Best Portable Air Conditioners for Bedroom

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Size the unit to the room before anything else, because an oversized portable air conditioner cools fast then short-cycles, which leaves the air clammy and the compressor switching on and off all night. As a working rule 8,000 BTU suits a bedroom up to roughly 350 square feet and 12,000 BTU covers larger or sun-facing rooms; note that many listings quote the older BTU standard, so compare the SACC figure when it is given. Noise is the deciding factor for sleep: a compressor unit at 41 dB is genuinely quiet for the category, and the difference between that and a 50 dB model is the difference between background hum and being woken. Prefer a dual hose design if you have the window space, since a single hose pulls room air out and draws warm air in from the rest of the home, costing you real cooling. Check the drainage arrangement too, as a self-evaporating unit in dehumidifier mode still needs a tray emptied in humid weather, and confirm the window kit actually fits a sash or casement window if yours is not a standard slider.