Window vs Portable Air Conditioners📝{Which is worth Buying In 2021?}

Is this the season to shift from space heater to air conditioners? I must say, some portable air conditioners come with both heating and cooling technology. That means if you buy the portable ACs you will save both money and space in the room. Then who should buy window AC? Well, let’s make a comparison of window vs portable air conditioners.

Whether it is a heater or AC, we don’t want it to make noises because we love a peaceful environment in the room. If you need a silent heater, you can buy the quiet heaters for the room but which is quieter between portable and window AC?

Let’s compare the portable and window air conditioner on the basic on noise production.

Window vs Portable Air Conditioners

Let’s see and compare the window and portable ACs in different aspects.

Are Window AC Units Quieter Than Portable?

No, window ACs are not quieter than the portable ACs. In the case of portable ACs, the whole unit stays inside the room, and the window ACs half part stays outside the room.

Although the portable unit stays inside the room, it makes less noise compared to window ACs. If you compare window AC and portable AC of the same BTU, let’s say 12000 BTU, if a 12000 BTU window AC produces 59dB sound then portable AC will produce ~53dB(approx.) sound.

When the compressor starts, it makes a huge noise in window ACs, but in portable ACs, it is quite smooth(although it also makes a little bit of noise).

Mostly, the noise of the air conditioners depends on the technology. There are two technologies i.e inverter and non-inverter.

Inverter technology means, suppose you set the temperature of the AC at 24°C, the compressor will not suddenly stop working after reaching 24°C. It will keep on running around 23-25°C. It makes the inverter units silent and electricity efficient.

On the other hand, in non-inverter technology units, the compressor stops suddenly after reaching the temperature you set. It makes these units louder and they use more electricity.

When the compressor stops and starts, it makes a huge noise. And in non-inverter units, it happens very frequently.

So, whether you go for window or portable AC, always go for the inverter ACs(dual inverters are better).

Which Is Space Efficient?

The answer to this question can depend upon your situation. Someone may not have a window but space is free on the floor, or someone may have a window but not space on the floor left.

If anyone doesn’t have a window, then obviously they can’t use the window ACs, they should go with the portable ACs and vent the hose with any small ventilator in the room.

The portable ACs are actually called space-efficient but they are really not more efficient than the windows. Yes, window ACs need a window only, but portable ACs reserve a good amount of area on your floor.

In window air conditioners, if you are having a sliding window(which opens left to right), it doesn’t matter how much space your window AC takes, you need to cover the rest of the window space with something because the window won’t be able to close.

So, the window ACs are space-efficient but the portable unit is a good choice if you have free space in your room. Because if you have only one window in the room(that too closes left to right), it will be sealed permanently.

Installation

Portable ACs have a very easy installation process than windows. In portable as you don’t need any professional help to install them. But in window ACs you need professional’s help.

In the case of portable ACs, you just need to connect the hose to the back of the AC and window panel, that’s it. It doesn’t matter if your window opens horizontally or vertically. All tools come with the product with a nice guide book for installation. It can be installed by you in 30 mins.

And in the case of window ACs, you need to cut the window, measure, and fix them. Then install the brackets to hold it up. You can’t do these things all alone. You will need a professional to help you with this.

I must say, the installation of window ACs is not at all easier than the portable ACs.

Area Covered

Everyone wants to know that which cools better window or portable air conditioner, and the answer is the area coverage is almost the same for both of the units. Refer to the chart below.

Although the area coverage is the same for both of the units, the speed can differ. In my opinion, the portable ACs cool the room a little bit slower than the window ACs.

Don’t rely on the opinion of others about the BTU of any units. Their situation may differ from yours, their members can be lesser or more, height, size, sunlight falling duration on the room can vary.

You can simply calculate which BTU unit will suit your room best. Refer to this formula mentioned below.

Length x Breadth = Area in sq ft
If main floor = area x 30 BTU
If the second floor or kitchen = area x 40 BTU
Each foot above 8 ft ceiling = estimeted BTU + 1000(per ft)
Each person over two individuals= estimated BTU + 600(per individual)

Check out this article to learn how to choose the best portable air conditioner. Here you will get to know how much BTU will suit your need.

Mobility Of Usage

We all know that portable ACs are easily portable than the window ACs because window ACs can not be removed from one window to another very often, and it is true.

But are portable ACs really very easy to move from room to room? The answer is no. If you want to move the portable ACs room to room, you need to detach the hose of the AC from the window of the current room and attach it to another room’s window.

If you want to shift the window ACs from room to room, you need professional help. You need to open the brackets, clips, and also you have to lift that super heavy unit with arm power. So, it is not at all an easy job to do.

As it has smooth wheels, you can move it easily inside the room according to the length of the hose.

So, the portability of the portable ACs is very much better than the window ACs, but not very much easy to move from room to room.

Which One Is Safe To Use?

Portable ACs are safer than the window ACs. It is because of the installation. The half of the window AC stays outside the window and that stays with the support of brackets, and the strength of the brackets depends on the strength of the wall.

If the wall is weak then, there is a chance of AC falling down, and if it falls down, it can injure anyone standing under it.

So, if the wall is strong and there is a place to keep the outer unit of window AC safely, then it is okay to go with the window ACs.

Or else, go with the portable ACs, they are fully safe to use. Whole body will stay inside the room.

Look

If you want to use the air conditioner as home decor then the portable units are very much recommended. The window ACs come with only one box body but the portable units come in different colors, sizes, shapes, etc.

You can choose the color of the portable ACs matching with the other decors of the room like couch, ottoman benches, curtains, or even rugs.

But in window ACs, you don’t get the option of choosing interested colors, almost all window AC comes in white color.

Also in window units, the shape you get is a box shape and in portable units, you can get different shapes.

Price

If we compare the price of the window and portable units, the cost of both units is almost the same.

For example, if we see the price of one 10000 BTU window air conditioner and one 10000 BTU portable air conditioner, both of them come under $300-$350.

If we compare the minute difference in price then portable ACs are a little bit costlier(like the difference of $20-$25) than the window ACs.

Why Should You Choose Portable Air Conditioners?

There are a lot of reasons for using the portable ACs and I have listed them below. Let’s see them:

• They are quieter than the window ACs(of the same BTU)
• Very easy installation. You don’t need any professionals to install portable ACs
• Portability is better than the window units
• They are safe to use. There is no fear of a weak wall or falling down of the unit
• Come in different colors, shapes, sizes, functions, etc.
• Works like dehumidifiers that suck all the moisture without making the rooms very cool.
• Some portable ACs can be used as heater also, that means saving of money and space.

Downside Of Portable ACs

Let’s see some down sides of portable ACs

• They cool the room a little bit slower than the window ACs
• They are not that space-efficient compared to windows
• A little bit costlier than the window units
• Consume higher power for the room of the same size

Why Should You Choose Window Air Conditioners?

Here, we go with some pros of the window ACs.

• They cool a room a little bit faster than the portable ACs
• Costs a little bit lesser
• Space efficient
• Consumes less electricity
• Having an energy saving mode

Downside Of Window ACs

• Louder than the portable ACs
• Not portable
• Installation is very much risky in weak walls
• No easy installation, you need professionals to install
• No variety of looks, come only in white color and box shape

FAQs On Window vs Portable Air Conditioners

Conclusion

I hope you got the exact knowledge about whatever you wanted to know.

At last, according to my personal preference, portable ACs are quite better than the window units in many cases.

If you want to know which cools better window or portable air conditioner, I must say they both cool same area, but the speed of the window ACs is a little bit more than the portable units.

I wish you don’t have any more doubt regarding the window and portables ACs. If still, any doubt is there, comment them down. Every feedback is appreciated.