The Best Portable Air Conditioners Under $600 of 2026

Our Top Portable Air Conditioner Picks

• Best Overall: Black + Decker 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
• Best for Sleep: DREO 515S Portable Air Conditioner
• Best for Humidity: Whynter Portable Air Conditioner
• Best Budget: Midea 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
• Best With Wi-Fi: LG 350 Sq. Ft. Smart Portable Air Conditioner
• Best Portable Window Unit: The Windmill AC

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest from the Southeast, my mind was blown that many buildings don’t have air conditioning — like no HVACs and very few window units. It’s pretty mild up here until August, and then it’s hell for 31 days. I quickly bought a portable air conditioner from Costco, and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. (Just remember to keep your window open completely when the unit is on and pulling in air. I made the mistake of slightly closing the window once, and the unit nearly melted the window trim and overheated!) Portable AC units are great for rentals or rooms like a garage where you don’t have an HVAC or can’t install a more permanent window box. But not all portable AC units are the same.

What to Consider When Buying a Portable Air Conditioner

There are two important things to know and consider when shopping for a unit: what size to buy and how to clean it. For size, look at the model’s British Thermal Unit or BTU, which refers to the amount of energy needed to cool a room and how quickly. Manufacturers will typically include a square footage number with the BTU listed to indicate if the model is good for cooling a big or small room. For example, you don’t want to buy a unit that is only meant for 250 square feet to cool a large living room. For cleaning, you want to look for a model that is self-cleaning or features an easy-to-remove, reusable filter because emptying a bucket of water is a pain and also becomes a hotspot for mold and mildew buildup. Units also vary dramatically in price from $150 to $1,000, so we’ve narrowed it down to the best, most affordable portable ACs on the market right now. Before you splurge on a machine, take a look at our handy shopping guide to find the right portable air conditioner for your home and your budget.

Best Overall Air Conditioner

If you need AC ASAP, check out the Black + Decker BPACT14WT. It doesn’t come with a fancy remote or WiFi functionality, but it gets the job done for under $500. It also offers both a sleep mode and a dehumidify mode so it’s a great all-around unit. And it’s a breeze to install. One reviewer said, “We had it up and running within three minutes of receiving it in the mail.”

Best Air Conditioner for Sleep

One of the cons of buying a portable AC unit is the noise. Like fans, these machines can get pretty loud, especially when they initially turn on to cool down a room. But newer models are sticking to the 40-60 decibel range which is much healthier. This DREO has a noise level of 45, which comes from the brand's patented noise isolation system for sleeping without interruptions. Plus, you can hook up the unit to DREO's app which allows you to smart control it using Siri, Amazon Alexa and more to tailor your cooling experience and customizing your sleep curve function.

Best Air Conditioner for Humidity

Most portable AC units feature some type of moisture control, but if you live in an extra hot and humid area, you may need a model with a built-in dehumidifier. Whynter’s model features an auto pump feature that can be activated to pump out excess condensation.

Best Budget Air Conditioner

This compact Midea unit doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but at under $400, it’s the right purchase if you’re on a strict budget. It even comes with a remote, sleep mode and a programmable timer. Several customer reviews have praised this model for being so powerful and fast despite its size. Though given its low BTUs, this unit is not a good option for large living areas.

Best Air Conditioner With Wi-Fi

Most portable AC units with smart, WiFi-enabled features such as voice control are in the $700-900 range, but we spotted this LG model that's under $500 and comes with WiFi connectivity! You can pair it with Amazon's Alexa or Google Play, too.

Best Portable Window Unit

When you think about big, clunky window AC units, nothing about them says portable. But Windmill is reimagining the apartment box with an incredibly easy-to-install unit that makes moving to a new space an absolute breeze. The brand even sells cute covers that come in a few different colors and patterns so you can customize the look of your window unit.