Choose the best portable air conditioner

RANVOO AICE LITE Plus 2025 Review: a serious neck AC for people who really hate the heat

The RANVOO AICE LITE Plus 2025 is one of the few neck "fans" I’ve tried that actually deserves to be called a neck air conditioner. The cooling plates make a clear difference: you feel them get cold in seconds, and after a few minutes your whole body feels less overheated, not just your skin. Add in...

by Tanisha Nair

GE 5,000 BTU Window AC Review: a basic little workhorse for small rooms

Overall, the GE 5,000 BTU mechanical window AC is a straightforward, low-frills unit that does its main job: cooling a small room. In a 100–150 sq ft bedroom or office with the door closed, it brings the temperature down reliably and keeps it comfortable, even compared to supposedly stronger portabl...

by Tanisha Nair

Amazon Basics 5000-BTU Window AC Review: cheap, loud, and surprisingly effective for small rooms

Bottom line: the Amazon Basics 5000-BTU window AC is a no-frills, budget-friendly option that does one thing well – it cools small rooms. The cooling performance is solid for bedrooms, small offices, or dorm rooms up to around 150 sq ft. It doesn’t blow cold instantly, but once the compressor kicks...

by Maxence Dubois

BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner Review: a no-nonsense workhorse for small hot rooms

Overall, the BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU portable air conditioner is a practical, no-frills unit that cools small to medium rooms well if you set it up correctly and accept the noise. It’s not the quietest or most efficient thing on the market, but it consistently does what most people actually need: mak...

by Violaine-Marie Beauchamps

Brio Bottom Loading Water Cooler Review: a practical 3-temperature dispenser that mostly just gets the job done

Overall, the Brio Bottom Loading Water Cooler is a practical, no-nonsense dispenser that does the basics well: cold water is cold, hot water is properly hot, and you don’t have to wrestle 5-gallon jugs onto your shoulder anymore. The bottom-loading design is the main reason to buy it, and in real li...

by Elara Winslow

BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Review: a chunky portable AC that cools hard but isn’t exactly subtle

This BLACK+DECKER 14,000 BTU portable AC is basically a workhorse in a plastic shell. It cools small to medium rooms well, deals with humidity, and offers a bit of smart control on top. The FOLLOW ME remote and strong hose connection are genuinely useful, and the overall performance is solid if your...

by Lachlan O'Reilly

7 best 12000 BTU portable air conditioners: our comparison (February 2026)

BLACK+DECKER BPACT12HWT Review: a 4-in-1 portable AC that mostly gets the job done without fancy extras

Overall, the BLACK+DECKER BPACT12HWT is a practical, no-frills workhorse. It cools a normal-sized bedroom or office well, it can add some heat in the colder months, and it doesn’t seem to be a fragile one-season product. The smart features and Follow Me remote are useful extras, but they’re not the...

by Santiago Fernández

TOSOT 10,200 BTU Portable AC Review: a solid single-hose unit with handy Wi-Fi but typical noise and efficiency trade-offs

Overall, the TOSOT 10,200 BTU (6,200 BTU SACC) portable AC is a solid single-hose unit that does what it says: it cools small to medium rooms reasonably well, pulls a good amount of moisture out of the air, and adds some convenience with Wi‑Fi control. It’s not quiet, but it’s no worse than other po...

by Lachlan O'Reilly

RANVOO AICE LITE Plus 2025 Review: a serious neck AC for people who actually hate the heat

After using the RANVOO AICE LITE Plus 2025 regularly for a couple of weeks, my feeling is pretty clear: it’s not perfect, but it actually cools you in real heat, which most neck fans just don’t do. The cold plates work fast, the airflow is decent, and on auto mode it keeps you in a more comfortable...

by Gemma Morrison

Dreo AC515S 12,000 BTU Review: a smart portable AC that actually stays quiet

The Dreo AC515S 12,000 BTU portable AC is a solid, practical choice if you’re dealing with a hot bedroom, office, or small living space and you don’t want something that sounds like a vacuum cleaner. It cools a medium room reliably, takes the edge off humidity, and the self-evaporating system means...

by Elara Winslow

Whynter ARC-14S Review: a heavy dual-hose unit that actually cools a big room

Overall, the Whynter ARC-14S is a solid choice if you actually need a portable AC that cools a decent-sized room, not just a tiny bedroom. The dual-hose system and 14,000 BTU rating translate into real-world performance: it can keep a 400–500 sq ft space comfortable in hot weather, especially if you...

by Santiago Fernández

EUHOMY 8000 BTU Portable AC Review: Compact unit that cools well but isn’t exactly quiet

The EUHOMY 8,000 BTU portable air conditioner is a practical choice for small bedrooms, apartments, or offices where you just need reliable cooling without installing a window unit. It cools a 150–250 sq ft room well, the air it blows is properly cold, and the included remote and timer make it easy...

by Elara Winslow

Senville AURA 24000 BTU Review: a quiet workhorse mini-split if you’re ready to install it right

The Senville AURA 24000 BTU mini split is, in my experience, a solid, no-nonsense option if you want efficient heating and cooling for a medium-to-large space and you’re okay dealing with a proper installation. It doesn’t try to be fancy: the design is plain, the app is basic, but it cools and heats...

by Lachlan O'Reilly

COSTWAY 12000BTU Mini Split Review: quiet 115V unit that actually heats and cools decently on a budget

Overall, the COSTWAY 12000BTU Blast Series mini split is a practical, budget-friendly option if you want real cooling and usable heating in a mid-sized space and you don’t care about fancy branding. It cools quickly, heats better than a simple space heater, runs fairly quietly, and doesn’t wreck you...

by Mallory Creighton

Senville LETO 24,000 BTU Review: budget mini-split that actually holds up in real use

Overall, the Senville LETO 24,000 BTU mini-split is a solid, no-nonsense option if you want real cooling and heating for a larger space without paying top-brand prices. It cools and heats well, runs quietly, and covers the basics: AC, heat pump, dehumidifier, and fan. In day-to-day use, it just does...

by Tanisha Nair

Whynter ARC-1230WN Review: a powerful dual-hose portable AC that actually cools a whole room

The Whynter ARC-1230WN is a solid choice if you’re serious about cooling a medium to large room and you’re stuck with portable units. The dual-hose inverter setup actually makes a difference in real life: rooms cool faster, stay cooler, and the unit doesn’t blast at full power all the time. Noise is...

by Leopold van der Meer

BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU Portable AC Review: a compact unit that actually cools a room

Overall, the BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU portable AC is a practical, no‑nonsense way to cool a single room. It’s not silent, it’s not fancy, but it does what most people actually need: make a bedroom or home office comfortable in real summer heat. Cooling performance is solid for spaces up to around 150–...

by Elara Winslow

Midea 8,000 BTU U-Shaped Smart Inverter Review: a quiet window AC that actually lets you open the window

After using the Midea 8,000 BTU U-Shaped Smart Inverter for a while, my take is pretty straightforward: it’s a very solid choice if noise and comfort matter to you, and just okay value if all you care about is raw cooling for the lowest cost. It cools a 300–350 sq ft room reliably, keeps temperature...

by Tanisha Nair

Midea 10,000 BTU U-Shaped Smart Inverter Review: quiet cooling without killing your window or your power bill

Overall, the Midea 10,000 BTU U-Shaped Smart Inverter is a pretty solid window AC for people who are tired of loud, clunky units that block the whole window. It cools a mid-size room quickly, keeps the temperature steady, and is genuinely quieter than the usual window boxes. The U-shaped design and...

by Santiago Fernández