The best portable air conditioner depends on where you need it and how it's powered. Some are mains-powered units sold beside window, through-the-wall and packaged terminal air conditioners, some sit in ranges with dehumidifiers and fans, and some run on batteries for the outdoors. Decide the setting and the power source first, then compare models.
A hot spare room, a stuffy home office or a sweltering tent: they all send people searching for a portable air conditioner, and they're not the same job.
This list covers ten makers, using only what each maker's own website says, read on 2 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order. Cooling, noise and battery numbers stay on the makers' pages: this list is about what each maker sells and how its range is grouped.
Portable AC makers compared
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Danby | Canada: portable, window and packaged terminal units | Portable units beside window and PTAC models |
| De'Longhi | UK: air comfort range beside kitchen appliances | Portable air conditioners, dehumidifiers and portable heating |
| EcoFlow | Battery-powered portable AC with heater | The WAVE 2, with a swappable battery |
| Meaco | UK: air conditioners beside dehumidifiers and fans | Air conditioner add-ons and a which-one guide |
| Midea | Portable, window and in-wall air conditioners | Portable, window, in-wall and PTAC units on one menu |
| NewAir | Portable air conditioning and fans | Portable AC, fans, misting fans and evaporative coolers |
| Soleus | Portable air conditioner brand with air circulators | Portable air conditioners and an Air Circulator series |
| TCL | Room air conditioners and HVAC from a TV maker | Window, through-the-wall and portable units |
| Whynter | Portable ACs, mini splits and refrigeration | Portable ACs with parts and accessories |
| Zero Breeze | Battery-operated portable air conditioners | The Mark 3 and the Mark 2 |
Ten portable air conditioner brands and their ranges
Danby
Best for: Comparing portable air conditioners on its Canada site with the window units, packaged terminal air conditioners and mini-split systems on the same menu.
De'Longhi
Best for: Shopping its UK air comfort range, where portable air conditioners sit next to dehumidifiers and portable heating.
EcoFlow
Best for: Cooling or heating away from the house with the WAVE 2, which its page lists for tents, RVs, boats and cars, with a swappable battery.
Meaco
Best for: Finding a portable air conditioner from a UK maker that also sells dehumidifiers, humidifiers, fans and air circulators, with air conditioner add-ons too.
Midea
Best for: Looking across its portable, window and in-wall air conditioners and PTAC units in one cooling and heating section, with dehumidifiers and fans beside them.
NewAir
Best for: Browsing portable air conditioning next to portable fans, outdoor misting fans, evaporative coolers and dehumidifiers, from a maker that also sells wine fridges.
Soleus
Best for: Following a brand whose page puts the portable air conditioner first among the technologies it says it introduced, now launching an Air Circulator series.
TCL
Best for: Picking a room air conditioner, window, through-the-wall or portable, from a brand that lists HVAC systems and dehumidifiers on the same menu.
Whynter
Best for: Getting a portable air conditioner plus parts and accessories, from a maker that also sells mini split units, portable dehumidifiers and ice cream makers.
Zero Breeze
Best for: Choosing between the Mark 3, its new arrival, and the Mark 2, each with its own accessories page.
Portable air conditioning isn't one product
Here's the split nobody puts on the box. Some portable units come from appliance makers that sell them beside window, through-the-wall and packaged terminal units: Danby's menu reads 'Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners Portable Air Conditioners Window Air Conditioners', TCL lists 'THROUGH-THE-WALL AIR CONDITIONERS', and Midea groups portable units with window and in-wall models.
Others sell them beside dehumidifiers and fans. Meaco's menu runs 'Portable Air Conditioners Shop Now Fans & Air Circulators', De'Longhi shows 'Portable Air Conditioners Dehumidifiers Portable Heating', NewAir lists 'Portable Air Conditioning Portable Fans', and Whynter's page title reads 'Portable ACs, Ice Cream Makers, Refrigeration'. And some run on batteries: Zero Breeze calls its unit a 'Battery Operated Portable Air Conditioner', and EcoFlow calls the WAVE 2 a 'wireless portable AC with heater'.
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- Mains-powered units from appliance makers: sold beside window, through-the-wall and packaged terminal air conditioners.
- Units in air comfort ranges: sold beside dehumidifiers, fans, heaters and air circulators.
- Battery-operated units: built to be carried, for tents, boats, cars and RVs.
Where it's going, and where you live
Think about the spot first. A unit for a bedroom or home office is a different purchase from one for a campsite, and the makers here list them in different places. If you're open to a window or through-the-wall unit instead, several of these brands sell those too, so it's worth checking the whole cooling menu.
Country matters as well. Two makers on this list sell from UK sites, and one entry comes from a maker's Canada site, so check that a model is sold where you live. Soleus also lists worldwide locations on its brand page.
What to check before you buy a portable AC
- Is it for one room at home, or for a tent, van, boat or RV?
- Do I want a mains-powered unit or a battery-operated one?
- Would a window or through-the-wall unit suit the space better?
- Do I want heating, or a dehumidifier, from the same maker?
- Does the maker sell parts, add-ons and accessories for the model?
- Is the model sold in my country?
Do you make portable air conditioners? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice before you buy a portable air conditioner
Work out where the unit will live before you look at a single model. For a room at home, shortlist the appliance makers and air comfort ranges, and compare portable units with any window or through-the-wall options they also sell. For the outdoors, look at the battery-operated units. And read any cooling, noise or battery number as the maker's own claim, then check the specification page for the exact model.
If the unit's for a work-from-home room, here's how to make your home office a space you love to work in. And for bigger jobs around the house, see my list of home improvements that add value.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Are all portable air conditioners plugged in?
No. Two makers here sell battery-operated or battery-powered units: one calls its unit a battery operated portable air conditioner, and the other lists a swappable battery. The other makers here sell their units beside window air conditioners, dehumidifiers or fans.
Can a portable air conditioner also heat?
One maker here calls its unit a wireless portable AC with heater. Others list portable heating as a separate product beside their portable air conditioners.
Which of these makers are in the UK or Canada?
Two of the pages here are UK sites, and one is a maker's Canada site. Check each maker's own site for the country you're buying in.
Do these brands sell other kinds of air conditioner?
Several do. Pages here list window, through-the-wall, in-wall, packaged terminal and mini split air conditioners beside their portable units, and one lists HVAC systems.
Which of these also sell dehumidifiers?
Seven of the ten brands here list dehumidifiers on the same menu as their portable air conditioners. Check the maker's own page for the models it sells today.
Can I use a portable air conditioner in a tent or RV?
One maker here lists tents, RVs, boats and cars on the page for its battery-powered unit, and another sells a battery-operated portable air conditioner. Check the maker's own specification page for your setup.
