Have you heard about these new portable air conditioner dehumidifier combo appliances? When it comes to preparing your home and making sure you have all of the right tools for proper airflow in your home, you want to make sure you have all of the most accurate information to care for your home and your family.
When you consider your options, consider absorbing knowledge and needs for a portable air conditioner dehumidifier. What is a portable air conditioner dehumidifier? What is the difference between a portable air conditioner and dehumidifier? Do you need both functions in one device?
Contents
- Summary Table
- What Is the Difference Between a Portable Air Conditioner and a Dehumidifier?
- Which is Better? Dehumidifier or Portable Air Conditioner
- So ultimately, which is better – can they be used together for a sole purpose?
- What is the Function of a Portable Air Conditioner Dehumidifier?
- Reviews – The 4 Best Portable Air Conditioner Dehumidifiers
- Selecting a Unit – What to Look For
Summary Table
Let’s take a quick look at the four units we will be covering as we dive deeper into these portable air conditioner dehumidifier combo units. The table will be a great point of reference for you to compare the various specs of what our research has determined are the four best options on the market.
PRODUCT | Our Ranking | BTU | Square Footage | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 Editor's Choice | 8,000 | 250 square feet | ||
#2 | 12,000 | 450 square feet | ||
#3 | 10,000 | 200 square feet | ||
#4 | 14,000 | 500 square feet |
What Is the Difference Between a Portable Air Conditioner and a Dehumidifier?
Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are very similar tools, but they do have some differences that should be noted.
Air conditioners pass air through a cooling system and then the cool air is blown directly into the room, while the warm air is cycled outdoors through the system. This could mean it’s blowing throughout your whole home as directly cooled air through your vents, but a window unit or a portable air conditioner would operate under the same concept. Air is cooled in the system and then blown directly into your home.
A dehumidifier passes air over the cooling elements and then passes the cool air over heated coils, which dries the cool air before releasing it through the vents and into the home. This process with the dehumidifier removes the humidity from the air prior to blowing the air into your home. The air released is a warmer temperature.
Which is Better? Dehumidifier or Portable Air Conditioner
Dehumidifiers and portable air conditioners have very similar output, but they do have different functions. While they sound like they could work the same, they each have various traits that should be considered. Here is a breakdown of traits for each.
Dehumidifiers
Portable Air Conditioners
So ultimately, which is better – can they be used together for a sole purpose?
From the points listed above, you can see that an air conditioner regulates humidity levels but also cycles out the “bad” air while a dehumidifier’s primary purpose is to regulate the humidity in the air.
Dehumidifiers use about 1/10th the amount of energy that an air conditioner uses. There are many air conditioners that have been made to be more energy efficient now compared to what they used to be, but overall they still consume a larger amount of energy than a dehumidifier will if run on a constant basis.
Dehumidifiers do not really cool the air, they pull humidity from the air, which can make it a more comfortable room but will not make the temperature of the room cooler.
Both the dehumidifier and the portable air conditioner serve their own purpose, and one could be better than the other based on what is needed at the time. Do you need to cool the temperature in the room, or do you simply need to dry the air in the room? What if you need to do both?
What is the Function of a Portable Air Conditioner Dehumidifier?
A portable air conditioner dehumidifier combo could be the best approach to accomplish both the task of taking moisture and humidity out of the air as well as cooling the overall temperature of the room.
While each unit can work individually to accomplish separate tasks, a combination unit can cleanse the air of mold and mildew spores caused from moisture in the air and cool the temperature of the area at the same time. The beauty of the combination is that you can both purify the air and significantly cool the temperature.
The dehumidifier function on a portable air conditioner allows the air conditioner to be more effective at its primary job, which is to cool. While sometimes not both are needed, purchasing the multifunctional system allows you to accomplish both tasks with one unit.
Reviews – The 4 Best Portable Air Conditioner Dehumidifiers
Let’s dig deeper into the best portable air conditioner dehumidifier combination devices on the market. We’ll share with you all of the best details and why they are important as you consider your options.
The Edgestar AP8000W is an 8,000 BTU (BTU is British Thermal Unit and is the unit by which energy consumption is measured in these devices) unit that cools an area of approximately 250 square feet.
PROS
CONS
The Ivation 12000 is a 12,000 BTU unit that can cool and dehumidify a 450 square feet area. The Ivation unit is a compact that can fit into more narrow spaces.
PROS
CONS
The Costway 10,000 is an ultra-sleek, modern design that is made to be one of the most portable air conditioner models on the market. This 10,000 BTU unit cools and dehumidifies an area of approximately 200 square feet.
PROS
CONS
The Whynter ARC-14S is a 14,000 BTU unit that is able to cool an area with approximately 500 square feet. This unit has some of the largest cooling capabilities of many units on the market, making it ideal for more open or larger spaces.
PROS
CONS
Selecting a Unit – What to Look For
There are many different portable air conditioner dehumidifier combo units on the market. It is important to understand the functions of the units and what you need to accomplish with the purchase of your unit.
You want to select the right size of unit, with the right capabilities for the area you intend to use it for. A portable air conditioner needs to release the warm air, just as a non-portable unit would. The units are accompanied with installation kits so you will want to review what types of areas the installation kits will accommodate.
Take into consideration the various settings you may want to be able to utilize on your unit. Some units allow you to use just dehumidification or just air-conditioning; some units allow you set to fan mode. Of course, the multi-functional units also can access each of these functions simultaneously.
For the cost of the portable air conditioner dehumidifier combo, you can accomplish much more than if you utilize individual units for the tasks
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