The Best Personal Air Conditioners of 2024 to Beat the Summer Heat
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Personal Air Conditioners of 2024 to Beat the Summer Heat and hope the blog can help you.
Stay cool whether at home or away with one of these top personal air conditioners.
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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 en