Best Desktop Air Conditioners – 2021 Guide

As much as outdoor activities are at the peak in the summer season, the temperatures rise and can make it difficult to survive without an AC indoors. 

This is where a desktop cooling system will make things much better for you.

This article talks about the best desktop air conditioners and also discusses its pros and cons. Additionally, it includes some of the important aspects of air conditioners that will help you choose the best unit for you. 

Comparison of the Best Desktop Air Conditioners

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Just add water and it is ready to be used
  • System is leakage proof for your safety
  • 3 operating modes to choose from
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  • Best for the Money
  • Built-in evaporative water filter for clean air
  • Cool breeze, fresh air, and humidity from 1 unit
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  • Larger water tank for your convenience
  • Up to 3 operating modes to choose from
  • Compact and lightweight design for mobility
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  • 7 lights included for better display options
  • Comes with 3 wind speeds included
  • Energy efficient to make it quite economical
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How Do Desktop Air Conditioners Work?

Air conditioners allow you to set the temperature of your room, according to your preference, even on the hottest of days. There are many types of air conditioners available in the market today. Out of these, desktop air conditioners come in really handy. 

They extract the warm air from the room in a heat exchange process and use a cooling chemical that helps with compression and condensation and then releases the heat energy. Modern units also feature climate control, which lets the user set the temperature to a precise degree.

Evapolar EvaLIGHT EV-1500

Characteristics of Our Favorite Desktop Air Conditioners

While choosing the best desktop air conditioner for your home or office, there are some main features that should be kept in mind. These will help you maximize the utility of the unit and enjoy the perks. Listed below are some of these:

Tank Capacity

First of all, you need to know where you’ll be using the air conditioner. Once you know that, you can choose the unit accordingly. More tank capacity means your unit can run for longer periods of time. It also depends upon the temperature you set the air conditioner on. Higher modes use more water while setting it on a low-mode will make the water last longer. 

Portability

The portability of the unit matters a lot. Whether you are able to move it around or not decides how much you will be able to use it. If the air conditioner is compact in size, you can pick it up and take it from your study room to your TV lounge easily and vice versa. 

User-friendliness

If a unit comes with all the top-notch features but is difficult to operate, it will hinder its usefulness. So, you should look for an air conditioner that is easy to operate and doesn’t require a lot of technical skills to install. Instead, it should be more of a plug-n-play unit.

Review of the Best Desktop AC Units

You now have a better understanding of how air conditioning units work.

Let’s now look at some of the best desktop ACs available. They have been reviewed in detail to help you find the ideal unit.  

Best Overall:
Evapolar EvaLIGHT EV-1500

Evapolar EvaLIGHT Plus EV-1500 Personal Evaporative Air Cooler and Humidifier/Portable Air Conditioner, White

PROS

  • Highly user-friendly and energy-efficient
  • Lightweight design maximizes portability
  • Leakage-proof system ensures no nuisance
  • Very quiet as compared to other similar units
  • 3-in-1 cooling, which humidifies, purifies, and chills the air

CONS

  • Not highly efficient in humid areas

What Recent Buyers Report

A number of recent buyers are quite impressed with the overall performance of this air conditioning unit. Its low noise has been a factor that has been mentioned by various people. It provides great value for the money and proves to be a great desktop unit.

Why it Stands Out to Us

The Evapolar EvaLIGHT EV-1500 is one of the most highly-rated desktop air conditioning units and is certainly the best on our list. It has a variety of top-notch features, which gives it a cut above the rest. The unit has a three-in-one cooling system, which is an exclusive Evapolar feature, allowing the unit to humidify, purify, and chill the air. 

Moreover, it comes in a super compact size, which makes it highly portable. It has been designed to be highly user-friendly, which means it is easy to set up and operate without any difficulty. The only downside might be its par performance in humid areas, but other than that, the unit provides great value for the money.

Bottom Line

The top-notch features and reassuring reviews from recent users make it a must-have for anyone looking for an upgrade. It works excellently and has very low noise, as compared to other units in this category.

Best for the Money:
XIDIAOYE 3 in 1 Air Cooler | Humidifier | Purifier

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PROS

  • Built-in mood light with seven colors
  • Dustproof Filtration Technology to keep the air clean
  • Comes with a rechargeable battery for utmost portability
  • Spray humidification design to achieve maximum efficiency
  • Refrigeration, humidification, and purification, 3-in-1 ability

CONS

  • Flimsy build quality makes it less durable

What Recent Buyers Report

Most of the recent buyers have praised the portability of the unit. They like how light it weighs and how compact it is. You can feel the results within minutes, as the air conditioner is really effective. Also, keeping the curtain saturated with cold water is key, as reported by many.

Why it Stands Out to Us

The XIDIAOYE 3 in 1 Air Cooler is a high-quality unit with some great features. It has been designed to have a three-in-one cooling system that allows refrigeration, humidification, and purification. This increases the efficiency of the overall unit.

Moreover, the unit consists of the Novel Spray Humidification Design, which helps to achieve the double humidification process to enhance the cooling. The AC also has been integrated with dustproof filtration technology, which boosts performance.

Additionally, the air conditioner works with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to several hours and allows the user to take the AC to places without a power outlet.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, we would highly recommend the XIDIAOYE 3 in 1 Air Cooler to people who travel. The rechargeable battery allows the user to take it anywhere without any hassle or trouble. 

Editor's Pick:
Evapolar evaCHILL EV-500W

Evapolar evaCHILL Portable Air Conditioners / Mini AC Unit / Small Personal Evaporative Air Cooler and Humidifier Fan for Bedroom, Office, Car, Camping / EV-500 / Opaque White

PROS

  • Exclusive Evapolar 3-in-1 cooling system
  • Leakage-proof system makes you worry-free
  • Great for personal use on the work desk or bed
  • User-friendly control pad for enhanced accessibility
  • Working time of up to 9 hours due to the larger water tank

CONS

  • Requires more water in dry weather
  • No indicator to show the water levels 

What Recent Buyers Report

The Evapolar AC provides great value for money, as reported by the majority of recent buyers. It does the job effectively and cools the room even better at night. A number of people have claimed that the unit is a tad pricier than other similar ACs, but the performance has left them satisfied. 

Why it Stands Out to Us

This is another high-quality product from Evapolar. It consists of the exclusive Evapolar three-in-one cooling system that cools, humidifies, and filters dust to provide cleaner air. Further, it has been rated as a top unit for personal use and can be used effectively on a desktop or a bed.

The item has been designed to be highly user-friendly due to its ultralight weight, weighing in at only two lbs. This allows the user to move around the unit and maximize its utility. Moreover, it is a whisper-quiet unit as compared to other ACs, and you won’t even notice it while it cools your room. 

Bottom Line

To sum it up, the Evapolar evaCHILL EV-500W is highly recommended for people looking for a compact unit to cool small spaces. It has both premium features and encouraging user reviews, which indicated that it could be a great choice for anyone. 

Honorable Mention:
GREATSSLY Air Conditioner Fan

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PROS

  • Highly eco-friendly operation
  • Super compact design can fit anywhere
  • 3-way fan speed control for convenience 
  • Mini AC Fan has seven color built-in soft lights
  • Multifunctional design minimizes dryness and moisturizes the skin

CONS

  • Not highly efficient in extreme conditions

What Recent Buyers Report

Various people have reported that the unit is an effective personal air conditioner. It cools the person right next to it and does the job very well. It is also not loud at all and can fit in small spaces easily. 

Why it Stands Out to Us

The GREATSSLY Air Conditioner Fan is a stylish air conditioning unit which is well-reputed among its category. It has a variety of premium features, which make this a great unit. The multifunctional design and the three-speed fan settings enhance the efficiency of the air conditioner.

Furthermore, the air conditioning unit with evaporative cool comes in a super compact size, which not only makes it easy to move it around, but it can fit in anywhere you want. Another attractive feature is the seven-color integrated LED soft lights that allow the user to set it according to their mood.

Bottom Line

A highly user-friendly unit with efficient cooling ability and other top-notch features, the GREATSSLY Air Conditioner Fan is a must-have. The stand out feature is the seven-color LED soft light that can be changed according to preference. 

5. HoMedics PAC-25BK MyChill

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PROS

  • Variable speed settings with two fan speeds
  • Clean tank technology to keep the tank protected 
  • Comes with an indicator light which shows a low-water level 
  • Energy-saving capabilities due to low energy consumption 
  • Environmental-friendly and doesn’t have any ozone-depleting refrigerants

CONS

  • Build quality not up to the mark

What Recent Buyers Report

Many recent buyers are satisfied with the purchase and seem to enjoy this air conditioning unit in hot and dry weather. Although some people have reported leakage issues, mostly it works perfectly fine. People have used it on desktops and bedside tables, and it does the job for them. 

Why it Stands Out to Us

The HoMedics PAC-25BK MyChill desktop AC is quite popular due to a number of reasons. Firstly, it comes in a stylish black design, which makes it look fashionable on a desktop. Secondly, it has great features. It is an energy-saving unit and is easy to use.

Furthermore, the AC has a speed control feature that allows the user to switch between two fan speeds. The user can set the speed to high or low, according to the usage. It also comes with a clean tank technology that protects the water tank from any mold or mildew. Additionally, the unit is covered by a one-year warranty to back the company’s quality claims. 

Bottom Line

After having a look at the various features of the HoMedics PAC-25BK MyChill, we can say that it is highly suitable for energy-saving and high-performance at the same time. It has great features and is backed by a one-year warranty, which should give you all the confidence. 

Aspects to Consider Before Buying

When you go into the market, there are a variety of models available with lots of high-tech features and units in multiple shapes and sizes. It can get a bit confusing for you. Therefore, in order to help choose a suitable unit, below we’ve discussed some important aspects to consider before making your purchase decision.

Size and Weight

The most important things to consider are the dimensions and weight of the air conditioner. If you wish to place the unit in a designated place, you need to precisely measure the available area and its surroundings.

Moreover, if you’re planning on moving the unit around frequently, you should go for an air conditioner that is light and easy to carry around. It’ll be easy for you to take it with you to any room without much effort. 

Noise

A noisy air conditioner can really be a nuisance for anybody, especially if you have one in your office. All units are somewhat noisy, but you need to be careful about where you’ll be using yours. Many manufacturers offer quieter air conditioners, so you should check the unit's decibel level before buying it.

Features

As we’ve already discussed, there are a variety of models available with top-notch features. You need to carefully choose the features that will suit your usage. Some manufacturers offer useful features like three-in-one cooling, humidifying, and purifying functions, while others have heating capabilities when it gets cold.

Desktop vs Portable AC - Comparison Overview

Desktop and portable ACs have the same primary goal: to cool the room on hot summer days. However, they both use different mechanisms to achieve the desired result. In this section, we’ll talk about the similarities and differences between the two. 

Differences

First of all, the main difference between the two is how they operate. Portable ACs use a hose-based system to filter out hot air and cool the air present inside the room. Some portable ACs use a single hose, while others may have a dual hose system, depending on the unit's model and type. 

On the other hand, desktop air conditioners remove the hot air from a room and use a cooling chemical that helps with compression and condensation. Then it releases the heat energy, and eventually, this whole heat exchange process lowers the temperature in the room.

Similarities

If we look at the accessibility, it’s clear that both are designed to be highly portable. You can easily move either of them to whatever place you desire, especially because they are light in weight. 

Additionally, the installation process of both is quite straightforward and requires no advanced technical know-how. 

Conclusion

After having a detailed look at the list of the best desktop air conditioners and discussing the various important aspects related, we hope that this article will help you choose a suitable unit. Just remember that buying the most expensive unit doesn’t mean it will be the best for you; even a moderately-priced unit can do the job.

Evapolar evaCHILL EV-500W

People Also Ask

Many people have queries regarding different aspects of air conditioning units, as there are lots of factors involved. Therefore, in order to help people understand desktop air conditioning units better and clear the doubts they have, we have answered the repeatedly asked questions by different people below.

Do Personal Air Conditioners Really Work?

Personal air conditioners do come in really handy when the temperature rises. They cool the room and get rid of the hot air. As compared to a fan, they do a reasonably good job, but in comparison with a window AC, they get nowhere near in terms of performance capability. 

How Much Space Can a Desktop AC Cool?

The amount of space a desktop AC can cool varies from model to model. Some are designed to provide high fan speeds, while others are made to be more efficient for cooling. On average, a decent-quality desktop air conditioner can cool around 45-50 sq. ft.

How Much is a Desktop Air Conditioner?

There are various types of air conditioners available in the market, and each is priced according to features and other unique elements. If you’re looking for an adequate desktop air conditioner that does the job efficiently, it will cost you between $50 and $150. Other premium models may cost even more than this.