Best Portable Air Conditioners: Which One To Buy And Nine Recommended Penguins

In these days of infernal heat typical of summer, it is greatly appreciated to have an air conditioning system, but it is not always possible. After all, the installation and its cost are daunting; for example, if you are renting or if it is a second home, you go occasionally. If you are also short of space, even worse. In this portable air conditioner buying guide, you will find recommendations for choosing the right model and a selection of outstanding models.

Air conditioning vs. air cooler

Included within the air conditioners, we find the portable type, a solution that can be interesting for those looking for a simple installation without work – for example, if you are renting -since it allows the extraction of air through a window and as its name indicates, they can be moved from one place to another. In addition, they are generally more affordable than conventional air conditioners.

However, it’s easy to confuse portable air conditioners with air coolers or evaporative coolers, similar-looking devices that lower the air temperature using water vapor.

Among their differences, energy consumption is lower; they do not require that air outlet to the outside, and their cooling capacity is lower than that of air conditioning. They constitute a more affordable alternative as long as we know their limitations.

Choosing a portable air conditioner: factors to consider

Considering that it is about choosing a portable model, it is interesting that they are models of the more or less contained size that allow them to be easily moved. From here, the selection criteria will be similar to those of standard air conditioners:

• Frigories measure the cooling capacity of a system, which helps us size the air conditioning system we need to achieve a pleasant environment in summer. When sizing the cooling capacity of an air conditioner, the square meters of the area to be heated are used. However, other factors also influence, such as the insulation and orientation of the room, the weather outside, or even the people who will be in the room. A good approximation is to estimate about 100 – 140 figures per square meter. If we find this data in BTU (British thermal unit) in the specifications of an air conditioner, we can convert it to figures by dividing it by four.
• Although the split type is the most suitable for installations where the air is going to be used intensively, it is worth looking at the energy efficiency label to find out how much they consume. They tend to be less efficient than standard air conditioners, but it is always a good decision to go for the ones that consume the least. With the recent change in the energy efficiency labeling of the European Union, in this document, you will find a classification from A+++ to D and colors from green to red, where A+++ corresponds to the most efficient equipment and D the least, in addition to other data such as noise.
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• • The refrigeration system of an air conditioner uses heat air circuits through which a refrigerant gas moves. At an environmental level, it is interesting both for its energy efficiency and its respect for the environment. The most interesting in this regard is the R32.
  • The B side of a pumped-air refrigeration system is noise, a very important factor if we place the air conditioning in the bedroom. In addition, in the case of portable air conditioners, all the mechanics are integrated inside – unlike splits, which have the compressor outside -. Before choosing a model, look not only at its maximum noise but also that it has a silent mode
  • When the air leaves the air conditioning system, it makes it relatively cleaner thanks to the action of the filters. Although other air conditioners generally integrate the most ambitious filters, it is better to pay attention to their filtering capacity and maintenance, especially if we have respiratory problems.
  • Its installation, although simpler, faster, and cheaper (you can do it yourself), is critical: you will need to have a window nearby for the air outlet tube and a plug. Running a tube through a window isn’t the best for efficiency, but there are adapters (in some cases included, in others, you’ll have to buy it separately) to minimize heat input from the outside.

  Which portable air conditioner to buy: recommended models

  Energy Clima 7050 by Cecotec