A lot of homes and businesses have centralized air conditioners these days that make little to no noise whatsoever inside. The units are tucked away outside, making noise that is virtually impossible to hear when going about life inside walls.
Unfortunately, other air conditioner options can’t sit outside. If a person purchases a portable air conditioner, it needs to stay inside at all times. This requires not only having space for it, but tolerating the sound that goes with everything operating.
Portable air conditioners come in many different shapes, sizes, and maximum power. These are different than air conditioner units that can go in the window, as these portable options generally sit on the floor. (source)
Here is a look at some of the best out there, and how the quietest portable air conditioners can help people live a better life overall.
1. Vremi Portable Air Conditioner
As one of the best sellers online right now, this option from Vremi comes in ranges from 10,000 BTU all the way to 14,000 BTU. People can also purchase a machine that offers heat, making this a device worth the money for all seasons.
One of the first things a person should look at when investing in a portable air conditioner is power. If a machine is not going to be powerful enough, it is not worth wasting any time with. Sometimes, people get caught up about machines being quiet, and they forget that power matters quite a bit as well.
The machine operates right around 50 dB for the most part. The company spent a lot of time working on performance at a quiet level, and providing solid cooling capacity that never has many issues at all. This allows people to enjoy working from home, sleeping, and anything else that requires a quiet area.
It is easy to set up and allow for hands-free operation throughout the day as well. There are a total of three different fan speeds, and four operation modes to get the right set up for an individual home.
A programmable timer allows people to save money and energy by turning the unit on and off when it is not needed.
One of the biggest factors as to why this machine tops many lists is the fact that they offer a perfect way to handle humidity. The built-in dehumidifier operates by discharging any hot air outside through an exhaust hose. Since the unit does not have a built-in reservoir tank, it is very important to set this up for a more tolerable experience overall.
Pros:
- Plentiful options
- Compact
- Easy to move anywhere
Cons:
- Not a well-known brand
- Remote is a little limited
Click Here for the current price for the Vremi Portable Air Conditioner from Amazon.
2. Honeywell 9000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner and Dehumidifier
Honeywell is a pretty trusted name across the globe, and their portable air conditioners are one of the best for smaller rooms.
They can handle any room up to about 300 and 400 ft.², and it is dependable enough to last for years and years with minimal maintenance. This is good news for people who simply want air-conditioning in a room, and they do not want to worry about it much at all.
Honeywell understands first and foremost that any portable air conditioner needs to be quiet. They have a dual motor technology inside that helps to lower noise levels overall. Even at its highest speed, the noise barely gets above 50 dB. If it is at a lower speed, it is even quieter, which really benefits people who do not want to sacrifice peace and quiet.
The energy-saving options are some of the best in the business, which helps out people who do not want to see their energy bills get too crazy.
There is a sleep mode available that will change the temperature at certain intervals, and other options for those stepping away for a bit. Everything is easy to operate with the smart digital thermostat system built-in. There are numerous controls available for people to use, and even a remote control to use across the room.
If the unit needs to move around, this is one of the easiest portable solutions out there. It is a lightweight unit in the first place, but the wheels to move things around make it super simple.
One of the advantages of having a portable air conditioner is moving it to certain areas depending on what is needed. The problem is, too many options are way too heavy, and that leads to frustration.
All in all, Honeywell has a lot right with their portable air conditioner. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options out there, but that mostly comes from the price people pay for a well-known brand.
Click Here for the Current Price for this Honeywell AC from Amazon.
3. Black & Decker Portable Air Conditioner BPACT10WT
Black & Decker has a wide range of portable air conditioners to consider, and picking the right one is pretty easy going off charts. They start at 8000 BTU, and go all the way up to 14,000 BTU. They all are built to a high standard, and plenty of features are available for people to have maximum control over temperature.
As is the case with all of these options, the first thing anyone wants to know is just how loud these operate. Sound hovers at around 50 dB, and lower settings can allow a person to get even lower.
Black & Decker comes with one of the best warranties out there, so if anything does start to go wrong, they will fix it free of charge.
The build quality with this air conditioner is just different in a lot of ways. It does not only look very sleek, but it can take abuse if needed. That is good news for people who are continually moving their air conditioner around, because no one wants to see a machine like this break down quickly.
Sleep mode comes in handy for people who want a quiet night of sleep, and a way to save some money. Once a person falls asleep or steps out of the home, the last thing a person wants to do is pay for an air conditioner that is constantly running.
People automatically assume that a Black & Decker option is going to cost more money than something from a lesser-known brand. They have these machines priced very competitively, which is really the main selling point.
It performs at a very high-level, comes from a name brand, and fits under a lot of budgets. It might just be the best value out there for a portable air conditioner, just as long as a person purchases for the right size.
Pros:
- Reputable Black & Decker name/warranty
- Saves money with certain smart features
- Variety from 8,000 to 14,000 BTU
Cons:
- Sometimes hard to find in stock
- Takes up a little more space than the average option
Click Here for the current price for this Black & Decker Portable Air Conditioner from Amazon!
4. DeLonghi Portable Air Conditioner
For the ultimate quiet experience, this portable air conditioner might be the best of the best. It is a little more expensive than some people want to spend, and it might not come with all the features a person wants, but sound levels are a huge deal to them.
They have an Arctic Whisper Quiet mode that solidifies that thought, and even without using that mode, people will still really enjoy just how quiet things are.
How does Arctic Whisper Technology work? It understands what needs to be done to get a room to a specific temperature, and then start running at a lower capacity.
A person should not be wasting energy on something that does not need 100% power at all times anyway. It is a very smart process that keeps things very quiet, and people usually appreciate that.
It is a portable air conditioner, but also a dehumidifier that works very well too. Using the real fuel mode, a person can balance the temperature and humidity inside a room at all times. It is very easy to keep on track, either using the controls on the machine, or the remote control.
Portability is pretty solid overall, but not the best of the best. This is something that usually stays in one room for most people, although it does come with wheels to move it around. All the features added make it a little heavier than some people realize, which can be frustrating.
If quiet is what a person needs, this option is hard to beat. Some people who already own the machine will even say that they can’t hear anything when it is in use. It really starts to blend in with the rest of the ambient noise around a home or office, which is great news for light sleepers.
Pros:
- Quietest portable air conditioner on the market
- Built-in dehumidifier
- Customization options are plentiful
Cons:
- Not the easiest to move around
- Brand is not as well known
Click Here for the current price for this DeLongHi AC unit from Amazon.
Picking the Right BTU
With BTU mentioned quite a bit in the article, many people might have questions on what to do with that number. The basic rule is that an air conditioner needs 20 BTU for each square foot of living space that they need to cover.
That means, generally speaking, a 10,000 BTU machine is going to cover about 500 ft.². This obviously has a little bit of wiggle room, but it is a good starting point for people to make smart decisions.
If a person can afford it, it is always best to go with a slightly bigger option than what is needed. That is because a portable air conditioner might be moved to a bigger room, and it adds to some versatility. If a person is really worried about something being quiet, it also helps to have more BTU. That means it can run at a lower level, which usually limits how much sounds made.