34 window and portable air conditioners scored on certified cooling per dollar, efficiency, noise, inverter and app control, and warranty.
A room air conditioner is rated on two numbers that the Department of Energy certifies: its cooling capacity in BTU per hour and its combined energy efficiency ratio (CEER), the BTU of cooling it delivers per watt-hour, standby included. We rank on those certified figures, from the ENERGY STAR list and the DOE certification database, not on the box.
That matters most for portables. Their boxes often lead with an old ASHRAE rating taken at 95 °F with no allowance for the hot air a portable pulls back into the room. The DOE’s seasonally adjusted cooling capacity (SACC) accounts for it, and is often a third lower. A “12,000 BTU” portable can cool like an 8,000 BTU window unit, so portables are ranked on SACC and separately from window units.
The portable to get if you need real cooling from a unit that sits on the floor: the dual-hose duct and inverter compressor make it far more efficient than ordinary portables.
Amazon $579 Midea $498.79A good-value smart inverter unit for a bedroom or office up to about 350 sq ft. It’s quieter and cheaper to run than TCL’s fixed-speed models for little extra money.
Amazon $259.95A quiet, efficient pick for bedrooms and living rooms up to 450 sq ft. The U shape lets you keep using the window and keeps the compressor noise outside.
Amazon $399.99Window units, including U-shaped and saddle designs that leave the window partly open and keep the compressor noise outside.
Top rated: Midea U-Shaped 10,000 BTU $399.99
Floor units that vent hot air through a hose to a window kit, for windows that can't take a window unit.
Top rated: Midea Duo 12,000 BTU Inverter $498.79
Prices were last checked October 22, 2026 and are subject to change; the price and availability shown by the retailer at the time of purchase apply.
A quiet, efficient pick for bedrooms and living rooms up to 450 sq ft. The U shape lets you keep using the window and keeps the compressor noise outside.
Amazon $399.99A good-value smart inverter unit for a bedroom or office up to about 350 sq ft. It’s quieter and cheaper to run than TCL’s fixed-speed models for little extra money.
Amazon $259.95A stylish, quiet inverter unit for a bedroom up to 350 sq ft. It’s priced close to the big-brand inverter models.
Amazon $359A compact inverter unit for a bedroom up to 350 sq ft. It’s quieter and cheaper to run than budget fixed-speed models for a modest premium.
Amazon $367.22A strong choice for a big living room or open-plan space. It’s efficient and quiet for its size if you can handle the 85 lb install.
Amazon $559The portable to get if you need real cooling from a unit that sits on the floor: the dual-hose duct and inverter compressor make it far more efficient than ordinary portables.
Amazon $579 Midea $498.79A strong pick for a large room where a window unit won’t work: efficient inverter cooling and a hose-in-hose design that doesn’t fight itself.
Amazon $608.37An efficient dual-hose inverter portable for a medium room, close to the Midea Duo in efficiency.
Amazon $563.98A newer, lighter dual-hose inverter portable for anyone who wants efficient cooling and app control; the price is the main drawback.
Amazon $699.99A low-cost smart portable for a medium room when budget matters more than efficiency or quiet.
Amazon $319.99Each air conditioner is scored on its price per 1,000 BTU of certified capacity, its certified CEER, the maker’s noise rating on the lowest fan speed, whether it has an inverter (variable-speed) compressor and a Wi-Fi app, and its warranty.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per 1,000 BTU of certified cooling | 30% |
| Efficiency | certified CEER | 30% |
| Quiet | sound on the lowest fan speed | 15% |
| Inverter & app | variable-speed compressor and Wi-Fi app | 15% |
| Warranty | whole-unit warranty length | 10% |
How we rank explains each factor in full.
