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Throughout the pandemic, Shopping readers were attracted by household appliances, including air purifiers, fans, and dehumidifiers. As summer is in full swing, and temperatures continue to rise—especially for many people in the Pacific Northwest—air conditioning units may be the first consideration. If you are in a small space or do not want to install window air conditioners, you can consider using a lot of portable air conditioners. To help you guide your search and save some money on the portable air conditioner you ultimately choose, here are some highly rated and reasonably priced portable air conditioners, each of which meets expert guidance.

A cost-effective portable air conditioner highly rated by SKIP AHEAD

Before you look around, you may want to consider where the portable air conditioner is going. How big is the room? This will tell you how much cooling power you should look for, in British thermal units (BTU). To keep your space cool, the air conditioner should usually have about 20 BTU per square foot, John McKeon, MD, CEO of Allergy Standards told us earlier.

To help you find the right model that meets your needs, EnergyStar is a federal program that promotes energy-efficient products and provides the following cooling capacity guidelines on its website:

McKeon previously told us that the price of portable air conditioners ranges from US$250 to US$500, depending on the size and quantity of features. We have collected some highly rated affordable models that meet the recommendations of McKeon and other experts, and the price of each option is less than $400.

This Frigidaire unit was previously known as the best overall portable air conditioner. It can cool a room of 350 square feet, which is about the size of an ordinary bedroom. It has an air filter, including a dehumidifying and drying mode and a sleep mode that helps to save energy. In addition, it has three fan speeds, and is equipped with a programmable timer and remote control.

As the most affordable portable air conditioner, this Shinco unit has a cooling power of 8,000 BTU, which can cool a 200-square-foot room. It weighs 55 pounds, which is lighter than other models on the market. In addition to cooling, it can also be used as a dehumidifier and fan. In addition, it is also equipped with a remote control and an LED display.

This SereneLife AC device is one of the most affordable options on this list, priced at $310. It is a bestseller on Amazon and can generate 8,000 BTU to cool a 215 square foot room. It comes with a remote control, including a fan and dehumidification function. In addition, you can find products in various sizes, including 10,000 BTU and 12,000 BTU, both of which are less than $450.

If you don't have much space, this Black+Decker option is very compact and weighs 53 pounds, so you can easily move it when you need it. It has 10,000 BTU of heat and can cool 150 square feet of space. In addition to cooling, it also includes a fan and dehumidification mode.

This Midea unit includes a portable air conditioner, dehumidifier and fan in one. It has a cooling power of 10,000 BTU and is suitable for a 200 square foot room. For convenience, you can use your smartphone to control this air conditioning device, or pair it with Alexa or Google Assistant to access voice commands. In addition, it is also equipped with a reusable air filter. It is also suitable for rooms of 275 and 330 square feet.

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Shari Uyehara is the editorial operations assistant of Select for NBC News.

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