These top 10 portable air cons offer a combination of excellent value for money, power, and the features you need to stay comfortable this summer (and winter).
Best Floor Air Conditioners Roundup
Check out our top portable air cons from 8,000 BTU up to 14,000 BTU that come with a range of powerful features.
hOmeLabs 12,000 BTU
Efficient cooling and clean air with a built-in 100 pint dehumidifier to help avoid mold and mildew.
Fan Favorite
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Quiet
Quiet, powerful cooling for rooms from 300 sq ft to 450 sq ft with noise from airflow and vibration kept as low as possible.
Efficient
Quick and simple setup, easy to maintain and clean filters, plus full featured remote control make usage a breeze while a built-in sleep function keeps your energy bill low.
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Small Room
BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU
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Medium Room
COSTWAY 10,000 BTU
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Large Room
SereneLife 12,000 BTU
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X Large Room
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU
I find it incredibly difficult to be productive when my office is hot and stuffy – or freezing cold. A portable air con is the best combination of cost effective, simple to install and use, and mobility (i.e. cooling a tent while camping or moving to the bedroom on sweltering nights).
Floor AC units come in a range of shapes, sizes and price brackets to suit any budget and the specific needs of your home office – depending on size, average temperature and whether you need dehumidifying or heating.
Here’s a quick guide to help you decide on the right size air con for your home or office.
Air Conditioner BTU vs. Room Size
There is quite a lot of variation in the BTU rating to room size ratio depending on how well insulated the room is, ceiling height, sun exposure, and a few other factors.
In general, it’s wise to ensure you select enough cooling power for day-to-day use with a bit extra on standby for those scorching hot days.
- 8,000 BTU = up to 150 sq ft.
- 10,000 BTU = up to 300 sq ft.
- 12,000 BTU = up to 400 sq ft.
- 14,000 BTU = up to 500 sq ft.
To help you choose the right portable AC unit we’ve focused on ones that deliver serious value for money – regardless of price. In addition, only ones that are popular, with excellent reviews are included in this list.
1. SereneLife 12,000 BTU
SereneLife’s 12,000 BTU air con is a lightweight, handy and portable option that also offers plenty of cooling power, making it suitable for rooms and offices that have quite a bit of sun exposure.
Features
- Remote control
- Rolling wheels
- Built-in dehumidifier
- Acts as purifier
- Cooling, heating, dehumidifier, and fan
- Automatic swing mode
- Digital touch button control panel
With the same amount of heating power (12,000 BTU) as cooling power, this unit is a great option for home offices that get too cold in winter and too warm in summer and need year-round air conditioning.
What People Say
A lot of reviewers from southern states like Florida and Louisiana raved about how fast the unit was able to cool down previously unbearably hot rooms. Realistically there is a bit of noise that comes with it, but most people felt it was no greater than any other AC they used previously.
2. Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose
Whynter’s award winning (Good Housekeeping’s Best Overall in 2019 and Consumer Report’s highest score) portable AC packs a punch with 14,000 BTU and can cool down large spaces extremely quickly.
Features
- Remote control
- 3 modes – air con, fan or dehumidifier
- Cool up to 500 square feet
- 24 hour programmable timer
- Eco-friendly CFC free Green R-410A refrigerant
- Activated carbon filter
The patented auto drain feature is seriously useful if you need an AC that can be left on for extended periods of time, without requiring maintenance. Instead of manually having to drain condensate, this unit makes use of it to cool air further.
What People Say
A few people commented on how this portable AC ends up being a really cost-effective option because it can (at least in their specific instances) be a servicable replacement for a full HVAC installation that you’d otherwise need to pay thousands of dollars for. Worth considering since it’s a fraction of the cost.
3. BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT 8,000 BTU
BLACK+DECKER’s 8,000 BTU unit is perfect for smaller home offices or dorm rooms that need to stay cool, but also free of mold and mildew (i.e. dry).
Features
- Remote control
- Slide out filter that rinses easily
- Programmable, electronic controls
- 24 hour on/off timer
- Cooling, fan and dehumidifier
- Environmentally friendly R410a refrigerant
- Single motion precise fit harness system
A small unit like this is perfect for modest needs because it will suck far less power than a full wall or window unit. It also uses environmentally friendly refrigerant so you minimize your contribution to further heating outdoors.
What People Say
Reviewers almost all commented on the reliability of the machine, with some updating their reviews a year or so later to mention that it was still going strong. More than a few people took it camping with them to cool down their tents and were delighted with the results. Gamers also used it to keep their gaming rooms cool – their PCs run a bit hotter than most.
4. Vremi 10,000 BTU
Vremi’s 10,000 BTU AC is perfect for people who love their sleep. At 51 dB it’s one of the quietest portable air cons around and should help light sleepers rest peacefully throughout the night.
Features
- Easy-to-read LED display
- Compact remote control
- 24-hour adjustable timer
- 4 modes – cool, fan, dry and sleep
- Rolling wheels
- Built-in dehumidier
Having a removable and easily washable air filter, like the one in this unit, is quite useful. Yes, you’ve got to slide it out and run it under a tap to clean it every now and then, but it’s much cheaper and environmentally friendly than having to constantly buy and discard filter replacements.
What People Say
Apart from the fact that reviewers were happy with how well it cools, they also commented on how stylish and attractively designed it is. Not something that always makes it to the top of the pile when it comes to ACs. Being energy efficient and having automatic timing controls were two additional attributes people loved.
5. DELLA 10,000 BTU
>DELLA’s 10,000 BTU unit is also whisper quiet, for light sleepers at around 52 dBa and comes with easy-to-use, highly configurable features to take the hassle out of getting the temperature and humidity the way you want it.
Features
- Built-in dehumidifier
- LED display
- 24 hour automatic timer
- Automatic self-evaporation technology
- Rolling wheels
This is a great option for people who want a plug-n-play type air con. It has controls and timers to let you switch it on and off at the right times without the hassle of doing it manually (although it does have a remote to help).
The self-draining tech is a great feature because you’ll probably never have to drain it – or at least very infrequently.
What People Say
‘Quiet’ and ‘efficient’ were two of the most common words used in praise for this particular unit. Variable fan speeds also allowed owners to adjust the output to suit their particular needs nicely. A few people also noted that it has enough power to cool down larger spaces than it is rated for.
6. COSTWAY 10,000 BTU
COSTWAY’s 10,000 BTU portable air con is a small, lightweight unit that is easy to move around making it perfect as a dual use air con – office by day, bedroom by night.
Features
- Remote control
- Cool, dry, and sleep modes
- 2 speed fan
- Quiet sleep mode
- 24-hour timer
- Celsius and Fahrenheit units
- Self-evaporation system
The combination of variable air flow direction and dual fan speed means you can get wide, even coverage of a room to cool things down evenly – without being frozen in one spot and boiled in another.
What People Say
While plenty of people were delighted with the cooling and ability, a few did point out that draining required a tip and pour – as opposed to other units that are self draining. The motor itself is quiet but a few reviewers did comment that the airflow itself makes a bit of a ‘whooshing’ sound.
7. hOmeLabs 12,000 BTU
hOmelabs’s 12,000 BTU portable air con has racked up a huge fan base with significantly higher reviews than most other units on the market. Highly popular.
Features
- Remote control
- Built-in dehumidifier
- Washable air filter
- 2 year warranty
- Removable, cleanable air filter
- Optional drain hose
- Rolling wheels
With quite a lot of features, it’s nice to have a full featured remote that let’s you adjust anything you could on the main control display making it hassle free at night time or when you’re focusing on work.
What People Say
Arguably what earns this AC more praise than competing models is it’s superior cooling ability. A lot of reviewers pointed out that the air from this AC is simply cooler than any others they’ve used. It also cools better while still being very quiet. Great customer service was also highly rated.
8. Honeywell 9,000 BTU
Honeywell’s 9,000 BTU model is a bit more attractive than most portable ACs making it perfect for people who value aesthetics and need only a smaller AC to cool their office.
Features
- Remote control
- Thermal overload protection
- Automatic vertical wind motion
- Dual filters
- 3 fan speeds
- Sleep mode
- Auto evaporation
The thermal overload protection feature is actually pretty valuable. Not only will it prevent the motor burning out (obviously a safety hazard) but it will also improve the longevity of the unit, potentially making this a great bang for your buck buy.
What People Say
Given the fact that this is a smaller machine, a lot of people still loved it because of its power and ability to cool a room fast. Despite this power most owners also said they were able to sleep easily with the machine on because it is quiet. Definitely a contender for ‘best value for money’.
9. MIDEA MPF08CR81-E 8,000 BTU
MIDEA’s MPF08CR81-E 8,000 BTU is an attractive, smaller unit with some surprisingly great features not commonly found in lightweight models.
Features
- Compact remote control (batteries included)
- Digital controls
- Easy-to-read LED display
- 24-hour adjustable timer
- 3 modes – cool, dehumidify, or fan
- Washable air filter
- Proximity sensor
The proximity sensor in the remote is a great feature that will automatically adjust the amount of cooling based on how far away from the unit you are so that you’re always comfortable.
What People Say
The cooling power of this unit is definitely not in question as far as reviewers are concerned. Owners really like the stylish and modern look and feel. Quite a few people used it as an alternative to running the central AC in order to save on their energy bills. A Thrifty and smart option.
10. EdgeStar AP14001HS 14,000 BTU
EdgeStar’s AP14001HS 14,000 BTU is a powerful dual hose unit that is able to cool large rooms (up to 400 sq ft) up to 40% quicker than comparable single hose models.
Features
- Remote control
- Less than 56 dB maximum noise
- 24 hour programmable timer
- Programmable thermostat
- Fahrenheit or Celsius
- Automatic restart
- 3-speed fan
If you’re concerned about the environment this is a good option.
1. An impressively high 11.2 EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) means it consumes a lot less power than other ACs in its class. It also means you save on energy for the same amount of cooling.
2. It uses no ozone-damaging R410A refrigerant and is made with all RoHS compliant components that are free of harmful chemicals.
What People Say
As expected, a lot of people commented on how the cooling power of this AC is higher than their previous models but actually consumes less electricity. It’s also reliable. Many people were able to leave it running continuously for long periods of time without running into problems. Definitely a contender for ‘best overall’ in my book.
So that’s our round up of the portable air conditioners for your home office – and bedroom, and lounge, and garage. Hopefully it’s helped you decide on the right type of air con to suit your budget while delivering the cooling (or heating) needed to make day to day life more comfortable.
It’s worth bearing in mind that a lot of these portable air cons might end up saving you money in the long run by being a potential alternative to more expensive window or wall units, or an energy saving alternative to running heavy central ACs.
