Portable Air Conditioner Reviews: What Customers Are Saying

If you’re in the market for an alternative cooling solution, you may find yourself reading a multitude of portable air conditioner reviews. As you’ve probably seen, these tend to range from pure bliss to utter dissatisfaction and every reaction in between.

With each passing season, we evaluate our influx of reviews and alter our product line-up accordingly, all based on what our customers are saying. Over the years, we’ve seen a few of our portable air conditioners receive overwhelmingly positive reviews. They aren’t all positive, of course, but all of these AC units have received hundreds of reviews and they are all rated at over 4 stars out of 5.

If you’re currently looking to buy a portable AC unit, we would strongly recommend you take a close look at what customers are saying about each model. Like any appliance, some AC units are going to perform better than others. This is why it is incredibly important to read over the reviews left by real customers.

The 5 Best Portable Air Conditioners

Below, we have listed out our top five rated portable air conditioners and a few of our favorite reviews from customers that have bought them.

While these are all great air conditioners, we also realize that they may not be the best for your lifestyle. So, feel free toclick here and jump past these five. Down at the very bottom, we have included a list of our top ten portable AC units each with their featured review. This list will be updated daily, as we constantly receive feedback from readers like yourself.

1. EdgeStar 14,000 BTU Dual-Hose Portable Air Conditioner & Heater

(Model: AP14001HS)

Garage Apartment Cooling

When transforming your attic, basement, or garage into a liveable portion of your home, consider using a portable air conditioner as a cooling solution for this space. There’s no need to rework your entire central cooling system; as long as you have proper insulation, a portable air conditioner works perfectly.

The EdgeStar 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner and Heater, which currently has over 250 reviews and is rated at 4.3 stars out of 5, has been able to meet this need quite successfully. Here’s what one customer had to say:

“We finished our upstairs in the garage and put this unit next to the window. With the insulation we added, it is able to keep the 300s/f area cool. Am happy with the product; Thanks!”

Heater Makes It Great For Year-Round Use

Some portable air conditioners are able to meet needs no matter what the season. These portable units not only cool, but they also have a heating element. Rather than storing it in the winter, you can use it much like you would a space heater. The EdgeStar 14,000 BTU unit has been doing just that:

“Have had this unit for a little over a week. In that time the temperature has gotten into the 20’s and the heat pump functioned very well keeping the temperature of our 600 sq ft cottage in the low 70’s.”

To view these reviews and all other customer feedback for this portable air conditioner, please visit the product page.

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2. EdgeStar 8,000 BTU Portable AC with 50-Pint Dehumidifier

(Model: AP8000W)

Cooling for RVs, Travel Trailers & Pop-Up Campers

When you’ve decided to live life on the road, retaining some of the comforts of home is very important. Adequate cooling is one of these comforts. Using a portable air conditioner is a fantastic way to cool your RV, travel trailer, or pop-up camper. Whether you’re parked for good or just vacationing for a few days, you’ll be cool and comfortable in your home on wheels.

The EdgeStar 8,000 BTU Ultra Compact Portable Air Conditioner, which currently has nearly 400 reviews and is rated 4.3 stars out of 5, has been described as the perfect pop-up camper companion. Here’s what one RV’er had to say:

“I bought this item because it was the only one I could find that is short enough to fit inside my pop-up camper when it is closed up (laying these portable units on their side is not recommended). The unit just barely fits in there with very little wiggle room–which is good for traveling on the road. This unit is surprisingly quieter than I thought it would be. This unit was able to cool down the inside of the camper to a comfortable temperature (72) in about an hour and that’s with 4 bodies sitting inside the whole time. I stick the exhaust pipe out under the canvas siding and stuff a towel around it… works great for me! The sun beating down on the canvas can make it very hot in there so I’m definitely glad I bought this item and that it works well.”

Lower Your Energy Bills with Spot Cooling

If all you need to cool is your immediate surroundings, it doesn’t make sense to continuously run your entire central cooling system. Spot cooling with a portable air conditioner is a great way to stay comfortable without paying exorbitant energy bills. The EdgeStar 8,000 BTU unit has helped customers do exactly that:

“I have a small bedroom 15 X 15. It dropped the temp from 85F to 79F in about 15 minutes and kept my 77F setting on all night. Immediately one can comfortably go to sleep. Makes every part of room cool and less humid. Great for people to use as needed without running up big A/C bills. Hardly shows up as a blip on my electric bill.”

Perfect for Dorm Rooms

Especially in the Northeast, dorm rooms can have unpredictable if any cooling systems. The last thing you want as a student is to live in a cramped, hot, and humid space. Portable air conditioners provide the perfect dorm room oasis. The 8,000 BTU EdgeStar gave this student refuge from the summer heat:

“I bought this to go in my dorm room that heats up like an oven with the afternoon sun it gets. It works great in the northeast summer. Even during the heatwave where temps outside were 99 degrees for four consecutive days, my room was still tolerable. without it I would’ve had to go to a hotel. I love the functions especially the timer. I have it set to come on an hour before I get out of class so I walk in to a nice cool room. The nights are great as I like it really chilly while I sleep. In the morning if its too chilly I just reach for the remote and shut it off so that I don’t stay wrapped up under the blankets snoozing. It maintains temperature well. It is a bit noisy but it’s a constant white noise which helps me sleep and drowns out the street noise/hallway noise making it easier to study. I’m a petite woman and I installed it in 15 minutes without help. Piece of cake. I like the sleek look of it too. This portable ac is my new best friend!”

To view these reviews and all other customer feedback for this portable air conditioner, please visit the product page.

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3. Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

(Model: PAC1401W)

Rescue Yourself from Central AC Failure

When we hear about central air conditioning units failing in the summertime, it makes us cringe. Central cooling systems require a significant amount of time and money to replace, and they always seem to fail at the most inopportune times. Portable air conditioners are the perfect stand-ins during these unfortunate situations.

The Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner, which has over 160 reviews and is rated at an outstanding 4.6 stars out of 5, has brought customers relief during their suffering. Here’s what one customer told us:

“Main a/c went out in house. Could not afford the whole house replacement at this time. This unit has helped keep us cool. We are in FLORIDA and the temps have been upper 90s. This unit has helped take the humidity out of the air and keep the main part of the house much cooler. We have been able to make it through the worst of the hot summer. We use several fans to circulate the cool air through the rest of the house.”

Added Comfort on Second Story

Large, multistory buildings can have portions of the building that experience warmer conditions than others. Oftentimes, these are due to poor ductwork or added ambient heat. Rather than using the central cooling system to overcompensate for this one area, a portable air conditioner is an ideal solution that can cool you down and keep these specific spaces at a comfortable temperature.

According to this customer, the Koldfront 14,000 BTU unit worked its magic on this second story bride room:

“We needed a portable AC unit for our church’s bride room which is on the second floor of the sanctuary. The room size is about 18′ x 30′ and very warm. This 14,000 BTU unit has performed exceptionally well. It was simple to install. The brides now stay cool before their big day. Our recommendation is don’t get a portable AC unit that is too small.”

To view these reviews and all other customer feedback for this portable air conditioner, please visit the product page.

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4. Koldfront Ultracool 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner & Dehumidifier

(Model: PAC801W)

Get Better Sleep

It’s no secret that comfortable living conditions give way to better sleep. When heat and humidity is keeping you from getting adequate rest, consider using a portable air conditioner in your bedroom. The Koldfront Ultracool 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner, which currently has nearly 200 reviews and is rated at 4.4 stars out of 5, has helped our customers sleep comfortably through the night (or day!):

“I think I slept better today than I have in a long time because I was not tossing and turning due to my bedroom being so hot! I work nights, so I have to sleep during the hottest part of the day. I have central A/C, but it just cannot get my house cooler than 80 degrees. And not to mention my monthly utility bills with my A/C running constantly! My dog sleeps in my bedroom with me, and he was so miserable before, panting constantly and always waking me up. He slept through the entire day, too!”

Cool Computer Equipment

Whether it’s a giant server room or a small home office, computer equipment gives off considerable amounts of ambient heat. For both you and your equipment’s sake, it’s important to regulate the temperature to minimize this heat. A portable air conditioner is a great solution that offers perfect concentrated cooling, keeping you, your space, and your equipment happy. The Koldfront 8,000 BTU unit helped cool this customer and their computer:

“Easy to set up, looks descent from outside the house, and most importantly cools great. I run a lot of computer equipment in this room and when I have it all turned up, it used to get oppressively hot very fast — even with fans blowing and the door open. Now that’s simply a thing of the past. Should have bought this unit a long time ago.”

To view these reviews and all other customer feedback for this portable air conditioner, please visit the product page.

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5. EdgeStar Extreme Cool 12,000 BTU Portable AC with Dehumidifier

(Model: AP12000S)

Home Addition Cooling

Home add-ons can create unforeseen strains on central cooling systems. Portable air conditioners provide additional cooling, so you can use your new space just as you intended.

The EdgeStar Extreme Cool 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner currently has nearly 250 reviews and is rated at 4.4 stars out of 5. Here’s what one customer had to say about how this AC unit cooled their sunroom addition:

“Recently moved into a house with an added on sunroom. That room had been added into the main house HVAC which put almost – 0 – air or heat into that room and affected the output of air/heat to the whole house. I disconnected the ducts to the sunroom and properly covered the cut in holes in the main unit. I have easily installed the EdgeStar 12,000 BTU air/dehumidifier and I couldn’t be more pleased! It is so quiet, it works so well it helps the whole house. I can now leave the patio door open and spend time in the sunroom, quietly, and comfortably. FYI: the sunroom was REALLY hot before or REALLY cold.”

Keep Your Customers Cool

If you own your own business, your customers are probably your number one priority. Keeping them cool and comfortable is a given, and a portable air conditioner can make that happen without creating any unnecessary hassles or financial burdens. The EdgeStar 12,000 BTU unit brought cooling and comfort to this barbershop business:

“I have a Barber Shop, it does not cool well at all. So I ordered an air conditioner from [you] to to help my regular central air unit .The day I received my portable air conditoner my central unit went out. I did not think the portable unit would cool all of shop but I was impressed it made it very comfortable at my shop with a room full of people. Thank you, thank you.”

To view these reviews and all other customer feedback for this portable air conditioner, please visit the product page.

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Top 10 Portable Air Conditioners (With Reviews Updated Daily)

While the five portable AC units above are all very popular, they may not be a good fit for you. In fact, the unit that I personally own isn’t on the list above, either. It’s also worth noting that we receive customer feedback and reviews on a daily basis. This makes it somewhat difficult to keep you, the reader, up-to-date on which of our air conditioners are receiving the best feedback.

We are proud to offer one of the largest selections of portable air conditioners online, and our goal is to help you find the best AC unit for your specific situation. This is not dependent on whether it’s listed above or not, we want you to be comfortable and make the best buying decision for you.

This is precisely why we have created the list below.

As our product pages get updated with new reviews, the AC units listed below will be automatically updated to reflect this new feedback. This ensures that you get the most accurate and up-to-date information, all in one place.

Get Started Here:

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Final Thoughts:

No matter what type of product you are thinking of buying, it’s always important to read over the reviews that customers leave per each model or brand. While they may not always be positive, or even accurate, they do give you a pretty good consensus as to how people feel about it.

Whether you go with one of the five listed above, a different unit or are just dropping by here to learn a little more about this type of air conditioner, we want you to be cool and comfortable. And not just with the temperature, but with the product you ultimately decide to buy.

Please give us a call if you have any questions or would just like us to help you find the best portable air conditioner for your lifestyle or unique situation.