Different people have their own opinions about how camping should be done. There are those who like to do hardcore camping; they stick to strict survivalist methods and camp in ways that are uncomfortable to the average camper.
On the other hand, there are those who prefer to be as comfortable as possible while camping. One feature that can be added to make your camping experience comfy is an air conditioning unit. In this article, we’ll help you find the best camping air conditioner unit for you.
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Best Air Conditioner for Camping
There are various camping air conditioners to choose from, and you might get confused when trying to find the right one for you. Here, we have a detailed list that was compiled through extensive research into the market.
Keep on reading to find the best camping AC for you.
1. BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner
Another amazing unit on our list is the BPACT08WT from Black & Decker. This air conditioner has a compact design, so it isn’t too bulky for your outdoor experience. Its cooling abilities cover a reasonable area (as much as 150-sq ft).
What good is an air conditioning unit that doesn’t cool your tent consistently? I’m quite sure you’d want to avoid purchasing such a unit. For this reason, the BPACT08WT is a good choice for you. It’s powerful enough to keep every inch of your tent cool and homely – thanks to its 8,000 BTUs.
Another feature that makes this unit worth your money is its energy-saving ability. It has a regulatory system integrated into it, which ensures that energy isn’t wasted. This air conditioning unit also removes moisture from the insides of your tent.
The unit is made to serve you excellently with a specification of 950W/60Hz/115V. Just like several other modern devices, this unit can be operated remotely thanks to a portable accessory. It’s also small enough to be easily moved around. This makes it the best portable air conditioner for tent camping.
2. Honeywell MO08CESWK Compact Portable Air Conditioner
The Honeywell MO08CESWK is a multi-feature air conditioning unit on our list of the best camping air conditioners. You’ll really enjoy the various features that come with this AC unit while you’re out camping.
Not only does it cool your tent space, it also removes moisture within your tent’s walls (dehumidifying function) and works as a fan, if needed. The unit is also compact and can be easily moved about – thanks to the added wheels. The unit is easy to set up within your tent, and it can also be used back at home.
Thanks to its extensive cooling capacity, the AC’s effect can be effectively felt over areas as wide as 350 square feet. This unit has a specification of 8,000 BTUs. You can be sure of a dry atmosphere, rid of moisture, within your tent; thanks to its dehumidifying function.
Nobody would want additional stress while trying to set up their camping AC unit. This AC model by Honeywell can be easily set up within the shortest time. Users also get to enjoy its multiple functions like the 24-hour timer, 10-hour rest mode, 2 fan speeds, remote control with LED display, and a humidistat. The unit makes sounds at a tolerable level – 50 to 55 dB.
3. EdgeStar AP8000W Portable Air Conditioner
If you really care about portable air conditioning units, that are also efficient, you’ve got a great deal here. You might be wondering if this small-sized AP8000W from EdgeStar is capable of covering the entire extent of your camping tent. The answer is yes, it can. Campers with tent areas spanning as wide as even 250-sq ft can be sure of enjoying this air conditioning unit. This unit from EdgeStar is a powerful machine that also has programmability functions.
To make such an excellent unit like the AP8000W, a lot of key features were combined and made into one efficient system. Some of these features include a three-speed fan (with controls for air-flow direction), caster wheels, filters, window kit, and more. This unit also addresses the issue of moisture gathering within the tent. It rids your tent space of a significant amount of moisture with the control of a digital thermostat.
If you’ve never used this unit before, you should know that it doesn’t require much effort. There are just a few steps that you need to follow so as to get the air conditioner running. At the rear end of the tent air conditioner, fit the vent hose into its place. Unblock the window kit so that the exhaust hose can be fitted into its place. You can rely on the portable AP8000W to serve you efficiently. It’s a unit with great quality.
4. Frigidaire FFRA0511R1E 5 Air Conditioner
Another great unit on our list of the best camping air conditioner is the Frigidaire FFRA0511R1E 5. This unit works effectively in your tent, even for usage back at home. It’s not complex to handle, and it cools fairly extensively. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly unit, this is a good pick for you.
With this unit in your camping tent, you can be sure of reasonable cooling as long it’s running; thanks to its 5,000 BTUs. Although its area coverage isn’t so large, it still works averagely well in a camping tent. One problem is that its efficiency can be reduced when the temperature gets high. Carrying this unit from one place to another might not be so comfortable. This is due to its wheel-less design.
This air conditioning unit doesn’t make much noise. One disadvantage is that you have to manually operate it due to its lack of a remote control feature. This budget-friendly unit suits those that don’t mind making use of an AC power plug and socket at camp. If you’re not keen on getting a unit with a powerful cooling feature, this model will be enough.
5. hOmeLabs Portable Air Conditioner
This is another excellent air conditioning unit. It has a reasonably wide cooling ability – as wide as 700-sq ft. This unit also has a portable AC unit for camping design and an automatic reminder for when the filter needs to be wiped.
This unit, by hOmeLabs, has a powerful cooling ability; its dehumidifier has a 47-liter capacity. Unlike some units that store up the water released in a tank, this unit takes the water out of your tent through a hose.
Feel free to remotely control the adjustable features on this unit, such as its fan speed, temperature, and other available modes.
6. Avallon APAC140C Portable Air Conditioner
Compared to the other camping AC units we’ve reviewed, the Avallon has a 14,000 BTU specification. This unit also has a compact design and can be easily moved around. Thanks to its powerful cooling capacity, it can be used for wide tent spaces. Some of its customizable modes are cooling mode, fan, dehumidifier, and auto mode. This unit can also be controlled remotely.
The AC unit for camping is equipped with wheels for easy movement at camp, and it comes with the needed accessories to make its set up fast and simple. The two hoses which come with the unit are for adequate removal of expelled water and exhaust. This dual hose feature boosts its cooling intensity and balances air pressure. The unit cools your tent at a faster rate than most other ACs.
One of the great demands of camping AC buyers is the water evaporating feature. Thanks to the InvisiMist integration, this unit excellently removes water vapor within your tent. The Avallon unit has a storage tank where expelled water is kept. When the tank is filled up, the water is taken out of the tent via a drain hose. This water is converted to vapor as it escapes from the hose into the open air.
Usually, an air conditioning unit might stop cooling the tent when the storage tank is filled up. The InvisiMist function saves you the stress of having to manually drain the storage. The Avallon has a reverse heating function that can be activated when needed. It isn’t so portable, thanks to its 73-pound weight.
7. Zero Breeze Z19-B Portable Air Conditioner
This unit combines all the required features for a great camping AC. The Zero Breeze Z19-B will serve you greatly. This air conditioning unit was designed to specifically serve as an outdoor unit; in fact, it’s the first of its kind globally. The unit has gotten a lot of great reviews from satisfied buyers, and you can be sure of enjoying its functions. Its 1100 BTU specification works well in a tent space of up to 50-sq ft.
Unlike several AC units in the market, the Zero Breeze Z19-B was specifically made to serve as an outdoor camping unit. This AC model was made to suit the needs of campers. The manufacturers paid attention to the details that match the popular demand of most outdoor campers.
This unit has a 5-in-1 feature. These features are Bluetooth audio player, LED lights, USB charging port, a fan, and air conditioning. I’m sure you will find these features useful on your camping trip. These features make it qualify to be in our best camping air conditioner selection.
Light-weight is a major selling point for camping air conditioners. This is why the Zero Breeze Z19-B is a choice model. This unit has a lightweight of 12.8-lbs which makes it very portable. It can be easily carried about at camp since its size is 1/5th of the regular AC unit. The unit is also fast and simple to set up.
8. JHS 8,000 BTU Small Portable Air Conditioner for Camping
This model has a compact design, and it’s easy to move around. Having this air conditioning unit in your tent will provide you with powerful cooling. The JHS is able to remove moisture within your tent and has an 8,000 BTU capacity.
If you’d like to set the time for the unit to automatically start work or stop, there’s an available feature for that – an automatic timer feature. The JHS can also be controlled remotely; providing you with the luxury of comfort.
One disadvantage with this unit is that it might not be easy to move around. This is because, though it has a compact design, it still has a weight of up to 44-pounds. This unit doesn’t have a storage tank to collect expelled water; rather it makes use of a drainage hose which requires additional set up.
This unit isn’t very power-efficient; it has a power rating of 920W. If you purchase this unit, you’ll have to ensure that you can get a big enough supply unit to keep it running constantly at camp.
Most campers would love to purchase an air conditioning unit with a wide cooling range and high cooling intensity. If you belong to this group of campers, the JHS will serve you greatly. However, you should know that in spite of its compact design, this unit still has a bulky weight of 44-pounds, making it uncomfortable to move about at camp.
How to Choose Best Camping Air Conditioner
When you’re looking for the best air conditioner for camping, you’ll come across several options. That is why you must know what necessary features to look out for.
You cannot expect a unit that is specified for home functions to work perfectly in a Toogh camping tent. One key factor that affects the function of the camping AC unit is the climate. It’s important that you select your camping AC based on the campground’s climate.
Here are some key features to look out for when purchasing your camping AC unit:
Power
Another key feature for camping air conditioners is power-efficiency. The best air conditioner for SUV tent camping wouldn’t require much power to function at full capacity. If the AC unit is equipped with a good SEER feature, it will be more power-efficient.
The power rating should be good enough to keep the unit running efficiently all through the 24 hours in a day – especially during night time.
Portability
Portability is a key feature in the design of camping fans or air conditioners. The unit should be compactly built for ease of movement.
It’s also important that the manufacturers don’t reduce its overall strength at the expense of making it light-weight.
Size
If your AC is of the right size, you’ll enjoy it during your camping exercise. Most campers don’t want to go on a camping trip with excess and bulky luggage.
For this reason, an overly-sized AC won’t do much good. When you’re searching for the best unit to purchase, look out for 5,000 BTU specifications. You can also go for higher specs of about 6,000 – 8,000 BTU.
Electricity Source
The availability of an electricity source is very important for camping AC owners. You must always check to see if the campground has a power supply or not. You also need to know if the rating matches that of your AC unit.
There are various power ratings allowed by campgrounds; they would normally fall between 5A to 16A. You won’t get your AC unit to properly function if its power rating is mismatched with that of the camp’s supply.
Apart from the extension cable that links the AC unit to supply, campers can also get a 12V rated battery for additional charging.
Ventilation
Ventilation is needed in tents that make use of AC units with condensation runoff. Without proper ventilation, there will be water droplets hanging from the walls of your tent.
If the Coleman tent didn’t come with a ventilation cut-out, you might have to make one by yourself. Another way to ventilate your tent is by leaving the tent door open. This way, the tent will be rid of condensed water droplets.
Noise
Camping air conditioners make your experience at camp more comfortable and homely. However, the unit you’re purchasing shouldn’t make much noise.
What’s the point of having the AC unit if its noise keeps you up at night? For this reason, you have to make sure that your unit is as silent as possible, not only for yourself, but for other campers too.
The noise level of your camping air conditioner is rated in decibels. The higher the decibel value, the more the noise produced. The average value for silent AC models is 60-dB or below. Any unit with a rating from 70 dB and above will make much noise.
Room vs Window
You can choose between room and window ACs. However, you need to consider the pros and cons of both specifications.
You can expect a higher cooling intensity from the window ACs, which are usually installed at the tent’s window. The room AC usually weighs more, but they have a simpler installation process.
Warranty
The last feature you should be looking out for is the product’s warranty. A good warranty will help you in case of dissatisfaction.
However, if you fail to read properly through the warranty’s details, you might not get the best deal. Don’t be so carried away by the search for other specifications that you’d end up with a bad warranty deal.
Price
Your choice of the best camping air conditioner is largely affected by your available budget. However, you must make sure that your purchase is worth the money. It wouldn’t make sense to purchase a pricey unit that doesn’t serve you well.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still wondering what portable air conditioner is best for camping in a tent, you should be able to make the right choice by following our given guidelines.
There are various AC brands to choose from, and making a choice might get confusing. However, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding a great unit if you’re looking out for the right features.
If you want to know what is the best portable air conditioner for camping, it’s the Honeywell MO08CESWK. This unit works as an air conditioner, a fan, and a dehumidifier. This combination of functions makes it a reliable model for outdoor camping. It also cools over wide areas of up to 350-sq ft.
The unit is compact and can be easily moved around on its wheels. The unit is also relatively silent; it has a rating between 50 – 55 dB.