goes up to 54dBA. Mildly annoying, but not too loud.

Honeywell MO08CESWK Portable Air Conditioner

Honeywell products are usually really good – especially their air humidifiers. And obviously, their air conditioning units. Their products are also on the pricier end of the spectrum, but the quality you get definitely justifies the prices.

You can actually choose between two types of this Honeywell portable air conditions. One has 8000 BTU’s and it works for a 350 sq. ft. room, and the other one has 10000 BTU’s and works for a 450 sq. ft. room. So, get the size that is most appropriate for the area you want to keep cool.

This unit is pretty lightweight for its size – it’s actually one of the lightest portable air conditioners I’ve managed to find. If you’re looking for something that you could actually fit in the trunk of your car, this is a good option.

It is very easy to set up, and that is always a bonus. Additionally, this air conditioner is really simple to use – it comes with remote control and features a digital display. The unit has 2 working speeds, a digital humidistat, and a 24-hour energy-saving timer.

The built-in humidifier removes up to 44 pints a day when it is continuously working. One thing I would improve is the noise this portable air conditioner makes – 50-53dB, depending on the fan speed. And that is louder than the cheapest unit in this review.

SereneLife Portable Air Conditioner

This portable air conditioner has three operating modes – cooling, dehumidifier, and fan. It also has a built-in swing mode, for optimal air circulation. That is actually a pretty convenient feature, and something you won’t find on similar units.

You can choose between three sizes and powers of this unit, so pick one that is best suitable for the space you are trying to cool down. The dimensions and weight listed below are of the 10000 BTU unit; the 8000 BTU unit is smaller and lighter, and the 12000 BTU unit is larger and heavier.

The SereneLife AC features two fan modes – low and high. However, both modes are pretty loud – 52-56dB.

This unit also features a 24-hour timer and a sleep mode, which are rather useful options. But the sleep mode is mostly just the fan running on low speed – if you’re a light sleeper, I seriously doubt you would be able to fall asleep with this working in the room.

You get a remote control for this unit, which allows you to adjust all of the settings from the comfort of your couch. The control panel on the actual air conditioner is digital and pretty simple to use.

It will be really easy to move this portable air con from room to room, thanks to the built-in wheels and side handles. And this actually can actually cool down a larger room pretty fast, which is the most important thing. Right?

BLACK + DECKER BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner

This unit is a really good option for the price. Black + Decker is known for the quality of its products, so you can expect great things from their portable AC.

The first thing that amazed me about this one was the number of options you have – 6 power options, ranging from 8000 BTU to 14000 BTU. The specifications listed below are for the most powerful air conditioner – the smaller ones are lighter and cheaper than this one.

Additionally, there are two options that also work as a heater in the winter – worth considering if you’re looking for a versatile product. And it’s pretty easy to move it from room to room, thanks to the wheels and integrated carry handles.

This unit has an LED digital display and controls that are very easy to see and use. It also comes with remote control, so that you never have to get up to adjust the temperature of the room. And it has an energy-saving setting, which will do wonders for your electric bill.

One downside to this portable air conditioner is that it is loud. On the high setting, this machine makes a lot of noise – 75 dB to be precise. So, even though it actually has a sleep setting, I doubt you will be able to sleep anywhere near this thing.

DeLonghi Pinguino Portable Air Conditioner

The DeLonghi air conditioner is easy to set up, and it has wheels and handles that allow you to effortlessly move it around the house. Just be careful with the hose – the no-drip technology does recycle any condensation inside the unit so that it doesn’t leak, but accidents do happen.

This comes with a window kit, so it is really easy to set up. And it also works with windows that slide open side-to-side.

One issue with this portable AC is that it’s supposed to work for rooms that are 550 square feet, but it only has 6800 BTU. Realistically, that can keep a 300 sq. ft. room cool throughout the day, but not much larger areas. So, if you genuinely need something that works in 550 square feet, then definitely skip this unit.

This unit has a lighted display with electronic controls, so it is pretty user-friendly. It also features a 12-hour timer, as well as an LCD remote control that gives you access to all settings. Those include an adjustable thermostat, 3 fan speeds, and mode selection.

The DeLonghi is also pretty quiet – you will still hear it when it’s on, but it makes much less noise than some cheaper units out there. Also, this unit is pretty lightweight considering its size, and that’s another plus for me.