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Air conditioners can be bulky energy hogs, with even the smallest versions weighing upward of 50 pounds. Taking them on the road is inconvenient or impossible. While there’s no replacement for a good air conditioning unit, there is a chance for some relief from the heat with a personal air conditioner.
Unlike window air conditioners, portable units, and central air conditioners, personal AC units lack the powerful refrigerant other air conditioners use to cool air. Most products marketed as personal air conditioners are actually small evaporative coolers.
We spoke to Al Abu Fouz, owner of Abaco Air Experts in Jacksonville, Florida, who says that mini evaporative coolers, also known as personal air conditioners, can be quite effective but are best suited for specific conditions, primarily dry climates. “This is because they rely on the evaporation of water to cool the air, which works well in areas with low humidity.” In short, many personal air conditioners can provide energy-efficient, ventless, and portable cooling—but only in drier conditions.
A portable air cooler can be ideal as a desktop cooler, in the car, and for some outdoor excursions. Some personal air conditioners can run for hours on a rechargeable battery or external power bank. Our top pick, the Evapolar EvaChill Personal Air Cooler, is one such cooler that we chose partially because of its easily portable design. This guide will delve into the world of personal air conditioners to cover how they work and identify the important features to look for in the best personal air conditioner.
- BEST OVERALL: Evapolar EvaChill Personal Air Cooler
↓ Jump to Review - RUNNER-UP: Dreo Evaporative Air Cooler
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Arctic Air Grip Go
↓ Jump to Review - MOST PORTABLE: Arctic Air Pocket Chill Personal Air Cooler
↓ Jump to Review - BEST RECHARGEABLE: ConBlom Portable Air Conditioner
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FEATURES: Evapolar EvaLight Plus
↓ Jump to Review - ALSO CONSIDER: Hessaire MC18M Evaporative Air Cooler
↓ Jump to Review
How We Chose the Best Personal Air Conditioner
We considered several factors when choosing from dozens of personal air conditioners for our list. For the most part, we included models with reservoirs large enough to supply cool air for at least 4 hours. A portable air cooler should also be easy to carry from room to room, so we included portable units that are compact and lightweight enough to transport. We leaned toward models that offer useful additional functions, including oscillation settings, shut-off timers, and nightlights. Plus, we included models that can run off power banks or rechargeable batteries, giving you the ability to use them virtually anywhere.
Before buying, remember that a personal air cooler is not a good choice for all conditions. As Abu Fouz explains, “Where the climate is often humid, these devices are less efficient. The high humidity levels mean the air is already saturated with moisture, limiting the evaporation process that these coolers depend on.” If your area experiences humid summers, you’re better off choosing a portable air conditioner instead.
Our Top Picks
The list below narrows the field to some of the top personal air conditioners on the market. These machines are small enough to take on the road, have ample reservoirs that can hold enough water to cool for hours, and include useful additional features.
Best Overall
Evapolar EvaChill Personal Air Cooler
Product Specs
- Cordless: No
- Additional features: LED light, carry handle
- Size: 6.69 inches tall by 6.69 inches wide by 6.77 inches deep
What We Like
- Lightweight and compact
- Sleek looking with a built-in LED light
- Easy to carry due to built-in handle
What We Don’t Like
- Most ice cubes can’t fit through the small water intake hole
The Evapolar EvaChill personal air cooler tops our list because it’s ultra portable, effective, and sleek looking. It’s compact and lightweight (weighing only 750 grams) and has a built-in carrying handle. While this cooler isn’t rechargeable, it is possible to plug the included USB power cord into a power bank or computer so you’re not bound to an outlet. Unlike some evaporative coolers, which can look rather clunky, this one is simple but looks nice, so it’s not an eyesore on a desk or nightstand. The unit comes in a few colors, each with LED light-up sides.
An 800-milliliter-capacity water tank provides cooling for up to 9 hours, depending on the settings. It has four speed modes, though, so a refill time between 3 and 8 hours is more likely with typical use. Evapolar notes that it will cover up to 2.5 square meters in the direction of the airflow.
Get the Evapolar EvaChill personal air conditioner at Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Target, or Evapolar.
Runner-Up
Dreo Evaporative Air Cooler
Product Specs
- Cordless: No
- Additional features: Ice packs, remote control, timer
- Size: 39.69 inches tall by 11.42 inches wide by 11.42 inches deep
What We Like
- Tower fan design improves coverage area
- Wide oscillation angle
- Includes 2 reusable ice packs
What We Don’t Like
- Not very portable; best for household use
The Dreo evaporative air cooler is essentially a tower fan with evaporative cooling capabilities for those who want something a little larger and with more substantial airflow. As a tower fan, this cooler has more features than mini desktop coolers, including 80-degree-wide angle oscillation, three modes, four speed levels, and a timer (that shuts the fan off after between 1 and 7 hours of runtime).
This cooler disperses cold air up to about 21 feet away, so it’s not a fan you need to keep close. You can control it from across the room with the included remote. To provide even more relief, this cooler includes two reusable ice packs, which you can freeze and then place in the machine for maximum cooling. As a tower fan, this cooler is more powerful but less portable: It’s larger and needs to be plugged into an outlet to operate.
Get the Dreo personal air conditioner at Amazon.
Best Bang for the Buck
Arctic Air Grip Go
Product Specs
- Cordless: Yes
- Additional features: Misting jets, clamp, LED light
- Size: 9.94 inches tall by 2.36 inches wide by 2.36 inches deep
What We Like
- Very portable; small and battery-powered
- Fan head swivels 360 degrees
- Clamp improves convenience
What We Don’t Like
- Poor battery life on higher settings
Compact and with a clamp attachment, the Arctic Air Grip Go is built for on-the-go use. Its smaller size and lower cooling capacity also mean a more affordable price tag. This unit is essentially a portable fan designed to clip onto a surface like a bike handle, treadmill, or baby stroller (just to name a few). But unlike basic travel fans, it sprays a fine mist of cooling water. A small water reservoir and air cooling jets create a cooling stream for anyone directly in front of the fan. It’s possible to rotate the fan 360 degrees and choose between three speeds.
Due to its size, this cooler is for personal use; you need to be right in front of it to feel it. However, it is very portable, with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 5 hours. For home use, the clamp doubles as a stand. LED color-changing lights also mean this air cooler can provide some mood lighting.
Get the Arctic Air Grip Go personal air conditioner at Amazon, Walmart, Blain’s Farm & Fleet, or Arctic Air.
Most Portable
Arctic Air Pocket Chill Personal Air Cooler
Product Specs
- Cordless: Yes
- Additional features: LED light, built-in stand
- Size: 6.02 inches wide by 8.78 inches tall by 1.26 inches deep
What We Like
- Very compact: fits inside a pocket or a purse
- Built-in kickstand for hands-free use
- LED light offers 7 color options
What We Don’t Like
- Very small water reservoir
This pocket-size personal air conditioner is a great solution for keeping cool while on the go. The fan is about the size of a smartphone and weighs less than 8 ounces, making it easy to carry in a pocket or purse. The three-speed fan uses a small water reservoir to create cool air through evaporation.
The Arctic Air personal air conditioner runs off a rechargeable battery and lasts up to 12 hours on a single charge. A built-in kickstand allows it to stand upright on a flat surface, such as a desktop. In addition to functioning as a handheld air conditioner, it also serves as an LED night-light with seven color options.
Get the Arctic Air Pocket Chill personal air conditioner at Amazon, Ace Hardware, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Best Rechargeable
ConBlom Portable Air Conditioner
Product Specs
- Cordless: Yes
- Additional features: Carry handle
- Size: 6.7 inches tall by 3.8 inches wide by 6.7 inches deep
What We Like
- Fan has a range of up to 4 feet
- Built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to 8 hours
- Compact size and carry strap make it easy to transport
What We Don’t Like
- Flexible handle can sometimes impede airflow
ConBlom’s personal air conditioner is an affordable solution for keeping cool while working at a desk or sleeping. Similar to other personal air conditioners, it creates cool air by evaporating water from a built-in reservoir. The ConBlom air conditioner has three fan speeds, the highest of which has a range of up to 4 feet.
The ConBlom has its own built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery, allowing it to run for up to 8 hours on a single charge. Its compact size and handy carrying strap make it easy to transport from place to place.
Get the ConBlom personal air conditioner at Amazon.
Best Features
Evapolar EvaLight Plus
Product Specs
- Cordless: No
- Additional features: LED light, night mode, timer
- Size: 7.08 inches tall by 7.08 inches wide by 7.16 inches deep
What We Like
- Adjustable light color and brightness
- Night mode and sleep timer for overnight users
- Can plug into a power bank or computer
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey for a small, desktop cooler
The Evapolar EvaLight Plus is similar to our top pick, the Evapolar EvaChill, but with a few extra features that makes it worth the upgrade for some shoppers. This unit is a bit bigger, which means slightly better cooling power: It reaches up to 3 square meters in the airflow direction. It also has a similar sleek look and an LED light, but this one changes color. Like the EvaChill, this unit lasts up to 8 hours before it needs a water refill and can plug into a power bank or computer instead of an outlet for better portability.
The EvaLight Plus stands out with its extra control features, many of which can be adjusted using the control wheel, which adjusts the airflow level, lighting color, and light brightness. An adjustable front grill, night mode, and sleep timer add to this unit’s convenience.
Get the Evapolar EvaLight personal air conditioner at Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Target, or Evapolar.
Also Consider
Hessaire MC18M Evaporative Air Cooler
Product Specs
- Cordless: No
- Additional features: Wheels
- Size: 28 inches tall by 20 inches wide by 10 inches deep
What We Like
- Offers 500 square feet of cooling coverage
- Relatively lightweight; much lighter than portable air conditioners
- Mounted on wheels to improve portability
What We Don’t Like
- Large and unwieldy compared to desktop air coolers
The Hessaire MC18M evaporative air cooler is a portable evaporative cooler designed to cool down an entire room. It’s about the same size as some portable air conditioners, but it doesn’t require venting since it’s an evaporative cooler. It’s heavy and unwieldy compared to the mini models on this list, but it has the best cooling power, cooling entire rooms up to 500 square feet.
At 16 pounds, this unit is lighter than many portable AC units, and it’s mounted on casters too, so it’s possible to roll around. Due to its reasonable weight, it’s not too unwieldy to roll out to the backyard or even pack in a car for a camping trip. A 4.8-gallon tank provides up to 4 hours of cooling. If you’re using it outdoors, you can attach it to a garden hose for continuous use.
Get the Hessaire personal air conditioner at Amazon, Ace Hardware, Wayfair, Sylvane, or Hessaire.
Jump to Our Top Picks
What to Consider When Choosing a Personal Air Conditioner
How long a personal air conditioner lasts before it needs a recharge or a reservoir refill is important to consider when shopping. Ahead, learn more about these and other features of these small cooling devices.
Reservoir Capacity
Most personal air conditioners are not intended to cool an entire room (they lack the cooling power for that job) but rather to provide relief to someone sitting near the fan. Personal air conditioner tank sizes range from 500 milliliters to 700 milliliters, which gives them an operating time of about 4 to 8 hours, depending on the fan speed. You’ll want to take a look at average runtime as you shop.
Personal air conditioners work by evaporating ice water and distributing the cool air with a fan; unlike standard air conditioners, which have a compressor, they use very little electricity. In fact, many models can run entirely off of a rechargeable battery for hours.
Functions
The main function of any air conditioner is to produce cool air. The best personal air conditioners do this by pulling in air from the surrounding area, passing it through a wick moistened with ice water, evaporating the water, and distributing it back through the air with a small fan. They are essentially compact evaporative coolers.
Since personal air conditioners evaporate air, they also offer the side benefit of adding humidity to a space. This allows personal air conditioners to serve a double function as cool humidifiers. Most models also have a fan mode that allows the air conditioner to work exactly like a standard fan. Many lack a heating mode though, so they’re only useful in the warmer seasons.
Noise
Quiet operation is one major benefit of personal air coolers. Since they do not use a compressor, they are much quieter than actual air conditioners. They produce a noise similar to that of a small fan, which is about 30 to 40 decibels.
Ease of Use
Personal air conditioners are simple to use. They require the user to load the reservoir with ice water, then turn the unit to its cool setting and set the fan speed. Most personal air conditioners will run for at least 4 hours before requiring a refill of the reservoir; some run for as many as 12 hours on one fill.
The personal air conditioner’s controls typically appear on the unit’s housing. Some models include a convenient remote control that allows you to change the unit’s settings without having to leave the desk or get out of bed. Since personal air conditioners are designed to be portable, most include handles that make them easy to carry.
Additional Features
Personal air conditioners come with a variety of additional features that add functionality while making them easier to use. This includes colored LED lights that you can adjust to one of seven colors—to set mood lighting or create a night-light, for instance.
Other features include programmable timers that can shut the air conditioner off after a selected preset time of 2 or 4 hours. Some models also include oscillating functions that cause the fan to oscillate 60 to 120 degrees to distribute cool air to more than one spot. And some models offer small reservoirs that hold essential oils the fan can distribute with chilled air.
Aesthetics
Since personal humidifiers and air conditioners usually sit on nightstands, desktops, and other conspicuous places, they typically look attractive. Many feature streamlined boxy looks with touch controls that give them an appearance that’s similar to popular virtual assistant devices. Most come in neutral colors that blend easily with a room’s decor, including black and white.
FAQs
If you still have questions about how well personal air conditioners work, read on for answers to some of the most commonly asked queries about these devices.
Personal air conditioners use far less electricity than traditional air conditioners, so they’re great for lowering energy consumption. You can use them in addition to your air conditioner. The average personal air conditioner uses about 10 watts of electricity per hour. Many window air conditioners use just a small fraction of the 900 to 1,440 watts per hour. Want to go totally off-grid? You can connect some personal air conditioners to a power bank that runs on solar panels, which completely eliminates the need for mains electricity.
Personal air conditioners provide cooler air than a standard fan; however, with a lower power output, they are no replacement for a traditional air conditioner that uses refrigerant and a compressor. To be most effective, they need to blow directly onto the user from no more than a few feet away. Unlike a traditional air conditioner, their limited power output means they will not reduce the temperature in a room. They’re also a summer accessory; these small coolers lack a heating mode.
Even if it’s from one of the best air conditioner brands, a personal air conditioner does not have enough cooling power to reduce the temperature in a room—they’re simply too small. Larger evaporative coolers can reduce room temperature in the right conditions. To help keep a room cooler, use items like blackout window panels and a ceiling fan.