If you want fresh, cool air without the stress of a window AC installation, a portable air conditioner can be a great solution. Think of these appliances as AC units on wheels, able to cool a single room without as permanent of an installation in your home and windowsill — a key feature if you live in an apartment or four-season climate.
To help find the best portable air conditioners, I spoke with cooling and appliance experts, and got their advice about everything you need to know. Plus, I’ve included a list of the best units you can buy for rooms of all sizes.
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Best for large rooms$undefined$529.99
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The best portable air conditioners of 2026
My top picks come from large brands like Black+Decker, Midea and Whynter. I highlighted important specifications you should know inside the “What to know” menu.
Most powerful
This Whynter model is the most powerful and most advanced air conditioner on our list — it’s a good option if you need to cool a large room quickly and efficiently. It’s a dual-hose unit: one hose pulls fresh air into your home, the other pushes hot air outside. Dual-hose units are generally more powerful and efficient, but can be louder and more complicated to install. (More on hose type in our How to Shop section.)
It is also an inverter unit, which means it’s more energy efficient because it can automatically fine-tune how slow or fast it needs to run depending on the temperature inside.
Best budget AC
The low price does mean some compromises on features. There is no smart connectivity and the remote does not have a temperature readout like most of our other picks. While this AC is powerful for the price, light sleepers may want to avoid it — some reviewers on Amazon say it is loud, even on low fan settings.
Best AC for small rooms
This Black+Decker portable air conditioner for small rooms cools spaces up to 350 square feet — think bedrooms and offices. While there are a few size options available, this 8,500 BTU version is one of the most compact and lowest priced. Like all of our picks, you can adjust the settings on the unit itself or via the remote: both include a timer, sleep and auto modes.
Best AC for large rooms
With 12,000 BTUs of cooling, this powerful Dreo air conditioner for large rooms is more advanced than our other options. You can control the unit through the touchpad, remote control or Dreo Home mobile app, where you can set target humidity for its auto mode and create automatic schedules. Not to mention it cools larger spaces better than most other units on the list.
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How I picked the best portable air conditioners
I spoke with experts to better understand what features and specifications to look for in a quality portable air conditioner. Following their guidance, I selected top-rated units that met the following criteria:
- BTUs (British Thermal Units): An air conditioner’s cooling ability is typically measured in BTUs — the higher the number, the more powerful the AC. Per expert guidance, I selected portable ACs with a range of BTUs and recommended room size, so you can pick the most appropriate option for your space. (More on BTUs below)
- Functionality: All of our selections have additional fan and dehumidifier functions, as well as washable dust filters.
- Portability: Portable air conditioners can still weigh more than 50 pounds. I only selected units with built-in wheels that make them easier to move around.
- Top-rated: I selected portable AC units with at least a four-star average rating from customers on Amazon.
How to shop for a portable air conditioner
Portable air conditioners are generally pricier than window ACs. However, they’re much easier to install and are typically more compact, so you can move the unit from room to room without much effort, says Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards — an organization that works with brands and manufacturers to improve indoor air quality science and standards.
If a portable AC sounds right for your needs, keep the following in mind as you shop:
Placement and maintenance
A portable air conditioner has to be close to a window and an electrical outlet to work. They also require some maintenance, including draining the water from the unit as needed and cleaning the air filters every couple of weeks. This will help avoid mold growth in your unit since that can decrease your room’s air quality, according to McKeon.
Smart connectivity
Some portable air conditioners can connect to your Wi-Fi and be controlled via a smartphone app, though these models will typically cost more, says McKeon. Decide if this is a worthwhile feature for you before adding a smart connected model to your cart.
Hose type
Portable air conditioners either come with one or two hoses (though there are portable air conditioners without hoses) that vent through your window to the outside. Single hose models are more common: they pull and cool the air inside your room, pushing hot air outside through the hose. Dual-hose units have one hose that pulls and cools fresh air into your home and another that pushes hot air out.
Dual-hose units are typically louder and more expensive than single hose units, says Carl Prouty, the technologist at Abt, a national electronics and appliances retailer based in Glenview, Illinois. You’ll also have to empty the water in dual hose units more often, as pulling in outdoor air produces more condensation. But dual-hose units are typically faster, more powerful and more energy-efficient.
What are BTUs? How many BTUs do I need?
An air conditioner’s cooling ability is typically measured in British thermal units, or BTUs. The higher the number of BTUs, the more powerful the air conditioner. Portable ACs with a higher BTU capacity are generally larger, heavier and more expensive.
On average, an air-conditioning unit needs about 20 BTUs per square foot of space to keep things cool, says McKeon. To figure out how many BTUs you need for your room size, multiply the square footage of your room by 20.
Below is a breakdown of the number of BTUs needed to cool different-sized spaces. These calculations are averages — it’s still important to refer to the square footage rating referenced on an AC unit.
- Up to 250 square feet: 5,000 to 6,000 BTUs
- 250 to 350 square feet: 7,000 to 8,000 BTUs
- 350 to 450 square feet: 9,000 to 10,000 BTUs
- 450 to 550 square feet: 12,000 BTUs
- 550 to 700 square feet: 14,000 BTUs
Using an AC with the right amount of power is extremely important, says Prouty. A unit that is too powerful might cool the room too quickly. This is bad for two reasons: it won’t do an efficient job of dehumidifying the room and it will cycle on and off too frequently, causing undue stress on the AC, which will likely lead to a premature breakdown.
On the other hand, a unit that’s not powerful enough won’t cool your room effectively — it will run continuously, meaning a higher energy bill and, in all likelihood, a premature breakdown.
If you plan on putting your portable AC unit in a sunny space, you should add about 10 percent to the ideal number of BTUs based on the room’s size, says Prouty. If the room gets little to no sun, you’ll need about 10 percent less. If there are more than two people typically occupying the room, you’ll need to add 600 BTUs for each additional person, and if it’s going in a kitchen, you’ll need to add 4,000 BTUs to “counteract the additional heat [that] kitchen appliances produce,” says Prouty.
Frequently asked questions
A portable air-conditioning unit stands on the floor of your space and has a large, typically plastic vent that connects from the unit to a window. The unit pulls in ambient air from either inside your home (single hose) or outside (dual hose), cools that air down, and pushes it out into your room, says Prouty. Hot air is then vented through the window hose outside, keeping your indoor space cool.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. John McKeon is the CEO of Allergy Standards, an organization that works with brands and manufacturers to improve indoor air quality science and standards.
- Carl Prouty is the technologist at Abt, a national electronics and appliances retailer based in Glenview, Illinois.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology, fitness and outdoors, including stories on fitness trackers, wireless earbuds and point-and-shoot cameras. I’ve been writing about HVAC systems and air purifiers for years, and interviewed filtration and appliance experts to better understand how portable air conditioners work. I also spoke with NBC Select staffers about their experience using different air conditioners in their homes.
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