Ideally, an 8,000 BTU-rated air conditioner will sufficiently cool the air in a room that measures anywhere from 300 square feet to 400 square feet. The cooling capacity of air conditioners is expressed in British Thermal Units or BTUs. The size of spaces is measured in square feet or square meters.
To get the right size of an air conditioner for your room, you must factor in several other things, including the ceiling’s height and the prevailing weather condition.
Rooms that have a higher ceiling than the standard ones will need additional BTUs to cool the air that exists in the extra space. Conversely, you will need fewer BTUs to sufficiently cool a room that has a low ceiling height.
Using an air conditioner with a very low BTU rating will cost you a lot in the long term. The air conditioner will have to run non-stop. Nevertheless, it will not sufficiently cool the air in the room. Using an air conditioner that has a very high BTU rating will also be futile. The excess BTUs will be wasted.
How much electricity does an 8000 BTU portable air conditioner use?
An 8,000 BTU-rated air conditioner may use about 0.66 kW of electricity. Electricity units are measured in kilowatts. To calculate the number of kilowatts that your air conditioner consumes, you need to find the amps and voltage. All these figures are indicated on the side of your device.
A standard 8,000 BTU air conditioner may have an amperage rating of 6 and a voltage of 110. Therefore, its wattage will be the product of its amperage and voltage, which is 660. If you divide this figure by 1,000, you get 0.66kW.
The price of a kW of electricity varies considerably from place to place and across different seasons. However, for our calculation, we shall assume that the unit cost of electricity is $0.08.
Therefore, for every hour that your 8,000 BTU air conditioner runs, the electricity cost is 0.08 multiplied by 0.66, which is equal to $0.53. If you run your air conditioner for 10 hours every day, the daily cost will be $5.3.
Other Things to Look for When Buying an 8000 BTU Air Conditioner?
Getting the right portable air conditioner is not a walk in the park. There are many factors that you need to take into consideration. Here are a few things to look for when purchasing the right portable air conditioner.
1. Cooling Capacity
It is a good idea to get an air conditioner whose capacity matches your room. You can determine whether the air conditioner’s cooling capacity is sufficient for your room by considering the area of the space.
The larger the space that you need to keep comfortable, the higher the BTU rating of the air conditioner that you should go for.
2. Evaporation Technology
Air conditions that can dehumidify the air are quite popular. However, you must consider the method that the conditioner uses to dehumidify the air.
The oldest brands require one to connect pumps to remove the air’s condensate after the humidification process. It is quite cumbersome to use such air conditioners. The most modern ones have self-evaporative technology that enables them to empty the condensate automatically.
3. Safety Features
Go for humidifiers that have advanced safety features and the necessary industry-recognized certifications. The best air conditioners have an inbuilt capacity to detect abnormal temperature rises and prevent overheating and related fire accidents.
Also, the safest air conditioners have relevant industry-recognized certifications. Such certifications show that the devices have been subjected to standardized and very rigorous tests.
4. Control Features
It is more convenient to operate an air conditioner with remote control and has a digital control panel than those requiring a person to press buttons manually. Digital controls complement LED display panels to ensure that any changes are seen and precisely what the user wants to have.
Will a Portable AC Save Money?
Contrary to popular belief, a portable AC can save you money while helping you stay or work in a very comfortable environment.
Here are a few ways your portable air conditioner can help you save money and reduce your utility bills.
- Zonal cooling. Despite the size of your room, you can choose one or two that need to be cooled at any given time. It would be better to avoid rooms that are not occupied most of the time. A portable heater lets you carry out zonal cooling in your house. This reduces the total amount of money that you spend conditioning the air in your house.
- Air conditioners have additional functionalities. Standard portable air conditioners are marketed as three-in-one devices. They can dehumidify the air, cool temperatures, and even provide when it is freezing. Having a three-in-one device saves you the money you would otherwise have used to run a separate device. Notably, your air conditioner will cool and dehumidify the air concurrently. This means that you do not need to have and run a separate dehumidifier.
- Complementing a central air conditioning system. You can save money by using a portable air conditioner to support your central air conditioning system. You can place the portable air conditioner in rooms that are always full of people and need to be cooled.
- Foregoing the costs of installing and maintaining a central air conditioner. Central air conditioning systems cost a lot of money in installation and maintenance. If you can rely on a portable air conditioner, then you would have virtually ignored the cost of installing and maintaining a central air conditioner in your home.
- Air conditioners have various smart features. Your typical portable air conditioner has an inbuilt thermostat with a broad temperature change as well as a timer. You can effectively take advantage of these and many other related features to optimize your device’s power consumption. In the end, you will have spent little money on conditioning the air in your indoor area.
Best 8000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
1. BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT Portable Air Conditioner
The BPACT08WT is designed to provide ultimate comfort in small indoor spaces that do not measure more than 150 square feet in area.
It has a small and compact design that makes it easy to move the air conditioner around the house if there is a need for doing so. The caster wheels also aid a lot in the mobility of this air conditioner.
You do not need technical skills to get your BPACT08WT up and running. It comes with a standard 4′ and 11” exhaust pipe as part of the window kit.
You only need to connect the window kit to get this air conditioner ready for use. Besides, you do not have to worry a lot about cleaning and maintaining this air conditioner. Cleaning it is a breeze. Moreover, you do not have to carry it out as often as one would imagine.
The only notable drawback of using this air conditioner relates to its capacity. Its BTU rating of 8000 means that you can only use this air conditioner in small rooms and cabins and not large ones.
Pros:
- Highly portable because of its compact design and caster wheels
- Easy to install and maintain
- It has a remote control and an inbuilt timer with a 24-hour range
Cons:
- Limited to conditioning the air in small spaces that do not exceed 150 square feet
2. LG LP0817WSR 8,000 BTU White Portable Air Conditioner
The LG LP0817WSR is a sleek, compact designed, and powerful air conditioner ideal for use in small indoor areas. It has a perfect white finish that you can take advantage of to enhance your house’s overall look.
This air conditioner has three distinct modes and two fan speeds. You can use it to condition the air, as a dehumidifier, as well as a fan. When you set it on the fan-only mode, you can toggle between two-speed settings. The fan’s two-speed settings are also available when one is using the air conditioner in any of the other two modes.
The LG LP0817WSR is built with a technology that discharges the cool air from the top and distributes it evenly around the room. Therefore, when you use this air conditioner, you will not experience hot spots in your room. Rapid and even cooling creates a very comfortable indoor environment.
Sadly, you may find your LG LP0817WSR slightly noisy. Air conditioners with noise levels that exceed 30dB create some level of noise. Luckily, this device has the night mode that enables it to minimize its noise during the night.
Pros:
- The oscillating air discharge mode of operation ensures even cooling of the room
- The remote control eases the process of using this air conditioner
- It has three modes and two fan speeds for your convenience
Cons:
- The air conditioner is slightly noisy with a dB level of more than 30
3. SereneLife SLPAC Portable Air Conditioner
One of the most outstanding features of the SereneLife SLPAC8 is the ease with which it can be controlled. This air conditioner has a large panel of digital controls.
The controls have visible LED displays that let you see the changes you make using the remote control. You can also use the remote control to change every function of this air conditioner.
In addition to the ease of controlling it, this air conditioner is very portable. You can move it to any position in your house by quickly rolling it over its four highly durable caster wheels.
The only notable drawback of using this air conditioner is that you will have to purchase the remote control batteries first. The air conditioner does not come with the batteries for the remote control. However, this is a minor issue, considering the performance capabilities of this device.
Pros:
- It has a digital touch control panel and a remote control
- Three modes of operation: cooling, fanning, and dehumidifying
- Easily portable because of its small size and caster wheels
Cons:
- The remote control does not come with batteries
4. COSTWAY Portable Air Conditioner
The COSTWAY Portable Air Conditioner is designed to be used in bedrooms and other places where silence is critical. It has a night mode that reduces the level of brightness of the LED display panel and the noise level. Thus, you can sleep peacefully at night even when the air conditioner is running in your bedroom.
Installing, maintaining, and operating this air conditioner is easy. It comes with a remote control that you can use to change any of its functions. The window kit is easy to install through the window of your room and maintain. You do not have to get technical assistance to vent this easy-to-use air conditioner properly.
However, you may experience some difficulties when you try to move this air conditioner around the home. Despite the four caster wheels, it is quite heavy and bulky. The good news is that you do not have to move your portable air conditioner so often.
Pros:
- The sleep mode makes it convenient to use this air conditioner in bedrooms
- Robust, rapid, and even cooling capacity for maximum comfort
- Easy to maintain, thanks to the self-evaporative technology
Cons:
- Slightly bulky and challenging to move around
5. MIDEA MAP08R1CWT 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner
This air conditioner has several unique features that make it one of the best choices for use at home or the office. Notably, you can use it in any of its three distinct operation modes: dehumidifier, a fan, or an air conditioner.
When operating in its default mode, this device has an extensive cooling range of between 62 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has an inbuilt timer for 24 hours. You can use the timer to determine when the air conditioner should operate according to your needs.
Your MIDEA MAP08R1CWT comes with a reusable filter. After a few weeks of operation, you will have to remove and wash the filter. You can then reinstall it and continue using your air conditioner. The washable filter makes things easy for you because you do not have to purchase a new one after every few months.
This air conditioner has a noise level of more than 40dB. A noise rating of over 40dB may be noisy if one is in the bedroom or office or any other place where people need absolute silence.
Pros:
- The three modes of operating create a very comfortable and relaxed environment
- Highly durable and washable air filter
- Extensive temperature cooling range of 62 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit
Cons:
- The 40dB rating may be slightly noisy
6. Whynter 8,000 BTU Eco-Friendly Portable Air Conditioner
If you need to condition the air in a small indoor area of about 150 square feet, consider using the ARC-08WB. This air conditioner is built with your needs for convenience and easy operation in mind.
It has a self-evaporative system that automatically removes the condensate that accumulates when the device dehumidifies the room’s air. Therefore, you do not have to worry about using a pump to remove the condensate from your air conditioner.
The remote control is quite functional. You can use it to change every aspect of this air conditioner. The device also fits perfectly into your palm when you are using it to change the air conditioner’s performance.
It can cool the air in rooms rapidly. This air conditioner can move about 159 cubic feet of air every minute. This air movement capacity enables the air conditioner to cool the air rapidly and evenly.
More so, you can toggle the fan’s speed across two distinct settings to achieve personalized performance.
Pros:
- It has a self-evaporative system for your convenience
- The remote control can be used to change every function of the air conditioner
- Rapid cooling because of its high airflow capacity of 159 CFM
Cons:
- Limited to small spaces of about 150 square feet
7. TCL 8P33 portable-air-conditioner
The TCL 8P33 is a powerful and effective three-in-one air conditioner. It can function as a stand-alone fan, air conditioner, and dehumidifier. When working as a dehumidifier, it effectively removes the excess moisture in the air.
Its self-evaporative capacity conveniently removes all the condensate and saves you the time and effort you would otherwise have to use to remove the excess moisture.
This air conditioner creates and maintains a healthy and comfortable atmosphere in your house. Its filter traps all the small particles and bacteria that may be found in the air in your home. Thus, apart from cooling the air, this air conditioner cleans it using its filter.
The single-hose exhaust system is less effective than the double-hose one. Moreover, the single-hose system creates a small level of negative pressure in the house.
Although people may not quickly feel this, it is a slight disadvantage compared to the double-hose system.
Pros:
- The window installation kit is straightforward to use
- The washable filter creates and maintains a comfortable and healthy indoor environment
- The LED display lets you control the device with relative ease
Cons:
- It uses the single-hose exhausting system
8. SPT 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
The SPT WA-8070E is a small but unique portable air conditioner. It has various features that make it one of the best air conditioners that you can use to create a comfortable environment in your bedroom or any other small indoor space.
Notably, this air conditioner has a very low noise level of about 30dB. Devices with a noise level of 30dB are considered ultra-silent. This is because you will hardly hear anything when they are rung. Thus, you can conveniently use this air conditioner in your bedroom.
This air conditioner has the self-evaporative mode of dehumidification. It automatically triggers the accumulated moisture to evaporate. You do not have to use manual methods, including pumping, to remove the air conditioner’s condensate.
However, the thermostat range of this air conditioner is relatively narrow. The range is from 62 degrees Fahrenheit to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. This is relatively narrow, considering that some air conditioners have thermostat ranges of up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pros:
- Inbuilt safety features, including overheat protection
- Ultra-silent mode of operation with a noise level rating of 30dB
- It utilizes the self-evaporation dehumidification method
Cons:
- It has a narrow thermostat range of only 62 degrees Fahrenheit to 88 degrees Fahrenheit
9. GLOBAL AIR NPA1-08C 8000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
The digital control and LED display panel of this air conditioner makes things very easy. You can adjust the temperature to the precise level that you desire. This lets you create a perfect environment in your house or office, or anywhere else you choose to place this air conditioner.
Although it is relatively safe to use air conditioners, you should not take things for granted. The best air conditioners have advanced safety features. Your GLOBAL AIR NPA1-08C has features that prevent it from causing accidents in the event of overheating.
The noise level is one of the most important things that you must consider when purchasing an air conditioner. This is particularly important if you intend to use your device in the bedroom.
The GLOBAL AIR NPA1-08C has a noise level of about 40dB. This is slightly high if you want to use your air conditioner in the bedroom.
Pros:
- Precise control of the temperature using a digital control and LED display panel
- The air conditioner has advanced safety features for maximum protection
- Efficient cooling capabilities through even and rapid distribution of air
Cons:
- Relatively high noise level
10. Honeywell MF08CESWW MF Series 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
The Honeywell MF08CESWW stands out from many other air conditioner brands with similar cooling capacity because of its design.
It has a modern design with a sparkling white finish. When positioned correctly, this device can enhance your room’s overall look and feel in addition to conditioning the air.
You can rely on the Honeywell MF08CESWW to sufficiently cool the air in relatively large rooms measuring about 300 square feet. Its fan is quite powerful and can be adjusted across three settings. When operating optimally, this air conditioner can move up to 180 cubic feet of air per minute.
Although one does not need to move their portable air conditioners very often, having an easy-to-move device can be an advantage. Occasionally, you may need to move your air conditioner to a different room.
It is easier to move air conditioners that have compact designs and caster wheels. Your Honeywell MF08CESWW does not have caster wheels and is bulky.
Pros:
- Modern design with a sparkling white finish provides aesthetic value
- High cooling capacity sufficient for large spaces of up to 300 square feet
- It has an inbuilt timer with a range of 24 hours
Cons:
- It lacks caster wheels for portability