Plain Buy Guides

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Real BTU Check: product guides

Read the full Real BTU Check buying guide.

Every product guide in this category, with the strength and caveat each guide names first.
ProductBest forMain strengthMain caveat
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air ConditionerA 500 sq ft room with a dedicated 15-amp outlet near the windowDual hoses and a self-evaporating drain that clears all condensate below 70 percent humidityWarranty needs an authorised dealer and an original owner: as-is offers and unauthorised resellers are excluded
Whynter ARC-122DS Elite Dual Hose Portable Air ConditionerA humid 400 sq ft room with a drain point for the upper gravity portUpper gravity drain port allows uninterrupted running without emptying a tankThe hose for continuous drainage is sold separately, not in the box
BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT Portable Air ConditionerA small to mid-size room with a 20.5 to 59 inch window openingWide 64 to 95 degree Cool range in its own manual, unlike the larger BPACT12 and 14 pairPublished DOE capacity ranges from 5,500 to 6,300 depending on which source you read
BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Portable Air ConditionerA moderate room you cool before it gets hot, not a room already at 90FFive-year compressor coverage, longer than the listing's one-year field suggestsThe manual specifies Cool mode only up to a 76 F room, which is low for a 14,000 BTU claim
Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 8,000 BTU Portable Air ConditionerA small room where 31.5 inches can stay clear front and backFrigidaire publishes both the ASHRAE and DOE ratings for this exact modelNeeds 31.5 inches clear front and back, far more than its footprint suggests
Midea Duo MAP12S1TBL Hose-in-Hose Portable Air ConditionerA 450 sq ft room where the unit can stand 10 inches off the wallHose-in-hose duct gives dual-hose behaviour with one hose to the windowClearances are large: 9.8 in off the wall and 19.7 in in front of the louver
Midea MAP05S1AWT EasyCool Smart Portable Air ConditionerA bedroom, home office or cabin of roughly 100 to 150 sq ftMidea sizes it at 100-150 sq ft, matching the DOE rating rather than the ASHRAE oneThe listing and the maker's manual give very different window-kit ranges, 26.5-48 in against 19.4-62.2 in