power cord meaning the unit can sit in the middle of a medium-sized room and overheat protection for peace of mind. If there are any products that we haven't managed to test in person, or the product didn't achieve over 4 out of 5 stars, then they won't have an Ideal HomeApproved badge. If you do need to purchase one separately then there's a wide variety of window sealing kits available. The type that's best for you will be determined by your window's size, opening mechanism, and hinging placement.

Honeywell Portable Air Conditioner 9000 BTU | Energy

We tested several portable air conditoners where the noise they emitted resembled the sound of a train engine chugging – a noisy, mechanical whirring noise that chopped and changed and soon drove us to distraction, making us want to switch off the unit off as soon as we possibly could.

While even the best fan simply moves air around, and an air cooler chills it a bit using evaporation, an air conditioner actively lowers the temperature of a room by running air through a refrigerating unit and fanning it back out, expelling the unwanted heat through a window. Check that your preferred unit comes with built-in wheels to help you manouevre it within the home, but bear in mind that if you want to carry a unit up and down the stairs then you're probably going to need two people to do that safely. Remember that the exhaust pipe will need to be run outside through a window and the gap sealed if possible.

Portable 3-1 Air Conditioner Inventor Chilly 9000BTU Portable 3-1 Air Conditioner

This quick list is an overview of the very best portable air conditioners available, according to our experts. It has some downsides, but only in keeping with most portable air con units, in that it's heavy which makes it not quite as portable in reality as its name may suggest. The best portable air conditioners can be an effective way to keep your home cool and your sanity intact.When joined together, the latter also allows you to vent the duct through a sliding door – though you’ll be left with a small gap at the top.