You might be considering a portable AC because you want air conditioning that you can take from room to room with you. Unfortunately, moving a portable AC is not that simple. The “portable” is a bit misleading given the impressive weight of these units.
Are portable AC heavy?
Yes, portable ACs are heavy. Most portable ACs weigh in the range of 50 – 80 pounds.
You may think that’s a lot of heft for a theoretically-portable air conditioning unit. That’s right. A common misconception is that portable ACs are light and easy to move from one room to another. They are portable but moving them around is an ordeal.
Thankfully, most portable ACs come with wheels and handles to make moving them easier. So you don’t actually have to pick up a portable AC in order to take it into another room.
Why are portable ACs so heavy? There are a lot of components in a portable AC that are necessary for the function of an air conditioner. But there’s no real way to make them lighter.
These components include condenser and evaporator coils, water pumps, condensate trays, compressors, and two fans. A portable AC isn’t just a machine that produces cold, its a complex system with lots of parts. You’re basically moving 6 different appliances when you transport a portable AC.
Additionally, portable ACs are two-in-one units. That means that normal air conditioners are split between two units – an indoor and an outdoor component. Portable air conditioners are heavy in part because they’re doing double the work of a normal air conditioning unit.
Mark is a journalist who has written about home products for two years. He holds a masters degree with distinction from the London School of Economics and an undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh.