Best Portable AC For RV, Camper, Pop Up Camper 2022

Living outside the home or have a plan for camping?

If you’re not staying at a hotel, it’s a camp or a camper and it gets very hot and humid during summer, therefore, it requires portable air conditioners to stay cool inside the enclosed trailer.

Be it the middle of an overgrown rainforest or the brink of a hilly platform, the side of a beach which receives regular humid gales, or a valley surrounded by colossal mountains that echo at night. Along with being much cost-effective in contrast to the hotels, they provide you the freedom to make any place your resting spot and enjoy unique gifts of nature like the chirping of the birds or the fresh dew drops falling on your face.

However, it is particularly frustrating if you don’t arrange for a cool camper as it can get very hot and suffocating at times and instead of getting proper rest after a day-long session of activities, you will wake up exhausted and agitated. It is nearly necessary, therefore, to arrange for the best portable air conditioners for campers.

**Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

How To Choose the Best Portable Air Conditioner?

Before checking out the best options for the portable ac units for the camper in the market, here are some considerations that you must adhere to for enabling the perfect purchase.

1. Power (Btu)

Neither should it be too big that you have to arrange for multiple layers to remain cozy nor it should be too small that only a small area cools because of it. As a general rule, an AC unit rated at 5000 Btu is enough to cool a room of an area of 100-150 sq feet. Increase this amount by 1000 Btu for every 100 sq feet area.

2. Size

As the camper has to travel a lot especially to off-road terrains and tracks, therefore, the AC unit must be light enough to be easily transportable. When going uphill, every additional kilogram counts, and a heavier AC can play against you.

3. Power Consumption

Modern models are equipped with cutting edge technologies that emit cool areas along with being energy efficient. Choose the unit which consumes minimum energy without compensating for the quality and cooling efficiency.

4. Price

Your budget can break a potentially feasible deal hence it is one of the important deciding factors. Don’t look into the details of a product unless it’s within your price range. If you get to know that it is out of range once you have been overwhelmed by its supreme quality, it would be difficult to let go.

 

Similar Articles:

Best Air Conditioners For RV

Best Window AC For RV

Best Rooftop AC For RV

 

Best Portable AC For Camper Van & Pop up Camper

[amazon box=”B07K8H8ZWZ,B000HHJ13I,B017NO77EW,B07BQTL4WG,B06ZZZY74N,B06XBCN3QY,B07BH7VWWK” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ template=”table”]

 

Let’s now jump on to the main body of the article to find out the best portable air conditioners for pop-up camper and camper van.

 

[aawp box=”B07K8H8ZWZ” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”1. Honeywell HL10CESWK (Best Portable AC Unit For Camper Van)”]

 

Honeywell is a multi-scope company that produces a wide range of consumer and commercial products for private and government organizations. The portable refrigerated air conditioner for camper trailers is one line of their products that have earned them a reputable place in the market.

 

Honeywell HL10 model is rated at 10000 Btu and can cool campers that have an area up to 350 sq feet by employing its automatic vertical wind motion capability. This aids in spreading the cool wind evenly throughout the desired area.

 

Weighing as much as 77 pounds and measuring 15.7×31 inches, this unit is fitted with a dual filter system that traps tiny particles of dust, pet dander, and hair so that they don’t enter the inside of the unit and adversely affect the performance of the compressor and other equipment.

 

Additionally, it cleans up the atmosphere of the space and eradicates impurities which can later be washed easily from the filters by water.

 

Its dehumidifier is of supreme quality as it can effectively remove 80 pints a day. Consider yourself in the middle of a humid place that induces excessive perspiration that leads to being uncomfortable and irritated.

 

HL10 is particularly helpful in such cases because it would evaporate your sweat to soothe you up. Moreover, the auto evaporation capability means that you are freed from the hassle to empty the bucket that increases convenience.

 

Coming to the controls of the unit, it contains settings including fan speed, energy saving mode, a sleep mode that is a 10-hour program that increases the temperature at times when you are most relaxed and quickly senses any discomfort to decrease the temperature.

 

A highly quiet operation and gliding wheels for transportability further increase the utility of the product. When working at full performance, it only gives a sound of 52 decibels which is generally the noise resulted from two people in a quiet conversation.

 

Setting up the unit is easy as you only have to attach the pipes and an adjustable window bracket with the window of the camper.

 

As for the demerits, it is large and heavy which dents its potential of being largely portable. It comes in three color combinations and is operated by dual AAA batteries.

 

[/aawp]

 

[aawp box=”B000HHJ13I” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”2. Soleus Air LX-140 (Best Heating And Cooling Portable AC For Trailer)”]

 

Similar in shape to the previous model but slightly heavier, this model comes from Soleus and has a rating of 14000 Btu.

 

Whether it is a small camper trailer that needs a system of central cooling or a 2-tent set-up that requires a chilling aura for the night, Soleus LX-140 has it all covered.

 

Being versatile is one of the top trademarks of Soleus and this product is no different. It is an AC and a heater at the same time.

 

If it is hot noon during your post-graduation trekking trip, you can switch this on to give cold air worth of 14000 Btu, effective for an area of 475 sq feet. Similarly, If you have to spend a cold night in a tent during the month of December, convert it to heater mode and enjoy a warm, relaxing blower-type feel.

 

If you require an automated cooling unit that adjusts according to temperature variations, turn it to auto mode simply and it will alter the temperature of the emitted air accordingly.

 

Not exactly at par with the dehumidifying capability of the first model, this can decently remove 65 pints per day. When humidity reaches high levels, there is a separate emergency holding tank with a drainage port that collects the water and exhausts it out of the camper.

 

Internally, the LX-10 is a winner. The fact that is fitted with dual motors with one cooling the air while the other cooling the condenser gives the overall advantage of no heat loss.

 

In addition to it, the aluminum blades of the fan spray the condensed water onto the condenser to cool the copper coils evenly.

 

As a whole, it makes up for an energy-efficient system that reduces power losses resulting from heat and limits the contribution to high bills.

 

It includes a digital thermostat that can be programmed according to achieve the desired temperature. Exhaust pipe and hoses are included with the package but the hose is a bit small and you will have to get an extended length in the majority of the situations.

 

[/aawp]

 

[aawp box=”B017NO77EW” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”3. Haier HPC 12XCR (12000 Btu Portable AC For RV)”]

 

Designed to deliver cool air to large areas ranging from 450 sq feet, it is surely a treat for people who can’t stand hot weather. It would be sizzling outside but you would feel no effect of it, provided the camper is fitted with this model.

 

This is a highly popular model because of its strong cooling capability of 12000 Btu and lightweight which enhances its portability which is considered a significant attribute for such products.

 

With a slightly low airflow of 188 CFM than the average ACs, it is equipped with three fan settings depending on the desired trajectory and magnitude of the airflow of the users.

 

Although stated to be enough for 450 sq feet rooms, we would recommend its use in areas of no more than 250 sq feet if you want great results.

 

Automatic controls include controlling the settings through a remote using the Infrared waves which give the luxury to tweak the controls of the unit while you are watching a movie on TV or cooking food and adjusting the ON and OFF times of the AC at particular times.

 

This feature comes in handy when you are sleeping, playing outside, or not using the camper van for a day.

 

Now, coming towards the dehumidifying attribute of this model; it can remove 4 pints per hour which is greater than the previous model and that makes it evenly useful for humid conditions too.

 

Alongside this, it is very energy-efficient due to its cost-cutting technology whereby it results in a running cost of only $91 per year.

 

Castor wheels and the lightweight work together to allow easy movement within the camper while the installation kit includes a window pipe that can reach a height of 46 inches. So that it can be placed beside medium to large windows with equal effect.

 

[/aawp]

 

[aawp box=”B07BQTL4WG” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”4. JHS A018-14KR/C – Portable Air Conditioner For Van”]

 

You simply can’t reject JHS when it comes to portable AC units for campers. Their association with such executions is long-lived and carries a good recognition from the customers. This model is an upgraded version of the 12KR/C with a power-studded cooling capacity of 14000 Btu and CFC-free operation.

 

Its top air outlet blows air vertically which ensures that cool air is distributed evenly and quickly inside the room or target area.

 

Particularly designed for placing in living rooms and lounges with areas 350-500 sq feet and have an airflow volume of 220 CFM, it shines with greater performance when placed inside the camper trailers that are far below in the square.

 

JHS A018-14KR/C is furnished with 3 modes namely Cool, Dehumidify, and Fan Timer. It gives a total of 3 fan speeds which can be adjusted according to the weather and desired ambiance, the temperature can be altered digitally between 61^oF-88^oF, has 24 hours On/Off programmable timer, and Auto restart feature that turns on the unit automatically after power failure.

 

Effectively, it can remove 63 pints per day which makes it a direct competitor of Soleus Air LX-140, which is equipped with a self-evaporation system that recycles condensed water to augment the cooling power and saves the user from draining water.

 

The drainage tray can hold up to 1 L of water after which it gives a reminder to the user to remove water. In situations of high humidity, you can shift between auto or manual drainage systems through a drain pipe which can be speedily installed.

 

Another advantage of this model is its low-noise operation; it works at about 60 decibels which can further be reduced by switching to sleep mode.

 

The filter is washable and the installation is easy.

 

The primary demerit of this product is the drainage difficulty: if you use the top drain hose, you have to tilt the tray mechanically to dispose of the water and if you employ the bottom one, water spills out of the bottom of the unit.

 

[/aawp]

 

[aawp box=”B06ZZZY74N” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”5. Emerson Quiet Kool (Best Rated Portable Air Conditioner For Pop up Camper)”]

 

Backed up by a 70-year rich history of electronic equipment and a healthy star rating on Amazon, this product from Emerson Quiet Kool weighs 68 pounds and is available at just a shy below $500.

 

Elegantly shaped up as a white structure with a blue LED display, it is rated at 14000 Btu and provides cool air which is conveniently sufficient for spaces up to 350 sq feet.

 

Equipped with three fan speeds which are controlled manually or through remote control, it can achieve temperatures between the range 62-85^oF. We went through the reviews and deduced that the highest fan rating promotes a cooling effect that replicates an icy ambiance. Its auto swing fan helps to balance the temperature throughout the room.

 

Equally impressive is the dehumidifier which can remove about 120 pints per day; the highest among all the previous models. The self evaporation technology makes this capability even better as it reduces the efforts which need to be exerted by the user to dump the condensed water.

 

Firstly, the water won’t get collected in the tray for a long time; if it does, you can attach the drain pipe easily to emit it out of the pop up camper.

 

Although it is fitted with four omnidirectional caster wheels to aid in maneuvering around the camper, customers complained that the handling of the product was of question. It posed many difficulties on carpeted surfaces but provided it performed decently on uncarpeted floors and the fact that most of the campers do not have a carpet, it can be used effectively.

 

Being water-resistant is a unique feature of this model. Often does it happen that children or even adults mistakenly spill water over these units but the only thing you need to do here is to clean the surface with a dry cloth, unlike other units that need to be shut and internally cleaned.

 

After 250 hours of operation, the unit sounds a reminder to clean its filters automatically so that a long-running operation is guaranteed.

 

[/aawp]

 

[aawp box=”B06XBCN3QY” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”6. LG LP14171 GSR (Best Portable AC Unit For Large Campers)”]

 

LG not featuring in this list up till now would have come across as a surprise for many of the readers. We wouldn’t keep you alarmed anymore, for this is a gracefully composed model presented by LG with a rating of 14000 Btu.

 

LG LP14171 is manufactured contemporarily with a sleek look and Smart ThinQ Wifi Control option which enables the user to control the settings even by staying at a distance; be it relaxing on a sofa on a windy, July afternoon or watching the Godfather Trilogy with your trekking group at night.

 

The model is particularly designed for large spaces and can effectively cool areas of about 700 sq feet, therefore, is best for use in large camper trailers or Recreational Vans.

 

Through its enhanced airflow of 270 CFM and top inclined air discharge, it would cool up space in no time. Oscillating louvers move the fan grills with precision to distribute the coolness evenly.

 

In fact, many customers suggested that this unit shouldn’t be used in small spaces as it is integrated with great cooling capability.

 

Other noticeable attributes include three-speed fans like many other models of this list which can be chosen according to the required level of coolness, a timer that turns the AC On and Off at prescribed times so that you can enjoy a customized cooling plan, and auto restart which turns the AC on after a power breakdown.

 

It, however, doesn’t have a sleep mode which is a big surprise for us. Sleep mode helps you achieve comfortable sleep along with reducing running costs. Another disadvantage is the lack of any standard safety certifications such as UL or ETL.

 

If we talk about the dehumidifier, it is of good stature. Effectually, it can remove 3.4 pints per hour to ensure that you are not agitated by a humid surrounding.

 

Self evaporation is not incorporated in this unit so you have to drain the water yourself like conventional AC. There is a drain cap situated on the backside which can easily be unscrewed to dispose of the water outside the camper.

 

The biggest power of this model is its reliability. Many customers have raved about its long-running operation without being encountered by any big issue.

 

[/aawp]

 

[aawp box=”B07BH7VWWK” tracking_id=”rcportableac-20″ title=”7. DELLA 048-GM-48382 (Small Portable AC For Camping)”]

 

White in color and about 70 pounds in weight, this AC unit is rated at 10000 Btu and can cool areas of about 250-300 sq feet with ease.

 

A well-placed and ergonomic front panel that depicts all the settings makes the operation quite easy. With a wireless remote, the user can control all the options by sitting at a distance with his fingertips. It includes an automatic swing mode that spreads out the air evenly and promotes consistent cooling.

 

We went through many reviews that suggested its operation was very efficient and effective.

 

Della 48382 model includes 3 modes namely cooling, fan, and dehumidifier which are employed in different conditions: Cooling at hot times of the day, fan at cooler nights where the temperature is well within acceptable limits, and the 80-pint dehumidifier to removes moisture from the space so that neither bacteria grows nor you feel uncomfortable from the humidity.

 

Self-evaporation capability reduces the probability of draining water. It also includes a water full indicator that tells the user when the drain tray is full so that it can be thrown out of the camper immediately. You can also alter the speed of the fan from high to low and arrange a 24-hour routine for the unit to save energy.

 

It can be installed with simplicity and the filters are washable; there is no need to replace the filters after a year-long operation. The only real demerit we managed to extract was its loud noise.

 

[/aawp]