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8,200 BTU (SACC) dual-hose portable air conditioner

Serenelife SLINV12CPD

Excellent efficiency for its size: a CEER of 12.0 beats 99% of the certified 8,000 BTU portable air conditioners.

The Serenelife SLINV12CPD delivers 8,200 BTU of real cooling (SACC), enough for about 250-350 sq ft, draws about 683 watts and costs about $92 a year to run at typical U.S. use and prices. A window unit that cools as much costs about $73 a year.

CEER
12.0 Combined efficiency, higher is better
Excellent · beats 99%
Real cooling
8,200 BTU/h (SACC)For about 250-350 sq ft
Energy use
513 kWh/yrAbout 683 W, at 750 hours a year
Design
Two hoses Draws outdoor air for its condenser

A good fit if…

  • You want low bills - its CEER beats 99% of the 710 certified 8,000 BTU portable models.
  • You want the better cooling design - with two hoses it does not pull warm outdoor air into the room to replace what it exhausts.
  • You do not want to empty a bucket - it evaporates the water and sends it out through the hose in normal weather.

Think twice if…

  • You also need heat - it cools only.

Calculate my running costCheck the size for my room

Details

Certified ratings8,200 BTU SACC, 12.0 CEER
Performance
Real cooling capacity (SACC)Seasonally adjusted cooling capacity: what the unit delivers in the DOE test, after the heat it lets back in8,200 BTU/h
CEERCombined energy efficiency ratio, includes standby power12.0
Power drawSACC divided by CEERAbout 683 W
Yearly energy use750 hours of cooling a year513 kWh
Design
Hose designDual-duct (two hoses)
HeatingNo, cooling only
CompressorNot reported
Water removalSelf-evaporating (exhausts the water through the hose)
Certification
Certified model numbers1 (1 basic model)
Brands1
Size class8,000 BTU
Model numbers with these ratings1 from 1 brand

These model numbers are certified with the same capacity, efficiency, hose design, heating, drain type and compressor as the Serenelife SLINV12CPD.They may be the same unit sold under several brands, or different products that test the same: the DOE data has no dimensions or noise figures, so check those with the maker. Ratings within about 2% in capacity and 0.3 in CEER are treated as the same; a model whose own rating differs a little shows it in brackets.

How it compares with the other 8,000 BTU portable units23 rating profiles
  • CEER (class median 7.3)12.0, tied with 3 other profiles
  • Yearly cost vs. class median ($148)$56 less
  • Efficiency rank among 23 rating profiles#4
  • Models in the class with two hoses8%
  • Window units with similar cooling (median CEER 15.1)$73 a year

Compared with every DOE-certified portable unit in the same size class (SACC). Each model number counts once. Yearly cost at 750 hours and 18.0¢/kWh.

Yearly running cost by city$12-$184

This unit at each city's cooling hours and state electricity price, against a window unit that cools as much.

CityHours¢/kWhPer yearWindow unit
Phoenix, AZ167515.5$177$141
Houston, TX140016.0$153$122
Miami, FL175015.4$184$146
Atlanta, GA77515.1$80$63
New York, NY52528.4$102$81
Chicago, IL47519.0$62$49
Denver, CO35016.6$40$31
Seattle, WA12514.2$12$10
Ranked around it in the 8,000 BTU class#4 of 23
#ModelBTU (SACC)CEERPer year
1Hisense HIAP0825TWD8,00013.5$80
2Hisense HAP0825TWD8,00013.0$83
3Serenelife SLINV12CHPD8,20012.0$92
4Serenelife SLINV12CPD8,20012.0$92
5TCL T08PQ4SD8,20012.0$92
6Midea MAP08V1JWT8,00012.0$90
78,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC, 11.5 CEER8,00011.5$94
Questions6
What size room does the Serenelife SLINV12CPD cool?
8,200 BTU of real cooling (SACC) suits about 250 to 350 sq ft with normal sun and two people (about 225-315 sq ft if very sunny), by the ENERGY STAR floor-area table. Size by SACC, not the larger BTU on the box.
How many watts does the Serenelife SLINV12CPD use, and what does it cost to run?
About 683 watts at full power (8,200 BTU/h divided by its CEER of 12.0), roughly 5.9 amps if it runs on 115 V. At 750 hours a year and 18.0¢/kWh that is about $92, which is $56 less than the typical certified 8,000 BTU portable unit ($148). Its CEER beats 99% of the 710 certified models in its size class.
Why does the Serenelife SLINV12CPD have two hoses?
One hose brings outdoor air in to cool the condenser, the other sends the heat out, so no cooled room air is wasted. 8% of the certified 8,000 BTU models have two hoses, and at 12.0 CEER this one is above their 7.3 median.
Do I have to empty the Serenelife SLINV12CPD?
Usually not. It evaporates the water it removes and sends it out through the exhaust hose. In very humid weather the pan can still fill, and most units then stop and ask to be drained, so keep a drain hose or a bucket handy.
Can the Serenelife SLINV12CPD also heat the room?
No, it only cools. 146 of the 710 certified 8,000 BTU portable models can also heat if you want one unit for the year.
Is the Serenelife SLINV12CPD as efficient as a window air conditioner?
No. The 33 ENERGY STAR certified window units that cool about as much (within 15% of 8,200 BTU) have a median CEER of 15.1, against 12.0 here, and the best reach 17.0. At 750 hours a year a window unit with that median would cost about $73, $19 less than this one. ENERGY STAR window units are the more efficient part of the window market, so the gap to an average window unit is smaller. A portable unit makes sense when a window unit will not fit or is not allowed.

Running cost calculator

Pre-filled with these ratings. Pick your state and how many hours you run it, or see what portable units cost to run in every state.

1. The air conditioner Serenelife SLINV12CPD
2. How you use it
Per year
$144
Per month of use
$26
Per day
$0.87
Per hour
10.9¢
Power draw
683 W

Electricity used: 902 kWh a yearAn old 9 CEER unit of the same size would cost $192

Power draw is capacity divided by CEER, which already includes standby power. Inverter units often run below full power, so real use can be lower. Electricity prices: U.S. EIA residential averages (12 months to July 2026). Days a year start from your state's cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).

Closest alternatives

Rating profiles with a similar CEER in the same size class, and what sets each one apart from the Serenelife SLINV12CPD.

ModelCEERCompared with this one
TCL T08PQ4SD12.0same CEER, also heats, inverter
Midea MAP08V1JWT12.0same CEER, 200 BTU less cooling, single-hose, inverter
Serenelife SLINV12CHPD12.0same CEER, also heats
8,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC, 11.5 CEER11.50.5 CEER lower, 200 BTU less cooling, inverter
Hisense HAP0825TWD13.01.0 CEER higher, 200 BTU less cooling, inverter

See all 23 8,000 BTU portable air conditioners, ranked

Before you buy

The Department of Energy lists every certified model, including some no longer sold: check availability before you buy. Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Compliance Certification Database (portable air conditioners), updated 2026-10-14. How we use the data.