Quietest Portable Air Conditioners To Stay Cool This Summer

The DeLonghi AN120EW is a top recommendation for a well-made and quiet portable air conditioner.

Just for this model, DeLonghi developed what they call ‘Whisper Cool’ technology – finding an optimal balance between cooling power and quietness.

While this mode definitely makes a difference, a good tip is to give it some time fully cool down your space, before activating the quiet mode. This can be easy if you can plan ahead using the timer function.

With a few hits of the digital buttons, you can get the AC turning on before you’re home. Enjoy an effortlessly cooled room the second you walk in the door.

As well as the quiet operation function, the DeLonghi also receives top marks for quality. The controls are very intuitive, and I love the ‘traffic light system’ that the display uses. It has three different light settings for the temperature being ‘too high’, ‘cooling’, and ‘cool’.

These lights can be quite reassuring. Like the red light is saying:  “Man, it’s hot today! Hold on while I cool this down”.

The Whynter ARC-14S is my ‘big beast’ recommendation.

It puts out a powerful 14,000 BTU of cooling power.

There are a lot of other appliances that appear to have a 14,000 BTU capacity – but this Whynter model just seems to do its job so much better than the rest.

So much so, in fact, that it got the 2019 ‘Best Overall’ recommendation from Good Housekeeping.

This is partly from the solid engineering design and quality parts – but also due to the dual hose system. This system increases the machine’s efficiency thanks to much less heat leaking out of the exhaust. A major drawback of single hose machines.

We’ve covered these hose types in more detail – in the ‘Ventilation’ section below.

Our second ‘beast’ on this list is a bit of a sleeper.

By that I mean that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover.

This air conditioner looks exceptionally sleek and refined for the power it holds. At 14,000 BTU – it’s rated high enough to cool up to a 600 square foot space.

I personally love how the top panel can fold away when not in use. It’s a small ‘spark’ of coolness that always takes me back to seeing those cars with hideaway headlights in the 80’s and 90’s.

The only downside I’ve found, however, is a slightly lower airflow than in other models. The cooling potential is definitely there, but the actual movement of the air may not be enough for a full 600 sq.ft. space. This won’t make a difference in a smaller apartment, just something to look out for!

Being able to dehumidify up to 100 pints of water a day is some serious business, too. For that, the one catch is that you’ll need an automatic drain connection for the unit. (Otherwise you’d be emptying the basin on the regular).

One final note here is that these guys have an amazing reputation for customer support. Through reading reviews from other customers, this comes up in almost every review where they had an issue. Whether they liked the AC or not, everyone loved the customer service! Which means you’re in safe hands should anything go wrong.

The Honeywell MN12CES is a fantastic all-rounder choice.

First, it really looks the part. Available in several variations (I love the black and silver), the sleek design and electric controls look great in any modern home.

With this MN12CES model, Honeywell has made a portable AC that is efficient, capable, and above all else – quiet.

Honeywell are also the only air conditioner manufacturer that lists the real maximum noise levels. In this case, the MN12CES has a listed maximum decibel rating of 55 – which lies between quiet and normal conversation (and this is white noise: a lot less distracting than speaking).

The controls are also superb. The temperature gauge gives you a real measure of the temperature (rather than just showing the target temperature). It also has a variety of easy-to-use modes to meet whatever demand you have. It’s capable of powering through a red hot summer’s day, or quietly keep a room cool at night (without sounding like a jet engine).

Honeywell have also proven that they’re founded on solid customer service. In our research, we found multiple reports where customers have been shipped entirely new window kits, if the standard sets don’t fit properly.

Introducing the big brother to the 12,000 BTU Honeywell model above.

This more powerful version is of similar size, with the larger compressor only weighing 6lbs more than the 12,000 BTU model which tops Amazon’s bestseller list.

It looks sleek, has great build quality, and is still relatively quiet for the amount of cooling power it can pump out. Honeywell have stayed consistent in their goal to keep noise levels to a minimum. The maximum decibel level for this model actually stays at the same as the 12,000 BTU model; 55 dB.

As well as the extra cooling capacity, another upgrade is in the electronics. While the smaller series isn’t lacking in that department (it’s controls were one of the best we’ve reviewed), this big brother has a miniature screen for more control over the appliance.

The one downside is, of course, the extra price that comes with the higher power. However, we’d recommend this model to anyone who wants a long-term solution to any air conditioning problem in a large space. No matter the heat or humidity. As before, Honeywell are also a great manufacturer and have been known to ship extra window kits to customers in need – so you’ll be in good hands, too.

We’ve got Black & Decker’s Portable AC as our top 10,000 BTU choice. As well as being our Quick Recommendation as an all-rounder, there’s a great focus on quietness, too. Black & Decker have created a ‘sleep mode’ just for this air conditioner.

Since 10,000 BTU air conditioners are typically used in bedrooms, Black and Decker have brought in a function with us light sleepers in mind.

The sleep mode allows for the room temperature to gradually increase by 2^oF over 2 hours once activated. While this is unnoticeable while you’re drifting off to sleep, it makes a huge difference in the amount of effort the air conditioner needs to use. Resulting in a much quieter atmosphere to sleep in.

The model is also comparatively small, too. It’s 5 inches slimmer than most standard 17” air conditioners – ideal to be tucked away in the corner of a small bedroom or office.

This 10,000 BTU Whynter model is a great little bull dog of an AC. While it doesn’t have any ‘special modes’ like the Black and Decker, it runs quietly enough by itself.

It’s not the snazziest of models, but it’s got plenty bit of charm to it, and the air ducts glide open by themselves very smoothly. Very cool.

One area where this model really shines is in its low cost and high energy efficiency. It’s been designed specifically for minimal energy consumption. So you can leave it running with no qualms about harming the environment.. or your electric bill.

That said, just because it doesn’t use a ton of juice doesn’t mean that it’s not capable of cooling a room. Though it is wise to make sure that your space will be within a total of around 400 square foot.

Even though it’s a smaller model, this Whynter isn’t lacking on the features front. It’s still capable of self-evaporating to avoid needing drained apart from on the most humid of days, and has well-functioning controls (though they don’t quite look state of the art, they do work well).

For anyone looking to cool a small room, it’s important to find a unit which is equally small, lightweight, and quiet.

And that’s where this SereneLife Air Conditioner comes in.

Standing less than 2 feet tall, this little buddy will help keep any small living or bedroom cool and comfortable.

The small size doesn’t just mean low floorspace. It’s also super lightweight and easy to move around! If you’re renting a small apartment, this is a cinch to move between living and bedrooms.

While it’s power isn’t exactly equal to a Lamborghini, it does a pretty fantastic job of cooling the area around it. The operating noise is super quiet for a portable AC too – rated at just 55dB for operational noise. I’ve found this to be slightly higher on occasion, but as long as it’s not stressed to the max you can barely notice this little guy.