The best-covered budget heat pump PTAC, with WiFi and a remote included. Efficiency is ordinary, but the five year parts warranty sets it apart.
Amazon $989.97A PTAC (packaged terminal air conditioner) is the wide wall unit you see under hotel room windows. It slides into a metal sleeve through the wall, cools in summer and heats in winter, and plugs into a 208/230V outlet. These rankings cover the standard 42 by 16 inch sleeve size, so any unit here fits the sleeve an older one came out of.
Size is the first choice. A 7,000 to 9,000 BTU unit suits a bedroom or hotel room, 12,000 BTU a studio or large bedroom, and 15,000 BTU an open living area. Oversizing makes a room cold and clammy, because the unit shuts off before it has pulled the moisture out.
Heat pump or electric heat is the second. A heat pump PTAC moves heat in from outside and uses roughly a third of the power of the electric strip in mild weather, then switches to the strip when it gets very cold. A cooling unit with electric heat costs less up front but much more to run wherever winters matter.
Efficiency is the third. Every PTAC sold must meet a federal minimum EER for its size, and many budget units sit right at it. A unit 10 to 20% above the line cuts the cooling bill by about that much for as long as it runs.
Check the warranty fine print too. Most makers cover the whole unit for only a year or two and the compressor or sealed system for longer.
Top Picks
The most efficient PTAC at its size here, for rooms used most of the year where running cost matters. Register it for the compressor warranty.
Amazon $1,199Shop by Size
7,000 to 9,000 BTU
10 rankedFor a bedroom, hotel room or small office up to about 400 sq ft.
Top rated: Cooper & Hunter PTW 9,000 BTU PTAC $864.97
12,000 BTU
9 rankedFor a studio, large bedroom or living room of about 400 to 550 sq ft.
Top rated: ACiQ 12,000 BTU Inverter PTAC $1,199
15,000 BTU
9 rankedFor an open living area, sunroom or room addition of about 550 to 750 sq ft.
Top rated: Cooper & Hunter PTW 15,000 BTU PTAC $989.97
Narrow It Down
Prices were last checked November 3, 2026 and are subject to change; the price and availability shown by the retailer at the time of purchase apply.
Best 7,000 to 9,000 BTU PTAC Units
- Cooper & Hunter PTW 9,000 BTU PTAC#1 of 10Full review
The best-covered budget heat pump PTAC, with WiFi and a remote included. Efficiency is ordinary, but the five year parts warranty sets it apart.
Amazon $864.97$864.979,300 BTU11.4Heat pump - ACiQ 9,000 BTU Inverter PTAC#2 of 10Full review
The most efficient PTAC at its size here, for rooms used most of the year where running cost matters. Register it for the compressor warranty.
Amazon $1,149$1,1499,000 BTU13.5Heat pump - ACiQ 7,000 BTU PTAC Heat Pump#3 of 10Full review
A cheap heat pump PTAC with a remote and a long compressor warranty. Register it online, since the parts cover is short.
Amazon $799$7997,000 BTU13.1Heat pump - OLMO 9,000 BTU PTAC#4 of 10Full review
The cheapest way into a standard sleeve, for a room that mostly needs cooling. The one year warranty and strip heat make it a short-term buy.
Amazon $739.97$739.979,000 BTU-Electric heat - ACiQ 9,000 BTU PTAC Heat Pump#5 of 10Full review
A cheap heat pump PTAC with a remote and a long compressor warranty. Register it online, since the parts cover is short.
Amazon $849$8499,000 BTU11.4Heat pump
Best 12,000 BTU PTAC Units
- ACiQ 12,000 BTU Inverter PTAC#1 of 9Full review
The most efficient PTAC at its size here, for rooms used most of the year where running cost matters. Register it for the compressor warranty.
Amazon $1,199$1,19912,000 BTU12.8Heat pump - Cooper & Hunter PTW 12,000 BTU PTAC#2 of 9Full review
The best-covered budget heat pump PTAC, with WiFi and a remote included. Efficiency is ordinary, but the five year parts warranty sets it apart.
Amazon $944.97$944.9712,000 BTU10.5Heat pump - ACiQ 12,000 BTU PTAC Heat Pump#3 of 9Full review
A cheap heat pump PTAC with a remote and a long compressor warranty. Register it online, since the parts cover is short.
Amazon $899$89912,000 BTU10.5Heat pump - Friedrich ZoneAire 12,000 BTU PTAC#4 of 9Full review
A complete kit from a long-standing PTAC maker for a new wall opening. It costs the most, but the sleeve, grille and two year full cover are included.
Amazon $1,589$1,58912,100 BTU11.6Heat pump - OLMO 12,000 BTU PTAC#5 of 9Full review
The cheapest way into a standard sleeve, for a room that mostly needs cooling. The one year warranty and strip heat make it a short-term buy.
Amazon $829.97$829.9712,000 BTU-Electric heat
Best 15,000 BTU PTAC Units
- Cooper & Hunter PTW 15,000 BTU PTAC#1 of 9Full review
The best-covered budget heat pump PTAC, with WiFi and a remote included. Efficiency is ordinary, but the five year parts warranty sets it apart.
Amazon $989.97$989.9714,700 BTU10.6Heat pump - ACiQ 15,000 BTU Inverter PTAC#2 of 9Full review
An inverter heat pump PTAC with certified efficiency well above the minimum. Register it for the compressor warranty.
Amazon $1,149$1,14915,000 BTU10.7Heat pump - ACiQ 15,000 BTU PTAC Heat Pump#3 of 9Full review
A cheap heat pump PTAC with a remote and a long compressor warranty. Register it online, since the parts cover is short.
Amazon $969$96915,000 BTU10.6Heat pump - Tosot 15,000 BTU Inverter PTAC#4 of 9Full review
A quiet inverter heat pump PTAC at a mid price. The efficiency figures are thin, so it suits buyers who value quiet over proven running cost.
Amazon $999$99915,000 BTU10.7Heat pump - Klimaire 15,000 BTU PTAC Heat Pump#5 of 9Full review
A low-priced heat pump PTAC with a remote for a straight swap into an existing sleeve. Expect basic efficiency and check the warranty terms with the seller.
Amazon $1,019$1,01914,700 BTU10.6Heat pump
How We Rank
Each PTAC is ranked against others of the same size, and scored on its price per 1,000 BTU of cooling, its EER above the federal minimum, its heat pump heating, its features and its warranty.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per 1,000 BTU of cooling | 30% |
| Efficiency | cooling EER above the federal minimum | 25% |
| Heating | heat pump and its COP | 15% |
| Features | app, remote, inverter and included sleeve | 10% |
| Warranty | parts and compressor warranty | 20% |
How we rank explains each factor in full.