8 Best 14000 BTU Air Conditioners: Reviews & Comparisons

1. Black+Decker BPACT14HWT (Editor’s Choice Portable AC)

Black+Decker BPACT14HWT stands tall among other portable AC units — figuratively speaking. Despite its relatively compact size, this unit pumps out a lot of cold and hot air, depending on your needs.

That’s right, this portable 14000 BTU AC unit also sports an 11,000 BTU heat pump (like the Midea Duo I’ll talk about later).

Whether the outdoor temperatures are high or low, this complete climate control solution keeps your home cozy.

This AC’s cooling capacity is impressive, particularly for a portable model. It blasts icy cold air at such a force that an appropriately sized 700 sq ft will cool down to 65°F within 15 minutes.

That's not the limit of this unit's capabilities, though. I had no problems getting even a combined kitchen/living room area of nearly 1,000 sq ft to comfortable temperatures.

The heater is no slouch, either, and effectively warms up a medium-sized room. It's less powerful than the AC, but it does a good job in a room it's rated for.

The controls are straightforward to figure out, even without a manual. The device features a 24-hour timer and sleep mode functions alongside three power settings for the fans.

As a slight inconvenience, there's no backlight on the top panel or remote control, so adjusting the AC in the dark can be a hassle.

The installation process is easy, thanks to the pre-assembled end caps on the exhaust hose. Not having to painstakingly screw fiddly connector pieces to the hose is always a big plus in my books.

Drainage is always a concern with portable AC units, but this B+D one features powerful auto evaporation that keeps the need for draining to a minimum. I didn’t have to drain my machine at all during testing.

The only real grumble I have about this B+D portable AC is the fairly low energy efficiency. With a 5.8 EER rating, you’ll likely see a small bump in your electricity bill. That said, there are portable ACs that do much worse.

This AC performs better than its light-ish weight and size might imply. Whether it’s your first portable AC or a replacement for an old one, you’ll be impressed.

2. LG LW1517IVSM (Editor’s Choice Window AC)

Window-mounted AC units offer a double-whammy of power and energy efficiency. If you’re after these two things, the LG LW1517IVSM will deliver in spades.

This is one of only two ACs on my list to use inverter compressors, the other being Midea Duo. These modern compressors bring a lot of benefits with them.

First of all, the inverter technology gives this device a very strong cooling capacity. You can feel the airflow blowing through its vent a full 20 feet away.

The device effortlessly cooled down a kitchen/living/dining room area well above the rated 700 sq ft.

This thing will freeze you out of your home if you let it!

Second, the inverter compressor is very energy efficient. Instead of turning off and on like a regular compressor, this one runs continuously, avoiding the energy-consuming spin-up sequence.

As a result, it boasts an impressive EER rating of 14.7 and an Energy Star certificate.

In practical terms, I measured a power draw of about 300W while the unit was maintaining a temperature. It should add less than $100 to your annual electricity bill.

Finally, the inverter makes this a fairly quiet unit. It does make some noise on the highest settings but is still quieter than most.

This AC also has Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing it to connect to your smartphone or voice control unit like Alexa or Google Assistant.

The control app works smoothly, and I like how it displays the ambient indoor temperature in your home.

You can swap between the cooling, fan, and dehumidifying modes or activate the sleep or eco mode with a simple spoken command.

Mounting this unit can be slightly challenging due to its sheer heft. It’s pretty big in general and weighs a whopping 85 pounds. As such, it can’t be installed in smaller windows.

Fortunately, the instruction booklet is clear and detailed, and the slide-out chassis makes the whole process a lot simpler. That also means this machine can also work as a through-wall unit.

Just get a strong family member or friend to help you hoist the machine. Once it’s up, this high-tech unit will cool you down from the effort within minutes.

3. Koldfront WTC14012WCO230V (Editor’s Choice Through-the-Wall AC)

A through-the-wall air conditioner can keep your home cool while saving floor space and leaving your windows free. Koldfront WTC14012WCO230V has a cooling capacity that is as powerful as its model designation is long.

This 14,000 BTU AC unit has plenty of kick. It works quickly and efficiently in the 700-square-foot areas it's designed for, but there is more to the story.

I tested this unit in the same open-plan kitchen/living room as the LG and Black+Decker. It cooled even this space to comfortable temperatures, putting out about the same amount of cold air as the two other top units.

If you have a small or medium-sized home, this machine should keep your entire first floor cooled.

This AC unit is sturdy and very well-built. My test machine arrived with a fairly deep fist-sized dent in its side, most likely due to mishandling during delivery. Yet, the unit didn’t give a hoot or a holler about the damage.

In terms of functionality, you get the same full-feature functions as with the LG, including cooling, air circulation, and dehumidifying user modes.

There’s also a timer, sleep, and energy-saver mode — everything you want from a modern air conditioning unit.

Koldfront remotes haven’t impressed me in the past, but this one is responsive with a decent range and use angles. It’s a bit bulky for how basic it is, but hey — it works!

As a wall model, Koldfront is challenging to install if you don’t already have a sufficiently big hole in your walls.

I recommend hiring a professional to cut the mounting hole. In typical Koldfront fashion, the mounting sleeve is sold separately.

Fortunately, after the sleeve is in place, the unit is relatively light for its type. In fact, it weighs 10 pounds less than the LG!

With a 9.3 EER rating, this device can't compete with the LG or Haier machines in energy efficiency.

It's still reasonably energy-efficient and won't cause a huge increase in your bills, though. Just make sure you have a 230V outlet available.

Overall, the Koldfront is a sturdy and strong air conditioning unit that is a good, cheaper alternative to a mini-split.

4. Airo ‎AC14MWS (Budget Choice for Portable AC)

14,000 BTU AC units tend to be on the expensive side, but you don’t always have to pay top dollar for strong cooling. Airo AC14MWS surprised me with its powerful performance and comparatively wallet-friendly price tag.

I usually don't expect much from cheap portable AC units, so imagine my shock when this machine squarely matched the Black+Decker in cooling capacity.

When used in a 700 sq ft room, the Airo dropped the temperature by 10°F in less than 15 minutes.

That fast action extends beyond this unit’s rated coverage area. It produced good results even in spaces almost twice the size. The air didn’t get exactly freezing, but the room was perfectly livable for my heat tolerance.

In addition to cooling capacity, the installation kit is usually where you start seeing cost savings in cheaper portable ACs. Not so here since the Airo window kit is very good.

The unit comes with a pre-assembled exhaust hose (like the B+D) and a nice,  versatile panel for fixing it to your windows.

Usability is also straightforward, whether with the control panel or the remote. The touch buttons on the unit are sensitive and responsive — even to cat paws, as I found out. Make sure your pets can’t climb on the machine.

This unit has a sleep mode, but you can only activate it through the remote. It's a strange design choice, but at least the option's there.

Another nice point about the Airo is that it’s pretty quiet for a portable air conditioning unit. It certainly beats the much more expensive Whynter in the noise department.

Unlike the other portables on my list, this one does not offer auto evaporation — or at least it doesn't work very well. The reservoir requires active draining, so keep that in mind if you live in a high-humidity area.

I’ve also seen some reports that the Airo may struggle with long-term reliability.

Fortunately, Airo’s customer service is friendly and prompt, so you can get your broken unit fixed or replaced quickly — particularly thanks to the nice three-year warranty on the compressor.

If you’re looking for portable 14,000 BTU cooling that doesn’t cost a fortune, you can’t do much better than Airo.

5. Haier QHEK14AC (Budget Choice for Window AC)

Don't listen to people who say you can't get the latest technology at an affordable price. Haier QHEK14AC shows that's not true.

This air conditioning unit doesn’t pale in comparison to its pricier competition. In some ways, it can achieve even better results.

First things first, let’s address the cooling capacity. It’s strong — why would I recommend this unit to you otherwise?

The Haier cooled a 700-square-foot room in 20 minutes. The airflow is very powerful on the highest setting, and you can still feel the breeze on the other side of a big living room.

Thanks to its ability to pump out so much air, this unit cooled even my roughly 1,000-square-foot combined kitchen and family room. Case closed, the Haier provides quick and powerful cooling.

Although it weighs nearly as much as the LG, the Haier is nearly five inches narrower. The comparatively compact design allows it to fit smaller windows than most other AC units.

This mounting process is simple, too, thanks to the nice install kit. I particularly like that it came with enough spare screws to replace the ones I put in a safe spot, so I could definitely find them later.

Like LG, the Haier unit has Wi-Fi capabilities for connecting to your phone or Alexa. The Wi-Fi setup is easy, and the control app is simple and intuitive to use.

Although it can’t compete with an inverter compressor, Haier’s traditional compressor is still very energy efficient. With an 11.3 EER rating backed up by Energy Star certification, this model doesn’t guzzle electricity.

The noise output of this unit is decidedly average. It isn’t silent by any means, but I didn’t have to turn up my stereo system when it kicked in, either.

The most glaring omission of the Haier is the lack of a dedicated dehumidifying mode — it functions only in cooling and fan modes.

Depending on your location and needs, that may not matter at all, but I felt it worth mentioning in case you reside in a high-humidity region.

In the big picture, though, it’s hard to find things to complain about in the Haier. It’s powerful, reasonably affordable, and offers a good user experience. What more do you want?

6. Whynter ARC-14S (Best Dual-Hose Portable AC)

Do you want extreme cooling power without having to mount heavy, cumbersome ACs to your windows? Your solution is right here — when the Whynter is running, winter is coming.

Conventional portable air conditioners replace the air they exhaust by drawing in fresh air through every crack and gap in your home. That can compromise their efficiency, as they introduce hot air back into the room.

This Whynter unit uses a dual-hose setup with a separate intake hose. With a dedicated channel for pulling in air, it offers a much higher cooling capacity than regular portable ACs.

I used an infrared thermometer to evaluate the temperature of the air Whynter blows. In a 90°F room, the air coming out of the vent registered below 60°F.

Needless to say, this portable unit can cool rooms well above the 700 square feet it’s designed for. In fact, you should use it in larger spaces.

The Whynter’s thermostat is extremely accurate. It functions very well in a big room, but in a smaller one, the fast temperature variation will force the unit to turn on and off constantly.

Keep this machine in the big areas it's meant for, and it'll do great.

With a 7.69 EER rating, this portable unit has reasonably high energy efficiency. It certainly won’t make as big of an impact on your bills as the Black+Decker or Airo.

The hoses and the unit itself are sturdy and high-quality. I can’t say the same about the window panel, though — it feels cheap and flimsy.

It worked fine during my testing, but I must admit I’m concerned about its long-term durability.

Another high-quality facet of this unit is the filtration. In addition to the regular washable filter, the Whynter features a second active carbon filter to prevent impurities from seeping into your home.

This unit is louder than the other portables I reviewed but is not obnoxiously noisy. It produced a steady, low 55 dB rumble while running that wasn’t particularly distracting.

The Whynter doesn’t have sleep or eco modes, but that makes the controls simple. Use the front control panel, though — the narrow angles and short range made the remote fairly useless.

Despite its quirks, I can't deny the Whynter's strong cooling capacity. Its dual filtration lets you enjoy clean, cool air in your home.

7. Midea Duo MAP14HS1TBL (Premium Choice for Portable AC)

For some people, only the best is good enough — and that’s alright. Midea Duo MAP14HS1TBL takes everything good about the best portable and window units and puts it in one machine.

Like the Whynter machine, this is a dual-hose AC unit. It also boasts an inverter compressor, like the LG. Putting these two technologies together results in extreme cooling capacity.

The Midea blows out even colder air than the Whynter at an impressive pressure. It will quickly cool down even in a big room well above the rated coverage area.

It’s not all about cold air, though. As the Black+Decker, this machine also has a heater functionality. Its effectiveness is roughly on par with the B+D — it can keep a 700-square-foot room from getting too cold.

Finally, the Midea Duo features Wi-Fi capabilities like the two window models. The connection works well and is fast and easy to set up.

Thanks to the inverter technology, this is the quietest unit on my list. On the lowest fan setting, it produces only 42 dB. Even on full blast, it’s no louder than a fridge.

The inverter compressor also makes this possibly the most energy-efficient portable air conditioner I’ve seen. The Midea Duo has a 12.3 EER rating — better than even most window units.

All those features and power make this a big and heavy machine, though. It makes you question whether it counts as “portable.”

Another factor limiting portability is that, unlike Whynter, Midea has wrapped both the exhaust and intake hose into one sleeve. Technically, that's good because it reduces heat leakage from the exhaust.

The double hose, however, is heavy and short, so you pretty much have to place the air conditioning right in front of your window. The window panel is also not thick enough to deal with the hose's heft, and it pops off easily.

I’m willing to overlook the challenging installation, though — and so are many other people. This unit is regularly out of stock, with only second-hand units available.

That’s just a testament to how well Midea Duo performs. Resist the temptation and wait patiently for the sellers to restock. Once you have this beast running, the wait will have been worth it.