Ventless portable air conditioners are really evaporative coolers. For small spaces we pick the Air Choice ATF-009L (up to 120 sq. ft.), for medium the Honeywell CO30XE, and for large the Hessaire MC37M (up to 950 sq. ft.).
A ventless portable air conditioner is a great choice for people who want cooler air in their bedroom, office, family room, or any other area in their home, without complicated setup or installation and at a reasonable price.
That’s why, we at Home Caprice, are excited to present our all-new buyer’s guide, review, and comparison of the best ductless portable air conditioners currently available.
What is a Ventless Air Conditioner?
A ventless, or ductless, air conditioner is, strictly speaking, not an air conditioner at all! It is an evaporative cooler, or a swamp cooler, which operates in a fundamentally different way than an air conditioner.
A proper AC unit uses refrigerant and fins to extract heat from the air inside your home, ducts to move the hot air outside and fans to move the now cold inside air all around.
A ventless AC is, by comparison, almost absurdly basic. These units simply draw air across water or ice and then blow the cooled air throughout the room.
There are no tubes that need to be somehow run to the outside of your house, no window mounting, no special installation at all, in fact. They have no hoses or ducts, don’t have to be set in a special place, and don’t require you to drill a hole in the wall or strap a big box to your window sill.
Type the room's size, ceiling and sun: the BTU or watts it needs and the next size up, with a product box to match.
How Does a Ventless Air Conditioner Work?
It really couldn’t be easier! You just put the portable ventless air conditioner just where you want it, fill it with ice, water, or both, plug it in, and turn it on.
Of course, these much simpler and much less expensive units are not nearly as powerful as a true air conditioning unit. They will not drop the air temperature nearly as much, nor will they cool as large of a space. They also require that you periodically refill the ice/water tray.
That said, they still offer some substantial benefits, not the least of which is the price.
What are the Advantages of Ventless Air Conditioners?
- They are less expensive
- They are cheaper to run
- They are simpler to operate
- They do not dry the air as much (in fact, they humidify your space), which is why they work best in dry climates and cool very little in humid air
- Many people find air-conditioned air too cold, even at low settings
- No hoses, ducts, or holes in the wall or window & no installation
What is the Best Ventless Air Conditioner Currently Available?
Our list of best ductless air conditioners will include a range of price points and performance levels, so if you know your budget, and space you need to cool, this buyer’s guide will make your selection a snap.
Every ductless AC unit we have chosen is a great performer for the money, is easy to use and offers the best material quality and reliability you can get. So, if you like what you see, click with confidence, and then sit back and enjoy the cool air!
We will look at:
- The best portable ventless air conditioner for small spaces: First Choice & Runner Up
- The best portable ventless air conditioner for medium size spaces: First Choice & Runner Up
- The best portable ventless air conditioner for large spaces: First Choice & Runner Up
- The best personal portable ventless air conditioner
- The best industrial portable ventless air conditioner
- The best outdoor portable ventless air conditioner
What is the Best Small Portable Ductless Air Conditioner?
Air Choice ATF-009L 40″ Tower Fan and Evaporative Cooler
Air Choice Evaporative Cooler, 40" Portable Tower Fan with 70 Oscillating for Big Space
Editor’s Rating: 5.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Room Size: Up To 120 square feet
- Tank Size: 2 Liter (~1/2 Gallon)
- Includes 2 Ice Tanks
- Remote Control: Yes
- Weight: 8.9 Pounds
The Air Choice ATF-009L ventless air conditioner features an oscillating tower fan configuration, which lets it effectively distribute cool air all throughout any space.
The Air Choice ventless air conditioner has three modes (normal wind/natural wind/sleep wind) and three speeds (high/medium/low), in addition to three possible cooling processes (air/water/ice) for maximum cooling flexibility.
It has a nice soft-touch control panel and comes with remote control, and operation is as easy as it gets. It is easy to move around and designed to be safe for babies and children, with no hot surfaces, sharp edges or exposed blades.
The eight-hour timer and sleep mode, along with the ATF-009L’s whisper-quiet operation, make it a great choice for day or night-time use.
A super value, well made and well-engineered and really effective at cooling smaller areas, the Air Choice ATF-009L 40″ Tower Fan and Evaporative Cooler is our choice for a best ventless portable air conditioner for small spaces.
Find a vetted local HVAC pro
Networx matches you with vetted pros near you. Free, no obligation.
Runner-up: COMFYHOME 2-in-1 43″ Evaporative Air Cooler & Tower Fan with Humidification
COMFYHOME 2-in-1 43'' Evaporative Air Cooler & Tower Fan w/Cooling & Humidification Function
We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you.- Room Size: Up to 200 square feet
- Tank Size: 1 Gallon
What Is the Best Medium-Sized Portable Ductless Air Conditioner?
Honeywell CO30XE Evaporative Air Cooler with Fan & Humidifier
Editor’s Rating: 4.6 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Honeywell CO30XE ventless air conditioner is one of the best designed and best built medium-sized swamp coolers we have ever come across.
This high-quality evaporative cooler can easily cool spaces of 300 square feet or more and is designed for both indoor and outdoor use.
Engineered not just for maximum cooling, but for convenience as well, the CO30XE has a detachable water tank for easy filling, a programmable timer and a nice basic remote control.
Most importantly, though, the Honeywell CO30XE really cools, with smart air vents that blow the cold air at a body level, a tank designed for both water and ice and a powerful fan.
And, for dry climates, the Honeywell CO30XE is an excellent humidifier as well.
Whether for your bedroom, office, garage or patio, the Honeywell CO30XE Evaporative Air Cooler with Fan & Humidifier is a great choice, and our pick for a best ventless portable air conditioner for medium-sized spaces .
Runner-up: Frigidaire, EC400WF, Portable Indoor Outdoor Evaporative Air Fan and Humidifier, Personal Swamp Cooler, 500 CFM, 450 Square Foot Effective Range
- Room Size: 450 Square Feet
- Tank Size: 13 Gallon
What Is the Best Large Portable Ductless Air Conditioner?
Hessaire MC37M Portable Evaporative Cooler
Hessaire MC37M Portable Evaporative Cooling Fan
Editor’s Rating: 4.8 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Room Size: Up To 950 square feet
- Tank Size: 10.3 Gallon
- Includes: Continuous Fill Hose Attachment
- Remote Control: No
- Weight: 40 Pounds
Large and powerful, the Hessaire MC37M is designed to fill larger spaces with nicely cooled, humid and healthy air.
Designed for either indoor or outdoor use, the Hessaire MC37M has heavy-duty locking casters for easy moving and secure positioning.
This Hessaire swamp cooler has a large water reservoir but also allows a garden hose to be connected for continuous running. Either way, its 3 sided cooling pads allow for super cool air, delivered strongly with Hessaire’s powerful fan motors. The oscillating louvres can be turned on or off for either evenly distributed or concentrated cooling.
Probably the easiest unit to operate in our buyer’s guide of best portable ventless air conditioners, the MC37M forgoes electronic control panels and remote controls for simple, reliable manual switches and knobs.
And our favourite feature? A cup holder on the top!
The Hessaire MC37M Portable Evaporative Cooler not only fills larger spaces but with its excellent engineering and design it delivers notably cooler air into those spaces. For performance, ease of use, material quality and reliability, it is our pick for a best ventless portable air conditioner for large spaces.
Runner up: Honeywell CO60PM Ventless Air Conditioner
- Room Size: up to 850 square feet
- Tank Size: 15.9 gallons
What Is the Best Personal Portable Ductless Air Conditioner?
Evapolar EvaLIGHT Plus EV-1500 Personal Evaporative Air Cooler and Humidifier
Editor’s Rating: 4.7 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Founder of Home Caprice. Ben started the site to simplify HVAC after dealing with the heating and cooling in his first apartment.
