What is the disadvantage of a portable AC?

I’m a pretty big fan of portable ACs. Especially for those who live in cooler climates and don’t need a full-power AC running all summer. But portable air conditioners aren’t for everyone so let’s cover the disadvantage of choosing a portable AC.

What is the disadvantage of a portable AC?

The disadvantage of a portable AC is that it is less powerful than other air conditioner types. Most portable ACs have 5,000 – 8,000 BTUs of cooling power, which is about enough to cool a small or medium-sized room. You can get more power out of a split AC or in-wall AC system.

The most powerful portable ACs have a cooling capacity of 14,000 BTUs. That’s enough for a small one-bedroom apartment. It’s also similar to the cooling power you’ll get with many other types of air conditioners.

But you can get in-wall or split AC systems that cool up to 24,000 BTUs. These units are much better suited to cooling a three-bedroom apartment or a house.

Ultimately, how much of a disadvantage lower cooling capacity depends on your property and your environment. The right portable air conditioner might be plenty powerful for your apartment if you don’t have tons of space. 

But lower capacity isn’t the only disadvantage of a portable AC.

What are all the disadvantages of a portable AC?

The four disadvantages of a portable AC are as follows:

• Lower cooling capacity than other air conditioners
• Needs a specific type of window (vertically sliding) to use
• Takes up a lot of living room space
• Makes a lot of noise

Lower cooling capacity than other air conditioners

One disadvantage of portable air conditioners is that they have a lower cooling capacity than other air conditioners. 

You can expect 24,000 BTUs of cooling capacity from a split AC or in-wall AC unit. By contrast, the best portable air conditioners produce just 14,000 BTUs of power. That’s enough for a small one-bedroom apartment and no more.

Needs a specific type of window

A second disadvantage of portable air conditioners is that they need a specific type of window to work properly. Portable air conditioners attach to an open window via an exhaust hose. 

Most units come with a window kit that allows you to fix the hose to the window and create a weather-proof seal. This seal is key because you don’t want to air condition your garden.

Window kits for a portable air conditioner only really work with sliding windows. If you have a window that swings open you either need to accept a certain amount of leakage or buy a different kind of air conditioner.

Another alternative is to connect your portable air conditioner to a dryer vent, a ceiling vent, or a set of sliding doors if you have them. Using sliding doors to house your portable air conditioner’s exhaust tube may require a different kind of kit.

Takes up a lot of space

The third disadvantage of portable air conditioners is that they take up a lot of space. Split AC, in-wall AC, or window AC units all have places to store indoor air conditioning units that won’t get in the way of your day-to-day life.

But a portable air conditioner basically has to go in the middle of your living room. Why? Because portable air conditioners need to connect to an open window and sit on the floor. They also need to connect to a power outlet so you often have limited choices on where to put them.

Makes a lot of noise

The fourth and final disadvantage of a portable AC is that they make a lot of noise. Most portable ACs will produce between 55 – 60 decibels of noise. That’s around the level of a normal conversation and louder than most home appliances.

Of course, there are quieter portable air conditioners. Many units have a sleep mode that reduces power and consequently runs at around 40 decibels. 

But most people will find portable air conditioners a lot louder than they expect. That can be a big problem if you have your unit in the middle of your office or living room.

So why does anyone buy portable ACs? 

You might be wondering after reading all that why anyone in their right mind would buy a portable AC. That’s a fair question but I actually recommend portable ACs to a lot of people.

Portable air conditioners are much more affordable than other air conditioners. Traditional air conditioners will cost you thousands to buy and install. Portable air conditioners cost $400 – $700.

Portable air conditioners are also easy to move from location to location. That might be obvious from the name, but this means that portable air conditioners only take up space when you need them. You can put them away after a few hours.

The low capacity of some portable air conditioners is only really a problem if your property is larger than your unit’s capacity. If you live in a small, one-bedroom apartment in a large city then portable air conditioners are probably powerful enough for your needs.