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Portable Room Air Cooling Units - Top 5 Choices
Most people seeking relief from summertime heat will be shopping for some type of
room air cooling unit. The purpose of this article is to cut through the confusion and
help you find the best solution to your personal cooling needs based on climate, cost,
and room size.
Basically there are only 5 different modes of portable room cooling to choose from.
Once you've picked out the one that best matches your needs the rest is easy.
1. Fans: Floor fan, window fan, and ceiling fan. Cost $30 - $200 depending on how
fancy you want to get. Cost to run: 1 cent to 4 cents per hour with lights.
2. Small portable swamp coolers. Also known as evaporative coolers and room air
coolers. These units provide "spot", or personal cooling for less than $100 and are
intended for dry climates. Very cheap to run.
3. Medium sized portable swamp coolers. More powerful version of the spot cooler.
Intended for whole room cooling in dry climates. Swamp coolers aren't rated in Btu's
so you can't use a sizing chart. Instead, you have to read the product description to
match capacity to your room size. Cost: $200 and up. Cost to run depends on the
wattage of the unit and what you pay per kWh (kilowatt hour) as stated on your
electric bill.
Use this easy formula to figure out cost to run per hour.
Watts x .001 x rate per kWh = cost to run per hour.
1,200 x .001 x $0.10 = $0.12 per hour to operate.
4. Portable air conditioners. Rated in Btu's for easy sizing. Cost: $300 and up. Cost
to run: Find the output wattage in the product specs and plug them into the formula.
Portable and window air conditioners can use up to 7 times more power than similar
sized swamp coolers.
5. Window air conditioners. Best overall choice. Priced the same or less as
comparable portable air conditioners and medium sized swamp coolers.
The number one concern most people have is cost; the cost of the purchase and the
cost to operate. But before you consider the costs involved you have to determine
which type of cooling unit works best where you live.
For instance, if you live in a predominantly humid climate you already know a portable
swamp cooler (aka evaporative cooler) is going to be ineffective because it ads
moisture to the air. Yet time and again I read reviews by disappointed users
complaining that their portable swamp cooler is not keeping their Manhattan
apartment cool in muggy August.
This is not entirely their fault though. Many small, inexpensive portable coolers
formerly called swamp/evaporative coolers - names that would obviously raise
questions about how they cool - are now referred to by the technically vague term
portable air cooler. So many first time apartment dwellers looking for cheap relief from
summer heat end up buying what amounts to a humidifier.
room air cooling unit. The purpose of this article is to cut through the confusion and
help you find the best solution to your personal cooling needs based on climate, cost,
and room size.
Basically there are only 5 different modes of portable room cooling to choose from.
Once you've picked out the one that best matches your needs the rest is easy.
1. Fans: Floor fan, window fan, and ceiling fan. Cost $30 - $200 depending on how
fancy you want to get. Cost to run: 1 cent to 4 cents per hour with lights.
2. Small portable swamp coolers. Also known as evaporative coolers and room air
coolers. These units provide "spot", or personal cooling for less than $100 and are
intended for dry climates. Very cheap to run.
3. Medium sized portable swamp coolers. More powerful version of the spot cooler.
Intended for whole room cooling in dry climates. Swamp coolers aren't rated in Btu's
so you can't use a sizing chart. Instead, you have to read the product description to
match capacity to your room size. Cost: $200 and up. Cost to run depends on the
wattage of the unit and what you pay per kWh (kilowatt hour) as stated on your
electric bill.
Use this easy formula to figure out cost to run per hour.
Watts x .001 x rate per kWh = cost to run per hour.
1,200 x .001 x $0.10 = $0.12 per hour to operate.
4. Portable air conditioners. Rated in Btu's for easy sizing. Cost: $300 and up. Cost
to run: Find the output wattage in the product specs and plug them into the formula.
Portable and window air conditioners can use up to 7 times more power than similar
sized swamp coolers.
5. Window air conditioners. Best overall choice. Priced the same or less as
comparable portable air conditioners and medium sized swamp coolers.
The number one concern most people have is cost; the cost of the purchase and the
cost to operate. But before you consider the costs involved you have to determine
which type of cooling unit works best where you live.
For instance, if you live in a predominantly humid climate you already know a portable
swamp cooler (aka evaporative cooler) is going to be ineffective because it ads
moisture to the air. Yet time and again I read reviews by disappointed users
complaining that their portable swamp cooler is not keeping their Manhattan
apartment cool in muggy August.
This is not entirely their fault though. Many small, inexpensive portable coolers
formerly called swamp/evaporative coolers - names that would obviously raise
questions about how they cool - are now referred to by the technically vague term
portable air cooler. So many first time apartment dwellers looking for cheap relief from
summer heat end up buying what amounts to a humidifier.
However, the same cooler, in a drier climate, would provide
welcome relief for budget minded consumers.
One example is the Sunpentown SF-608R pictured here, selling
for around $100. It can be rolled from room to room, will lower
the temperature of a small room as much as 10 degrees, and
costs slightly more than a penny an hour to operate.
Now back to New York, or anywhere else where humid
summertime conditions prevail. A more effective room air cooling
option than a swamp cooler would be an inexpensive Energy Star
window air conditioner like the compact Fridgidaire shown below.
welcome relief for budget minded consumers.
One example is the Sunpentown SF-608R pictured here, selling
for around $100. It can be rolled from room to room, will lower
the temperature of a small room as much as 10 degrees, and
costs slightly more than a penny an hour to operate.
Now back to New York, or anywhere else where humid
summertime conditions prevail. A more effective room air cooling
option than a swamp cooler would be an inexpensive Energy Star
window air conditioner like the compact Fridgidaire shown below.
For roughly $50 more than a small portable swamp cooler it will deliver twice the
cooling power and dehumidify as it cools.
The cost to run this unit is around 7 cents per hour. A small air conditioner this size
should be enough to keep a 10'x15' room comfortably cool.
If the area you're trying cool is slightly larger, but you don't want to spend the extra
money for a bigger unit, you can try this.
cooling power and dehumidify as it cools.
The cost to run this unit is around 7 cents per hour. A small air conditioner this size
should be enough to keep a 10'x15' room comfortably cool.
If the area you're trying cool is slightly larger, but you don't want to spend the extra
money for a bigger unit, you can try this.
1. First figure out how many Btu's you need with this Btu sizing chart. If your room is
in between Btu sizes, go for the next larger unit. (The Btu sizing chart also applies to
portable air conditioners and Btu rated portable swamp coolers.)
2. Measure the window opening and write it down for future reference.
3. As you look over the different models check out the EER (energy efficiency rating) -
the higher the number the better. Not all window units are Energy Star qualified.
However, buying an Energy Star unit may entitle you to a rebate of as much as $50
from your local utility. Rebate information, if available, will be on your utility's web site.
4. Find out how much the unit weighs. Some units weigh well over 100 lbs, so you'll
probably need someone to help you, and an 'L' bracket to support the unit from the
outside.
5. Finally, if you're buying online, shipping charges play a big factor in the final cost.
Often a less expensive unit with added shipping costs will end up costing as much as
a more expensive unit with free shipping.
However, there are occasions when a window unit is not an option. Your landlord or
home owner's association might not permit them, or the available window
configuration or opening will not accommodate a window unit.
in between Btu sizes, go for the next larger unit. (The Btu sizing chart also applies to
portable air conditioners and Btu rated portable swamp coolers.)
2. Measure the window opening and write it down for future reference.
3. As you look over the different models check out the EER (energy efficiency rating) -
the higher the number the better. Not all window units are Energy Star qualified.
However, buying an Energy Star unit may entitle you to a rebate of as much as $50
from your local utility. Rebate information, if available, will be on your utility's web site.
4. Find out how much the unit weighs. Some units weigh well over 100 lbs, so you'll
probably need someone to help you, and an 'L' bracket to support the unit from the
outside.
5. Finally, if you're buying online, shipping charges play a big factor in the final cost.
Often a less expensive unit with added shipping costs will end up costing as much as
a more expensive unit with free shipping.
However, there are occasions when a window unit is not an option. Your landlord or
home owner's association might not permit them, or the available window
configuration or opening will not accommodate a window unit.
Another difference between swamp coolers and air conditioners is the cooling medium.
Portable air conditioners use a refrigerant for cooling while portable swamp coolers
use evaporating water.
Now, as far as air conditioners go, if you have a choice between a portable or window
unit, the window unit will perform better overall because it's more efficient, quieter,
and requires less space than a free standing portable; plus they're less expensive.
At this time, portable room air conditioners are not labeled as ENERGY STAR qualified
products. The code of federal regulations has no federal standard to regulate the
energy consumption of portable air conditioners.
Window air conditioners, Energy Star qualified or not, are exempt from the minimum
13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) requirement enacted for central air
conditioners in 2006.
< Alternative Cooling
Portable air conditioners use a refrigerant for cooling while portable swamp coolers
use evaporating water.
Now, as far as air conditioners go, if you have a choice between a portable or window
unit, the window unit will perform better overall because it's more efficient, quieter,
and requires less space than a free standing portable; plus they're less expensive.
At this time, portable room air conditioners are not labeled as ENERGY STAR qualified
products. The code of federal regulations has no federal standard to regulate the
energy consumption of portable air conditioners.
Window air conditioners, Energy Star qualified or not, are exempt from the minimum
13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) requirement enacted for central air
conditioners in 2006.
< Alternative Cooling
If that's the case, you still have the option of either a large
portable swamp cooler or portable air conditioner.
The most noticeable difference between the two, other than
climate suitability, is a portable air conditioner requires
venting to the outside, while a portable swamp cooler does
not.
This means whenever you move a portable air conditioner to
another room, you must also move the window vent. This
hassle can be avoided by installing additional window vents
in the rooms you want to cool.
portable swamp cooler or portable air conditioner.
The most noticeable difference between the two, other than
climate suitability, is a portable air conditioner requires
venting to the outside, while a portable swamp cooler does
not.
This means whenever you move a portable air conditioner to
another room, you must also move the window vent. This
hassle can be avoided by installing additional window vents
in the rooms you want to cool.
Before you go to work, set the air conditioner on low, close all
the windows and pull the shades. I've used this technique
myself for a three room apartment I once had and it always
felt like I had central A/C when I got home from work.
Of course if you need a larger window unit, and are willing to
spend more, be my guest. Here are five easy steps to help
your buying experience go as smoothly as possible.
the windows and pull the shades. I've used this technique
myself for a three room apartment I once had and it always
felt like I had central A/C when I got home from work.
Of course if you need a larger window unit, and are willing to
spend more, be my guest. Here are five easy steps to help
your buying experience go as smoothly as possible.
