39 used & new from 86 used & new from 111 used & new fromThose five or six days you decided to grace us with your presence sure were nice. You are a jerk. People say they like you, but you only serve to make everything hot and uncomfortable. We’re not going to take this lying down, Summer. Especially at night when we’re trying to sleep. And we’re going to fight you room by room. With these portable air conditioners. The statement above is the greatest misconception we saw regarding portable air conditioners and it results in a lot of 1-star ratings: people don't realize that, even though a portable air conditioner is not a window air conditioner, you MUST have a window to use a portable air conditioner (although, a sliding door or any other way of venting the exhaust to the outside will do as well). We wanted to make that clear early on, so that, if you don't have the option of venting your portable air conditioner to the outside, you can head on over to our report on fans instead, to find the one that will keep you the coolest.

When considering how to cool a home, there are two main options: central air conditioners (which cool the whole house from a central location) and smaller window or through-the-wall air conditioners that cool down individual rooms. We cover both of those types of air conditioners in their own reports, but there's also a third alternative -- a portable air conditioner. These are similar in scope and cooling capacity to a window air conditioner, but their more modest venting requirements make them easier to install -- especially in rooms where installing a window unit is either undesirable or impossible, such as apartment units where they may be prohibited. The best portable air conditioners can be set up quickly by just one person and can be moved around to cool a different room as needed, although they're still heavy in spite of having wheels. A portable air conditioner doesn't commandeer a large section of the window (like a window air conditioner does), but a portable AC still needs access to outside air.

Each portable unit comes with a window kit, which mounts one or two hoses to a small panel that's installed in a window. Some experts prefer the dual-hose style because it provides slightly better performance. says that, while that's true in theory, in practice the difference is actually very slight. how much does a 3 ton ac unit cost installedIn our research, we found that single-hose models often rate as well or better than many dual-hose portable air conditioners, and typically cost less.how to reset a window ac unit All air conditioners, including portable air conditioners, pull excess moisture from the air. 1 ton ac electrical loadThis is stored in a water tank that must be periodically emptied (machines will shut down when the tank is full) or drained continually through a hose running outside.

Portable air conditioners with a self-evaporative system minimize the need for emptying, though under more humid conditions, the water tank may still need to be emptied occasionally, and more frequently if the humidity is exceptionally high. Some portable air conditioners have dehumidifying functions that pull excess moisture from the air without cooling it. If you are primarily interested in that, we cover dedicated dehumidifiers in their own report. In doing the research for this report, we quickly found that expert reviews of portable air conditioners offer only half-hearted recommendations, and user reviews aren't much rosier. Like window air conditioners and central air conditioners, the cooling capacity of a portable air conditioner is measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs. , portable air conditioners aren't held to the same rating standards as window units or central air systems, so there's often a disconnect between their claimed BTU rating and the size of room a portable air conditioner can satisfactorily cool.

McCabe notes that even different models with the same BTU rating will vary in their actual cooling capacity. That means that the disparity between the BTU ratings of window and portable air conditioners renders traditional sizing guidelines somewhat moot. Instead, where a 6,000 BTU window air conditioner might be great for a small bedroom, testing shows that you may need to turn to a 10,000 BTU or better portable model to get the same degree of cooling. These performance shortfalls aren't a result of poor manufacturing, but a byproduct of having a unit that's designed to vent hot air to the outside while sitting entirely in the room it is trying to cool (instead of being half inside and half outside). Still, as most experts and users say, if a portable air conditioner is your only practical option, it's a lot better than having no air conditioner at all on a hot summer day., , and others. We considered performance, how easy the portable air conditioner was to set up and use, and how well it held up over the long haul, including the warranty and customer service reputation of the manufacturer.

The result is our picks for a portable air conditioner for any size room.Learning Center / Heating & Cooling / Portable Air Conditioners / Portable A/C Units: What’s the Difference Between Dual and Single Hose?Portable A/C Units: What’s the Difference Between Dual and Single Hose?Choose Your Room Size: 600 sq. ft. | 450 sq. ft. | 350 sq. ft. | 14,000 BTU & Up Up to 10,000 BTUI moved into a new apartment back in November. It’s a beautiful place from the 1920’s with a riverfront view; but with all its charm, it still has no air conditioning. It was cold when I moved in, so not having air wasn’t really an immediate concern. Earlier this month, however, it started getting a little toasty and soon a little muggy. Two things that do not mix well are over one hundred-year-old buildings and humidity. It was hot and stuffy – not exactly what you want to come home to after a long day of work. So, I began the search for an air conditioning unit that would suit my needs.

I thought it was going to be a simple process, until I learned that there are actually several different types of AC units. What’s the difference between a portable air conditioner and an evaporative cooler? What does ductless mini-split mean? How does a through-the-wall air conditioner even work? From window units to swamp coolers, I’ve laid out the ins and outs of the most popular AC units. Check out the pros and cons to see which ones works best for your cooling needs. Window Air Conditioning Unit Aside from central air, the window unit is the most common AC system. It’s specially designed to be installed in your window. It works by pulling in the air from your space, dehumidifying and cooling it, then pushing back out the now cold air. The remaining hot air is pushed out the window from the hot air exhaust system. They take up less space. Having the unit in your window keeps it off the ground and out of your way.A window unit will still run you $200 and up, but they are cheaper than the $500+ wall units.

They can be hard to install. These things are very back heavy, and since you have to stick the back out the window, they can be dangerous. Some don’t quite fit your window just right either, so even with folding panels, you’ll still need to screw them into the window. They can be seen as a liability. Since these things are heavy, if it were to somehow fall out of your window, it could really hurt someone. Many apartment complexes are moving away from these models, to avoid the risk. If you’re renting, check with your management to see if they allow window units. Through-the-Wall Air Conditioning Unit These through-the-wall AC units are similar to the window units, except they’re made to be installed into your wall in a chassis sleeve. They still work the same, but they need the chassis to support the weight of the unit. Most sleeves can simply slide in and out to help with installation. They don’t take up space. These units can be installed inline with your wall, so they don’t stick out at all.

They can be very discrete. Through-the-wall AC units tend to come with a higher cooling capacity. While they’re typically used to cool one room, they can cool a larger room. They have a higher price point. Through-the-wall air conditioning units will run you $450 and up. Unlike the window units, these don’t have venting, which lowers their cooling efficiency. The through-the-wall units tend to be heavier. Unless you already have a hole in your wall, these units aren’t a quick installation. Ductless Mini-Split System Air Conditioners The ductless mini-split system is unique to the air conditioning units, because it is not a self-contained unit. The system is generally made up of two parts; the larger condenser unit, which sits outside, and the blower system that is mounted on the wall indoors. There is no ducting on the system; instead, it uses refrigeration lines from outside, which travel though an insulated tube into the blower system. The blower then pushes the cold air out into the room.

These systems are quiet. Many air conditioning units are noisy, but since the condenser actually sits outside, you don’t get as much noise inside the house. The wall mount makes the mini-split system unobtrusive. You can have wall mounts in different rooms, and control them each individually. While they can be used in the home, this also makes them popular choices in offices. They are harder to install. Being that there are two pieces, not one self-contained unit, it’s harder to set everything up, especially if you have multiple wall units. They have the highest price point, running you anywhere between $600 on the lower end, into the $2,000 range. Portable Air Conditioning Units Much like the window unit, a portable AC unit has ducting that sucks in the air in your space, pushing out the hot air while dehumidifying and returning cold air. Uniquely, these air conditioners are free standing pieces. Although they stand alone, they still need to be set up to blow hot air out through a window.

To do this, they come with a window kit and a hose that will allow the hot air to travel out of your apartment.You just connect the hose, set up the window piece and you’re ready to cool down in no time!With the window units, a lot of apartments see them as a risk that could hurt someone if they fall. The freestanding unit eliminates that risk, but still dehumidifies and cools your place down.While portable air conditioning units aren’t as cheap as window units, they’re only $50 or so more, so they’re still pretty affordable.Since the whole unit is inside your space, the noise is louder than other models.Since they are freestanding units that sit on the floor, they are definitely a little more in the way.Not surprisingly, you’ll need to clean the air filter, but what you might not think about is the water tray underneath. Since the unit is dehumidifying the air as well, it needs somewhere to store that water. It collects in a tray that you’ll need to empty from time to time.

Evaporative Coolers (Swamp Coolers) If you live in a drier climate, you’ve probably heard of these before. An evaporative cooler (or swamp cooler as they’re more commonly known) can be a freestanding or window unit that cools and humidifies the air. It uses evaporation technology to cool water and fan it out into the room. Essentially, it pulls in hot dry air and sucks it through damp pads to cool the air, then it fans it back out into the room. It cools like the other AC units but in a completely different and unique way, perfect for people in dry areas.These are the least expensive AC units on the market. They’ll cost you between $100 and $200. Ideal if the air in your house is dry. It humidifies while keeping you cool and comfortable. Easy to set up. Comes in a free standing model or a window unit. The free standing units, like the portable air conditioners, are bulky and can get in the way. If you live in a humid climate, this is not going to work well for you.