Internal air conditioner unit
10 Best Portable Air Conditioners in 2022
We updated this guide in July 2022 to ensure all portable ACs vetted by the Home Improvement Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute were in stock, available and correctly priced. Our picks remain the same, but we swapped some of the Lab-tested models for its smaller units — TCL 5P93C Smart Series Portable Air Conditioner and LG Smart Portable Air Conditioner — which will accommodate bedroom-specific spaces.
If you don't have central air and need to cool a room ASAP, the first question you have to address is whether you want to buy a portable AC unit or a window air conditioner. When deciding whether or not to buy a portable air conditioner, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute take into account how well they perform, how efficient they are and whether they are easy to use. A portable air conditioner is the best route if you can't install a window air conditioner in your space because of design limitations or building restrictions. It’s also a better pick if you’d like a mobile air conditioning unit that can be moved from room to room or stored away at the end of the season.
The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute rounded up the best portable air conditioners on the market based on our experience with brands we trust, love and use. Since 2020, we have tested nearly 24 models and reviewed documentation on newer versions of ones we've previously reviewed. We look to see how easy they are to set up, how efficiently they cool a space and how intuitive they are to operate and maintain. The following models were selected because they are efficient at cooling and cutting down on high humidity and easy to use and install. Here are the best portable air conditioners you can buy.
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1
Best Overall Portable Air Conditioner
Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner Whynter
$481 AT AMAZON
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$481 AT AMAZON
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2
Best Value Portable Air Cooler
Portable Evaporative Cooler with Fan Honeywell
$200 AT AMAZON
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$200 AT AMAZON
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3
Best Portable Air Conditioner for Bedrooms
BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner Black + Decker
$310 AT AMAZON
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$310 AT AMAZON
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4
Best Single-Hose Portable Air Conditioner
5P93C Smart Series Portable Air Conditioner TCL
$293 AT AMAZON
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$293 AT AMAZON
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5
Best Portable Air Conditioner For High Humidity
ARC-12SDH Portable Air Conditioner and Heater Whynter
$513 AT AMAZON
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$513 AT AMAZON
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6
Best Portable Air Conditioner with WiFi
Smart Portable Air Conditioner LG
$346 AT WALMART
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$346 AT WALMART
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7
Best Portable Air Conditioner for Allergies
PAC-UV Portable Air Conditioner DeLonghi
$625 AT AMAZON
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$625 AT AMAZON
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8
Smartest and Quietest Portable AC
Smart Dual Inverter Portable Air Conditioner LG
$629 AT AMAZON
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$629 AT AMAZON
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9
Best Portable Air Conditioner for Large Bedrooms
Pinguino Portable AC DeLonghi
$700 AT AMAZON
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$700 AT AMAZON
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10
Best Portable AC that Can Save You Money
Twincool Inverter Portable AC Dreo
$660 AT AMAZON
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$660 AT AMAZON
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Stick around after our top picks to read more about how we test portable AC units plus a breakdown of what you should consider to ensure you buy the right unit for your needs.
1
Best Overall Portable Air Conditioner
Whynter
Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
Whynter
2
Best Value Portable Air Cooler
Honeywell
Portable Evaporative Cooler with Fan
Honeywell
3
Best Portable Air Conditioner for Bedrooms
Black + Decker
BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner
Black + Decker
4
Best Single-Hose Portable Air Conditioner
TCL
5P93C Smart Series Portable Air Conditioner
TCL
Now 30% off
$293 AT AMAZON
5
Best Portable Air Conditioner For High Humidity
Whynter
ARC-12SDH Portable Air Conditioner and Heater
Whynter
6
Best Portable Air Conditioner with WiFi
LG
Smart Portable Air Conditioner
LG
7
Best Portable Air Conditioner for Allergies
DeLonghi
PAC-UV Portable Air Conditioner
DeLonghi
$625 AT AMAZON
8
Smartest and Quietest Portable AC
LG
Smart Dual Inverter Portable Air Conditioner
$629 AT AMAZON
9
Best Portable Air Conditioner for Large Bedrooms
DeLonghi
Pinguino Portable AC
$700 AT AMAZON
10
Best Portable AC that Can Save You Money
Dreo
Twincool Inverter Portable AC
$660 AT AMAZON
How we test portable air conditioners
Alec
Our Good Housekeeping Institute product experts start by shopping the current marketplace to identify top-selling portable ACs that you’re most likely to find at stores and online.
Next, they identify brands that have performed the best and proven the most reliable through years of AC testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute. They also consider newer brands with unique features or innovations.
Hands-on testing takes place in our Lab, where we exhausted the heat hose through a flexible duct that went straight into the ceiling (pictured), preventing any heat leak and allowing us to get proper temperature measurements. We also tested some units at home to better evaluate them in real-world conditions. Our engineers consider a variety of factors, starting with ease of setup. We take into account how intuitive the user manuals and other instructions are.
Performance testing also covers multiple factors. We first check to see how close the air temperature coming out of the AC is to our set point. Next, we measure air speed with an anemometer. This tells us how quickly the AC can cool a room. We also test how much power each device consumed using a Kill-a-Watt electricity usage monitor; energy-efficient portable ACs earn extra points.
Knowing that portable ACs are often used in bedrooms, we check decibel ranges at various fan speeds using a sound meter.
Types of portable air conditioners
Portable ACs work by removing the air from a room, cooling it, expelling it back into the room and exhausting the leftover heat through a tube typically connected to a window. There are three main types of portable ACs on the market. While some might be more expensive, depending on the size of the area you are trying to cool and the environment you are in, one could be more beneficial than another.
✔️ Single-Hose Portable AC: The most typical portable AC, a single-hose model draws in air from the room, cools it and expels extra heat through a hose. By connecting the hose to the window outside, you only get the cool air within the room. At the same time, because there is only one hose, the AC draws in more air from the room to cool down the internal components that have gotten hotter due to constant cooling.
This creates a negative pressure within the room, which essentially means that air will try to come in through any openings (door, cracks, window, etc.) at a higher rate than normal. This, in turn, makes the AC work harder to cool that extra air. Therefore, it is so important to properly seal the window after installing the portable AC. These are typically cheaper than dual-hose units.
✔️ Dual-Hose Portable AC: Dual-hose ACs work slightly differently than single-hose units and are more efficient. Dual-hose portable ACs utilize both an intake hose and an exhaust hose, both of which connect to the same window. The exhaust hose doesn’t do anything differently; it is still used to expel extra heat. The intake hose has two main uses: It prevents negative pressure and cools down the internal components of the machine. Bringing in external air to cool the system instead of air from within the room bypasses the negative pressure issue, which is why dual-hose units can cool bigger rooms and tend to have a higher energy efficiency rating.
This is also why dual-hose units tend to be more expensive than other portable ACs.
✔️ Evaporative Cooler (EC): This is a very different type of Portable AC and only technically makes this list because 1. It is portable and 2. It’s meant to cool an area — but it is not the same design as either of the above. ECs do not have exhaust tubes or intake tubes. They use the process of evaporative cooling to cool a space. The only internal moving part of the EC is the fan inside. An EC typically contains a water reservoir and cooling pads. When the fan draws in hot air across the cooling pads that have absorbed water from the reservoir, the water slowly evaporates. That process of evaporation creates cooler air which is then expelled back into the room. ECs use much less energy than any other AC type, as they do not have internal parts that do the cooling. As it doesn’t need any form of proper exhaust, you can use this in any space and even outside.
How many BTUs should a portable AC be?
While useful features and aesthetics are nice, most importantly, you'll have to find a portable air conditioner with the correct British Thermal Units (BTUs) for your use case. Too strong and you’ll waste unnecessary power, too weak and you’ll likewise use too much energy continuously running the machine on full power and may still end up feeling too warm.
✔️ BTUs: This is how air conditioner capacity is measured and it equates to a particular room size for cooling. BTU stands for British Thermal Units. The DOE recommends an average of 20 BTU for each square foot of living space. If after you calculate, your BTU range is between two sizes offered, opt for the smaller unit. Using too powerful of an AC can be detrimental to the cooling and the comfortability of the room, as it won’t properly de-humidify while cooling. While you’ll have to run a smaller AC for longer, it will still be more efficient, and thus use less power overall.
At the same time, it's important to recognize that not all rooms are built the same. You’ll want to size up if your AC is in a room with:
- High ceilings that create more space that needs to be cooled
- High traffic — more people means more heat generated
- Lots of sun (e.g. you live in Florida or Arizona or have lots of windows)
- Near the kitchen with lots of heat-generating appliances
✔️ ASHRAE: Previously, BTUs were indicated with a measurement based on testing standards from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). They would measure BTUs based only on an ambient temperature of 80 degrees F. While this is still used to sell products, a more accurate BTU rating would be on a newer scale known as SACC.
✔️ SACC: More recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) introduced new standards meant for providing proper BTU sizing for AC units.
SACC (Seasonal Adjusted Cooling Capacity) is a rating of BTU per hour that is meant to portray the capabilities of the machine more accurately by providing a weighted average based on a variety of test conditions, not just an average use case (think a combination of normal usage, muggy day, a particularly hot or dry day, etc.). New SACC ratings will show maximum BTUs to be lower than previous ratings. So an AC that previously had a 14,000 BTU ASHRAE rating may now have a SACC rating closer to 10,000 BTU to more accurately reflect cooling in a range of conditions.
Are portable air conditioners as good as window units?
Good Housekeeping
If you have the ability to window-mount, you’re likely going to have more success cooling a room with a window AC unit. You may be able to find comparable portable AC units to those that have to be wall or window mounted, but you’re likely going to pay more for them.
Portable air conditioners are easier to move about (they're on wheels after all), but they do tend to be louder, since all their mechanicals are sitting right there in the room, instead of out the window.
They can also be larger than their counterparts, weighing up to 80 pounds.
The great thing about the portability, compared to the window ACs, is you can move it from room to room easily if you need to. Window ACs need to be properly secured, held in place and connected to the window (some even require you to drill into the frame). A portable AC comes with all the equipment necessary to easily transfer from as long as you have access to a window to vent the exhaust hose. Another benefit of the exhaust hose is that it allows a portable AC to connect to multiple different window types. While window ACs only work for vertical windows, portable ACs work with horizontal sliding windows as well. Portable ACs can also work with smaller window types that may not fit a window unit.
In terms of the size of the unit, a portable AC unit will take up floor space, so it’s important to make sure you have the extra square footage for one. You want to place the unit away from walls so the airflow isn’t restricted, but that will likely mean a longer hose and more space taken up.
For proper efficiency, you need to make sure the exhaust hose is as straight as possible as kinks can limit the effectiveness.
Do portable ACs have to be vented out a window?
In most cases, yes. The majority of portable ACs do not work without an exhaust hose. "We hear about consumers who didn't know about the hose, and as a result end up with a serious case of buyers' remorse," says DiClerico. The machines must be vented to the outside because they are extracting hot air that you want to be released outside of the room. You can choose to vent through a window (most common), wall, ceiling or even a door.
Those without exhaust hoses are called evaporative coolers. They require a large amount of water to cool the space, can utilize ice to cool down the air as well, and are ideal in dry climates where humidity levels are low and the air is hot.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Rachel Rothman, chief technologist and head engineer, has a B.
S.E. in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics with a mathematics minor from the University of Pennsylvania and has been at GH for 14 years. She leads efforts for the constant evolution of GH’s technical and testing protocols, responding to both market drivers and growth opportunities. Rachel has over 15 years of experience researching, testing and writing about products in the HVAC space, doing cross-category tests for air purifiers, air conditioners, heaters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and more.
Dan DiClerico is the director of home improvement & outdoors at the Good Housekeeping Institute. For more than 20 years, Dan has written and edited articles on all aspects of residential HVAC, from traditional forced-air heating and cooling systems to the latest heat pump technologies. His lab-based expertise covers HVAC products and equipment, as well as best practices around maintenance and operation.
Alec Scherma is a test engineer working alongside Rothman.
He has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and plenty of experience sizing and working with HVAC units across retail, public, and private spaces.
Rachel Rothman Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs.
Alec Scherma Test Engineer Alec Scherma (he/him) is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s test engineer, where he helps to create and implement new product testing methodology across home, cooking and cleaning appliances, wellness, tech products and more.
What are internal air conditioning units?
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You may have heard about Cool You’s internal air conditioning systems. But, you might be wondering what internal air conditioning units are.
Here’s a rundown on everything you need to know about internal air conditioning units. This includes how they work and what the benefits are.
Our internal air conditioning units are a no-compromise solution.
They are a fully-fledged air conditioning system without having to make penetrations through the external walls. This could be due to the building’s weather-proofing or other exterior skin features, which are a barrier to you having a traditional air con unit installed on the outside.
The conventional air conditioning market involves fitting a rather unattractive box on the outside of the building. This simply isn’t possible for everyone. If this sounds like a familiar story, then you’ll be pleased to learn that Cool You have the perfect solution.
How does the system work?
Our internal air conditioning units are comprised of the following:
- The room unit/fan coil, which is retro-fitted high up on the room’s interior wall being air-conditioned.
- Alternatively, it can be installed into existing fittings as a concealed, ducted unit during a refurb. This option will look the most attractive in any interior.
- Refrigeration pipework runs from that unit, concealed within the walls/ceilings, to the condenser box.
Typically, the condenser box is that part that goes outside. Still, it is fitted inside in our systems, usually in a concealed space like beneath the kitchen counter.
The result is a perfect, fully functioning air conditioning system that doesn’t breach any of the restrictions that prevent you from installing a conventional unit. It’s the perfect solution, no matter whether your property has restrictions or not.
What are the benefits of internal air conditioning units?
Our system’s first significant benefit is the obvious one: it offers an efficient and effective solution. No matter what type of property you live in, our internal air conditioning units will work, regardless of what you’ve been told.
There are, however, additional benefits that are not so self-explanatory.
One significant benefit is that it is easy to maintain — and not just because of our maintenance programme. Accessing conventional units can be challenging at times. Sometimes, you even need to get permission from landlords or other authorities to access them.
So having everything kept within your property is a huge relief.
With no unsightly or noisy installations on the exterior of a property, internal air conditioning units cause no disruption for your neighbours. You don’t want to bother the people that live or work around you, and you certainly don’t want to give them cause to complain. That’s not a problem if everything is kept inside your property.
Having space outdoors is very important to London apartment owners. It’s a place to relax and entertain. With traditional air conditioning, most of the outside area is taken up with a box. This box also makes a lot of noise when it’s running. An internal air conditioning solution eliminates this issue, protecting your precious outside space and maximising your enjoyment of it.
Most importantly, because our units are installed internally, they maintain a consistent internal temperature. An external box aims to constantly remove hot air from the room whilst simultaneously pumping cool air in.
When it’s situated outside and exposed to the heat of the sun beaming down upon it, performance is compromised. It will not be able to maintain a consistent temperature. With our internal systems, this is never an issue.
What else do you get with a Cool You system?
Here are some additional benefits of a Cool You internal air conditioning unit:
- They are smart systems, meaning they are fully WiFi controllable.
- They filter the air, removing dust, pollutants, and other allergens from your property.
- There is no compromise on performance – the internal system is just as effective in cooling and dehumidifying as any conventional air conditioning system.
- Every solution comes with 5-year parts and labour warranty.
- They also have exciting features like Blackout technology and i-Feel temperature control.
- Our expert team is honest and transparent every step of the way.
The bottom line with internal air conditioning units
In a nutshell: a Cool You internal air conditioning system really is a no-brainer.
There are so many benefits to be enjoyed, and there is absolutely no compromise to be made.
If you are looking to have a system installed, but are not sure about the best solution for you, we’re here to help. Equally, if your building has restrictions that prevent installing a conventional A/C unit, but you would like to have a solution to cool your apartment, we are here for you.
Contact Cool You and find out more about our internal air conditioning units
If you have any questions about Cool You and our innovative internal air conditioning solutions, please feel free to contact us on 020 7043 2275. One of our friendly, helpful team will be on hand to answer your questions. Alternatively, you can send us an email at [email protected], and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
There is plenty of detailed information about our systems on our website, so please feel free to have a browse and see what you think. Otherwise, we look forward to hearing from you!
about us What are internal air conditioning units? - Cool You UK Led by Savva Zacharia, Managing Director for Cool You Ltd, who himself is fully F Gas qualified, our team of installation engineers are all F-Gas certified.
Cool You Limited, Floors 7 & 8, 24 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AT, England (UK)
0207 043 2275 | [email protected]
Cool You Uk is a trading division of Cool You Ltd | Registered in England and Wales
(Company Reg No 8128635)
Installation of the indoor unit of the air conditioner - every detail
Greetings to all readers of the site "All about air conditioners". Today I will tell you what parts the indoor unit of a split system consists of, and why each of them is needed. We will also analyze the joint principle of operation of all these components.
Many of you know that there are several types of devices for various purposes in industry and everyday life. Each of them has its own design and features. To understand them, I have a separate article devoted to the types of air conditioners. But today we will analyze the most common type of air conditioner in houses and apartments - a wall-mounted split system.
Evaporator (radiator)
As we know, the most important function of an air conditioner is to cool the room.
Therefore, the main part of the indoor unit is the radiator (it is also an evaporator, it is also a heat exchanger). It is called an evaporator, because in the cooling mode, freon evaporates (boils) inside its tubes. The principle of operation of the refrigeration circuit is based on this process.
The size and shape of the evaporator largely determines the cooling capacity (cooling power) of the "split". The more powerful the air conditioner, the larger its radiator should be. Such an element is a tube crossed by thin plates (similar to lamellas). Freon moves through the tubes at a certain temperature. And the plates increase the heat exchange surface area, which significantly affects its efficiency.
Manufacturers are improving (complicating) the shape of the radiator and its plates in every possible way. For simple wall-mounted models, this may be a straight small radiator; for other models, this radiator may have a complex shape that occupies most of the body. Radiators of modern air conditioners have an antibacterial coating, which in some way prevents the reproduction of viruses.
But since such trifles are not visible from the outside, almost no buyer pays attention to these things. But in vain!
Shaft (fan)
In order for the radiator to quickly and effectively cool the room, it is necessary to “force” the air through it. This is helped by the shaft (aka fan, aka impeller), which creates air movement through the radiator and blows it into the room. This part of wall-mounted air conditioners is a drum with blades. The blades and the shaft itself are designed in such a way as to reduce the noise of its operation. For all wall-mounted air conditioners, it is located under the evaporator. In most models, the radiator, as it were, outlines the shape around the shaft. This design combines the most efficient heat transfer and ergonomics (allows you to make a compact indoor unit).
Shaft motor (motor)
The shaft of the indoor unit is driven by a motor. It is located to the right of the fan and is controlled by the board (I will write more about it below).
The motor is fixed with a special casing to the block body.
Drain tray (bath)
During the operation of the air conditioner, condensation (water droplets) forms on the evaporator. In order to "collect" all this water, the so-called drainage tray is used (it's also a bath, it's also a pallet). For some air conditioners, it is connected to the body, but in most
designs it is removable. Together with moisture, all dust and pollution is collected in it. Therefore, it is much more convenient to flush and maintain this tray when it is detached from the body. The front lower part of the radiator, as it were, lies in this tray and the condensate from the radiator flows directly into the bath. Most often, water is discharged to the street through a drainage hose.
Horizontal and vertical louvers (blinds)
Any wall-mounted indoor unit has two types of louvers, with which the direction of air flow is partially regulated. Horizontal blinds regulate the flow up and down.
Behind them are vertical blinds, which are several "petals". They regulate the flow from right to left. All these curtains are attached under the drainage tray. When servicing, they are removed together with the tray. They are driven by small motors.
Control unit (board) with sensors
In order to synchronize (coordinate) the operation of all parts, the so-called control unit (the “brains” of the air conditioner) is located inside the case. They manage all nodes. This element is a board to which "power" is supplied. All wires, starting elements of engines and sensors are connected to it. This board is located on the right side of the indoor unit case.
The operation algorithm of this block is guided by the indicators of temperature sensors, and issues commands to the main components of the air conditioner (compressor, fans and expansion valves), turning them on and off in a timely manner. Thus, the unit controls each element of the split system, maintaining the required temperature in the room.
The air and heatsink temperature sensors are the most important parts of the board. Their readings form the basis of the process of maintaining the exact temperature in the room.
Filters
An obligatory element of a modern air conditioner is its filters. They are located on top of the evaporator under the revision cover of the housing. Mesh filters "collect" the main part of the dust. They can be removed and washed very quickly, which allows you to keep the evaporator clean longer. In addition to mesh filters, many air conditioners are equipped with other filter elements. Some of them are able to effectively destroy bacteria and viruses - some eliminate odors, and some enrich oxygen with healthy particles.
Indoor unit housing
All of the listed parts are combined and hidden in a single housing. It represents an equally important detail, since a compact and effective design is indispensable for creating a modern interior.
Good luck everyone!
Mitsubishi Electric - Floor standing units MFZ
The split system with floor standing indoor unit is designed for rooms where wall mounted indoor units cannot be placed, as well as for interiors where floor installation is preferred.
Sleek, compact and lightweight design. Low noise level.
Air supply up or in two directions: up and down. The air distribution system has 3 independently driven air guides.
ECONO COOL mode.
The unit comes with a wireless remote control with a built-in weekly timer.
Using the optional MAC-334IF-E interface, you can connect the PAR-41MAR wired wall controller. This console has a Russified user interface.
Installation on old pipelines
When replacing older systems with R22 refrigerant, these models do not require replacement or flushing of pipelines.
Built into the wall
The design of the MFZ-KT series indoor unit allows the case to be recessed into the wall by 70 mm, which reduces the visible depth of the unit to 145 mm.
In addition, it allows you to hide freon pipes and electrical cables by laying them in the wall.
3 automatic air dampers
The indoor units are equipped with 3 motorized air dampers. This allows you to set up a user-friendly distribution of air flows, as well as to realize rapid heating of the room.
V-Blocking silver anti-virus filter
V Blocking filter is an improved version of the silver ion germicidal filter. It has an additional antiviral effect and suppresses 99% of the detained viruses, as well as bacteria, mold and allergens. The filter with an electrostatic layer effectively captures and removes the smallest pollutants contained in the air.
It is recommended to replace the germicidal filter once a year. The optional replacement element is named MAC-2470FT-E.
Low power consumption when off
If the air conditioner is connected to the mains, but not turned on by the remote control, the PCB of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner consumes electricity.
SUZ-M outdoor unit models are equipped with an additional system that turns off the power circuits during the idle time of the air conditioner, significantly reducing the power consumption in the standby state.
Automatic mode
In automatic operation mode, the system selects the mode (cooling or heating) depending on the difference between the target temperature and the room air temperature. Mode switching occurs if the temperature difference is more than 2°C and is maintained for 15 minutes.
"I save" mode
The "I save" mode allows you to save 2 sets of settings: target temperature, fan speed and airflow direction. One set is for cooling mode (or ECONO COOL mode), the other is for air heating mode. If in the normal operation mode, press the "I save" button on the control panel, it will switch to the previously saved settings corresponding to the operating mode. Pressing the button again returns the system to the previous settings.
This function is useful for quickly switching the system to a preset economy mode, for example, with a target temperature 2-3°C higher in cooling mode and 2-3°C lower in heating mode, as well as saving frequently used settings.
