How We Evaluate Portable Air Conditioners
We evaluate portable air conditioners through research-based comparison of disclosed ratings, not hands-on testing: we compile the advertised (ASHRAE) BTU figure and the DOE-disclosed SACC figure each manufacturer already published, calculate the gap between them, and note hose configuration and disclosed room coverage. We do not physically test units, never publish prices or star ratings, always name at least one honest caveat, and never claim a brand is lying — we present both disclosed numbers and let the gap speak for itself.
What "disclosed-rating comparison" means
- Advertised BTU — the ASHRAE-128 figure most prominently shown on the box or listing title.
- Disclosed SACC BTU — the DOE Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity figure, where the manufacturer or retailer has published it. Where it is not published anywhere we could find, we record "Not disclosed" rather than estimating a number.
- Derived gap percentage — (advertised BTU minus disclosed SACC BTU) divided by advertised BTU, calculated by us from the two disclosed figures, always labeled as derived.
- Hose configuration and disclosed coverage — single-hose, dual-hose, or hose-in-hose, and the manufacturer's own SACC-based square-footage claim, reported as published, not independently verified by us.
Why we lead with SACC, not the bigger number
Every explainer of "what is SACC" currently online is published by a manufacturer describing its own product line, understandably framed to its own advantage. We compete where the answer is a citable, cross-brand fact those pages don't provide: a neutral table putting a Midea next to a Whynter next to a Honeywell next to a budget import, sourced and versioned, with every derived figure clearly labeled as such.
Our compliance, honesty, and safety rules
- No prices, ever — we link to a live Amazon search so the price is always current, and buying guides use price bands only.
- No star ratings or review counts — per Amazon's Operating Agreement.
- Always a caveat — every pick and every dataset row names at least one honest limitation.
- Never invent a number — where a manufacturer or retailer has not disclosed a SACC figure, we record it as "Not disclosed," never an estimate.
- Derived figures are always labeled derived — gap percentages are calculations we perform on published numbers, never an independent lab measurement.
- No accusations of dishonesty — we never claim a brand is lying about its ratings; both ASHRAE and SACC are legitimate results of different test procedures.
- We have never tested a unit ourselves — we say so plainly on every page that could be mistaken for a hands-on review.
- Affiliate disclosure — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Methodology FAQ
No. We don't buy or lab-test units. Every figure on this site is compiled from manufacturer spec sheets, major retailer listings, and the DOE's own test-procedure and Federal Register documentation. We say this plainly so you can weigh our figures accordingly.
Prices change constantly and Amazon's own page is the only reliable source at the moment you buy. We link to a live Amazon search for each product instead. Amazon's Operating Agreement also restricts how affiliates display pricing, and our buying guides describe price bands only, never exact figures.
We don't display them. Amazon's Operating Agreement restricts how Associates present ratings and review data.
Yes. Every product we cover includes at least one honest, specific drawback -- a wider-than-average SACC gap, a bulkier dual-hose install, or an inconsistency we found across retailer listings for that model.
No. Every gap percentage on this site is a derived calculation from two numbers the manufacturer itself disclosed. Both the ASHRAE and SACC figures are legitimate results of two different, DOE-recognized test procedures measuring different things. We present both numbers side by side and let the comparison speak for itself.