Portable Air Conditioner for a single room

August 17, 2023 8:21 AM

I'm in need of a portable air conditioner for the single room in my home that doesn't already have AC. All the units I can find serve a much bigger area than I need.

The room I need to cool is 11' x 10'. I'd like to find something smaller and cheaper than the hoseless units I'm finding by googling and checking Wirecutter, which cool a much larger area. Thanks for any advice.

posted by Well I never to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

I have this one in my bedroom. I'm not sure what the square footage is, it's a bedroom on the larger side. This one will definitely not be too much for you because it barely cools my entire room. Still, it works well enough that it's not unbearable in the summer.
posted by wheatlets at 9:11 AM on August 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have this one. Dual hose is apparently more effective/efficient than single hose units.
posted by flamk at 9:52 AM on August 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

We use this Danby Premiere for our bedroom at night and it's been going for about 6 years. Dual hose is the way to go, we drain to a 4 gallon bucket that we empty every 8-12 hours depending on humidity.
posted by dazedandconfused at 10:24 AM on August 17, 2023

The models the Wirecutter reviews are often available in larger and smaller configurations than reviewed. For instance, their top pick for portable units is the Midea Duo rated at 14k BTU. If you look at Midea's site you'll find similar models in the 5k-6k BTU range.
posted by zippy at 11:06 AM on August 17, 2023

Looking at prices, the wirecutter's top 2 picks are:

Midea MAP14 (14k BTU)- $700
Midea MAP12 (12K) - $600 ($530 on sale)

Midea also makes a MAP05 (5K) for $265
posted by zippy at 11:13 AM on August 17, 2023

One more helpful link. The US Department of Energy estimates 20 BTU / sq ft to cool an average room (actual value varies based on insulation, climate, window size, sun, ceiling height, etc). So your 11' x 10' room @ 110 sq ft needs around 2.2k BTU. I don't know if there are any units smaller than 5k, but a 5k BTU unit should handle this room easily.
posted by zippy at 11:46 AM on August 17, 2023

If you ever need additional heat, it may be worth considering a small mini split.
posted by kate4914 at 5:12 PM on August 17, 2023

FWIW Consumer Reports Buying Guide says, "The portable air conditioners in our tests range from 9,000 to 15,500 Btu. But don’t compare portable and window air conditioners by that measurement alone. Our latest air conditioner tests find that portables aren’t as good at cooling as manufacturers claim."

And while portable A/C units may be a room's only option, there's no getting around the fact that portable air conditioners have compromises.

FWIW, Consumer Reports gave the Whynter ARC-102CS Air Conditioner a "very good' overall rating. It's not the highest performer, but it is cheaper and lighter than the typical portable A/C unit.
posted by oceano at 11:04 PM on August 17, 2023