Not every room can accommodate a window air conditioner, and fans often aren’t powerful enough to handle the heat that comes with summer weather. The best portable air conditioners fill that gap: They cool rooms quickly, reduce humidity and don’t require complicated installation. To find the top models, we tested nine popular portable AC units over multiple weeks in a humid Florida home, carefully tracking how well each unit cooled down hot rooms, how much noise they made when running and how easy (or frustrating) they were to set up and operate. Our tester’s clear favorite was the Midea Duo MAP14S1TBL , a powerful, quiet unit that lowered the temperature in large rooms faster than every other model.

Based on rigorous testing, the Midea Duo MAP14S1TBL is the best model for most spaces, thanks to its ... More efficient, quiet operation.

Choosing the right portable air conditioner comes down to understanding your priorities. In areas where noise is a consideration, like bedrooms or home offices, an ultra-quiet model like the LG LP1419IVSM is an excellent option. If cost is a deciding factor, a more basic unit like the SereneLife SPLAC can effectively cool down a room without unnecessary extras. Above all, the right cooling power—which is measured in BTUs — is key. “It might sound simple, but it makes a huge difference in how well the unit cools," says Scott Levene, vice president of HVAC company Levco . "If the unit is too small, it’ll struggle to cool the room and run constantly. Too big, and it’ll cool the room too quickly without properly removing humidity.” Before you settle on a unit, make sure to consider the size of your space to get the best possible performance. Whether you’re looking for something affordable, powerful, quiet or compact, here are the very best portable AC units we’ve tested.

Best Overall Portable Air Conditioner

A Powerful Pick That's Impressively Quiet And Easy To Control

Midea Duo MAP14S1TBL

The Midea Duo MAP14S1TBL stood out during testing, as it cooled a hot, humid Florida living room faster and more quietly than every other model. After about two hours, we recorded a three-degree temperature drop (from 79 to 76 degrees) at about 10 feet away from the unit, plus we were able to feel the cool air at the end of a hallway over 20 feet away. At the unit’s lowest setting (60 degrees), the air felt ice-cold—noticeably cooler than other models achieved. We also liked the unit’s cylindrical fan, which automatically rotates to distribute cool air more evenly around the room rather than blowing straight ahead.

The Midea Duo blows out air that feels ice cold, even in the Florida heat.

Part of what makes the Midea Duo so effective is its hose-in-hose design—the unit has a double-layer hose to prevent hot air from leaking back into the room, which was an issue we noticed with traditional single-hose models. The tradeoff is the double-layer hose is noticeably wider, so the unit takes up more space. Still, setup was very straightforward, and we appreciated how the hose clipped neatly to the back of the unit when it was time to store it or move it around.

The Midea Duo's double-layer hose prevents hot air from leaking back into the room.

Another reason we liked the Midea Duo? It makes little noise as it runs. At the highest setting, it measured around 61 decibels, dropping down to about 52 decibels in sleep mode, making it one of the quietest models we tested. We also appreciated small but thoughtful details other units didn’t include, like foam pads that stick directly to the back of your window trim for better insulation. (Other models provided just basic foam strips for sealing the windowsill.) And while setting up the app was a little confusing—it oddly identified the portable AC as a "split AC"—once past that, controlling the temperature, switching between cooling and fan modes and turning off the LED display remotely was easy. (The ability to shut off the LED is especially nice if you’re sensitive to light when trying to sleep.)

Best Value Portable Air Conditioner

A Lightweight Design That's Simple To Set Up (And Control)

SereneLife SPLAC

While the SereneLife SPLAC doesn’t have fancy features or smart connectivity, we were surprised by how well it performed during testing, especially given its affordable price. When we ran this compact unit in a 400-square-foot Florida living room, it lowered the temperature from 76 degrees to 73 degrees in about 90 minutes. Although that's not a huge drop, we clearly felt the cooling within about 10 feet directly in front of the unit, where we recorded the biggest temperature difference. At a closer distance, around three feet away, the breeze felt consistently cool and comfortable.

One reason the SereneLife stood out was how easy it was to set up. Installation took us only about 10 minutes, which was faster than almost any other model we tested, and its lightweight build (just over 60 pounds) made the process painless. The hose and window panel felt a little flimsy at first, but the panel had a locking mechanism that held it securely in place once adjusted. The included remote also worked well, and we were able to consistently control the AC from up to 30 feet away. On its highest setting, the SereneLife measured around 57 decibels, which is comparable to a standard window AC unit . Overall, the noise level was fairly typical for an affordable portable air conditioner; it was steady, consistent and noticeably quieter than some other budget units we tested. Lowering the fan speed also noticeably reduced noise levels.

If you’re trying to quickly cool down a large, open area, this isn’t the right pick. But if you just need a straightforward, budget-friendly unit for a bedroom, home office or studio apartment, the SereneLife SPLAC works well and doesn’t cost a fortune.

Best Compact Portable Air Conditioner

A Slim Unit Ideal For Personal Cooling

Costway Portable Air Conditioner

If you’re short on space or you just want a portable AC for personal cooling, this Costway model is a solid choice. The compact size made setup easy—unboxing, positioning and hooking it up took only a few minutes—and the unit proved to be effective at cooling small areas during testing. Sitting about three feet away, the breeze felt comfortable and steady. And around 10 feet away, we measured the biggest temperature drop. That said, if you want a unit that can rapidly chill a large room, you’d be better off with a more powerful model.

The Costway portable air conditioner is a compact unit with impressive power.

It’s worth noting this unit has a few peculiar design choices. First off, the window panel inserts are designed for side-to-side sliding windows (and the instruction manual doesn’t show how to install them in windows that open vertically). While we tried to rotate the insert horizontally, our window was too wide for a single insert and too narrow for two. Ultimately, we had to custom-cut the panel with a saw, as scissors weren’t strong enough. Additionally, the controls don’t push down like normal buttons—this model has the kind you just lightly touch. At first, we kept pressing way too hard and thought the buttons weren’t working, until we realized only a gentle tap was required.

On the whole, though, this model impressed us. Aside from its cooling power, we liked that there was a clear noise difference between the high and low fan settings, since not all compact units offer that. (At its loudest, it made as much noise as a standard window unit, with a steady and consistent hum that wasn’t annoying or whiny.) The unit is also easy to move around, thanks to its lightweight design and wheels, and the included remote is intuitive. Just note that while the LED screen dims slightly in sleep mode, you can’t turn it off completely—something to consider if you’re sensitive to light and you want to run this model in the bedroom.

Quietest Portable Air Conditioner

A Sleek Model That Makes Very Little Noise

LG LP1419IVSM

During testing, the first thing we noticed about the LG LP1419IVSM was how little noise it made. While no portable AC is truly silent, this unit was much quieter than any other model. Even at the highest fan setting, we measured it at about 59 decibels. In sleep mode, it was even quieter—we registered around 52 decibels, which is slightly louder than LG's claimed 44 decibels, but still the lowest noise level we measured from any portable AC we tested.

Setup for this LG model was the easiest of any unit we tested. The exhaust hose comes already connected to the back, so getting it up and running took literally just took a few minutes. All we needed to do was fit the insert into the window and snap the hose in place. It’s worth mentioning the inserts are gray rather than the usual black or white that comes with other units; we liked the look, and their thicker plastic construction seemed likely to offer better insulation against outside heat compared to others we tried. Moving the LG around was also easy; it’s a medium-sized unit that rolled around smoothly during setup.

We couldn't believe how quiet this LG model was during testing.

The air coming from the LG was noticeably cold, especially in close proximity to the unit. That said, it didn’t seem to push chill air across the room quite as efficiently as some larger units we tested (though it’s possible that sunlight entering our test room impacted its effectiveness). In any case, we’d expect this unit to perform exceptionally well in a smaller space like a bedroom. Beyond being extremely quiet, the LG also had our favorite design and actually-great features, including an app that lets you check indoor temperature, remotely adjust settings or set timers and sleep functions.

Best Dual-Hose Portable Air Conditioner

A Popular Pick That Doesn’t Take Up Too Much Space

Whynter ARC-14S Dual Hose

A dual-hose portable air conditioner uses two hoses: one to pull air from outside to cool down the system and another to release warm air back outside. This setup cools your room quicker and more effectively, as it avoids pulling warm air back into your home (an issue you sometimes see with single-hose units). The Whynter ARC-14S checks these boxes, giving you the benefits of a dual-hose setup without taking up too much room.

When we first unboxed this unit, we were surprised by how compact it is, especially compared to other similarly powerful portable AC units. It’s not nearly as deep from front to back, so it’s a good fit if you need to save floor space but still want effective cooling. As a dual-hose unit, there’s a bit more setup involved, but it wasn’t difficult. We did have to screw two hose-end pieces into the plastic window insert—a task that required a small cordless drill (a screwdriver would also work fine). It also included caps that fit over these hose ends on the outside if you want to leave the unit installed year-round. Given how simple the set-up was, though, we weren't sure we'd actually do that. Like all the portable ACs we tested, caster wheels made it easy enough to move around.

The Whynter ARC-14S is surprisingly compact compared to similarly powerful models.

It cooled the space decently during testing: After two hours, the temperature at four feet dropped by three degrees (from 81 to 78 degrees). At 10 feet, the drop was less pronounced—only about one degree—but we did notice an overall reduction in humidity, which helped make the space more comfortable. Noise-wise, the unit was about average, measuring around 62 decibels at its loudest setting and 60 decibels at its lowest. The remote control was handy and easy to use from across the room. One minor frustration was the control panel buttons. They’re easy enough to reach, but we found them somewhat hard to distinguish clearly—more than once, we accidentally pressed the timer button instead of adjusting fan speed.

This dual-hose model uses one hose to bring in air from the outside and another to expel hot air.

The display screen, on the other hand, is clear: It shows the target temperature and current mode. Although there’s no button to fully shut it off, the bright blue LED dims to a subtle gray after about 30 seconds, eliminating distracting light at night. Unlike some other models, there’s no Wi-Fi or app connectivity, and we did find the air vent at the top to be somewhat small, with no rotation to spread cool air evenly in multiple directions. But overall, the Whynter ARC-14S is worth considering if you’re specifically looking for a dual-hose design and want powerful cooling in a relatively compact form.

Other Portable Air Conditioners We Tested

Along with our top picks, we tested four additional portable AC units, two of which performed well overall but didn’t quite have what it took to earn a top spot on our list. Meanwhile, the other two models disappointed us.

Portable Air Conditioners We Recommend

Black+Decker Smart Portable Air Conditioner : This model was easy enough to set up, although oddly there were no instructions in the box (we had to look them up online). It also lowered our test room’s temperature by about two or three degrees and reduced humidity noticeably. We also really liked the remote’s handy "follow me" feature, which adjusts cooling based on the remote’s location. That said, it did have a few issues. First, it was relatively loud, even on the lowest setting, producing a steady hum that could be bothersome if you’re sensitive to noise. There was also a confusing Wi-Fi symbol on the unit that we couldn’t figure out, since the instructions didn’t clearly explain it.

Whynter ARC-1230WN Nex Inverter Dual Hose : We’ve actually been using this model for over two years now—and it has a lot going for it. During the original round of testing, it cooled our 400-square-foot test space in Florida impressively: It dropped the temperature from 76 to 69 degrees in two hours and continued performing well through months of regular use, keeping our tester comfortable even during hot summer days. Since then, a product tester based in Brooklyn has been running it during the summer. Both testers have also appreciated its straightforward app, smart-home compatibility and efficient hose-in-hose design. But at 77 pounds, this AC is tough to move, and at higher settings, it’s noisier than our top quiet picks. These drawbacks prevented it from ranking higher on our list—but if it appeals to you for one reason or another, we still think it’s a great model.

Portable Air Conditioners We Don’t Recommend

Black+Decker 3-In-1 Personal Portable Air Conditioner : This Black+Decker unit is compact and easy to move around, which seemed promising initially. The setup was very simple, partly because it doesn’t require window venting—just two hoses directing warm air away from the unit. While that simplifies things, it also means the warm air never truly leaves your room. During testing, the unit mostly cycled between blowing slightly cool and noticeably warm air, making it feel more like a fan than an actual air conditioner. It was also fairly noisy, especially after running for several hours, with the compressor becoming noticeably louder over time. Given its limited cooling and persistent noise issues, we think one of the best tower fans might actually serve you better.

Frigidaire 3-In-1 Connected Portable Air Conditioner : This model had some thoughtful design details we initially liked, especially the sturdy hose connections. It was also fast and simple to set up. While the air felt impressively cold right at the vent, the overall cooling was disappointing. In our testing, the unit only managed to lower the room temperature slightly, and at times, the temperature actually started creeping back up. We also noticed a quiet but persistent internal rattling sound every 30 seconds or so. Despite having a user-friendly app, smooth-rolling caster wheels and an ionizer mode (which is meant to help trap dust and pollen), its disappointing cooling performance and distracting noise ultimately kept it off our top picks.

How We Tested The Best Portable Air Conditioners

How To Choose A Portable Air Conditioner

Cooling Power

A unit that’s sized right doesn’t just keep your room cool—it also effectively manages humidity and prevents a clammy environment. To ensure you pick out the right model for your space, pay close attention to its cooling power, which is measured in BTUs (short for British Thermal Units). “If the unit isn’t powerful enough for the space, it’ll run constantly without cooling effectively,” says Geno Caccia, CEO of Caccia Plumbing . Generally speaking, you want about 20 BTUs per square foot of room area, but Caccia stresses that room-specific details—like ceiling height, sun exposure, insulation and occupancy—can influence your choice.

Single-Hose Vs. Dual-Hose

Generally speaking, dual-hose models tend to cool spaces more quickly and efficiently than single-hose units. Omero Flores, CEO of My Repair Center , says dual-hose models are especially effective because they “pull in outdoor air through one hose to cool the condenser and expel hot air through another.” By comparison, single-hose models can sometimes draw warm air back into your room, causing the unit to work harder. If you need stronger, faster cooling—particularly for larger rooms or in especially hot climates—a dual-hose portable AC is probably your best bet.

Noise

Every portable AC produces some amount of noise, but there can be a significant difference between models. Flores recommends looking at models rated near or below 50 decibels if quiet operation matters to you. “Units with variable-speed compressors or inverter technology tend to run more quietly and efficiently,” he says. Consider noise especially carefully if you plan on using the AC in bedrooms or spaces where you work, and place the unit in a spot that minimizes its noise impact.

Additional Features

You don’t necessarily need smart features or advanced controls, but they can add convenience to how you use your portable air conditioner. Caccia notes that for many people, these added features—like Wi-Fi connectivity, app-based scheduling or integration with your smart home—“can make the unit more convenient and help reduce energy usage by ensuring it runs only when needed.” Still, he points out that these extras aren’t essential for basic, effective cooling. If your priority is simply to cool your space reliably, a straightforward model with easy-to-use manual controls can be perfectly adequate.

Our Expertise

The Forbes Vetted home team regularly tests and reviews heating and cooling products to help you keep your home comfortable, covering everything from the best dehumidifiers to the best space heaters .