Shop the top picks for portable air conditioners to cool any sized room

Portable air conditioners fill a necessary role for those living in buildings without sufficient central air conditioning or simply for residents who elect to have full use of an open window, rather than install an in-window unit.

Portable air conditioners are complimented with many advantages including adjustable digital settings comparable to any other type of air conditioning unit. Some items are offered with built-in dehumidifiers while others also come with heating options.

Portability is a helpful factor when looking to heat or cool rooms that may be difficult to do otherwise due to shape or furniture.

According to the Department of Energy, air conditioning systems are measured on a scale that generally ranges from 5,500 Btu per hour to 14,000 Btu per hour, which measures cooling capacity in the context of air conditioners.

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"Proper sizing is very important for efficient air conditioning. Buying a larger capacity room air conditioner than is required won't make you feel more comfortable during the hot summer months," according to the DOE.

The DOE recommends 20 Btu for each square foot of living space. Recognizing your portable air conditioners' Btu and fitting it to your room size is a helpful step to take in not overusing energy when not necessary.

Portable air conditioners with heaters

Top picks for portable air conditioners

Smaller portable air conditioners