The Best Bedroom Air Conditioner

Buying Guide

Air conditioning is a comfortable convenience that can be a necessity for people with temperature sensibility, breathing issues, or chronic pain. Although most homes now offer full-house air conditioning run on a central HVAC unit, older homes might not; alternately, homeowners may want to cool a single room at night rather than an entire house, to save money on the utility bills.

Most people sleep better during hot evenings if a room is not just cool, but low humidity as well, so many single-room air conditioning units also include a dehumidifier option. Since most of these units are portable, they can also be used to keep an office or study manageable during the daytime, then moved into a bedroom at night.

The first thing to consider when looking at bedroom or single-room air conditioners is the size of the space to be cooled; larger spaces will need a unit with more capacity, which usually means more expensive. Also consider whether the room suits a standard window mount or one of the new upstanding units, many of which come with wheels for even easier relocation.

Many units offer a combination dehumidifier and regular fan, so consider whether these options are helpful or unnecessary. Since so many things in life now are digital, also consider whether or not the added convenience of remote controls, voice activation or smartphone integration are amenities that will add value.

• Window units automatically drain any gathered condensation outside into the yard. With standalone units, you’ll want to check whether they have a reservoir that needs to be emptied at certain intervals, or a drainage hose that will require an out-the-window connection.
• Larger rooms will require bigger BTUs, but watch the noise level — larger units can make more noise. If quiet is necessary, there are high-efficiency models available.
• Size isn’t everything; if a room has big windows that take in sun, or is near a kitchen, for example, that room may also require a unit with higher BTUs to keep up with the higher heat load.
• For homeowners with allergies, check the filters on a single-room unit; many offer filters that will reduce the amount of dust and allergens in the room while cooling, or during use as a fan.
• Units with remote controls can be switched on/off and changed from across the room; units with smartphone capabilities can be controlled from outside the house.