Shopping for the quietest portable air conditioners is a particularly difficult task, but not because there are hundreds of options to choose from. What makes it difficult is that there is no truly reliable way to judge the noise level unless you do a hands-on test. Sure, some manufacturers list the noise level of their products, but we all know that officially listed specs are not always on-point and are sometimes buffed up to make products more appealing to consumers.
In this guide, we have compiled the 10 quietest portable air conditioners on the market. While not exactly whisper-quiet, all products included here are relatively quieter than other portable air conditioning units, based on both customer feedback and the manufacturer-listed noise level.
Costway EP22783
Selling for less than $300, the Costway EP22783 is a great option if you don’t want to spend too much on a portable air conditioner. It’s ideal for offices and rooms up to 200 square feet in size, featuring a cooling power of 10,000 BTU and a quick-install window kit for easy installation.
Enclosed with a well-built frame, this Costway product stands at around 28 inches. It’s easy to move around, thanks to the integrated handles and casters. The control panel is located at the top, with the temperature display available in Celsius and Fahrenheit. The unit features cooling, dehumidify, and fan modes, with two fan speeds to choose from. There is also a timer mode and sleep function, both of which can be easily activated with simple button presses.
The Costway EP22783 is an effective air conditioning unit that’s fairly quiet when running, with the noise level at around 55-56 decibels. You can still hear it running, but the sound is not that distracting or annoying even when you are just a few feet from it. It’s a great product overall, featuring a simple setup out of the box. That’s good news for those who are not particularly good when it comes to setting up home appliances.
Global Air YPL310C
Designed for rooms up to 300-400 square feet in size, the Global Air YPL310C is a portable air conditioner with a cooling power of 10,000 BTU. You can get it for less than $350, which makes it another good product worth considering if you don’t want to break the bank for a quiet air conditioner.
The Global Air YPL310C comes in a white, sturdy frame with easy-to-grip handles on both sides and four casters at the bottom, which make it less of a hassle to relocate around the house. It’s got a remote control for easy operation from across the room and, more importantly, a self-evaporative system, which makes maintenance significantly easier. Composed of a small LED display and a set of buttons, the control panel is located at the top.
Setting up the Global Air YPL310C is simple, with the manufacturer providing easy-to-follow instructions for installing the included window kit. Regarding overall performance, the unit is just as advertised. It cools the room quickly and offers a timer mode, which is great if it gets too cold in your place during nighttime. While not as quiet as the other products in this guide, the Global Air YPL310C is still quieter than most portable air conditioners out on the market.
EdgeStar AP10002BL
The EdgeStar AP10002BL is a quiet portable air conditioner that offers excellent value for the money, with the ability to quickly cool rooms up to 350 square feet in size, which makes it ideal for small and medium-sized rooms. Featuring a cooling power of 10,000 BTU, this EdgeStar product also serves as a dehumidifier, capable of removing 61 pints of moisture per day.
A relatively lightweight unit weighing around 53 pounds, the EdgeStar AP10002BL is housed in an easily movable frame with casters at the bottom. The frame has built-in handles on both sides, which is convenient, and a small pocket for the remote control, which is great if you easily forget where you left your small electronics. The unit is easy to set up, with everything you need to install it – including a window kit and an exhaust hose – already included in the box.
Featuring a user-friendly control panel, this EdgeStar offering has three fan speeds to choose from and an adjustable timer. Of the items listed here, it’s one of the quietest, boasting a noise level of around 49 decibels in low and 53 in high. Furthermore, the unit is a self-evaporating air conditioner, which means there is no need to constantly empty the water tray, making maintenance less of a hassle. If you want one of the quietest portable air conditioners under $400, get the EdgeStar AP10002BL.
Black & Decker BPACT12WT
When it comes to home improvement tools, you can always count on Black & Decker-branded products, from power scrubbers to the best handheld vacuums. The American brand also offers air conditioning solutions, with the BPACT12WT, which sells for around $350, being one of the best.
The Black & Decker BPACT12WT has a minimalist design, featuring a user-friendly control panel located at the top and an easily removable and washable air filter. The four casters at the bottom allow for easy transport while the included remote control adds convenience. Like with most portable air conditioners, the initial setup is fairly simple. The unit comes with a window kit, which is easy enough to install as long as you know how to follow instructions.
A portable air conditioner with a cooling power of 12,000 BTU, this Black & Decker product is best used in rooms up to 250-300 square feet in size. It’s great for bedrooms and offices, featuring cooling, fan, and dehumidifier modes for versatility. Additionally, it has timer and sleep modes, as well as the ability to restart automatically after a power outage.
Regarding the noise level, the unit is fairly quiet, as noted by many customers, and won’t disturb you when you are trying to get some sleep. Overall, the Black & Decker BPACT12WT is a great product with an efficient cooling system, a nice selection of functions, and a hassle-free setup. If you can spend around $350 on the quietest portable air conditioners, this product is one of the best.
Whynter ARC-12S Air Conditioner
Whynter is one of the first brands you should check out if you are in the market for a portable air conditioner. The California-based company offers over a dozen models, from models best suited for small rooms to models designed for large rooms. Among Whynter’s offerings, the ARC-12S stands out as one of the best options if you want a quiet air conditioner.
Selling for under $400, the Whynter ARC-12S is a well-built unit with multiple functions, featuring cooling, dehumidifier, and fan modes. The fan has three speeds while the dehumidifier is rated for 91 pints, which means it removes 91 pints of moisture per day. The unit has a self-evaporative system, which is good news for those who prefer an air conditioner that’s easy to maintain.
Everything you need to set up the unit is in the box. The package includes a remote control, a window kit, an extendable exhaust hose, a carbon air filter, and a washable pre-filter. The Whynter ARC-12S is easy to operate. Located at the top, the control panel is user-friendly, with an easy-to-read digital display and simple buttons for activating the different functions, such as the timer mode. All in all, this Whynter offering is highly recommended if you want a quiet air conditioning unit for rooms up to 400 square feet in size. It gets the job done and is easy to move around thanks to the casters.
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Honeywell MN10CESWW
A part of the Honeywell Classic Series, the MN10CESWW is one the three Honeywell portable air conditioners on this list. It’s a multi-function air conditioning unit selling for just under $400, with the manufacturer also offering other color options; the “WW” in the model name refers to the white model.
Designed to provide efficient cooling for rooms up to 350-450 square feet in size, this Honeywell product is a bit different from the other products above regarding appearance. The control panel is located out front instead of at the top of the frame, which makes it somewhat easier to read the LED display from a distance. The unit is around 29 inches tall and features a self-evaporative system for easy maintenance and thermal overload protection for safety.
The Honeywell MN10CESWW has a cooling power of 10,000 BTU, can remove 66 pints of moisture per day when set in dehumidifier mode, and offers three fan speeds – all of which make for a versatile unit. According to the manufacturer, the noise level of models under the Honeywell Classic Series is between 51 to 54 decibels, and many customers have confirmed that the unit is indeed quieter compared to regular portable air conditioners. The Honeywell MN10CESWW is a great product overall. Installing it to a window is very easy since a window kit is already included in the package.
Whynter ARC-122DS
The ARC-122DS is another excellent product from Whynter, featuring cooling, dehumidifier, and fan modes. You can get it for a little over $400, which makes it a bit more expensive than the other Whynter model above. It’s a recommended portable air conditioner for rooms up to 400 square feet in size, featuring a cooling power of 12,000 BTU and a noise level of around 52 decibels.
An air conditioning unit with a dual hose design, the Whynter ARC-122DS comes in a sturdy frame with the fan firing out from the top. Like the Honeywell MN10CESWW, the control panel is located at the front and is minimalist in design. The user interface is easy to operate, with simple buttons for activating the unit’s functions. There are four casters at the bottom, which makes the unit easy to move to a different location (a window kit is also included in the package).
Featuring an activated carbon filter and an easily washable pre-filter, this Whynter offering cools the room quickly. When running in dehumidifier mode, it can remove 76 pints of moisture per day, which is great during very humid days. While not exactly the sleekest-looking quiet air conditioner out there, the Whynter ARC-122DS can get the job done. It’s got a self-evaporative system as well, which translates to hassle-free maintenance.
Quilo QP114WK
If you want a quiet portable air conditioner for large rooms up to 700 square feet in size, the Quilo QP114WK is one of the best options on the market. It has a cooling power of 14,000 BTU and also functions as a very effective dehumidifier, capable of removing 80 pints of moisture per day. It sells for around $450, a figure that’s right in line with most quiet portable air conditioners with the same cooling power.
Equipped with a self-evaporative system for easy maintenance, the Quilo QP114WK is a well-built unit with smooth casters for mobility. The user-friendly control panel, which has a digital LED display, is located at the top. Due to the control panel’s location, the digital display is impossible to read unless you are directly standing over the machine. But the good news is that the included remote control also features a built-in display that shows the mode, the speed setting, and the temperature.
Regarding overall performance, the Quilo QP114WK is just as advertised and has no trouble cooling a large room. The standard noise level is around 52 decibels, but when the unit is in sleep mode, that number drops down to 45 decibels, according to the manufacturer. Overall, this Quilo air conditioner is a fantastic product. The included versatile window kit is easy to install while the washable air filter is easy to remove and clean.
Honeywell HL12CESWK
The Honeywell HL12CESWK is a sleek and powerful air conditioner designed for rooms up to 450-550 square feet in size. It’s a part of the Honeywell Contempo Series, selling for around $480, which makes it one of the most expensive products listed here. It comes with an easy-to-install window kit for both horizontal and vertical windows.
In design, this Honeywell air conditioner is very similar to the Quilo product above, featuring a white curved frame with black accents. The control panel is located at the top. There are built-in handles at the sides and casters at the bottom for easy transport. The unit comes with washable dual filters. As with the Quilo QP114WK, the included remote control has a small digital display, which allows you to check the temperature from a distance.
This Honeywell product has a cooling power of 12,000 BTU and features an adjustable timer mode and a sleep mode. Models under the Honeywell Contempo Series have an officially listed noise rating of 49 to 52 decibels, depending on the BTU, which makes them some of the quietest portable air conditioners around. If you are also in the market for a dehumidifier, the Honeywell HL12CESWK checks the box as well, featuring the capability to remove 86 pints of moisture per day.
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Honeywell MM14CCS
If the Honeywell HL12CESWK is not powerful enough for you, check out the Honeywell MM14CCS instead. It’s got a cooling power of 14,000 BTU, capable of cooling rooms up to 550-700 square feet in size in an effective and consistent manner. It has a self-evaporative system as well, which makes it a lot easier to maintain.
Selling for over $500, the Honeywell MM14CCS is easily the most expensive item in this guide. It has a well-built frame with well-secured components. The front-facing control panel is easy to use while the smooth casters make moving the unit to a different location a hassle-free task. The package includes a remote control and an easy-to-install window kit compatible with both horizontal and vertical windows.
Featuring a washable air filter and thermal overload protection, this Honeywell product is a reliable portable air conditioner built to last for years. It functions as a dehumidifier as well, which further adds to its overall value. Regarding the noise level, the manufacturer says the product, along with other models in the Honeywell Classic Series, is rated at 51 to 54 decibels, depending on the BTU of the model. If you want a powerful but quiet air conditioner for large rooms and can afford to spend over $500 on one, consider the Honeywell MM14CCS.
Air Conditioner Noise Levels
One of the best ways to check the noise level of portable air conditioners is to read feedback or reviews of customers. It’s not exactly 100 percent reliable, as not everyone has the same standards when it comes to noise level, but it’s better than simply relying on the official specs.
If you think that sounds like a very time-consuming task, that’s because it is, especially since there are also other important factors to consider when shopping for portable air conditioners – like the cooling power or capacity, usually listed in British Thermal Unit (BTU), and the room coverage. But the good news is that we already did the hard work for you with this review guide.
