After years of sticky summers in small city apartments, my childhood memories of air-conditioned houses started to feel more and more distant. Living in buildings with small, oddly-shaped windows or even no exterior ventilation to hold a traditional box-shaped window unit had tarnished my dream of ever having my own AC. Then I learned about portable stand-alone units. They’re air conditioners that you don’t put in your window, so they’re perfect for apartments, basements, attics, hallways and any other place that gets too freakin’ hot.
There are two main types of stand-alone air conditioners. One is a portable unit that typically sits on the floor and is equipped with a hose that ventilates hot air out of a window or opening, similar to a traditional window AC. Units of this type often also function as dehumidifiers, pulling heat and moisture from the air, compressing it with the internal motor, and then recirculating cooler, drier air into the space. They’re better suited for humid climates, and tend to cost around $300-500.
If you’ve ever shopped for an AC unit before, you’re probably familiar with BTUs (british thermal units), the unit of measure for an air conditioner’s cooling power. Starting around 2020, some manufacturers of portable air conditioners started listing two different BTU ratings, one from ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and one called SACC (seasonally adjusted cooling capacity).
Traditionally, the BTU rating that you’d see on the unit’s packaging came from ASHRAE, and was the result of testing the unit’s performance in ideal environmental conditions (and more likely to result in peak performance). The newer SACC rating takes more variables into account to replicate the real-life environment that an AC unit might inhabit, and creates an average performance score based on a variety of temperature and humidity levels. (FYI: This updated rating system only applies to portable AC units, and we’ve included the SACC rating for each device unless otherwise noted.)
The evaporative or “swamp” cooler, on the other hand, is another type of portable cooling device that functions a little differently. These units are lined with moisture-soaked membranes that add humidity to the surrounding air. They use an internal fan and tank of cold water and ice to send cold, moist air into a room. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, they work best in dryer areas with lower humidity and higher heat, namely the West, Southwest and Pacific Northwest. These tend to be cheaper than portable hose-vented units, generally ranging from $40-$120, though prices can vary greatly. Efficiency for these devices is usually measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute) although you’ll sometimes see BTU ratings for these devices, too.
To help you find the best home cooling for you, we’ve rounded up the best vent-hose and evaporative portable stand-alone AC units in a variety of styles and sizes. May your home become the fancy cool-air house of your dreams this summer.
For small rooms and larger spaces like garages or basements, this compact portable AC packs a punch. With over 12,000 positive reviews, this 8,000-BTU machine is said to cool off large rooms and enclosed smaller spaces quickly. It comes with a remote control to help you switch between the cooling, dehumidifying and fan modes. It comes in six model options, including ones that also work as heaters. While the unit sits on the ground, it comes with an exhaust hose to be placed in your window. (There’s only one BTU rating listed for this machine, and it’s not totally clear whether it’s SACC or ASHRAE.)
Promising review: "Cools off a room amazingly well. I was surprised and excited by the remote control and the feature that swings the vent covers up and down (swing setting). It pushes air around well and makes my third-floor Louisiana apartment not so miserable this summer. Glad to have this and very pleased with the quality so far." — Jon and Brittany Mohon
With tens of thousands of 5-star reviews, this standing air conditioner from Black + Decker is a bestseller in the portable AC unit category on Amazon. It comes with a handy remote control so you can adjust the temperature from across the room and it offers dehumidifying and ventilation in addition to air cooling. This 5,800-BTU AC works better in smaller rooms and offices and comes in seven models, some of which offer different BTUs and portable heating in addition to cooling. Note that while the unit itself does not go in a window, it does have a five-foot hose (and window adaptor) that does.
Promising review: "An absolute MUST for hot summer days. It's been 4 years since I've purchased this portable AC unit. I've been using it every day, when it's not summer I simply use the built-in fan for airflow when I'm working and white noise when I'm sleeping. When it's blazing hot during summer I have the unit blasting cool air in my home office while I'm working. This is an absolute must-buy if you're looking for some AC relief without breaking the bank. I will without a doubt buy a brand new one the moment this thing breaks down on me but it's been going strong for 4 years now and I still can't see it breaking anytime soon!" — sonny
The Strategist named this Euhomy model one of the best portable AC units for 2025, praising its value for the (relative to other units) affordable price. This 5,000-BTU unit can cool up to 350 square feet down to a minimum of 61 degrees, and has a built-in dehumidifier and fan. The 24-hour timer helps you avoid wasting energy, and the sleep mode will reduce the noise and screen brightness. Plus, it's truly portable with 360-degree wheels and hidden handles for carrying.
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Promising review: "It is very affordable and keeps my room so cold almost too cold! It is also very easy to set up and the noise level is minimal. Highly recommend this product." — Amazon Customer
Finding a well-reviewed unit for under $200 proved to be tough, so we were thrilled to see this evaporative cooler from Wicolo still had 4.3 stars across over 1,000 reviews. The unit has double water tanks that you only need to refill after 20 continuous hours of operation, while the 70-degree oscillation and manual vertical tilt can help cool the whole room. This one also doesn't have a hose with required window installation, and the built-in handle and wheels make it truly portable. You can choose between three cooling modes and three fan speeds to fit what you need. This model doesn’t include a BTU or CFM rating.
Promising review: "This tiny but mighty portable unit is perfect when needing to cool off a small space. We are moving and had to relocate our pups to the garage but as the temperature rises we want to make sure they were comfortable as well. The airflow that blows out of the unit is great with different speeds. And you have the opportunity to control the unit with the Remote. The reservoir has a large water capacity for longer days you need it and a section to put even ice for the hottest of days. For the functionality and cost of this unit I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to cool a room down or to help make your pets more comfortable in the heat." — Ariel
This 5,500-BTU Frigidaire unit is great for smaller rooms, with its compact size and cooling area of 350 square feet. It offers whisper-quiet operation, two fan speeds, a dehumidifying dry mode and 24-hour timer. It's so great that it even swayed a reviewer who was "determined to hate it."
Promising review: "I bought this A/C unit to cool off my upstairs apartment because I didn't have A/C in the front room and it was just unbearable. Now that I purchased this Frigidaire portable A/C unit my apartment is so much nicer to relax in. The unit is very quiet and works well. I don't know how I got by without it." — Richard Davis
Cool and dehumidify up to 200 square feet with this portable AC on wheels that’s equipped with 5,800 BTUs. It's Wi-Fi enabled and voice-controlled, so you can pair it with your phone or smart home device. Set it on its 24-hour adjustable timer and let the relief begin.
Promising review: "I live in San Diego where it’s perpetually at least 75% humidity. It’s not the East Coast... but it’s pretty humid. My complex doesn’t have AC, which on normal days is tolerable but during the summer anything over 80 degrees or so outside, it’s miserable to sleep in even with a fan. I wake up every night drenched in sweat since I keep the window open since it does cool down but that humidity is just sticky... anyway this AC has been a life-changing miracle for me. I sleep like a rock through the night now. My bedroom is on the smaller side but it works incredibly, and I was able to get the seal perfectly on my window even tho it opens vertically instead of horizontally. Not to mention it’s a single pane window and my room still stays icy. I love it. Personally haven’t used the app or remote cause I go to school online so I’m always here. Buy this thing!!" — Kylie
Forget expensive serums and overly fruity bath bombs; real self-care is combating humidity. This stand-alone AC with two vent hoses functions not only as a super cooling air conditioner but also as a powerhouse dehumidifier, removing up to 71 pints of water in a day. Its SACC BTU rating is 9,500.
Promising review: "I've been using this unit for about a year and a half now and I still love it. I sleep with it running right next to my bed. Writing a review today because it's over 90 degrees outside, the sun directly hits a large window and wall in my bedroom all day, and this AC unit has kept my room a cool 70 degrees all day. This AC unit goes down to 61 degrees so I could absolutely make it even colder on this very hot day." — Jason
Right after the Black + Decker in the bestselling portable AC unit category on Amazon is this Shinco model, which has 4,550 BTUs, a manually adjustable air outlet grille and works with both horizontal and vertical sliding windows. Like other models, this one has a 24-hour timer, sleep mode and built-in dehumidifier and fan. It can cool up to 200 square feet. One reviewer called it a "total game changer" for living in the Florida heat.
Promising review: "We’ve had this portable AC for over a year now, and it’s been a great solution for our basement, which doesn’t have a window—just a large sliding door and another exit. We had a contractor install it and vent it outside (not fully finished in the photo), and it’s worked perfectly since. It has 3 modes, 3 fan speeds, and adjustable swing direction, which makes it super versatile. Keeps the whole basement nice and cool during hot summer days. Highly recommend!" — SandyDHolder