Best Portable Air Conditioner Reviews

The DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120E, is one of the best portable air conditioners currently available: Powerful enough to cool any room in the house with no problems whatsoever, and durable enough to perform at maximum capacity for a long time. Its 12,000 BTU power means that you will see a significant decrease in room temperature within minimal time. Along with all the features you would expect from a high quality portable AC unit, the DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120E also has three fan speeds as opposed to two on the vast majority of competing units. The built-in dehumidifer removes the moisture from the air resulting in an overall cooling effect that is far more pronounced than a simple air cooler alone. Another obvious advantage of this item is that it is made by a very well respected brand, not only within the air conditioning category, but also within home appliances in general. The result of a buying a brand like DeLonghi versus some other more obscure brands is not only the certainty of quality, but also the greater resources in customer service which you are likely to receive. Amongst the many portable air conditioner reviews for the DeLonghi PAC C120, one reviewer had a problem with a small venting part that had been damaged in transit (sometimes shipping damage does happen in larger items) but customer service at DeLonghi immediately shipped a replacement at no extra cost. Such efficiency in customer service is impossible with smaller brands.

Some features of the DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120E:

• Massive 12,000 BTU cooling power
• All accessories – hose, bracket etc. – are included
• Remote control and 24 hour timer for easy programming and scheduling to save energy
• Triple fan speeds, as well as automatic option
• Built-in dehumidifier

The list price is just over $900 but it can be obtained at discount online retailers for quite a bit less – the best price I have found is at amazon who offer an impressive 45% off. Click here to secure your $409.00 discount today!

Such a price reduction means that you can effectively get a high power 12,000 BTU portable air conditioner for the price of, say, an 8 or 9 thousand BTU unit.

As with most of the best portable air conditioners, customer opinion is generally positive with a few negatives. Some of these negatives are a result of genuine shortcomings in the product, while other problems could easily be solved with correct installation along with careful maintenance and usage. One thing which is definitely correct among some of the portable air conditioner reviews for the DeLonghi PAC C120E is that this unit uses a lot of power compared to other portable air conditioners. This is due to the simple fact that the unit has a very considerable 12,000 BTU cooling capacity – it is perhaps the best portable air conditioner you can get in terms of power, unless you manage to locate a monstrous industrial unit, in which case you’d be better off just getting a central air conditioning setup anyway. Despite the larger power requirements that the DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120 has, it is still many, many times cheaper than a central air conditioning setup both in terms of initial outlay and ongoing power costs. The larger power requirements are justified by the unit’s sometimes monstrous cooling abilities: one lady from Florida notes that her box claims a 450 square feet maximum cooling size, and this certainly wouldn’t be too far off, if you are willing to contend with double or perhaps triple the power usage as compared to an 8,000 or 9,000 BTU AC unit. Other problems include shipping damage – this does happen from time to time on large items but a large brand like DeLonghi wouldn’t risk their reputation to leave you dissatisfied, at least that’s my experience with them anyway. If you find your unit is damaged, contact your retailer’s customer services and send it back immediately. You’ll get a replacement pretty quickly. Positive opinions among portable air conditioner reviews for the DeLonghi PAC C120 are generally more abundant, and one reviewer who has a 1,000 square feet house makes an excellent point – if you have a large house but you can’t afford a central air conditioning installation, then the power of the 12,000 BTU DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120 surely has to be the best alternative.

Pros of the DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120E:

Extremely powerful – best portable alternative to central air conditioning
Triple fan speeds in addition to automatic modes
Better value per BTU than most portable units – heavy discounts are available at certain retailers

Cons of the DeLonghi portable air conditioner PAC C120E:

Uses more electricity than lower BTU portable air conditioners
Warranty not mentioned (although DeLonghi are generally accommodating)
Slightly heavier than competing portable air conditioners

Click here for the original portable air conditioner reviews for the DeLonghi PAC C120E and product page.

The WA-9020E Sunpentown portable air conditioner is the latest offering from one of the best portable air conditioner manufacturers Sunpentown, often abbreviated as the letters SPT. This unit has all the most intricate features that a portable air conditioner could possibly have, including but not limited to double fan speed, digital thermostat, 12 hour timer as well as a 1 year limited warranty. It weighs around 63 lbs which is average for a 9,000 BTU unit, and can cool areas up to around 16′ x 16′ (or equivalent – approximately 250 square feet). As with many of the higher end portable air conditioners, the SPT WA-9020E unit can also be used as a dehumidifier, a function which is especially useful in places which are uncomfortable not only due to the heat, but also because of the humidity. The dehumidifier function can remove approximately 23 liters of moisture from the air each day. As for the cooling function itself, it is powered primarily by evaporation, which essentially means using water to cool air down. A nice feature of the WA-9020E is that it can essentially re-use water that it takes from the air with the dehumidifer function to cool the air down, which greatly improves its efficiency and eco-friendly status. Sunpentown portable air conditioner reviews are easy to find online, however this comprehensive review encompasses not only general customer sentiment, but also my own tests with this particular unit.

The Sunpentown portable air conditioner WA-9020E boasts the following features:

• 9,000 cooling power capable of cooling indoor areas of up to 16′ x 16′ (approximately 250 sq. ft.)
• Dehumidifier functionality in addition to cooling
• Self-evaporative cooling technology
• Double fan speed
• Remote control and 12 hour timer
• Covered by 1 year limited warranty
• Weight approximately 70 lbs

The Sunpentown portable air conditioner WA-9020E is available on amazon for just $565. Click here to find out more.

Customer opinion of the Sunpentown portable air conditioner WA-9020E is generally mixed: one reviewer makes a useful note that the WA-9020E costs just $0.50 per day to run, which is a tiny amount in comparison to central air conditioning; while another customer is not pleased with the cooling effect of the unit. Replies to such portable air conditioner reviews, and my own personal experience as daughter of an engineer for such AC units, indicate that many owners of even the best portable air conditioners are not leading the AC hose outside and otherwise sealing the room in question. If you do not seal the room, no matter how much cold air the air conditioner pumps out, warm air from outside will be able to seep back in. Also, the hose will be very hot and if you do not insulate this properly before it reaches the outside, then the heat will dissipate back to your room, rendering the AC unit useless. It’s preferred to put the portable air conditioner near a window so that the hose doesn’t have much chance to dissipate heat back into the room, in addition to proper insulation. In my experience, if you are going to find it impossible to reasonably seal your room, e.g. close windows and doors properly, and insulate the AC unit hose, then you shouldn’t get a portable air conditioner and you should opt for a window AC unit instead.

In other portable air conditioner reviews for the SPT WA-9020E, other customers report problems maintaining the unit, due to the difficulty in accessing the intake filter. I agree that this is a less than desirable method of construction but the filters do not have to be cleaned as often as one would think – but when you do need to clean, you have to take some time over it otherwise it will not be effective. Just as with any high value item, there has to be a certain degree of maintenance, whichever portable air conditioner you choose. Some customers accept this, while others are unhappy with this fact of reality. It’s not unlike maintaining one’s car, or making sure you have a good antivirus on your computer and scan for spyware once in a while. Many manufacturers do not specifically recommend cleaning intake filters, in any case.

Generally, customers who have taken all the necessary installation steps notice a vast decrease in room temperature when using the Sunpentown portable air conditioner WA-9020E, provided the room in question is under 250 square feet in size. Sunpentown is a reliable, well known manufacturer and the 1 year limited warranty gives customers a little extra reassurance when purchasing such a high end item.

Pros of the Sunpentown portable air conditioner WA-9020E:

High energy efficiency rating of 10.31 – cheap to run
Comprehensive list of features, including dehumidifier and timer
Covered by 1 year limited warranty

Cons of the Sunpentown portable air conditioner WA-9020E:

Sometimes takes time to install and achieve optimal performance
Unit may need to be placed near the window and hose insultated to prevent heat dissipation

You can find the original product page and portable air conditioner reviews for the SPT WA-9020E here.

Well known for some of the best portable air conditioners in the world, famous electronics manufacturer LG has created the new LP0910WNR, as a viable substitute for those who do not want to, or cannot, have in-window AC units. This LG portable air conditioner offers a reasonably powerful 9,000 BTU performance power which is enough to cool rooms of approximately 18′ x 18′ (or equivalent) – so a pretty large area, though not enough to cool an entire house on its own (possibly 12,000 BTU models would be better for that). The LP0910WNR boasts multiple fan speeds, remote control and extremely convenient timer which enables you to set specific times for your unit to switch on and off, as well as the specific temperature. This review contains references to the many portable air conditioner reviews available for the LG0910WNR, as well as my own trial experience in order to fully evaluate the positives and negatives of this portable air conditioner.

Specific item features of the LP0910WNR LG portable air conditioner include:

• 9,000 BTU power which can cool rooms up to 300 square foot
• Adjustable fan speed
• Auto-evaporative cooling system, no need to remove water
• Remote control and 24 hour timer

The LG LP0910WNR is available on amazon for just $429!

With my father having professional experience as an engineer for items just like this, I know how to get the best of them, so when I see a lot of issues raised by customers in their own portable air conditioner reviews online, most of the time I know how to fix them, and my father definitely does! The LP0910WNR LG portable air conditioner is no exception. Of course, I cannot change the fact that this unit is undisputably loud – LG simply should have implemented an energy saving mode once the temperature has reached the desired low level, because as it is the unit just carries on at full power, which wastes power once the place is cooled satisfactorily. However, in terms of many other problems raised by reviewers, namely the ‘not cooling’ problem, I can honestly say that this unit DOES blow very cold air, as written by many other customers, however there are a few things you must do in order to ensure that your room declines in temperature. It may sound counterintuitive, but it is important that you seal the room from leakage in order to trap the cold air, otherwise it just escapes. Second, you have to make sure that you insulate the air hose which carries the warm air outside, otherwise it will escape into your room again. Some good duct tape is sufficient for this. And voila, problems are solved! By the way, a great feature on Amazon is that I can respond to portable air conditioner reviews not just for the LP0910WNR, but for any unit across the board, so I can help others to fix their problems.

In terms of money saved versus central air conditioning, the cost can run into the thousands of dollars per year, so once you set this up and get it working as you want it to, then the LP0910WNR LG portable air conditioner can make a very quick return on your initial investment. Portable air conditioners are much easier to install than central AC or window AC units, but that’s not to say you don’t need a little bit of tweaking (see above) to get the best out of it. Once you have it set up optimally, it delivers good value for the money, however I do think that for just a little but extra you can get a massive 12,000 BTU portable air conditioner unit, the NewAir AC-12000E for example, which would make a profound difference in relative terms. Some people nonetheless do like to opt to go for the famous LG brand, and I guess that’s not a bad decision, even if I do think it could be better, because a portable air conditioner is a great money saver either way, if you are fed up of huge electricity bills from your central AC. The best portable air conditioner will always save money versus central AC, but even the LG0910WNR, which I personally think is surpassed by the NewAir AC-12000E, can save you equal amounts of money despite not necessarily being the absolute best. This is because the energy efficiency of LG appliances is generally very good, and the LG0910WNR is no exception.

Pros of the LP0910WNR LG portable air conditioner:

Compact, stylish R2D2-like appearance
Quality from a world famous brand

Cons of the LP0910WNR LG portable air conditioner:

12,000 BTU portable air conditioners (e.g. NewAir AC-12000E) available for a similar price
Warm air hose needs duct-tape insulation

Original reviews and further information to help you find the best portable air conditioner can be found here.

The Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner is an affordable, high quality portable air conditioner that is perfect for small rooms and kitchens. With a very low price, easy installation and a 1 year full warranty, it’s very easy to feel safe in the hands of a very well renowned brand such as Frigidaire. Furthermore, a number of additional features make the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner a candidate for best portable air conditioner under $200: anti-microbial technology removes all the harmful microbes from the air, delivering not only cool, but also comprehensively clean air. Energy saving function allows you to save power when needed, and the built-in timer and remote control afford you an extra dimension of convenience. Once you have set it all up, you can schedule times with the remote control and literally forget about it. This review has been written as a result of a combination of my own testing as well as the many portable air conditioner reviews which are available on Amazon and other well known sites.

Main features of the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner:

• 5000 BTU power ideal for spaces up to approximately 13′ x 12′ (or equivalent)
• Anti-microbial filter for clean as well as cool air
• Easy window installation with air discharge vents
• Power saving mode
• Remote control with 24 hour timer
• Dimensions (L x W x H) – 15 1/2″ x 16″ x 12″

The Frigidaire FRA054XT7 can be found on amazon for just $163.09. Click here to access product page!

Since my father was air conditioning engineer for more than 2 decades, I take his judgements and experiences extremely seriously, however I also understand that he is just one person. In order to come to a more balanced conclusion, it’s nearly always necessary to check out what other customers have written in their portable air conditioner reviews for the Frigidaire FRA054XT7. Once you consider all these factors you can generally come to a reliable conclusion as to which is the best portable air conditioner for your own home. Overall, customers are pleased with the efficacy of the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner, as well as the value for money. One reviewer from Florida mentions that she was pleasantly surprised at the cooling effect of this window portable air conditioner, and that her bedroom quickly became cool once she had the unit on for a short while. She also discusses the quiet nature of this AC unit, and this is consistent with my experience; the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner is much quieter than other higher BTU portable air conditioners, particularly those non-window AC units. Other customers are quite constructive with eachother, entering into useful discussion with regard to the best ways in which to maximize usage. One of these discussions centered around the maximum cooling area that this air conditioner was capable of cooling. The figures suggested are anywhere from 120 square foot to in excess of 165 square foot, which is incidentally the manufacturer’s recommended maximum. With my father’s experience in this field, I have found that the numbers can vary quite dramatically, depending on a number of factors, of which the main contributors are: one, external temperature; two, humidity. The layout of the room in question, for example, whether it is optimized to take the cool stream of air produced by the air conditioner, also comes into play. All in all, you can expect to experience a significant cooling, i.e. as the manufacturer promises, for spaces below around 150 square foot, but it can potentially go far above this, as certain customers quite rightly remark. That’s the equivalent of a small room, approximately a 13′ x 12′ square.

The Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner is intended for small rooms where it can be installed in the window. Its 5,000 BTU power rating reflects this. For the price of less than $170, this is perhaps the best portable air conditioner for those looking to cool one specific room, e.g. their bedrooms at night in order to sleep, rather than an entire house. If you wish to cool your entire house, and/or you have a room larger than 13′ x 12′ or equivalent, then consider at least a 10,000 BTU air conditioning unit. At its current price, for small rooms, there are few options which are more affordable and safe (see: 1 year warranty) than the Frigidaire FRA054XT7.

Pros of the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner:

Very low price compared to other AC units
Quiet compared to other AC units
Very nice anti-microbial feature for clean air

Cons of the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 5000 BTU Window Air Conditioner:

Not intended for large rooms or entire houses
Must be placed in a window to work, unlike portable air conditioners

Additional information and original portable air conditioner reviews for the Frigidaire FRA054XT7 available here.

The NewAur AC12000-E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is widely known as one of the best portable air conditioners around, primarily due to its space and energy efficiency: the R-410 refrigerant ensures that the unit uses as little electricity as possible, and as far as we have researched, we haven’t yet found a smaller 12000 BTU portable air conditioner, so you have access to a considerable amount of power within a surprisingly small space. This enables you to use your living room, bedroom, office or studio apartment for its original purpose(s), without having to trip over a massive bulky air conditioning unit. This particular article on the AC12000-E has been written after an actual trial period of 1 week. I also use information from other portable air conditioner reviews where it is relevant to this particular model.

Essential features of the NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner:

• One of the most compact 12000 BTU Air Conditioner units available
• Powerful air cooling via auto-evaporative mechanism
• R-410A refrigerant for increased energy efficiency
• Dehumidifier as well as cooler functionality
• Remote control and convenient 24 hour timer setup

The NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner can be purchased on amazon here for a huge 23% off!

Although the NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner sells extremely well, we all know that popularity is not always a reliable indicator of quality. As a new buyer, in order to get the best portable air conditioner for your needs, you always need to consider real customer opinions from actual portable air conditioner reviews i.e. those based on real experience before getting your first air conditioner. So what do customers on amazon generally think about the NewAir AC-12000E? Well, there is no dispute that this unit produces very cold air instantly, and it is generally regarded as an ideal alternative to window AC units. In this respect, most customers are very happy with their purchase, however there were a couple of reviewers who are not satisfied with the overall effect on their apartments. As an air conditioner engineer for 15 years, this initially confused me. Why was it working so well for some people, with one particular owner noting that it cools her entire 1200 sq ft home (exceeding its inferred capacity), while others weren’t getting the results they wanted? It simply cannot be that one person experiences a temperature decrease of 10 degrees, while another gets a meagre 1 degree decrease. Some possible solutions to this are to always make sure that your vent hose goes out of your window – an extremely basic mistake but you would be shocked how many times I have been called out to perform repairs (either by friends or clients) only to come across this very error.

Second, another thing that I noticed from the current NewAir AC-12000E portable air conditioner reviews is that it is an evaporative AC Unit, which basically means that its method of producing cool air consists of utilizing water to cool the air by evaporation. The human body is another machine that utilizes this very technique i.e. sweating! On a larger scale, think of how much cooler you get when you take a dip in the swimming pool on a very hot day. This is a very efficient and effective way of cooling air, however it does have its disadvantages, one of which is that this method of air cooling can be less effective in more humid areas. Humidity is a measure of the moisture in the air, and when you evaporate water you generate water vapor, which leads to additional humidity. Similar temperatures can feel very different depending on the humidity – rainforests and jungles are notorious for their high humidity levels and so I wouldn’t recommend the NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Air Conditioner for such climates! In most parts of the USA, though, it should  be fine, apart from one or two particular areas such as Florida, for example. However, please note that this unit does have a dehumidifier  function, so you can dehumidify the air as well as cool it if you want. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is experiencing less than expected change in comfort levels despite proper function of the portable air conditioner unit.

Finally, some buyers are not checking their AC unit’s functions immediately and their units may have been damaged in transit. Even if you have managed to read all the portable air conditioner reviews available on the internet, and have successfully purchased the best portable air conditioner available for your needs, all that effort will be in vain if the unit gets damaged in transit. When the shipping company delivers your portable air conditioner, take down a number so that you can call them up to return your unit to the sender if it does not work after thorough testing. Keep all packaging and return it in original packaging. From users’ experiences, NewAir is very accommodating to replacements and they will ship a replacement if your unit has been damaged in transit.

What I personally like about the AC-12000E 12000 BTU Air Conditioner in addition to its obvious power, is its multiple dehumidifier capability and the remote control and timer. If your room/house is too humid as well as warm, you can adjust that, and you can do all of it remotely. You can even have it running automatically at pre-set times which is a fantastic feature. For people who are having real discomfort with heat in their homes, this unit could potentially solve all these problems within a short set-up, test and schedule on the timer – and it’s all done. Just make sure that a) you have put the hose out of the window and b) that you have checked all functionality to ensure the unit hasn’t been damaged in transit, because weighing nearly 70 lbs relatively large items such as this are somewhat more difficult to ship. In general, as far as portable air conditioners go, the NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is not without its problems, but it still retains the title as arguably the best portable air conditioner for environments which are not excessively humid.

Pros of the NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner:

Very powerful for its size
Energy efficient
Simple, easy to install alternative to the traditional window AC unit

Cons of the NewAir AC-12000E 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner:

Quite loud
Slightly less powerful than 12,000 BTU window AC unit equivalent

More information, plus original portable air conditioner reviews written by customers and discussions available here.