What size portable air conditioner do I need?

A portable has two cooling ratings, and the one on the front of the box is the bigger one. Size it by the other: the SACC, the cooling the Department of Energy measures it putting into the room. Here is the room chart in SACC, and every portable we list with both of its numbers.

The short answer

Size a portable by its SACC, the Department of Energy rating, not the bigger number on the box. On ENERGY STAR's sizing chart that is 8,000 BTU SACC for a room up to 350 sq ft, 10,000 BTU up to 450 and 12,000 BTU up to 550. Across the 27 portables we list with both ratings, the SACC is 60% to 86% of the box figure: about 70% for the middle single-hose model and 86% for the middle dual-hose one. No in-stock portable we list with a known SACC delivers more than 12,000 BTU, enough for 550 sq ft.

Ratings checked through October 23, 2026Independent, nobody pays for placement.

Portable air conditioner size chart, in SACC

ENERGY STAR's room chart, read as the cooling a portable must deliver. The box sizes are what the in-stock portables that deliver exactly that are sold as, so you know which number to look for in a store.

Portable air conditioner size by room, in SACC
Room sizeSACC you needSold on the box asIn stock
100 to 150 sq ft5,000 BTU8,000 to 9,000 BTU2 models, from $298
150 to 250 sq ft6,000 BTU10,000 BTU2 models, from $288
250 to 300 sq ft7,000 BTU11,000 BTU2 models, from $389
300 to 350 sq ft8,000 BTU12,000 to 13,000 BTU3 models, from $394
350 to 400 sq ft9,000 BTU-None in stock at this size
400 to 450 sq ft10,000 BTU12,000 to 14,000 BTU8 models, from $478
450 to 550 sq ft12,000 BTU14,000 BTU4 models, from $600
550 to 700 sq ft14,000 BTU-None in stock at this size
  • ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 9,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 350 to 400 sq ft. None of the in-stock portables we list delivers exactly that; the next size up, 10,000 BTU SACC (boxed at 12,000 to 14,000 BTU), covers it.
  • ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 14,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 550 to 700 sq ft. No in-stock portable we list with a known SACC delivers that: the most any delivers is 12,000 BTU, enough for 550 sq ft. For a room this size a window air conditioner or a mini-split is the honest answer.

Why the two numbers differ

The ASHRAE rating on most boxes measures the cooling a portable makes. It leaves out two things that happen in your room: the hot exhaust hose and the casing give heat back, and the air the hose blows outside is replaced by warm outdoor air leaking in under doors and around windows. The Department of Energy's SACC test counts both, and weights a 95°F day at 20% and an 83°F day at 80%, so it is the cooling that is left for the room.

Across the 27 portables we list with both ratings, the SACC is 60% to 86% of the box figure.

One hose or two

A single-hose portable cools with room air and blows it outside, so outdoor air leaks back in to replace it; a dual-hose one draws its own outside air through the second hose. Across the portables we list, the middle single-hose model delivers 70% of its box rating and the middle dual-hose model 86%. On DOE's portable efficiency test the middle dual-hose model rates CEER 14.2, the middle single-hose one 7.4.

When the maker's room size is bigger

Of the 20 in-stock portables whose maker states a room size, 7 state more than ENERGY STAR's chart gives their SACC: the Aeric AERP051AW (400 sq ft stated, 150 by its SACC); the Aeric AERP101AW (700 sq ft stated, 450 by its SACC); the Friedrich ZCP12SB (550 sq ft stated, 350 by its SACC); the LG LP1419IVSM (500 sq ft stated, 450 by its SACC); the Whynter ARC-1030WN (500 sq ft stated, 450 by its SACC); the Whynter ARC-1230WN (600 sq ft stated, 550 by its SACC); the Whynter ARC-1230WNH (600 sq ft stated, 550 by its SACC).Each of those figures is no more than the chart gives the rating on the box, so they size the box rating, not the cooling the room gets. On compare.ac every portable is sized by its SACC.

Every portable's two ratings

27 portables with a known SACC, in stock first and smallest first: 23 from the Department of Energy's certification records, 4 from the DOE figure their retailer states for the exact model. The room is what ENERGY STAR's chart gives the SACC; the price is the cheapest live offer at a store we track.

Portable air conditioners: box rating, DOE SACC and the room each cools
ModelOn the boxSACC (DOE)ShareHoseRoom by SACCMaker statesPrice
Frigidaire FHPC082AC1DOE record8,000 BTU5,500 BTU69%Single150 sq ft150 sq ft$298 at Abt Electronics
Aeric AERP051AWRetailer's DOE cell9,000 BTU ASHRAE5,500 BTU61%Not stated150 sq ft400 sq ft$300 at Sylvane
LG LP0625WFRDOE record10,000 BTU6,000 BTU60%Single250 sq ft250 sq ft$288 at Sylvane
Frigidaire FHPC102AC1DOE record10,000 BTU6,500 BTU65%Single250 sq ft250 sq ft$349 at Abt Electronics
Whynter ARC-110WDRetailer's DOE cell11,000 BTU ASHRAE7,000 BTU64%Not stated300 sq ftNot stated$539 at Sylvane
LG LP0725WSSMDOE record11,000 BTU7,300 BTU66%Single300 sq ft300 sq ft$389 at Abt Electronics
Frigidaire FHPW122AC1DOE record12,000 BTU ASHRAE8,000 BTU67%Single350 sq ft350 sq ft$394 at Abt Electronics
Friedrich ZCP12SBRetailer's DOE cell13,000 BTU ASHRAE8,000 BTU62%Not stated350 sq ft550 sq ft$509 at Sylvane
LG LP0825WSSMDOE record12,000 BTU8,350 BTU70%Single350 sq ft350 sq ft$439 at Abt Electronics
Frigidaire FHPC142AA1DOE record14,000 BTU ASHRAE10,000 BTU71%Single450 sq ft450 sq ft$478 at Abt Electronics
Aeric AERP101AWDOE record14,000 BTU10,000 BTU71%Single450 sq ft700 sq ft$500 at Sylvane
Keystone KSTAP10PINVDOE record12,000 BTU10,000 BTU83%Dual450 sq ft450 sq ft$580 at Sylvane
LG LP1419IVSMDOE record14,000 BTU10,000 BTU71%Single450 sq ft500 sq ft$629 at Sylvane
Whynter ARC-1030WNDOE record12,000 BTU10,000 BTU83%Dual450 sq ft500 sq ft$679 at Sylvane
LG LP1025WSSMDOE record14,000 BTU ASHRAE10,200 BTU73%Single450 sq ft450 sq ft$539 at Abt Electronics
LG LP1025WHSMDOE record14,000 BTU10,200 BTU73%Single450 sq ft450 sq ft$579 at Sylvane
Frigidaire Gallery GHPC142AA1DOE record14,000 BTU ASHRAE10,500 BTU75%Single450 sq ft450 sq ft$597 at Abt Electronics
Keystone KSTAP12PINVDOE record14,000 BTU12,000 BTU86%Dual550 sq ft550 sq ft$600 at Sylvane
Keystone KSTAP121HINVDOE record14,000 BTU12,000 BTU86%Dual550 sq ft550 sq ft$650 at Sylvane
Whynter ARC-1230WNDOE record14,000 BTU12,000 BTU86%Dual550 sq ft600 sq ft$729 at Sylvane
Whynter ARC-1230WNHDOE record14,000 BTU12,000 BTU86%Dual550 sq ft600 sq ft$759 at Sylvane
Friedrich ZCP10SARetailer's DOE cell10,000 BTU ASHRAE6,000 BTU60%Not stated250 sq ft300 sq ftNot in stock
Black+Decker BPACT12WTDOE record12,000 BTU8,350 BTU70%Single350 sq ft250 sq ftNot in stock
Whynter ARC-14SDOE record14,000 BTU9,500 BTU68%Dual400 sq ft500 sq ftNot in stock
Midea MAP12S1TBLDOE record12,000 BTU10,000 BTU83%Dual450 sq ft450 sq ftNot in stock
Midea MAP14S1TBLDOE record14,000 BTU12,000 BTU86%Dual550 sq ft550 sq ftNot in stock
Midea MAP14HS1TBLDOE record14,000 BTU12,000 BTU86%Dual550 sq ft550 sq ftNot in stock

How we worked this out

  • The SACC comes first from the Department of Energy's certification database, matched to each model by its exact model number, with the hose configuration DOE tested and its CEER. We read it again every month. A model DOE does not list by its number takes the DOE SACC its retailer states for that exact model, and never one copied from the ASHRAE figure.
  • The room is the largest one ENERGY STAR's room air conditioner chart gives that much cooling, read down to the size it proves (a 10,200 BTU SACC unit counts as a 10,000 BTU one). The chart assumes an ordinary room; the size calculator adjusts for sun, a kitchen, more people and a high ceiling.
  • A size counts a model when the chart credits its SACC with exactly that room, so a model is listed once, at the size it is right for. Commercial spot coolers, recalled and refurbished listings are left out.
Size your room Every portable compared Window or portable?

Frequently asked

What size portable air conditioner do I need for a 200 square foot room?
ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 6,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 150 to 250 sq ft. 2 portables we list deliver that and are in stock, boxed at 10,000 BTU, from $288 (the LG LP0625WFR).
What size portable air conditioner do I need for a 300 square foot room?
ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 7,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 250 to 300 sq ft. 2 portables we list deliver that and are in stock, boxed at 11,000 BTU, from $389 (the LG LP0725WSSM).
What size portable air conditioner do I need for a 400 square foot room?
ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 9,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 350 to 400 sq ft. None of the in-stock portables we list delivers exactly that; the next size up, 10,000 BTU SACC (boxed at 12,000 to 14,000 BTU), covers it.
What size portable air conditioner do I need for a 500 square foot room?
ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 12,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 450 to 550 sq ft. 4 portables we list deliver that and are in stock, boxed at 14,000 BTU, from $600 (the Keystone KSTAP12PINV).
What size portable air conditioner do I need for a 600 square foot room?
ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 14,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 550 to 700 sq ft. No in-stock portable we list with a known SACC delivers that: the most any delivers is 12,000 BTU, enough for 550 sq ft. For a room this size a window air conditioner or a mini-split is the honest answer.
What size portable air conditioner do I need for a 700 square foot room?
ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 14,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of 550 to 700 sq ft. No in-stock portable we list with a known SACC delivers that: the most any delivers is 12,000 BTU, enough for 550 sq ft. For a room this size a window air conditioner or a mini-split is the honest answer.
Can a portable air conditioner cool 1,000 square feet?
Not on its own. ENERGY STAR's chart calls for 18,000 BTU of delivered cooling for a room of up to 1,000 sq ft, and the most any in-stock portable we list with a known SACC delivers is 12,000 BTU, enough for 550 sq ft. A large window unit, a mini-split, or one portable per room is the honest answer for a space that size.
What is SACC on a portable air conditioner?
SACC (Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity) is the cooling the Department of Energy's test measures a portable delivering into the room. It counts the heat the hot exhaust hose and the casing give back to the room, and the warm outdoor air that leaks in to replace the air the hose blows out, and it weights a 95°F day at 20% and an 83°F day at 80%. It is the capacity DOE certifies each model at, so it is the figure to size a portable by.
What is the difference between SACC and ASHRAE BTU?
The ASHRAE rating measures the cooling a portable makes without counting what its hose and casing put back into the room, so it reads higher; the SACC is the cooling that is left. Across the 27 portables we list that state both, the SACC is 60% to 86% of the ASHRAE figure (the middle model 71%). Many boxes print the ASHRAE number largest and the SACC beside it, labelled "DOE" or "SACC".
Is a 14,000 BTU portable the same as a 14,000 BTU window air conditioner?
No. A window unit's rating is already the cooling it delivers, while a portable's box usually shows its ASHRAE rating. The 13 portables we list boxed at 14,000 BTU whose SACC is known deliver 9,500 to 12,000 BTU SACC, about what a 9,500 to 12,000 BTU window unit delivers, so ENERGY STAR's chart gives them rooms of at most 400 to 550 sq ft, not the 700 sq ft a 14,000 BTU window unit covers.
Is a dual-hose portable air conditioner better?
For the cooling a room gets, yes. A single-hose portable blows room air outside, and warm outdoor air leaks back in to replace it; a dual-hose unit draws its own outside air through the second hose. Across the portables we list, a dual-hose model delivers about 86% of its box rating as SACC, against about 70% for a single-hose one. The dual-hose models we list also rate higher on DOE's portable efficiency test: CEER 14.2 for the middle one against 7.4 for the middle single-hose model.