The problem with portable air conditioners is that they are not as effective as window units in that they are somewhat inefficient and provide only about half of the energy efficiency ration that they advertise. The reason for this is that the air that gets exhausted to the outside will originate from the room being cooled and energy that is being used to dehumidify and cool the room is sent out the vent hose and wasted.
Ratings on Portable Air Conditioners
There are portable air conditioners that have a configuration of two hoses. One hose will pull air in from the outside that will cool the coils of the condenser, and then the second hose will exhaust that air to the outside. This procedure works similarly to a window unit and they seem to do a better job in living up to their efficiency ratings.
Portable Air Conditioner Noise Ratings & Issues
Portable air conditioning units are fairly noisy, compared to most window units, but the convenience of being able to easily move the units around the house or apartment to wherever needed, might make up for the noise.
Another problem is that portable units create a lot of water. Most of them have a pan to collect the water, but sometimes more is created than can be collected. Some units will use the water to cool the coils of the condenser. In this case the water evaporates and is discharged.
The preferred type of portable air conditioner to purchase is one with a two hose system and one that disposes of water by cooling the coils efficiently.
Portable Air Conditioning EER Ratings
EER stands for “energy efficiency ratio.” The EER tells you how efficient the portable air conditioner you are considering is. This is an important consideration because air conditioners of all types consume lots of electricity. The more efficient your unit is, the less money you will have to spend to operate it.
The following ratings on portable air conditioners are based upon testing and consumer reviews:
The Whynter Portable Air Conditioner is a dual hose system that provides up to 12,000 BTUs. The manufacturer states that the air conditioner will work well cooling a 400 square foot room. It has an auto drain capability, which makes things really convenient because water does not have to be manually drained from the unit. The moisture is then recycled and helps to cool the coils of the condenser.
The Whynter has three different functions. It can be used as a dehumidifier, a fan, or an air conditioner. As a dehumidifier it will remove up to 96 pints of water per day. Casters on the bottom of the air conditioner make moving it around easy. The design is clean and modern looking with its white exterior and a thinly modeled black panel in the front. It has a conversion kit, if it needs to be placed in a window. This unit retails for $463.99.
Frigidaire has a portable air conditioner that has some very unique features. The Frigidaire puts out up to 5,000 BTUs and will cool a room in the 200 square foot range. The controls are very straightforward and easy to use. It features a remote that allows control of the fan speed and the temperature. There are three speeds for the fan and it has a directional air control so the air can be directed to any area desired. An ionizer is included with the unit so that impurities in the air will not be spewed into the room. Sporting three speeds for cooling, it has a heavy-duty filter inside the unit that helps reduce bacteria and odors. Room temperature is easily maintained and has been tested on separate thermometers for validation. The unit will run the next day on the last setting used when turned off the day before, which is a very convenient feature.
The Frigidaire has a 24-hour timer so that it can turn itself on automatically before the user arrives home. The sleep mode will slowly increase the temperature of the room after the time it is turned on. Side handles make moving the Frigidaire easy. The Frigidaire retails for $349.99.
The NewAir Heat Pump Portable Air Conditioner is a bright spot on the list of portables. Its 12,000 BTU model will cool a 450 square foot room with ease. This unit is very quiet and is hardly noticed when running. It is extremely versatile as it can be run as a fan, a dehumidifier, a heater or an air conditioner. It has a cooling system that is auto evaporative so the dumping of water does not have to be done on a daily basis. Moisture is taken out of the air to cool the coils of the condenser. Some would say, this is the top rated portable air conditioner.
The NewAir has a remote for convenience and features a 24-hour programmable timer with a sleep mode feature. The unit is very easy to move and is quite useful with all of the different modes of operation. This unit retails for $458.95
The Whynter Dual Hose unit with heater is another great performing portable. The BTUs on this unit are 14,000 and it will cool a room up to 500 square feet. The heater that’s attached is a wonderful feature as the unit can be used year round. The heater is very quiet and efficient. The drain technology takes the moisture produced by the air conditioner and recycles it so very little is left to dump, if any at all. Also included is a thermostatic control device with a digital readout. When looking for the best portable ac, this is one to consider.
The Whynter Dual Hose can act as a dehumidifier and will extract 101 pints per day of water. Three different speeds for the fan are also featured. The wheels on the bottom of the unit make moving it from room to room a breeze. The unit retails for $540.
For a person living in a smaller home, or an apartment, these portable air conditioners make sense. Having the convenience of being able to move them from room to room saves on the cost of having to install several window air conditioners, or needing to have a central air conditioning system installed. Coupled with the fact that some of the units also combine dehumidifiers and heaters, makes this type of air conditioner very practical. Hopefully these ratings on portable air conditioners are helpful in selecting the best one for your home.
