Portable air conditioners are becoming a big trend these days, and people love how inexpensive and convenient they are. Instead of having to stay in the room of the house that is air conditioned, they can simply move the air conditioner to where they want. It allows them to save money and still enjoy a cool, comfortable home. There are a couple of different types of portable air conditioners, and the ones we will focus on are dual hose air conditioners.
These have two hoses, as the name implies, and they pull in air with one hose and push out air with the other. This makes them very efficient and allows for faster and more effective cooling, just as AllergyandAir.com states.
What to Consider Before Buying Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
If you are looking to buy a portable air conditioner, then there are some things you should take into consideration before making your purchase:
- The Price– Some of these machines can be incredibly expensive, and you want to be careful you don’t buy one that is more than you can afford just because you think it will be a good quality unit. You also don’t want to go with something super cheap just to save a few dollars. You can end up regretting your purchase after it breaks down a little while later, left to sweat where you stand.
- Size- This is one of the key factors when deciding on which unit to buy. Not all portable units are small, and you need to keep that in mind when you are trying to find the right one for you. Look at the dimensions before you click that “buy now” button.
- Effectiveness– Not all dual hose portable air conditioners can regulate the temperature in your house very well. You have to take into consideration the size of your room and how much energy the unit will use before you buy it. That way, you can estimate if the air conditioning unit will be able to handle cooling your home or the room you place it in effectively.
Product Reviews
Now that you know what to look for in a portable air conditioner, it’s time to show you some of the best products available. We chose these based on their pricing, reliability and high energy output.
Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner (ARC-14S)
If you want the best, then you will have to pay for it. This portable unit made by Whynter comes with all the features you want, as well as a few you may never use. It has remote control functionality, a carbon filter, three different modes of operation, washable components and a high capacity dehumidifier, to name a few. This is the whole package, and you will pay above $450 for it, but if you want a portable air conditioner that is a sound investment, then this is it. It is designed to be able to cool 500 square feet, so be sure to measure the room you are going to put it in to see if it is up to the task. It’s also environmentally friendly, using a refrigerant that is not going to deplete the ozone layer.
Pros
- Lots of features.
- Powerful air conditioning unit.
- Safe for the environment.
Cons
- Expensive.
BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT
For something considerably cheaper, you can try this portable unit from Black and Decker. This comes with washable filters that you can just pull right out and clean. It manages to cool about 300-350 square feet, so it is not as powerful as the unit above, but it is still going to work just fine for most rooms. Once again, we urge you to take measurements to ensure the unit will work well for you and your needs. It offers three cooling modes and comes with a LED display and an automatic shutoff function. That helps save energy and make this a more environmentally friendly option than some portable AC units are.
Pros
- Three cooling modes.
- Affordably priced.
- High quality parts.
Cons
- The effective range is only average.
Whynter 12,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
Like most of the other choices on this list, this air conditioning unit comes with three modes of operation, which are dehumidifier mode, fan and air conditioner. The filters are washable and removable, and the unit can be programed to shut down when you like. It even starts back up on its own after a power outage. That’s great for when you leave the house and don’t want to worry about your home not being temperature controlled.
This unit can be quite noisy, so that’s something to take into consideration if it is going to be working in a room you spend a lot of time in, or whether you need to have some quiet time. It also has an effective range of only about 250 square feet.
Pros
- Three modes.
- Washable filters.
- Automatic restart after power outage.
Cons
- Low effective range.
- Noisy operation.
LG LP0817WSR 115V Portable Air Conditioner
LG’s portable air conditioner is one of the cheapest high-quality options out there. You might not think you would get much with an air conditioner that is about $200 cheaper than the leading brands, but you just might be surprised at all this LG model offers. It will only cool a small room- about 150 square feet. However, it offers auto evaporation, hot spot elimination (due to the way it circulates and directs air), programmable on and off functions and more. It is also installed very easily, and you can situate it by any window. You will need to have a window for the hoses to hang out of in order to keep the cool air circulating and ensure that your unit doesn’t have to do extra work to keep the room cool.
Pros
- Very inexpensive, comparatively speaking.
- AutoStart and stop functions.
Cons
- Only cools small rooms effectively.
Avallon APAC120S Portable Air Conditioner
This AC unit from Avallon is one of the best-rated portable units by TopTenReviewPro.com, and one of the best value products in this niche. It’s priced at just about the average price range, coming in close to $360. It offers massive cooling for that price though, covering about 450 square feet. The unit comes with a remote control and programmable on and off functions to let you decide when to cool and when to stop operating. That can save you a lot of energy and money over time and keep your room cool at all times in the process. It doubles as a dehumidifier, and it can dehumidify up to 80 pints per day.
Pros
- Good dehumidifier function.
- Covers 450 square feet.
- Does not need to drain.
Cons
- Can be noisy.
- Takes a while to set up.
Conclusion
We hope one of these units meets your needs and provides the kind of cooling you are looking for. There are other decent portable units out there on the market, so even if you don’t go with one of our picks, perhaps our tips on choosing the right one will help you make an informed choice. Just be sure to factor in all your home’s measurements, as this will have the greatest impact on how well the portable air conditioner works for you. May you stay cool and comfortable during the hottest season!
