Best Portable AC

Top-rated portable air conditioners

The smallest and least expensive portable air conditioners are 7,500- and 8,000-Btu units that can cool 150- to 200-square-foot rooms -- appropriate for small bedrooms. With portable units, you need more Btu than you would with a window air conditioner.

Owners say the Edgestar Koldfront PAC8000S (*Est. $290) is one of the better smaller units. The Edgestar Koldfront air conditioner has separate cooling and dehumidifier functions, and you can use it in either mode. Other features include a remote control, a digital thermostat and an auto-drain system that exhausts water outside rather than into a cup. It does not have a timer feature. We find nearly 100 reviews for this model at Buzzillions.com, the vast majority of which are positive, citing good value and durable construction. Still, reviewers point out that even a good portable air conditioner doesn't work nearly as effectively as a window unit. As with all air conditioners, noise is a fairly common complaint.

For slightly larger areas of about 250 square feet, we find good reviews for the 9,500-Btu Sharp CV-P10MX (*Est. $485). About a dozen users posting at Amazon.com about this model comment that it's quiet, making it a good choice for a bedroom. A few owners at Epinions.com give this Sharp AC a poor overall rating (though all say it is quiet); two users say their air conditioners stopped working after a few months. A plus with the Sharp CV-P10MX is that condensate doesn't need to be emptied. Rather, condensation is sent out through the exhaust hose. This portable air conditioner also has a fan with three speeds and a dehumidifier that can remove up to 60 pints of moisture a day. Other features include a remote control with temperature display. The unit itself doesn't have any controls; owners must use a remote control. This Sharp air conditioner, along with other models in this series, has an ion generator that is supposed to act as an air purifier. However, we do not find this feature reviewed, and experts say that ion generators in any appliance are gimmicky and of dubious benefit. You can choose not to use this feature on the Sharp air conditioner.

The Sharp portable air conditioner also comes in two larger sizes, the 10,000-Btu Sharp CV-P10MC (*Est. $800) and the 11,500-Btu Sharp CV-P12LX (*Est. $680), which receive similar favorable reviews at Amazon.com, especially for quiet operation. The Sharp CV-P12LX also receives very good reviews at Epinions.

Another larger portable air conditioner, the 12,000-Btu Edgestar Extreme Cool AP12000S (*Est. $395), is much less expensive than the Sharp CV-P12LX. It includes a remote control, separate dehumidifier function, digital thermostat and a timer, and it drains water outdoors. We find nearly 100 owner reviews for this unit, most of which are positive. However, many of the accompanying comments indicate that this model's high overall rating is more a result of its price than its performance. Durability and quality are also commonly cited pluses for this unit. A few owners say it is noisy, and others say it can be difficult to move from room to room because of its weight (66 pounds), but most seem happy with the unit -- especially given its cost.

Although we do not find many reviews for it elsewhere, the 10,000-Btu Royal Sovereign ARP1000ES (*Est. $500) earns close to 100 reviews on Sears.com, with a very good overall rating. Most reviews are positive, with owners saying that it does a nice job of taking the edge off the heat in a room and that it's quiet enough for a bedroom. Electronic controls, a removable filter and a remote control are included. We find more user reviews for this model than for all but a few other portable air conditioners. Some owners report they've owned their unit for more than three years. The most frequent negative comment is that this portable air conditioner didn't get the room cold enough -- a common complaint with all portable AC units. We include this Royal Sovereign air conditioner in the ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section over the similarly sized Sharp and Sunpentown units, which get fewer reviews. If you need a larger unit than this Royal Sovereign, note that the Sharp CV-P12LX receives better ratings than the smaller Sharp air conditioners.

The Whynter ARC-10D (*Est. $350) is a 10,000-Btu portable air conditioner that gets good ratings in about a dozen reviews at Epinions.com. This model has self-evaporating technology and a water tray that allows for continuous drainage. The ARC-10D has digital controls, a remote control, a 24-hour programmable timer and a carbon filter to reduce odors. The Whynter SNO ARC-10D (*Est. $350) can also serve as a three-speed fan and dehumidifier. The price is low for a portable AC of this size, but several owners complain about the weight of the unit and a few say they think the ARC-10D is noisy. Some say the self-evaporating technology doesn't work as well as it could.

We find positive reviews for the Amcor ALW 12000E (*Est. $470); it's a 12,000-Btu portable AC unit that's a particularly good value. A portable AC of this size should cool about 400 square feet. Editors at Air-Conditioner-America.com cite it as a good value, and owner reviews also post good ratings for this model. The ALW 12000E also has self-evaporating technology to exhaust some of the condensate out of the exhaust hose, and you don't have to empty the water tank as often. An indicator light lets you know when you the water tank is full. This unit offers a two-speed fan and a washable carbon filter. A handful of owners praise this model for its cooling performance.

The top portable AC units at Air-Conditioner-America.com are the 10,000 Btu Alen C425 (*Est. $500) for up to 425 square feet, and the 12,000-Btu Alen C535 (*Est. $600) for cooling larger rooms up to 535 square feet. They say these units are the best value, have the highest cooling capacity, are the coldest AC unit in their category and have an easy-to-drain water reservoir. You have the choice of using a removable water tank or continuous drainage through a hose. At Amazon.com, a few consumers give the C535 a very good overall rating, citing its strong cooling capability. One owner, though, says the window installation kit kept falling out. Air-Conditioner-America.com gives these models an endorsement, but the basis for the recommendation isn't clear.

Portable air conditioners with heaters

A handful of portable AC units include a space-heater feature for year-round use. The Amcor ALW 12000EH (*Est. $515) is similar to its twin, the Amcor ALW 12000E, with the addition of a heater. It receives two slightly better than average reviews at Epinions.com; one user says it's a good value but finds the labeling on the remote control confusing.

Sunpentown makes several combination cooling/heating models, but we are unable to find any expert reviews rating them. The 10,000-Btu Sunpentown WA-1010H (*Est. $430) uses self-evaporating technology, has digital controls, a washable activated carbon filter that helps remove odors from air and an eight-hour timer. One owner on Amazon.com reports that the fan is loud. For larger rooms, consider the 12,000-Btu Sunpentown WA-1230H (*Est. $545). However, the lone reviewer at Epinions.com says his unit is noisy.

We don't include any of these units in the ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section. We are unable to find enough positive reviews to convince us that any model is a better option than a separate portable air conditioner and space heater.