Best Camping Tent Air Conditioner
If you’ve ever been camping on a hot summer night, you know how unbearable it can be to try to sleep without AC. Thankfully, manufacturers have created portable air conditioners perfect for the camping trip season.
Since finding the right air conditioner for your next adventure can be a challenge, we’ve rounded up the top ten best portable air conditioners for camping.
Best Types of Portable Air Conditioners for a Camping Trip
Before we get into the products, let’s take a look at the different types of portable air conditioners for camping you can haul on your camping trip:
Window Air Conditioners
Window air conditioners are likely what comes to mind when you think of the classic portable AC unit. They have a box shape and fit snug in your window, drawing in air from the outside and converting it to cool air inside. When it comes to camping, these AC’s require an outlet to plug in and work properly.
Small Portable AC Units
One of the most common air conditioner types for camping is the small portable AC’s. These air conditioners can be reasonably heavy but are more potent than the traditional window box AC’s. They can cool up to 250 square feet on average and are easy to use. Also, these air conditioners require enough space for ventilation.
Spot Cooler Air Conditioners
Spot coolers are the most powerful AC types on our list. They are great for cooling large spaces but use quite a bit of power.
If you have a large tent and it is scorching outside, these AC’s will certainly do the trick! We couldn’t recommend them for small tents, however, as spot coolers do drain a lot of power and their consumption would go to waste in a smaller tent.
Battery-Powered Portable AC Units
These are the most compact and portable AC units for camping. Though they are not as powerful as their electric-powered counterparts, they often have a 12-volt power usage, which can certainly do the job!
These AC’s are wonderful for campsites without provided electric outlets, making them an excellent choice for nearly every campsite or situation.
What to Look for in an Air Conditioner for Camping
Differentiating the poor air conditioners from the best portable air conditioner for camping is tricky, but here’s what you should look for:
Portability
While nobody wants to bring along a massive air conditioning unit that will be hard to manage, it’s essential to consider how often and how far you intend to move the AC unit.
Power Rating
You want to make sure that your AC is not overworking itself to cool your space. Choosing the right tent air conditioner for your tent will be dependent on how it is powered and how much space it can cool.
Power Source
There are two options for powering portable AC units: electricity and batteries. While an electric portable air conditioner for camping is the most reliable and efficient, they require an electric hookup on the campsite. Since not all camping areas include electric hookups, it can be wise to purchase a battery-powered unit.
Size
The size and weight of the unit will affect the portability. Furthermore, you don’t want an AC that is too big for your tent. After all, you have to have enough room to store your bags, and lay out some of our best sleeping pads for camping to sleep! Be sure to know the dimensions of your space before choosing an AC unit.
10 Best Portable Air Conditioner for Camping
Now that you know what you should be shopping for, let’s take a look at the some of the best air conditioners currently on the market:
