The 3 Best Portable Air Conditioners - Spring 2025

The best portable air conditioner that we've tested is the Whynter NEX ARC-1230WN. This high-end portable unit packs in all the bells and whistles one could want in an A/C unit. There's integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to operate the unit or monitor the ambient temperature at home while you're at work via the NetHome Plus companion app, which also offers Google Home and Amazon Alexa integration. Beyond that, it has a dedicated dehumidification-only setting and a space-saving two-in-one hose design that makes it a little more compact than some other dual-hose models (though there's still no getting around this being a genuinely bulky appliance).

Despite its substantial cooling capacity, enough to cool even big open-concept living spaces all by itself, it doesn't suffer from the same oversizing issue that plagues non-inverter models: its inverter compressor can run at a lower speed instead of cycling on and off when maintaining your desired setpoint. This minimizes fluctuations in temperature and, crucially for a unit with this level of cooling capacity, prevents it from cooling a room more quickly than it can dehumidify. The result is that your room should feel comfortably cool and dry instead of damp and chilly.

If you can't justify a portable A/C unit with the kind of capacity offered by the Whynter NEX ARC-1230WN, the Midea Duo MAP12S1TBL is a slightly more affordable option that delivers a very similar breadth of features. That isn't overly surprising, as it's nearly the same unit as the Whynter: it uses the same digital interface, and Whynter's NetHome Plus app is effectively a reskinned variation of the Midea Air smartphone app. Its space-saving two-in-one hose design is also very similar.

The main differences between the units lie in their inverter compressors, with this Midea model having slightly lower capacity, to the tune of roughly 20%. As a result, it'll take a little longer to cool a comparably sized space, though this model is still a strong performer in this regard and won't have any trouble in most bedrooms or even larger living spaces. Its inverter technology also allows for relatively efficient operation and minimal swings in temperature or humidity while the unit maintains the setpoint, and it's quiet enough to leave running while you're listening to music or watching TV.

Lastly, if you're on a tight budget and only need a basic A/C, the SereneLife SLPAC8 could be for you. Unlike the Midea Duo MAP12S1TBL and Whynter NEX ARC-1230WN, this portable unit is designed exclusively for small spaces and has a single-hose design. While this cuts down on complexity and makes for a more compact machine, there's no getting around the fact that this design comes with inherent sacrifices in terms of efficiency and general cooling performance. Single-hose models like this take in indoor air from the room they're cooling, generating negative air pressure and drawing in warm air from the outdoors or even simply from uncooled areas inside your home. This influx of warm air forces the machine to work even harder. Despite this model's low capacity, it consumes more power than the far more powerful Whynter or Midea.

However, that poor efficiency isn't solely down to the SereneLife model's single-hose design. Its low capacity means the compressor is forced to run constantly, even in modestly-sized spaces, instead of cycling on and off as a non-inverter compressor should. Once again, this makes for highly inefficient operation while the unit maintains your desired setpoint, and it could accelerate wear and tear over time. However, there's a benefit to this constant running: it helps minimize swings in humidity and temperature since at no point does the machine cycle its compressor. In terms of quality-of-life features, this model is also well-rounded for something this affordable: it has a separate dehumidification setting, an easy-to-set digital thermostat, and a remote control to operate the unit without getting off the couch or rolling out of bed.