What is the best portable air conditioner for a small room?

On certified efficiency, Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7: 4,150 BTU of real cooling at 13.4 CEER, about $42 a year at typical U.S. use. If with heat matters more, the pick is vevor OL-A016LF05N3. Portable units certified at 6,999 BTU of real cooling (SACC) or less, ranked by CEER.

What size portable air conditioner do I need for a small room?

Following the ENERGY STAR floor-area table, applied to real cooling (SACC): home office of 100 sq ft, about 5,000 BTU SACC; nursery or guest room of 150 sq ft, about 5,000 BTU SACC; small living room of 250 sq ft, about 6,000 BTU SACC. The box usually shows a larger number (the older ASHRAE rating), so size by SACC. Size up for a sunny room and down for a shaded one.

How much does it cost to run?

A typical unit on this list (6,000 BTU SACC, 6.6 CEER) draws about 909 watts and costs about $123 a year at 750 hours and the U.S. average electricity price. The calculator works it out for your state.

Best portable air conditioner for a small room

Offices, nurseries and guest rooms under about 250 sq ft need only 5,000 to 6,000 BTU of real cooling. Small units are also the lightest to move and the cheapest to run, so there is no reason to buy more than the room needs.

Best overall

Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7

4,150 BTU (SACC) · single-hose

CEER: 13.4
Power draw: 310 W
Per year: $42

Most efficient small unit: CEER 13.4.

Ratings, size and running cost

Best with heat

vevor OL-A016LF05N3

6,400 BTU (SACC) · single-hose · heats too

CEER: 7.1
Power draw: 901 W
Per year: $122

Cools 6,400 BTU and also has a heating mode. CEER 7.1.

Ratings, size and running cost

Most cooling

Whynter ARC-115WG

6,800 BTU (SACC) · single-hose

CEER: 6.9
Power draw: 986 W
Per year: $133

6,800 BTU, for the bigger end of "small" (up to about 250 sq ft).

Ratings, size and running cost

Models that qualify1,135 from 121 brands
Efficiency range4.4-13.4 CEER
Typical running cost$123/yr
Dual-hose0% of models
Also heat3% of models
Inverter compressor1% of models

All 30, ranked

Portable units certified at 6,999 BTU of real cooling (SACC) or less, ranked by CEER. Each row is a rating profile: every model number certified at the same ratings.

30 rating profiles, ranked by CEER (efficiency). Yearly cost at 750 hours and the U.S. average electricity price.

#					Features
1	Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG71 model number	4,150	13.4	$42	Single-hose
2	Foshan Hanyang KOW60A1 model number	4,850	10.9	$60	Single-hose
3	Antarctic Star AC7290-10K6 model numbers, 6 brands	5,500	7.9	$94	Single-hose, Inverter, Gravity drain
4	6,450 BTU single-hose portable AC, 7.4 CEERe.g. Antarctic Star A011D2-10K, Auseo A011D2-10K + 31 more	6,450	7.4	$118	Single-hose
5	BLACK+DECKER BPP06WTB2 model numbers	6,000	7.3	$111	Single-hose
6	6,250 BTU single-hose portable AC, 7.2 CEERe.g. EUHOMY PAC002-10K, simzlife PAC002-10K + 103 more	6,250	7.2	$117	Single-hose
7	vevor OL-A016LF05N31 model number	6,400	7.1	$122	Single-hose, Heat
8	5,300 BTU single-hose portable AC, 7.1 CEERe.g. EUHOMY PAC002-8K, simzlife PAC002-8K + 102 more	5,300	7.1	$101	Single-hose
9	Whynter ARC-115WG1 model number	6,800	6.9	$133	Single-hose
10	6,500 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.7 CEERe.g. Frigidaire FHPC102AC1, Danby DPA065B6WDB-6 + 9 more	6,500	6.7	$131	Single-hose
11	6,300 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.6 CEERe.g. BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT, Danby DPA063E1WDB + 9 more	6,300	6.6	$129	Single-hose
12	6,000 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.6 CEERe.g. LG LP0621WSR, Midea MAP06R1CWWA + 371 more	6,000	6.6	$123	Single-hose
13	6,000 BTU single-hose portable AC with heat, 6.6 CEERe.g. NINGPU NPL-06H/X1E, Rnice YAC-06CHPD/PL2 + 17 more	6,000	6.6	$123	Single-hose, Heat
14	5,250 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.6 CEERe.g. Midea MAP08R1CWT, DREO DWAC08S + 64 more	5,250	6.6	$108	Single-hose
15	LG LP0526PGF2 model numbers	5,000	6.6	$102	Single-hose
16	AUX A039-10K1 model number	6,000	6.5	$125	Single-hose, Gravity drain
17	Pelonis PAP10R1BWT3 model numbers, 2 brands	5,800	6.4	$123	Single-hose
18	Frigidaire FHPC082AC11 model number	5,500	6.3	$118	Single-hose
19	NINGPU NPP-05H/X1E6 model numbers, 2 brands	5,000	6.3	$107	Single-hose, Heat
20	BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT5 model numbers, 3 brands	5,300	6.2	$116	Single-hose
21	Whirlpool WHNP051AW2 model numbers, 2 brands	5,150	6.2	$112	Single-hose
22	5,000 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.2 CEERe.g. LG LP0525WFR, Midea MAP05R1WWT + 355 more	5,000	6.2	$109	Single-hose
23	GARVEE KY-8K/07E1 model number	4,750	6.2	$104	Single-hose
24	5,000 BTU single-hose portable AC, gravity drain, 6.1 CEERe.g. Antarctic Star AC7205-5K, COWSAR AC7205-5K + 10 more	5,000	6.1	$111	Single-hose, Gravity drain
25	LG LP0524WFR1 model number	5,000	6.1	$111	Single-hose, Inverter
26	Fehom KOW60A4 model numbers, 4 brands	4,500	5.9	$103	Single-hose
27	GOUKA GK-LB1-UBRF2 model numbers	2,800	5.0	$76	Single-hose, Heat, Condensate pump
28	GOUKA GK-LB1-URF2 model numbers	2,800	5.0	$76	Single-hose, Condensate pump
29	vevor S03 PRO1 model number	2,050	4.4	$63	Single-hose
30	vevor S021 model number	2,000	4.4	$62	Single-hose

Before you buy

What size for your small room?ENERGY STAR sizing guide, applied to SACC

Home office, 100 sq ft5,000 BTU SACC · top pick Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7
Nursery or guest room, 150 sq ft5,000 BTU SACC · top pick Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7
Small living room, 250 sq ft6,000 BTU SACC · top pick 6,450 BTU single-hose portable AC, 7.4 CEER

Normal sun and two people. Size calculator for your own room · Why SACC, not the box

Tips4

5,000 SACC covers about 100-150 sq ft and 6,000 SACC about 150-250 sq ft in normal sun.
In a sunny room, or one with computers on all day, pick the next size up.
Every certified portable unit under 7,000 SACC has a single hose. If you want two hoses, you need an 8,000 SACC unit or larger.
Very small SACC numbers (under 5,000) are real: some tiny units certify at 2,000 to 4,500 BTU. Check the SACC, not the marketing figure.

Questions3

What is the best portable air conditioner for a small room?: On certified efficiency, Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7: 4,150 BTU of real cooling at 13.4 CEER, about $42 a year at typical U.S. use. If with heat matters more, the pick is vevor OL-A016LF05N3. Portable units certified at 6,999 BTU of real cooling (SACC) or less, ranked by CEER.
What size portable air conditioner do I need for a small room?: Following the ENERGY STAR floor-area table, applied to real cooling (SACC): home office of 100 sq ft, about 5,000 BTU SACC; nursery or guest room of 150 sq ft, about 5,000 BTU SACC; small living room of 250 sq ft, about 6,000 BTU SACC. The box usually shows a larger number (the older ASHRAE rating), so size by SACC. Size up for a sunny room and down for a shaded one.
How much does it cost to run?: A typical unit on this list (6,000 BTU SACC, 6.6 CEER) draws about 909 watts and costs about $123 a year at 750 hours and the U.S. average electricity price. The calculator works it out for your state.

Best portable air conditioner for a small room

Top picks

Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7

vevor OL-A016LF05N3

Whynter ARC-115WG

All 30, ranked

Before you buy

More portable air conditioner guides