Best Windowless Air Conditioners – 2021 Guide

Windowless air conditioners work the same way as window air conditioning units. They are relatively compact, provide adequate cooling for small to moderate spaces, and have a generally sleek design.

Windowless air conditioners are ideal to use when window units aren’t allowed or aren’t a possibility. 

Comparison of the Best Windowless Air Conditioners

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Very easy to clean the filter
  • Will cool down up to 700 square feet room
  • Automatically restart at previous temperature setting with smart restart
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  • Many different operating modes for versatility
  • Operating at only 4 dBA noise level
  • Will save up to 30 percent energy
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  • Best for the Money
  • Easy to move around with smooth-rolling wheels
  • Very easy to read LED display
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  • Best Windowless Portable Air Conditioner
  • Easy WiFi connectivity included for quick connection
  • Up to 14000 Btu output capacity
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  • Best Small Windowless Air Conditioner
  • Comes with a 24 hour timer included
  • Very easy to read LED display
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Why Did These Windowless Air Conditioners Make Our List?

These windowless air conditioners made our list because they are affordable, effective, packed with various features and functions, and are relatively space-saving. 

Affordability

It’s not just the windowless air conditioner that we chose as the best for the affordable money. Many of these units are affordable and also include a variety of features, settings, and functions that make them one of the best on our list.

De'Longhi Pinguino Deluxe

Effectiveness

Each of these windowless air conditioners effectively cools small to moderate spaces depending on its BTU size.

Features, Functions, and Settings

There are various features, functions, and settings included with each of these windowless air conditioners. These features include a sleep function, a programmable timer, and fan speed adjustment, just to name a few.

Space-Saving Design

Each windowless air conditioner on our list has a compact space-saving design that allows it to be placed in a location in the room without taking up a large area.

Review of the Best Windowless Air Conditioners

Need more details to choose a windowless air conditioner? Check out our detailed reviews:

Best Overall:
Frigidaire FFPH1422U1

Frigidaire FFPH1422U1Portable Rooms up to 700-Sq. Ft. Air Conditioner, Black

PROS

  • Reusable air filter
  • Large 14,000 BTU output will cool an area up to 700 square feet
  • Spacewise portable design makes the unit compact and measures 19.4” wide x 16.6” deep and 31.3” tall
  • Wheels built into the bottom of the unit allow the unit to be easily moved from one location to the next
  • Included remote control can adjust the temperature, fan speed, oscillation, sleep mode, and programmable timer of the unit

CONS

  • Relatively loud
  • Pricier than some models

What Recent Buyers Report

Recent buyers are extremely pleased with how easy the unit is to set up when unboxing. Once the unit is unboxed and set up, it immediately produces a powerful cold output to begin cooling your room. It quickly cools a space up to 700 square feet in a short amount of time.

Why it Stands Out to Us

We are most impressed with the output, large coverage area, and the variety of functions that you can choose to enable on this unit. It also has a compact and subtle design that makes it virtually unrecognizable as an air conditioning unit.

We also like the effortless restart feature that will cause the unit to restart from its previous setting if the unit loses power.

Bottom Line

We have chosen the Frigidaire FFPH1422U1 as the best overall windowless air conditioner because it covers a large 700 square foot area and gives users a variety of features to choose from.

Runner-up:
De’Longhi Pinguino Deluxe

De'Longhi Black Portable Air Cooler with Remote Control and Dehumidifier

PROS

  • Extremely quiet Arctic Whisper technology reduces noise by 50%
  • Energy-efficient technology saves up to 30% in energy consumption
  • Built-in wheels allow you to move the unit from one location to the next with ease
  • Powerful cooling design uses 14,000 BTU to cool an area up to 700 square feet
  • Smart cool technology follows you in the room and adjusts the output of the unit according to where you’re located

CONS

  • Hose is only 5’ long, which can limit where you place the unit
  • Some models have faulty probes that will need to be replaced by De’Longhi

What Recent Buyers Report

The unit is powerful, quiet, and energy-efficient. These are the features that recent buyers speak of the most. It is also easy to move from one location to the next with the built-in wheels located on the bottom of the unit.

Why it Stands Out to Us

We agree with what recent buyers report. We believe the powerful, quiet, and energy-efficient design of the unit is what makes it stand out from the rest of the competition. We also feel that smart cool technology is another feature that sets this unit apart from the rest. This feature means the unit will only run when necessary according to your position, which ultimately will save on energy consumption as well.

Bottom Line

The De’Longhi Pinguino Deluxe is easily our choice for the best runner-up option because of its stylish design, powerful output, ultra-quiet design, and energy-efficiency.

Best for the Money:
Vremi 10,000 BTU

Vremi 10000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner - Easy to Move AC Unit for Rooms up to 250 Sq Ft - with Powerful Cooling Fan, Reusable Filter, Auto Shut Off (6250 BTU New DOE)

PROS

  • Affordable
  • 4 modes to choose from: cool, fan, dry, and sleep
  • Removable and washable double-layered air filter
  • High output of 10,000 BTU will cover up to 350 square feet
  • Space-saving design will only take up a small amount of room when in use

CONS

  • Not energy-efficient
  • Louder than many similar options

What Recent Buyers Report

It doesn’t get much more affordable than this option, which is what recent buyers are most pleased with. It’s an affordable option to cool a small space up to 350 square feet. This space-saving design helps the unit take up as little room as possible when in use.

Why it Stands Out to Us

We like how effective this unit is for such a relatively low price tag. Although it is not one of the most energy-efficient options on the market, the unit is ideal for spot cooling small rooms up to 350 square feet using one of the four modes on the unit.

We also like that there is a convenient built-in remote control storage tray on top of the unit for you to always store your remote when not in use.

Bottom Line

The Vremi 10,000 BTU windowless air conditioner is a great option for those on a budget who need to cool a relatively small area up to 350 square feet, which is why we have chosen it as the windowless air conditioner unit that is the best for the money.

Best Windowless Portable Air Conditioner:
LG LP1417WSRSM

LG LP1417WSRSM 115V Portable Air Conditioner with Wi-Fi Control in White for Rooms up to 400-Sq. Ft. (Renewed)

PROS

  • Will dehumidify up to 3.1 pints per hour
  • Easy to set up, use, and move from room to room
  • 14,000 BTU will cool an area up to 400 square feet
  • Sleek design measuring 14.76” wide x 17.44” deep x 29.53” tall
  • Wi-Fi technology allows you to control the unit from your Smartphone

CONS

  • Louder than some similar models
  • 6-foot long power cord may limit where you can place the unit

What Recent Buyers Report

Recent buyers report that LG's windowless air conditioner is easy to use, effective, and convenient with Wi-Fi technology capabilities. The unit can also be controlled by Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, making it even more convenient and easy to use.

Why it Stands Out to Us

We like that the unit has a high output of 14,000 BTU. This allows the unit to cool areas up to 400 square feet. Wi-Fi technology is also another key feature that we feel makes it stand out from much of the competition, especially at this affordable price point.

The unit is easy to set up and use, making it essentially immediately effective as soon as it is unboxed. It also includes a convenient remote control that allows you to control the unit's many different features, including oscillation, sleep mode, and programmable timer.

Bottom Line

The LG LP1417WSRSM is one of the best portable windowless air conditioners because of its compact design and built-in wheels that allow it to easily move from room to room.

Best Small Windowless Air Conditioner:
Black + Decker BPACT14HWT

BLACK+DECKER BPACT14HWT AC Remote Control Portable Air Conditioner, 14,000 BTU +HEAT, White-14,000

PROS

  • Easy to set up and install
  • 4 functions to choose from: cool, heat, fan, and dehumidify
  • Included remote control makes it easy to control the unit from across the room
  • Removable air filter can be rinsed under running water and placed back into the unit
  • Small, compact design that measures 17.1” wide x 13.8” deep x 28.1” tall; this makes it ideal for small bedrooms, apartments, or dorms

CONS

  • Not energy efficient
  • Not recommended for areas larger than roughly 375 square feet

What Recent Buyers Report

The Black + Decker BPACT14HWT is best for buyers who use the unit for small areas, including dorms, apartments, or small bedrooms. Users agree that the unit is not energy efficient, but it doesn't need to constantly run when the unit is used in small areas. This helps reduce the overall amount of energy that the unit consumes.

Why it Stands Out to Us

This unit by Black + Decker stands out to us because it is affordable, ideal for small areas, and has a variety of functions to choose from for such a small and compact design.

The setup and installation of the unit are easy. It requires just a few steps of attaching the drain hose and plugging the unit into an outlet for the unit to operate. This makes it exceptionally easy for most users to set up.

There are 4 different functions you can choose from when using the unit. There is a cool, heat, fan, and dehumidifier setting. This allows you to choose the right function for the exact reason you need.

Bottom Line

The Black + Decker BPACT14HWT is the best option for a small windowless air conditioner because of its compact design, overall effectiveness, and how easy the unit is to use.

What is a Windowless Air Conditioner?

A windowless air conditioner is an air conditioning unit that is not installed in a window. It is ideal to use when you can’t install a window unit air conditioner in the room you need to cool.

We have included windowless air conditioners on our list with wheels and can be moved from one location to the next.

Frigidaire FFPH1422U1

Are All Windowless Air Conditioners The Same?

As you will see in our list below, there are various windowless air conditioners to choose from, and all of them are different from one another. Some windowless air conditioners are stronger than others by providing a stronger and larger output. Other windowless air conditioners are more affordable models and will only cool small areas.

By the end of this article, you will know which windowless air conditioner you should choose and why.

What Size of Windowless AC Do I Need?

To determine what size windowless AC you need, you will have to calculate your room's square footage. To do this, you will measure the length and width of the walls in the room in feet. Then you will multiply the length x the width to determine the area in square footage.

We will use a room with an area of 15’ by 18’ as an example. The total area of the room is 270 square feet. This means you will need a windowless AC with a BTU of around 7,000.

Pros and Cons of Windowless Air Conditioners

Every product has some things that are great and some that may cause you to think twice. Here are the pros and cons of this type of air conditioner:

Pros

Does Not Require a Window

A windowless air conditioner can be placed in virtually any room and is ideal for those conditions in which a window air conditioner is not possible or not allowed.

Easy to Set up

Unlike window units or inverter air conditioners, windowless air conditioners are easy to set up and install. You generally don’t need any HVAC experience to be able to set up a windowless air conditioner. This makes it ideal for even the most basic DIY-er to set up and use.

Affordable

Many windowless air conditioners are a more affordable option than window units or inverter air conditioners. This makes it possible to add a windowless air conditioner to that room in your house that can never seem to get completely cooled from the central air conditioning system.

Cons

Not Always Energy Efficient

Many of the windowless air conditioners aren’t the most energy-efficient options. This can cause your utility bill to increase if you’re not careful, so make sure you utilize the unit’s sleep timer or other programmable features to save as much energy as possible.

BLACK+DECKER BPACT14HWT

Conclusion

A windowless air conditioner is an affordable and practical option to help cool spaces in your home that may stay warmer than others. They generally require no specialized HVAC installation or equipment for the unit to function within the home.

People Also Ask

You may still have questions when it comes to choosing the best windowless air conditioners, so we have you covered below. You will find the answers to some of the more commonly asked questions to help you choose the best windowless air conditioner for your home.

How Big of a Room Can a Windowless Air Conditioner Cool?

The BTU of the unit will determine how big of a room the windowless air conditioner can cool. Most windowless air conditioners are 10,000 BTU or less. This means they will ideally cool a room up to 450 square feet.

How Much Does a Windowless Air Conditioner Cost?

The features and size of the unit will determine how much the windowless air conditioner will cost. Larger windowless air conditioners will cost more than smaller units. Additionally, units will have a variety of features, such as energy-saving technology or Wi-Fi connectivity, which can also increase the unit's cost.

Some windowless air conditioners can be a relatively inexpensive cost around $300, while some options that have more features can be substantially higher.

Vremi 10000 BTU

How Long Does a Windowless Air Conditioner Last?

With proper care and maintenance, a windowless air conditioner should last about 10 years.

How Do I Store a Windowless Air Conditioner When Not in Use?

When the unit is not in use, you should keep the air conditioner out of direct sunlight. This can mean storing it in a closet, in the basement, or any other cool, dry place where sunlight and humidity are at a minimum.