Best Cheap Portable Air Conditioners in 2022

When it’s really hot outside, and there’s a lot of humidity in the air, it can be difficult to concentrate and focus on the tasks that you are doing. It can be so hard to concentrate and focus, that it makes performing those tasks a really big challenge, and if these tasks are important, this can, then, affect the rest of your day in a way that is less than positive.

You see, the heat, and the humidity, have a couple of effects on the human body. One of them is the fact that you are sweating, and this reduces the water that is in your bodily system, which causes you to need to drink more and more water.

As you are sweating, your body is working very hard to use this water to cool you down, so that you aren’t in pain or suffering while experiencing the heat. But, since the body is working so hard, it causes you to become tired and a bit lethargic.

People have theorized that one of the main reasons why a lot of the tropical countries in places like Asia tend to be less developed than many other countries within the same continent is due to the intense heat and humidity, and how it aids in feelings of lethargy and exhaustion.

Finally, the heat, in of itself, is just not that comfortable. Sometimes, it can be nice, but if you are trying to work in the heat, or to do things in the heat, it just isn’t a particularly fun or enjoyable experience, and it leads to discomfort.

Our Recommended Portable Air Conditioner in 2022

9) Shinco 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

8) SereneLife SLPAC Portable Air Conditioner & Heater

7) Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner

6) MIDEA MAP08R1CWT 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner

5) TOSOT 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

4) BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT Portable Air Conditioner

3) BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Portable Air Conditioner

2) BLACK+DECKER BPACT12WT Portable Air Conditioner

1) BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner

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In the end, none of these things are conducive to enjoyment, comfort, or productivity. And, as a result of this, many people have chosen to embrace air conditioners as a technology that offsets a lot of this heat and makes the entire experience of being in this heat a lot more pleasant.

Unfortunately, though, a lot of people don’t own air conditioners. With a traditional air conditioner, there is a rather lengthy set-up process, as well as a variety of other costs that do add up quite a bit.

Then, of course, there’s the effect it has on your electricity bill, once you’ve installed the air conditioner.

Most people don’t want to have to deal with that whole process, and all of the extra expenses that have to do with the setup and things of that nature, so they choose not to own an air conditioner.

Today, though, there is an excellent alternative to traditional air conditioners. And, this alternative is a portable air conditioner. As you may have figured out, this buying guide is going to be all about portable air conditioners.

We’re going to be talking about portable air conditioners, what they do and why they are great, and, you’re going to learn about the distinct features and attributes that you need to consider and think about when searching for the very best portable air conditioner.

Now, let’s dive right in!

What Is A Portable Air Conditioner, And What Does It Do?

A portable air conditioner is just like a regular air conditioner. It’s just like a regular air conditioner in the sense that it performs the same function.

So, what an air conditioner does is it takes in air from outside of your home – which is the space where you will use an air conditioner – and then it puts that air through a process where that air is then cooled, and this air is sent out of the air conditioner, and into your home.

By doing this, you throw cool air into your home, and this offsets the effects of the hot air that is already in your home.

Every air conditioner performs this same basic task. But, there are a lot of air conditioners – both traditional air conditioners and portable air conditioners – that also come with a dehumidifier function.

A dehumidifier is a type of device that sucks in air, and usually this air is within the home, and then it runs that air through a process where it removes the moisture from that air, turning it into liquid water, and then sends the air out, so that it no longer has this moisture.

With humidity, there comes a lot of heat and a lot of sweating. But, by dehumidifying the air, this sweating is reduced, and the entire experience is significantly more pleasant and enjoyable.

Today, a lot of air conditioners are having a dehumidifier built into them, and this dehumidifier works with the air conditioner to bring in the air from outside, and then to remove the moisture from that air and then to cool the air and send it into the home.

From that process, the air is nice and cool, and the air doesn’t have the same moisture in it, which makes it feel a lot cooler, too.

A portable air conditioner is a device that is very similar to a regular air conditioner, but this portable air conditioner can be moved around, from space to space, without you needing to dismantle the unit physically.

Instead, most portable air conditioners have wheels, and you can push the portable air conditioner around, find a window, and then set up the portable air conditioner by attaching the piping to the window, which allows the device to bring in air, and then you plug it in. It’s as simple as that!

Why Should You Purchase A Portable Air Conditioner?

A portable air conditioner brings many benefits. Benefits that are much harder to find in a traditional air conditioner. With a portable air conditioner, as mentioned earlier, you have mobility. You aren’t confined to one particular space or one particular area, and you can move the portable air conditioner to whatever area you want to cool.

Along with that, a portable air conditioner is a lot cheaper than a traditional air conditioner. It costs significantly less to purchase a portable air conditioner than a traditional air conditioner, for one thing.

But, along with that, there is significantly less set up involved, and as a result of this, you don’t have to spend any money to pay someone to set up the portable air conditioner for you, nor do you need to take the day to figure out how you can actually set up the portable air conditioner in order to use it.

Instead of all of that, you have the portable air conditioner, you have the manual, you move it to the space you want to use it in, and that’s that. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s effective.

A portable air conditioner gives you convenience, affordability, ease-of-use, and, in general, it gives you an incredibly easy and enjoyable experience that is difficult to beat.

What Do I Need To Look For And Consider?

In this section of the buying guide, we’re going to be looking at specific features and attributes that you need to consider and think about when searching for the best cheap portable air conditioner for yourself.

Each one of the features and attributes we’re going to be discussing in this section is important, but some of them may be a bit more important to you than others.

How Big Is The Portable Air Conditioner?

You’re going to find portable air conditioners that are as light as ten-pounds, and others that are sixty-pounds.

There are two considerations, here, and one of them is simply the weight of the portable air conditioner. If you have a heavy portable air conditioner, that does limit its mobility and, well, portability.

It will be harder for you to move that portable air conditioner around, and if you want a portable air conditioner that you’re able to move from room to room, regularly, then this heavy weight will make it harder to do that.

However, a bigger portable air conditioner will be a bit better and a bit more effective at cooling your air. We’re going to talk about this in just a moment, but if you want something effective, you’ll need something bigger.

The other thing to consider is how you can move the portable air conditioner. If it is a bigger one, make sure it has wheels, because without those wheels, it’s going to be a struggle to move the portable air conditioner. If it’s smaller, then make sure it has a nice handle. Ideally, though, it will have both.

How Much Power Does The Portable Air Conditioner Offer?

So, the next thing that needs to be considered is the power that the portable air conditioner offers. You’re going to find portable air conditioners that offer things like “5,000 BTUs”, and other vague measurements and descriptors.

Each one of these measurements refers to the amount of cooling power that the portable air conditioner offers, and, in turn, this refers to how well the air will be cooled, and the size of the space that you will be able to cool, with ease. In fact, “BTU” stands for “British Thermal Units”.

If you want a portable air conditioner that gives you a significant amount of cooling power, while also allowing you to cool rooms that are around three-hundred square-feet, then you’re going to want one with 8,000 BTUs, because that is the most effective number for a portable air conditioner, for that type of space.

Unless, of course, you want to cool a larger space more efficiently. In that case, 12,000 BTUs is ideal.

With a bigger portable air conditioner, you’ll get more BTUs. If you have a really small one, you’ll get less BTUs. As such, it’s important to consider the spaces you will be cooling, and the amount of cooling power that is ideal. But, you also need to consider the size of the portable air conditioner and the space you’re going to be using it in, as well as the mobility that is necessary for you,

How Does The Portable Air Conditioner Deal With Condensation?

Every air conditioner has to deal with condensation in one form or another, and portable air conditioners tend to do this in three specific ways.

One of the first ways is that of coming with a hose that you attach to a piping system. This is quite common, and it does make things very easy for you, but the biggest problem is that it isn’t convenient. At all.

If you want to move the portable air conditioner around, regularly, then this is not the right system for you. This is known as a “Partial Drip System”.

Now, the second way is a bit less convenient, but a bit more useful if you want the portable air conditioner to be mobile. Using a Drip System, the condensation is dumped into a bucket, and this bucket is held within the portable air conditioner.

You can then take the bucket out of the portable air conditioner, when it is full, and dump it out. But, if the bucket isn’t that big, and you are using the portable air conditioner a lot, then you’re going to have to dump it out regularly.

Finally, the third way is the most convenient. A “Non-Drip System” takes all of the condensation and releases it into the air. It’s the most convenient portable air conditioner to own, but with all of the condensation being thrown back into the air, it can add some humidity, which isn’t good.

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Conclusion

If you don’t own an air conditioner at all but are looking to purchase one, then a portable air conditioner is the best choice out there. With a portable air conditioner, you’ll save money, time, and energy, and you can move the portable air conditioner wherever you want it to go.

Using this guide, you aren’t going to have any problems finding that excellent and inexpensive portable air conditioner!

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Last update on 2023-06-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API