Portable Air Conditioners from Air Conditioners America 

Portable room air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as the window AC units.  The key difference is portable AC units come with an exhaust hose that directs the hot air from the back of the air conditioner unit through a window or a cut out in a wall.  Some portable air conditioner units also have a water reservoir that collects the condensation from the air which needs to be emptied once or twice a week.  We recommend purchasing units that have a built in water pump or a self evaporation feature which minimizes the need to empty the reservoir.

How do I find the best air conditioner that fits my needs? This all depends on how large an area you need to cool.  We recommend using our Air Conditioning Buying Guide to assist you with your selection.  We also have several portable air conditioner product reviews that can guide you to making an informed decision.

Sizing Portable Air Conditioners

Room air conditioners are rated by the number of British Thermal Units (Btu) of heat they can remove per hour. Another common rating term for air conditioning size is the "ton," which is 12,000 Btu per hour.  How big should your room air conditioner be? Generally, at least 12,000 BTUs for a room size of 300 to 400 square feet.  The size of your unit also depends many factors such as how much shade you receive, how much insulation is in your home's ceiling and walls and size of the room to be cooled.

What to look for when selecting a portable air conditioner

• Always purchase an air conditioner that has a larger room capacity than the room you need.  The main reason is you will have adequate cooling if there is an extremely hot summer day - which is why you get an air conditioner.
• Look for a unit that offers a self evaporating or a built in water pump to eliminate the need for messy water buckets that you need to empty every day.
• Look for units that have at least 4 stars per our editor's ratings.
• We offer units from: Delonghi Sunpentown Alen and Amcor.