Reviews Comparing Some of the
Best Portable Air Conditioners
The portable air conditioner that is the best for someone else's home might not necessarily be the optimum solution for cooling down your own house. One big factor in picking out an air conditioner that makes your environment more comfortable without harming your budget is the size of the room where you will be using it. Of course, one of the benefits of a portable unit is that you don't simply hang it in one window but it can roll around on wheels from room to room.
 For big spaces the Sharp 11-500 comes highly recommended. One reviewer compared it to their previous DeLonghi 13,000 BTU model that did not cool their space as well as the smaller sharp did. It blows colder air and does not need to be emptied as it as the moisture it removes from the air is evaporated which contributes to the cooling process.
The Edgestar AP12000HS sells for about $100 - $150 less than the Sharp and the manufacturer says it can cool off a room that is as big as 425 square feet. It also has a heater function so you don't have to store it away when winter comes, but can keep it around for warming up the place when the temperature goes down.
In comparison, the Royal Sovereign ARP1003E is quite light with a shipping weight of only 20 pounds. Some people who bought one complained a lot about the fact it does not evaporate its water but needs to be emptied quite often. One customer said theirs leaked and ruined the carpet while others objected to its loudness. We recommend you listen to how noisy a portable air conditioner is before you take it home. Considering its price of close to $400, we think you would be happier with a different unit.
Receiving mixed reviews was the Koldfront 8,000 BTU. One owner raved that it was cheap to buy and worked well while another complained it did not cool their small studio apartment very well at all.
We recommend you buy a well known brand with a strong warranty from a reputable shop with a good return policy. That way if you are unhappy you can bring it back and replace it with a more suitable portable air conditioner.
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