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The 7 best portable air conditioners, sized by the number that counts
Updated
Short version: for most bedrooms and living rooms up to about 450 sq ft, I'd pick the Midea Duo. It has 10,000 BTU SACC and the smallest gap between the box and the real rating. For a hot, sunny room, the dual hose Whynter ARC-14S is the classic choice. For a small room of about 150 sq ft, the Midea 8,500 BTU is the one listing here that sizes itself fairly.
Not sure what your room needs? Run the SACC calculator first.
Quick comparison
| Model | Box BTU (ASHRAE) | SACC / DOE BTU | SACC share | Hose | Listing claims | SACC fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midea Duo 12,000 BTU | 12,000 | 10,000 | 83% | Hose-in-hose (intake and exhaust) | 450 sq ft | About 450 sq ft |
| Whynter ARC-14S | 14,000 | 9,500 | 68% | Dual hose | 500 sq ft | About 400 sq ft |
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT | 14,000 | 10,200 | 73% | Single hose | 700 sq ft | About 450 sq ft |
| Whynter ARC-122DS | 12,000 | 7,000 | 58% | Dual hose | 400 sq ft | About 300 sq ft |
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT | 10,000 | 5,550 | 56% | Single hose | 450 sq ft | About 150 sq ft |
| Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 | 8,000 | 5,500 | 69% | Single hose | 350 sq ft | About 150 sq ft |
| Midea 8,500 BTU | 8,500 | 5,000 | 59% | Single hose | 150 sq ft | About 150 sq ft |
"SACC fits" is the largest room the ENERGY STAR sizing chart allows for that SACC number, with 8 ft ceilings, normal sun and two people. It is our reading of the chart, not a maker claim.
Room size the listing claimsRoom the SACC rating fits on the ENERGY STAR chart
- Midea Duo 12,000 BTU450 sq ft450 sq ft
- Whynter ARC-14S500 sq ft400 sq ft
- BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT700 sq ft450 sq ft
- Whynter ARC-122DS400 sq ft300 sq ft
- BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT450 sq ft150 sq ft
- Frigidaire FHPC082AC1350 sq ft150 sq ft
- Midea 8,500 BTU150 sq ft150 sq ft
The picks
Specs and owner feedback checked on Amazon September 18, 2026. The SACC and DOE numbers are copied from each listing.
Midea Duo 12,000 BTU Inverter (MAP12S1TBL)
Get this if you want one unit for a bedroom or living room up to about 450 sq ft and you care about noise and power use. Skip it if lifting a 73 pound unit into place is a problem, or if your window is a crank-out casement. It has the smallest gap between box and SACC of any pick here: 12,000 on the box, 10,000 SACC, which is 83 percent. Midea's own support page names it by the DOE number.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 12,000 BTU ASHRAE, 10,000 BTU SACC per the listing
- Hose-in-hose design that pulls intake air from outdoors and exhausts outdoors
- Inverter compressor. Maker claims as low as 42 dB when cooling
- 1,200 watts listed. Efficiency rating of 12.3 on the listing
- Window kit fits 19.05 to 63.86 inches. Drain hose included
- 72.8 pounds, one year limited warranty, Wi-Fi app and voice control
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Owners say it is powerful and efficient, moves a lot of air and cools quickly. One mentions it working well in a large bedroom.
- They complain about: Noise gets split reports, from very quiet to loud. Some owners struggle to fit it in sliding windows, and some report units failing in under a year.
Good
- Highest SACC share of the box number here
- Room size claim matches its SACC on the ENERGY STAR chart
- Inverter can slow down instead of cycling on and off
Watch out for
- Heavy
- Some owners report trouble fitting it in sliding windows
- One year warranty, and some owners report early failures
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose
Get this if your room gets strong afternoon sun or you are cooling a hot space like a garage office, and you want a classic dual hose unit. Skip it for a quiet bedroom. It is the loudest Whynter here on low. The box says 14,000. The SACC on the listing is 9,500, which is 68 percent of that and fits about 400 sq ft on the ENERGY STAR chart, not the 500 sq ft on the title.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 14,000 BTU ASHRAE, 9,500 SACC per the listing
- Dual hose: one pulls in outside air, one exhausts
- Maker claims 51 dBA on low speed
- 1,300 watts, 11.6 amps, 115 volts
- Window kit 6.5 inches wide, 20 to 46 inches long. Maker claims a patented auto drain
- 73 pounds, 19 x 16 x 35.5 inches, carbon filter and washable pre-filter
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Owners say it cools hard and is easy to set up. One describes it pulling a garage down from 95 to 80 degrees.
- They complain about: Noise gets split reports. Reliability is mixed too: some units run for years, others stopped within a month.
Good
- Dual hose, so less warm air gets pulled in through gaps in the room
- Auto drain claim means less bucket emptying in most rooms
- 71 pints per day of dehumidifying per the maker
Watch out for
- Title claims 500 sq ft, its SACC fits about 400
- Owners are split on noise
- Window kit tops out at 46 inches
BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT 14,000 BTU Smart
Get this if you want the highest SACC rating on this site in a single hose unit with an app. Skip it if you are counting on the 700 sq ft on the listing. Its 10,200 SACC fits about 450 sq ft on the ENERGY STAR chart. The box says 14,000, so the SACC is 73 percent of the box number.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 14,000 BTU ASHRAE, 10,200 BTU SACC per the listing
- Single hose
- 1,365 watts, 115 volts, 54 dB listed
- Window kit fits 20.5 to 49 inches (foam seal, slider bracket, screws)
- Wi-Fi app, Alexa and Google Assistant, Follow Me remote
- 68.3 pounds, one year limited warranty
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Some owners say it cools very well and find it fairly quiet.
- They complain about: Others say it barely cools or does not cover the room size it is sold for. Some report units breaking down within three years.
Good
- Highest SACC of the picks here
- Remote can act as the thermostat where you sit
- App and voice control
Watch out for
- Listing claims 700 sq ft, about 250 sq ft more than its SACC fits
- Single hose pulls replacement air in from the rest of the home
- The listing names two different refrigerants in two places. Check the label on the unit
Whynter ARC-122DS 12,000 BTU Dual Hose
Get this if you want dual hose in a bedroom around 300 sq ft and a quieter low speed than the ARC-14S. Skip it for a large living room. The title says 400 sq ft, and the listing's own spec table says 450. Its 7,000 SACC fits about 300 sq ft. The box number is 12,000, so the SACC is only 58 percent of it.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 12,000 BTU ASHRAE, 7,000 BTU SACC per the listing
- Dual hose, 5.9 inch exhaust and 5.0 inch intake
- Maker claims 47 dBA on low speed
- 1,200 watts, 10.5 amps
- Window kit 6.5 inches wide, 20 to 56 inches long. Auto drain with upper gravity and lower drain ports per the maker
- 68 pounds, carbon filter and washable pre-filter
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Owners are positive on cooling, and one says it dehumidifies well. Some say it holds within 4 to 5 degrees of the setting.
- They complain about: Others say it never reaches the set temperature. Leaking water and units that do not last a year are the main complaints.
Good
- Dual hose
- Quieter on low than the ARC-14S, per the maker's numbers
- Wider window kit range than the ARC-14S
Watch out for
- Biggest gap between box and SACC among the dual hose picks
- Owners report leaks and short lifespans
- Room size claims on the same listing disagree
BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT 10,000 BTU
Get this for a small bedroom or office of about 150 sq ft. Skip it for anything bigger, whatever the box says. The title reads 10,000 BTU and the listing claims 450 sq ft, but the same page gives 5,550 BTU DOE. That fits about 150 sq ft. The spec table also shows a 6,300 SACC line, so the listing gives two different lower numbers. Plan on the smaller one.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 10,000 BTU ASHRAE. 5,550 BTU DOE in the bullets and SACC/CEC line, 6,300 in another spec line
- Single hose
- 1,220 watts, 54 dB listed
- Window kit fits 20.5 to 59 inches
- 47.3 pounds, casters and side handles, one year limited warranty
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Owners find it easy to set up, and some say it keeps a bedroom very cold.
- They complain about: Some say it cycles on and off every 5 to 10 minutes and blows cool rather than cold air. Several report it quitting after two summers.
Good
- One of the lightest picks here
- Wide window kit range
- Follow Me remote
Watch out for
- Box number is almost twice the DOE number
- Owners report short cycling and units quitting after two summers
- No app
Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 8,000 BTU
Get this for a small room if you want to run a drain hose instead of emptying a tray. Skip it if the 350 sq ft in the title is the room you need to cool. The listing gives 5,500 BTU DOE, which fits about 150 sq ft, and its own spec table lists a floor area of 150 sq ft.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 8,000 BTU ASHRAE, 5,500 BTU DOE per the listing
- Single hose, continuous drain capable
- 970 watts, 50 dB listed
- Sleep mode, dry mode, 24 hour timer, clean filter alert, auto restart after a power cut
- 52 pounds, one year manufacturer warranty
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Owners like its compact size and the remote.
- They complain about: Cooling gets mixed reports, and some say units broke after one season. A few note the air blows off to the side.
Good
- Lower wattage than every pick here except the Midea 8,500
- Auto restart after a power outage
- Continuous drain option
Watch out for
- Title claims 350 sq ft, its own spec table says 150
- Only two fan speeds
- Owners report units failing after one season
Midea 8,500 BTU (MAP05S1AWT-A)
Get this for a room of about 150 sq ft, like a small bedroom or a home office. Skip it for anything larger. It is the one pick here where the room size on the listing matches what its SACC fits on the ENERGY STAR chart: 5,000 SACC, 150 sq ft. It also has the lowest listed wattage here.
Key specs (from the manufacturer listing)
- 8,500 BTU ASHRAE, 5,000 BTU SACC per the listing
- Single 5 ft hose
- 830 watts. Listing gives 615 kWh per year
- 52.6 dB, 50 dB at minimum per the listing
- Window brackets fit 26.5 to 48 inches
- 47.2 pounds, app and voice control, one year limited warranty
Recurring themes in owner feedback
- They like: Owners call it reliable and easy to install, and like the wheels and the cool, fan and dry modes. One says it kept up in 105 degree weather.
- They complain about: Noise and airflow get split reports. Some find it quiet and strong, others loud and weak.
Good
- Room size on the listing is realistic
- Lowest listed wattage here
- App and schedule control
Watch out for
- Small rooms only
- Window brackets need at least 26.5 inches
- Owners are split on noise and airflow
Before you buy any portable AC
- Find the SACC or DOE number on the listing. It is often in the title in brackets or in the spec table. If a listing only gives one BTU number and no SACC, be careful.
- Measure the window. Every kit has a minimum and maximum length. See window kit fit.
- Plan for the water. Most units evaporate most of it out the hose. In humid weather you will drain some. See drain and condensate.
- Plan the outlet. Makers say to plug straight into a grounded wall outlet on its own circuit.