In the dog days of summer, a good air conditioning unit can make the difference in your home between having a sweltering sauna or a refreshing refuge from the heat. ACs come in various types, including window units, AC sleeve units, or freestanding portable units that vent through a tube.

Ready to keep your home comfortable in the heat? Here are some of the best AC units you can buy to keep cool this summer.

Powerful Portable Unit With Great Cooling Capacity

 This model comes from a company with a legacy of quality and innovation. This portable AC is no exception, as it provides ample coolness to any room.

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Versatile Freestanding Unit With Built-In Dehumidifier

 This is one powerful piece of equipment, offering impressive 14k BTU cooling and dehumidifier built right in. Keep the air cool and humidity down with one versatile unit that can be installed anywhere with a window.

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Portable Unit in Various BTU Options

This is a quiet but effective portable AC is sold in various BTU options and has the ability to heat as well. The built-in dehumidifier helps keep the indoor humidity manageable while also providing a refreshing coolness.

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Classic Window AC That Gets the Job Done

Portable units are convenient, but the exhaust hose must be near the window and/or vented with a hose anyway. For this reason, the traditional window AC might still remain your best option for quick cooling, and this is a great option to do so.

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Provides Frigid Air Everywhere

A common name in the AC space, this company makes a very competitive AC. This window unit comes in various BTU options to provide relief from the heat in record time and is remarkably quiet for the power.

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Powerful Window AC with Customizable Options

Summary: This AC unit comes in various BTU options, your choice of white or black, and your choice of mechanical knob controls or LED display controls for your personally optimized user experience.

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Some people prefer the portability of freestanding units, but be advised that they are not 100% truly portable because they require ventilation. AC units cool air and exhaust hot air, and unless you vent this exhaust back outside, you will effectively put hot air right back into the room.

Window units are more traditional and perform the exchange right at the window where the hot, humid exterior air meets your inside air. Both options can effectively cool a space, but it’s up to your personal preferences what you might prefer to install or use, depending on your space.

Short answer: depends on the size of the room. Manufacturers include a handy chart that allows you to match the square footage of your room with the recommended BTU requirement. First, measure the length and width of your room and multiply them to get the square footage, then simply match it with the provided chart. You can go slightly higher in BTU to make sure you have more than enough cooling or may cool the space more rapidly, but there are two things to keep in mind if you choose to do so. 

First, higher BTUs require more energy to operate, so your energy costs will reflect this additional power demand on your bill. Second, not all circuit breakers can accommodate the highest BTUs on the market. Each house or apartment’s electrical panel is different, so there may be no way to know in advance without consulting a qualified electrician.

Here are some things to keep in mind when purchasing the best AC unit for you: