The range of modes provides a lot of versatility and is one of its best features; the dehumidifying mode was ideal for drying clothes, while the fan instantly cooled down a room when the temperature got warm.

If you want to be really specific, you can work out how many BTUs (British Thermal Units) your air conditioner requires to cool your office or room. There are handy calculators that can help you work this out online — we found one at www.aircondirect.co.uk. Do you need to clean your air conditioner? All of the air conditioners in the table below have been put through our rigorous tests, so you can be sure they’re effective at cooling, easy to use and energy efficient. If you want to lower the temperature in the room by more than a few degrees then you need an air conditioner; similarly, if your room is large, then an air cooler probably won’t work very well.Continuous Drain System: Connect a standard garden hose tube to continuously drain water collected when using in Dehumidifying Mode Humidifier/dehumidifier models increase or decrease the moisture in the air. Many portable AC units can act as dehumidifiers to pull in moisture and push out drier air, though it’s less common for a portable air conditioner to have a humidifier mode. Evaporative air-cooler ACs act as humidifiers while also cooling the air, so a specific humidifier setting isn’t as necessary. The portable air conditioner has a rating of 7,700 BTU DOE and it’s recommended for use in rooms up to 425 square feet. With compact dimensions and four caster wheels, it’s easy to position it where you’ll get the most benefit from the airflow. It has three fan speeds, along with a 24-hour timer function. An "auto" mode aims to maintain a target temperature without unnecessarily running the compressor, but some reviewers find it to be unreliable in terms of temperature management. Still, most users have broadly reported that in cooling mode, the unit works well.

Yes! Or, more specifically, you need to make sure you clean the filter inside your air conditioner. This article was written by Erica Puisis, a freelance home writer who has been contributing to The Spruce since 2017. She specializes in large and small appliances that make homes more comfortable. To find the best portable air conditioners, Puisis evaluated single-hose and dual-hose models, along with evaporative coolers for a no-hose option. Each one was compared based on how many square feet it can cool and its BTU rating and CFM. Other functional features that were considered were a self-evaporation feature, smart features, and any additional functions—such as a fan, dehumidifier, or heater. Dual-hose portable air conditioners have the advantage of using two separate hoses to intake fresh air and exhaust hot, humid air. This results in greater efficiency and more substantial cooling power, but it’s likely only to be noticeable if you are cooling off a very large space. The extra installation requirements of a dual-hose model, like our best dual-hose option, the Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner, are something to carefully consider. If you need all the help you can get in cooling off a big room or you have concerns over a negative pressure scenario.But no air conditioner is completely silent, even on sleep mode. In fact, you're better off pre-cooling your room before you go to bed, rather than attempting to sleep with one running. Timer Kandola says the most popular options for portable air conditioners are 9,000 and 12,000 BTU, which would cool a room of around 21 and 30 square metres respectively. Remember that the exhaust pipe will need to be run outside through a window and the gap sealed if possible. Window kits are sold for this purpose - see below. Do portable air conditioners use a lot of electricity?