I have one. I am not using it this season as we have double hung windows now where it used to be in a casement window. You do have to have the hose in the window, for the exhaust with the proper things around it to hold it in place. It does roll, but not something you would want to move but maybe once a year. I would have to empty mine each day, but it is possible to run a drain house outside, we just never did. Mine was not noisy. I bought mine at a garage sale I think for $35.00 and yes new they are pricey. I did like it when I used it.

Sue

I bought one from Sears number of years ago.

Used it once and returned.

Noisey, takes up space in the bedroom.

I have an ac window unit in my bedroom, just for cooling that one room at night.

I leave it in the window all year long, cause I can't take it out and put it in myself.

Do insulate it so the room doesn't get cold during the winter.

Bubble wrap does wonders!

My son and daughter-in-law have a couple of them upstairs (by Haier) and like them a lot. They are definitely less noisy than my larger window unit, and I believe the water goes out the window hose.

I've been thinking of replacing my big window A/C with one of them because of the weight and noise. Not sure what I'll end up doing, but right now I'm melting because temps are in the 90's and I have neither. (The window A/C isn't set up yet.)

Hmm, you have given me some things to think about, especially how much room it takes up. Not exactly something I want to add to my decor, such as it is. If I could find one for $35, it would be worth a try, but not for $400. Maybe I will rethink the window unit. I would only need a small one and perhaps I could heft it myself, although I know my son would help if I ask him. I hate to leave it in all year because it does block the light. Guess you can't have everything!

Thanks!

I don't have one but it does sound interesting. Maybe you could buy one and if you don't like it, return it like Glenda? If you could return it, this may be something you like. if you get one, let us know what you think. This might be something I want someday.

A girl I work with has a few of them n likes them. Her house is to close
to the house next to her to have window units

We've been rolling the idea around in our heads about getting one as well. I've been doing some research on them, and they don't cool as much as a window unit does.

I don't want a window a/c in the bedroom as it's too cold, so I think the portable one will work for us.....we're planning to use it in the patio door.
Some have a drip pan that need to be emptied daily and some evaporate. Some have 1 hose and some have 2 hoses (which are more expensive) for air intake and outtake. The single hoses draw the air from inside so creates a vacuum.

There's a lot to know about them, for sure, but I think they might be worth visiting. Kijiji have some for sale, but not much cheaper than new, and of course, no warranty.

We have a window unit in a back bedroom on one end of the house, and a portable unit in the den at the other end of the house. Love it. It's quieter than the window unit. Yes you do have to empty the tank, but I just take it outside and pour it on my flowers.

Ours is an A/C unit, heater and dehumidifier. We use the heat option in the winter.

Good luck, try to stay cool, the heat here in south central PA has been brutal the last few days. (October, get here fast!! lol)

Katlan, I am in SE PA, so I am sweltering, too. Cooler weather on the way next week. Hurry up!

So, it's encouraging to hear that they are working for some of you. The down sides are the cost, the weight and emptying the water, but still it would be convenient. Another concern is that the house next to mine is rather close and I don't want to disturb her with the sound of a grinding window unit at night.

Yes, I have read that the dual hose units are the best.

Alisande, too bad you are not just a bit closer. You could stay in my guest room. It's warm in there, too, but a whole lot better than no AC!

Noise is tough to compare because window units vary so much. My new one is very quiet compared to the old ones. I thought about buying a portable but it was much more expensive than a window unit, then you have the issue of emptying the water. Plan on doing it once or even twice a day. How often will vary on how humid things are and on the size of the container. An evaporative unit is self-defeating. A big part of the a/c unit is to dehumidify. If you evaporate it back into the air, you're defeating the purpose. There's also the issue of security. You'll often have more of a security issue with one of them than with a window unit although window units aren't very secure either. Also, they're not as efficient as a window unit so it'll cost more to operate and won't cool as well coupled with the higher cost, it's basically a unit you get out of desperation rather than choice. Since you're running a refrigerator you're putting heat into the air again that the window unit puts outside. This means you have to make up for the heating in there. A friend has one and regrets it. Wishes he had bought a window unit.

I've been thinking about having the window unit mounted in the wall. My old unit was just left in the window year round the last few years. Not sure if that contributed to its death or not but I'd doubt it.

My new window unit is pretty light weight. Especially compared to the unit it replaced however it's also less BTUs. Another plus is it has a remote control that I really like.

If you don't mind the expense, you could also consider a ductless unit. They're expensive, close to the cost of central or even sometimes more, but I guess they're very popular in New England.

Dedtired, have you had the freon level in your AC unit checked? Could be the AC is low on freon and not working as well as it could. We get our checked and it seems like it needs additional freon every other year.

I finally decided to turn my a/c on last night and it was making a funny sound, the compressor I think wasn't kicking in. I shut it off. Mine is a vertical wall unit which is surrounded by trim. I am going to have to find someone a repair person that will come and take it out for me since it is something I can't do.

I was researching the portable units last night but then gave up because I would have to get someone in here to put in grounded plugs which I have very few of. I only have a few for my big appliances and for the a/c. None in the bedrooms.

My neighbour had the portable and she paid $600 for it and only used it once or twice before she got central air put in.

I am using a tower fan right now and it is pretty comfortable in the house right now but earlier today the humidity just about did me in LOL I can tolerate heat as long as I have air movement but not the high humidity we have here.

Good luck on whatever you choose and keep cool.

One I bought from Sears, was $500.

Returned and glad I did.

dedtired I would not recommend trying it yourself, hefting it is not all that is required, there are usually braces of some type to support it and there has to be insulation and a closure insert around the ac to seal it. We have had one in the bedroom of our previous 2 homes, don't need one here, and it took my husband and myself to get it lifted into place, hold it there while installing the braces and housing plus one on the outside and one on the inside to get it fully installed and secured. Security is definitely to be considered no matter what type. Also extremely important is making sure the level is correct or it can drain into the house or worse into the wall and cause mold growth.

My sister tried one of the portable ones in Louisiana but the humidity and heat it had to compete with just was too much apparently because it just didn't cool worth the price and effort. She returned it and got a small 5000 btu unit for a couple hundred bucks and it will freeze you out of that room.
My little units which had remotes also cooled extremely well.

We just got one for our granddaughter and she loves it. Quiet and gets nice and cold. I linked it below. Frigidaire got high marks on Consumer Guide. We got the 7000 btu. Below is a stronger one. She loves the remote.

Here is a link that might be useful: AC

I think you would be happier with a window unit unless you want to move an A/C unit to other rooms. Wouldn't your son feel bad to know you were spending more just to spare him the effort?

If you think you would like the window unit, you could pay someone to install it and possibly still be less than the portable. Does Home Depot or Sears install the A/C units they sell? You could check that out.

Below is a link about the portable units to help you decide. They need to be vented to the outside.

Here is a link that might be useful: portable A/C

Socks, thanks for the link.

I used to have window units before I got central AC. My windows are old. They have a window sill that is about four inches wide. We would put a piece of wood on the sill, plus one in the space between the screen and window. That provided a broad base for the unit to rest on and we did not need the outside brace. Had to remember to let it tip back slightly so it would drain.

We left the big ones in all year and birds would build nests next to them in the area between the window and screen. They would wake me up in the morning!

I would only need a 5000 btu window unit, so it would be small. I know my son would help. He is just terrific, never complains. I just hate to take advantage of his good heart too often. I may end up going with a window unit just because it seems more practical. I wonder how I can find one that is quieter from the outside, so not to bother the neighbor. I am very fond of her.

Security is not an issue, since it's the second floor, a safe neighborhood and I have nosy neighbors!

Thanks for helping me think this through.

We have one--it was about $350, I think, last year.

It's big, bulky--NO WAY is it portable (my original idea was to have something I could move from room to room--that is NOT feasible with these things). It is noisy.

While it does cool my living room, it's not possible to make it fridgid in there.

We use a large bucket for the condensation--it has to be emptied twice a day, usually. Northeast--pretty humid here.

I'm satisfied with mine--I didn't want a window air conditioner in my living room. Didn't want to put holes in the woodwork to install one and certainly didn't want one showing on the front of my house. This unit does what I wanted, but it takes up a good bit of space, it's too heavy to really be portable, and I have to turn the TV up quite a bit when it's running.

I'm sort of on the fence about either recommending or not recommending them. It's really going to depend upon your needs and preferences. Do you havce any friends who have them? someone you could visit and check one out in person?

Thanks for the additional advice. We have a local FB page where people sell things and I notice a few of these of these have been posted -- sold before I got to them -- but it makes me wonder why ppl are selling them after a year or two.

I agree with your estimation -- sort of thumbs in the middle, not up or down. Pick your poison!

My bedroom has been pretty comfy the last few nights, so I'll wait and see how it goes. If there are only a few nights each summer when it is too hot, I'd rather go sleep on the couch than bother with extra ACs.

Can't wait for the storms to go through tonight so we have the week of lovely spring weather predicted.