To test portable air conditioners, we heated the climate-controlled room to 92 degrees. After the room reached 92 degrees, we turned off the heat and turned on the portable AC unit at a medium fan speed and a set temperature of 68 degrees in cooling mode. We run the unit for 2 hours and 30 minutes and repeat the same tests for each AC unit twice. We then use the data collected during the test to measure two things:
- Portable air conditioning keeps the room within 5% of 68 degrees
- How it keeps the room within 5% of the minimum temperature of the AC unit
Once this information is obtained, we will compare the results for each unit to see which information has maintained the set temperature for the longest time. We also see which units maintain their lowest temperatures for the longest time. We do this so that the unit does not reach 68 degrees in the allocated time, and we are still able to track it to maintain consistency in the lowest temperature it reaches. The higher the percentage, the better the unit execution.
When viewing performance, it is important to note that the units we tested do not have the same specifications, so direct performance comparisons are not the only thing we consider when we arrive at the list of best portable air conditioners. We also considered a unit's features and other options to mention its price and specifications to determine its overall value.
We also don't make direct performance comparisons when looking at units of very different sizes and functions, such as the 12,000-BTU MIDEA MAP14HS1TBL compared to the 5,500-BTU Frigidaire FHPC082AC1. Therefore, we compared the performance results of the two groups based on the coverage area. Specifically, we compared the smaller Midea, Black+Decker, Frigidaire, Whirlpool and GE models (they have a maximum coverage area of ​​350 square feet), while the larger Black+Decker, Whyter, Haier, Haier, LG and Midea models (with 500 to 550 square feet of coverage between each other).
