8 Smallest Air Conditioners For Small Room (10×10, 12×12, 14×14)

So many people face this problem: “I have a small 12 x 12 room, how many BTU air conditioner do I need?”

For small rooms, even the smallest 3,000 BTU air conditioner would suffice.

However, when you check the window and portable air conditioner, you realize that most of them have 8,000 BTU to 15,000 BTU cooling capacity. They adequately cool 400 sq ft (20 x 20) to 750 sq ft (28 x 28) rooms but for small 10 x 10, 12 x 12, or 14 x 14 rooms they are quite an overkill.

Obviously, it’s not advised to buy a normal-sized AC unit that will drain twice as much energy as you need and will be twice as big as the smallest unit.

Naturally, the smartest way to cool down a small room is to buy the smallest air conditioner possible. That is the US Department Of Energy directive, and it does make a lot of sense.

There are 3 kinds of tiny air conditioners on the market:

1. Small 5,000 BTU window AC units. These are cheap, tiny but are fixed on the window sill.
2. Smallest 8,000 BTU portable AC units. Costlier, but they can be moved from room to room with ease.
3. Battery-powered air conditioners. The best one is Zero Breeze Mark 2 with only 2300 BTU. It’s expensive but can be used to cool down a 10 x 10 room, a tent, an RV, and so on.

Example: A small 10 x 10 room requires a 2,000 BTU unit. You can choose between the smallest 5,000 BTU window air conditioner, 8,000 BTU portable AC unit, or 2,300 BTU battery-powered unit. In terms of BTU capacity, the Zero Breeze Mark 2 with 2,300 BTU would be the most appropriate choice (and you can even take it with you on camping). Here are the best choices summarized:

Note: Small air conditioners with low BTU capacity can cool down a small bedroom or living room but are not appropriate for a kitchen. HVAC experts always recommend installing an AC unit with 4,000 BTU extra capacity for a kitchen; that’s because the kitchen tends to be hotter (baking, cooking, kitchen appliances, and so on).

We gathered all the best smallest air conditioners in the table below. Apart from the extremely low BTU capacity, the noise levels, the small size of the units, price, and energy efficiency were considered.

Below the table, you’ll find a review of each small AC unit featured in the table. The air conditioner type (window, portable, battery-powered) is also noted for your convenience.

Very Small Air Conditioners For Small Room (Up To 300 Sq Ft)

Smallest Window Air Conditioners (5,000 BTU Units)

Of all the small air conditioners, the window AC units are the most numerous. There is 1 small battery-powered AC unit, several portable ones, but almost every company – from Frigidaire to LG – produces the smallest 5,000 BTU window air conditioners.

They have an above-average energy efficiency with an EER rating of above 10 in several cases. Additionally, they are very quiet (noise levels up to 55 dB) and weigh only about 40 pounds. Small window AC units are powered by a 115 V electrical grid that practically everybody has installed.

Note: Due to their small dimensions, these units are the perfect air conditioner for small window openings.

Here are the best smallest window air conditioners for small rooms:

#1 hOmeLabs 5,000 BTU HME020003N (Best Small Window Air Conditioner In 2023)

hOmeLabs 5,000 BTU HME020003N is the de facto choice for a small bedroom or living room. It is petite both in terms of BTU (5,000) and dimensions. It is the most reliable small window AC unit you can put in any small room with less than 250 sq ft.

For a single room window air conditioner, it has all the necessary specs. The lowest possible BTU capacity for a small window unit and, what can be even more important, high energy efficiency. It has a wattage of 450W, powered by 4 Amps and 115 V. In fact, the hOmeLabs 5,000 BTU HME020003N has an EER rating of 11.1, which puts it in a class of eco-friendly high-efficiency window AC units.

The dimensions are small as well. The width of 16 inches and a depth of 12 inches are standard for a 5,000 BTU unit. What is more, the height of 15.4 inches makes the hOmeLabs HME020003N one of the lowest window air conditioners. That’s especially useful if you don’t have high windows.

Weighing a little less than 40 pounds and with the maximum noise levels of 55 dB, it’s no wonder why the hOmeLabs HME020003N is the most popular choice of a tiny air conditioner. You can get it for less than $300, which is quite a moderate price for such a reliable unit.

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#2 LG 5,000 BTU LW5016 (Smallest LG Window Air Conditioner)

LG is one of the most reputable HVAC device makers. They are known to make super small window air conditioners as well. LG’s smallest window AC unit is LG LW5016. It can produce up to 5,000 BTU cooling capacity, is very thin, and has a record-high energy efficiency rating for such a small device.

With an 11.13 inch height, the LG LW5016 is the thinnest window AC unit on the market as far as height is concerned. If you’re looking for thin AC units as far as width is concerned, you should check out the thinnest window air conditioners here (they can be installed on only 15 1/2 inch window width or wider).

As far as the dimensions of small window units are concerned, the height dimension is usually the most important. LG’s AC unit doesn’t have the smallest width (17.31”) nor the smallest depth (14.38”). Usually, these two dimensions are never a problem.

The most important metric of the LG LW5016 is its energy efficiency. It is powered by only 440 W. If you calculate the EER rating, you can see it has a record-high 11.4 EER rating. This is very important when it comes to the long-term cost-efficiency of a small window AC unit. The whole point of getting a small air conditioner for a small bedroom or living room is not to unnecessarily boost the electricity bill. The small 5,000 BTU capacity and 11.4 EER rating are the perfect specs you want from any small unit.

All in all, LG has always produced reliable devices at an affordable price. Their smallest window AC unit – the LW5016 model – is exactly that.

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#3 MIDEA 5,000 BTU MAW05M1BWT (Cheap Small Window Unit)

Midea is fast becoming one of the most popular brands. Their devices have one key advantage over the big players in the small window air conditioners world – Frigidaire and LG – and that’s the low price. The smallest Midea MAW05M1BWT window AC unit, for example, can cost $50 less than the best small Frigidaire unit.

The small Midea MAW05M1BWT width is below 16”, depth is a bit more than 13”. Both of these dimensions are minuscule (which is great). Nonetheless, the height of this window AC unit is above 12” is a bit above average.

For a small 5,000 BTU air conditioner, this is quite a powerful device. It can achieve 537 W; with 5.04 Amps and 115 V. That’s not ideal because it means that energy efficiency is quite standard. The best smallest window AC units should have an EER rating of 10 or more. The Midea has a standard 9.3 EER.

With 42.9 lbs, it is also a few pounds heavier than other petite window AC units. Nonetheless, the drawbacks of not-the-best energy efficiency and higher weight are offset by the low price.

The price of 5,000 BTU Midea MAW05M1BWT is about $170. That makes it the cheapest small window air conditioner by several $10. This is the key selling point of this air conditioner for small rooms.

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#4 Frigidaire 5,000 BTU FFRA051WAE (Old School Compact Mechanical Air Conditioner)

One of the most well-known old-school small AC units is the Frigidaire FFRA051WAE model. Frigidaire is usually the #1 brand when it comes to the smallest window air conditioners. The FFRA051WAE model is one of the earliest and most reliable models; it is simple, mechanical, and, above all else, it has a great track record.

This compact Frigidaire has brilliant specs even according to 2020 standards. The high energy-efficiency of 11.11 EER is impressive. Despite being so small, this window AC unit can deliver 5,000 BTU cooling capacity while only drawing the maximum power of 450 W.

The dimensions of the small Frigidaire FFRA051WAE are quite balanced. 15 1/4 inch width, 16-inch depth, and 12-inch height make this window unit not too big and not too small in all directions.

It does have more than 40 pounds, however. Luckily, that’s not such a problem with small window units; in portable units, that difference would be significant.

Frigidaire FFRA051WAE has a moderate price as most of the small window units.

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Smallest Portable Air Conditioners (8,000 BTU Units)

Above all else, portable air conditioners for small rooms are convenient. You don’t have to install them on the window of a small bedroom like window AC units, you can store them away during the winter, and they can be easily moved from room to room (window units are pretty much fixed).

If you have several small rooms – 10×10 bedroom and 12×12 living room, for example – you can use a small room portable 8,000 BTU unit as:

• Cooling device for the small 12×12 living room during the day.
• Night cooling device for the small 10×10 bedroom during the day.

The two drawbacks of portable vs. window air conditioners for small room cooling are:

1. Higher price of the portable unit (8,000 BTU portable units cost about $400 vs. $200 5,000 BTU window units).
2. Lower energy-efficiency of portable units (EER rating of 10 or less).

Nonetheless, because the smallest portable AC units are far more convenient for small room cooling, they are commonly used instead of the window units. Here are the best and smallest portable air conditioners currently on the market:

#1 BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU BPACT08WT (Classic Small Portable Air Conditioner)

BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT is probably the most classic portable AC unit for a small room. It is one of the first 8,000 BTU units that have seen such an impressive sales record. The combination of affordable cost, reliability, and credible BLACK+DECKER brand makes this old-school device still one of the best smallest portable air conditioners.

If you look at the depth and height dimensions, you’ll see that this is a portable AC with the lowest height (only 26”) and with only 11.5” depth. It is broad, yes, measuring 16.5” from left to right. Nonetheless, if you put it in a corner, it will take the least amount of space possible.

The drawback that BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT has energy efficiency. With 8.4 EER, you waste some 10% of the 950W of energy the small BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT delivers. In the long run, that can somewhat increase the costs of cooling down smaller rooms.

This petite unit is still popular today; having a great track record of reliability is a big part of why people continue to the BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT small portable AC.

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#2 SereneLife 8,000 BTU SLPAC8 (Compact Small Portable AC Unit)

SereneLife SLPAC8 is one of the smallest portable air conditioners with an 8,000 BTU cooling capacity. It can be moved around from a small room to another small room with ease. It has 3 operating modes; it serves as an air conditioner, a dehumidifier, and a fan.

Its 900 W can achieve 290 CFM airflow, quite a lot for such a small device. However, as far as the cooling effect is concerned, the SereneLife SLPAC8 can deliver 8,000 BTU capacity. That means that the energy efficiency rating (EER) is 8.9. That is a standard EER rating for a small AC unit.

One consequence of the higher airflow is also higher noise levels. The SereneLife SLPAC8 noise levels can reach 57 dB, which is not ideal. However, because of the high airflow, it can lower the temperature of a small room much quicker (practically in minutes).

SereneLife SLPAC8 is small but not the smallest AC unit. It weighs 53 lbs; you can move it around, but you’ll likely break a sweat while doing it. However, compared to the Honeywell small AC unit, it’s cheaper. It costs only around $300.

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#3 Honeywell 8,000 BTU MO08CESWB Compact 3-in-1 (Best Small Portable Air Conditioner)

Honeywell MO08CESWB is hands down the best and simplest portable air conditioner you can get if you are looking to cool down a small room. Like all the smallest portable AC units, it has 8,000 BTU, appropriate for small 150 to 300 sq ft bedroom or/and living room.

Where the Honeywell MO08CESWB excels is the extremely high energy-efficiency and being lightweight. The Honeywell small portable AC is powered by 700 W and can produce 8,000 BTU; hence it has an EER rating of 11.4. Usually, portable units have a lower EER rating than window units (the average EER rating for portable units is about 8.5). The fact that the EER rating of Honeywell MO08CESWB is above 10 is great in itself; at 11.4 EER, it has the same energy efficiency as the most energy-efficient small window AC units.

The other major advantage is the 43 lbs weight. Even the small portable units usually weigh more than 50 pounds. Honeywell MO08CESWB is about 20% lighter than an average small portable air conditioner; it will be easier to install and move around. If you’re looking to cool down a small living room during the day and a small bedroom during the night, you can move it very easily.

The Honeywell MO08CESWB can easily achieve a temperature range between 61°F to 89°F in a small room (with up to 300 sq ft). Honeywell also offers a very affordable price (below $400), which is quite a deal for such a tremendous device. There is no doubt that the Honeywell MO08CESWB is the best smallest portable air conditioner you can buy.

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(Class Of Its Own) Zero Breeze Mark 2: Small Battery-Powered 2,300 BTU Unit

The Zero Breeze Mark 2 is really a class of its own. It’s the Tesla of air conditioners; fast, movable, battery-powered, and high tech. It uses advanced technology to bring you the ultimate convenience.

This is an air conditioner unit primarily designed for camping. However, given its 2300 BTU capacity, it can also be used to cool down very tiny rooms (up to 115 sq ft):

Being powered by battery has both advantages as well as disadvantages.

Of course, the main advantage is that you can move them from a tiny room to another tiny room with ease. It only weighs 16.5 lbs instead of 40 or 50 lbs like portable air conditioners. The dimensions are small; in fact, this is the smallest air conditioner by volume you’ll find. It’s also the only proper battery-powered air conditioner on the market.

The immense 650 W power can lower the temperature in a small room or tent for up to 30ºF, and it has decent airflow.

The disadvantage of the small battery-powered air conditioner is that it will have to run 27 Amps to ensure 650 W of power. You see, battery alignment delivers a total of 24 V of electric potential; that’s why you have to boost the Amps to get a powerful small air conditioner.

The energy efficiency and the fact that you have to power up the battery every 5 hours are the two big problems. Nobody really loves to charge batteries constantly; if you’re camping, that makes sense, but if you’re at home, you have the 115 V in the electrical outlet you can freely use. The 9.6 EER rating is superb; however, such high energy-efficiency is expected from a battery-powered device.

The aesthetics and the price are both unbeatable as well. You won’t find as good a looking petite air conditioner as Zero Breeze Mark 2. You also won’t find a more expensive one. The Zero Breeze Mark 2 may be beautiful and versatile, but it can also cost up to $1,000.

All in all, Zero Breeze Mark 2 is the revolutionary smallest air conditioner on the market. With the 2,300 BTU, it’s the only one that really comes close to the BTU capacity of what a small 10×10 room would need (2,000 BTU, on average).

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Share Your Opinion Of The Smallest Air Conditioner

Feel welcome to share your experience or questions about how to cool down small rooms. Some people still use bigger 12,000 BTU devices for 10×10 rooms and don’t really know the size of an air conditioner they need for a small room. One great idea is also to get a dual-zone mini split unit with two 7,000 BTU heads.

Others are worried that the smallest 5,000 BTU and 8,000 BTU air conditioners won’t be enough to lower the temperature of 12×12 rooms adequately.

On the other end of the spectrum, we find the biggest window AC units and the biggest portable AC units.

Feel free to ask any questions that come to mind in the comments below.