7 of the Best Portable Air Conditioners to Keep you Cool this Summer For eco-friendly window and wall units, check out this roundup we put together. What is the best portable air conditioner? We generally recommend portable air conditioners for the best cooling power, but there's a time and place for an evaporative cooler, too. Below, you'll find our top picks based on online reviews written by the people who know the units best: actual customers who have installed them in their homes. The Whynter Elite ARC-122DS frequently nabs spots on best-of lists (see: Wirecutter, Good Housekeeping) and four- or five-star reviews on Amazon, so forgive us if you've heard this one before: It's the best portable A/C out there. Though it's up there price-wise, trust us when we say this dual-hose unit is worth every penny: It's suuuper easy to install, remarkably quiet for its size, and highly efficient once it's up and running; it can fill a decent-sized room with freezing air in almost no time at all. And the convenience! Oh, the convenience: Not only does the Whynter ARC-122DS come with a remote control so you can change its temperature without getting up from your couch, but it also features an auto-drain function that recycles the condensation collected during the cooling process to churn out cool air. However, a bigger tank isn’t always the best option. This is even more true for portable compressors. You want a tank that’s big enough to finish a job but small enough to carry around. Before you buy an air compressor, you should know that most models will make a lot of noise. The motors that compressors use can be incredibly loud. In addition, as you release the air from the tank, the compressor will make even more noise. If noise is a big issue, there are a few features that try to minimize it. Finding an air compressor with a brushless motor and an oil-free pump will go a long way in cutting down the noise.