Whether you love or hate those dog days of summer, there is no avoiding the fact that it can be uncomfortable with no air conditioning in the house. In hot climates, most houses do have central air conditioning, but what about apartments? Or what about rental properties? How can you have an air conditioner installed if you don’t own the property? Well there is a solution to the problem – you can choose to install the best mini air conditioner. A mini air conditioner is portable, so you can install it temporarily in any room you like. The best part is that they cost just a fraction of a central air conditioning unit. But the best mini air conditioner works just as effectively to cool one room at a time.
Do you need the Best Mini Air Conditioner?
Do you suffer during those long hot nights when it is impossible to get to sleep without an air conditioner? Sure you can open the windows, and use fans or blowers to keep cool. But when the humidity gets too high, there just doesn’t seem to be any relief from the heat. Beat the heat during summer heatwaves and install the best mini portable air conditioner in the bedroom. A mini air conditioner will quietly work, and cool the room while you get a good night sleep. Not only will the temperature drop to a comfortable and controlled setting, but the humidity will reduce also. That’s right, if you can’t stand the high humidity during those summer nights, a mini portable air conditioner will help you sleep like a baby!
Main Considerations before you buy a mini air conditioner
Before you rush out to buy a mini air conditioner, it pays to consider these elements that make the best mini air conditioner.
Mini Air Conditioner Unit Dimensions
A mini air conditioner unit is a neat, compact sized box, which is designed to fit unobtrusively into any room. A mini air conditioner ranges from ½ meter to 1 meter in height and ½ meter or less in width. The average mini portable air conditioner is a sleek and modern design, which will suit most modern décor. Although they are a reasonable size of footprint, a mini air conditioner can become a nice feature in any room.
Average weight of a mini air conditioner
A mini air conditioner weighs in at anywhere from 50 pounds up to 100 pounds, so they are not feather light! This is because a mini portable air conditioner contains a refrigeration unit, with compressor pump and motor inside. However, the average mini air conditioner is built with caster wheels, which makes them easier to move around.
Mini Air Conditioner Cooling
The cooling power of any air conditioning unit is measured in “British Thermal Units”, otherwise known as BTU. This is an old fashioned terms for the amount of energy needed to heat or cool something. In simple terms, the higher the energy rating in BTU, the faster an air conditioner can cool the room. The other way to look at it is that you will have to pay more money to buy a mini air conditioner with higher BTU rating. If you want to reduce your electricity usage, you should go for a lower BTU rating!
What size is the best mini air conditioner?
This is always the difficult question, but it basically depends on the floor area of the room. The room size is determined by a calculation of the floor area. Basically, the greater the floor area, the more cooling power you need from the small portable air conditioner. In reality, there are more variables at play, such as height of the room, and the number of windows. And the biggest factor is the weather! The temperature range and the humidity will ultimately determine how effective an air conditioner unit can operate. Depending on the weather, and the size of your room, you may require around 30 BTU per sq ft of room area, or greater.
Room Size Calculation
To choose the best mini air conditioner, you first need to calculate the size of your room. Simply measure the widest and longest dimensions of the room and multiply them together. This calculation gives a rough estimate of the room size. So for example, if your room is 15 ft wide by 20 ft long, then the area of the room is 300 sq ft. Multiply 300 sq ft by 30 BTU, and you need roughly 9,000 BTU mini air conditioner to cool the room. For a 400 sq ft room, you need a 12,000 BTU mini air conditioner.
Energy Efficiency
It may seem sensible to buy a mini air conditioner with a higher rating to cool your room faster. However, we recommend that you don’t overdo so that you get better efficiency and reduced energy usage. The best way to achieve higher energy efficiency is to buy the best mini air conditioner to suit the size of the room. This will help to reduce the cost of the additional power usage.
Noise Level
No matter what type of cooling device you choose, there is an associated noise level. A fan to circulate the air can make noise, an open window can let outside noise in. A central air conditioner unit makes blowing air noises through the vents, and you can hear the motor humming outside. Similarly, even the best mini air conditioner unit makes a small amount of noise. This is unavoidable due to the noise of the refrigeration motor, as well as sound of the fan blowing air. It all depends on your perspective whether you think a mini air conditioner is noisy.
How much noise does a mini air conditioner make?
There is a wide range of noise level outputs from the range of mini air conditioner units. It all depends on the cooling setting, as well as the fan speed. The small portable air conditioner units tend to be the quietest option, while the larger units make more noise.
Acceptable noise levels
During the daytime, when the outside temperature is hotter, you can choose faster fan speed to circulate the air. This is generally a time when the noise level is not so noticeable. But at night time when you need to sleep, the fan speed can be reduced for quieter noise level. The average noise level from a mini air conditioner is typically between 45 dB and 65 dB. As a reference point, a typical conversation between two people is roughly 60 decibels or dB. So anything less than 60 dB is preferable when it comes to buy the best mini air conditioner.
What else to look out for when buying a mini air conditioner?
- Some units come with a built in dehumidifier. This means that you get the double benefit of cool and dry air, which feels fantastic! The dehumidifier first acts to reduce the humidity, before the air conditioner acts to reduce the temperature. The water condensation is collected within the air conditioner unit, and can be removed manually or via a drain pipe. Some mini portable air conditioner units actually have a self evaporative function so that you never have to empty the water tank.
- Good ventilation. The best mini air conditioner comes with automatic air circulation for improved ventilation right around the room. The outlet air is passed over moving vanes to makes sure that the cool air reaches to all parts of the room. This makes the whole room feel comfortable and livable.
- Thermal control. The best mini air conditioner comes with temperature control settings which govern how much cool air to pump. When the air conditioner reaches the desired setting, it can throttle back a little to save energy, whilst maintaining the desired temperature.
- Hot air exhaust. The best mini air conditioner comes with a dual hose arrangement. This provides both air intake hose as well as hot air exhaust hose which makes the air conditioner run more efficiently. The hot air from the air conditioner pump and motor are redirected to the outside air, whilst cool air is pumped inside the room.
- Energy Efficiency. When you buy the best mini air conditioner, always refer to the energy efficiency rating to make sure you get the most efficient machine.
Best reason to buy a mini air conditioner?
The best reason to buy a mini air conditioner is that not only do they keep you cool in summer. You can also use the same mini air conditioner to keep you warm in winter. That’s right, when you choose the best mini air conditioner, it should be reverse cycle. That means you can use it for cooling in summer as well as warmth in winter. And you don’t have to change over the unit, or store it away when not in use. The best part about a mini air conditioner is that it is very energy efficient, and will save you money.
Click here to see our full list of portable air conditioner reviews.
