Portable air conditioning units are both affordable and incredibly convenient. Unlike window and wall unit air conditioners, portable air conditioners can be easily brought from room to room for the most versatile cooling capabilities.

Most portable AC units are between 3 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. They often have casters or wheels, making them extra easy to move from space to space.

Portable air conditioners are a wonderful solution for interim apartment dwellers who might not want to go through the inconvenience of installing window units in several rooms, only to move away in several months. The portable unit allows you to cool off in one room one night and then easily move into another room the next night.

Unfortunately, in terms of lowering the temperature of a room, portable air conditioners don't do the job as effectively as window AC units. An air conditioner works at cooling a room by moving around the heat, rather than really creating the cool air. If heat is removed from one place (the inside of the room you are cooling) it needs to be released someplace else. With window AC units, the heat can be released outside the window, allowing you to stay cooler inside the air-conditioned room. However, with portable AC units, this heat is released right back into the room you are attempting to cool off.

To get around this dilemma, you should consider using a vent hose with all portable AC units (these are provided to you with each unit by the manufacturer). You can attach the hose to the back of the unit and place the other end in a slightly open window to allow the heat to escape. This will allow the portable AC unit to work much more effectively.

Portable air conditioners provide a convenient solution for many, as there is no installation and an ease of use. However, they do not work as efficiently or have the same cooling capacity as a comparably-quipped window model air conditioners.

Portable air conditioners do provide a wonderful supplemental cooling option and are a good choice for smaller areas. They are also a great option for removing stale odors in the air and preventing odors from moving from one roon into another (i.e. they are great to use in the kitchen if you are preparing a particularly stinky dinner and don't want the smell to waft into another room of your home).