6 Best Portable AC Heater Combos For Year-Round Comfort (2024)

Written By

Josh Mitchell

Expert Reviewed By

Holly Curell

Last Updated On

August 9, 2024

The Whynter ARC-1230WNH is hands down my favorite portable AC and heater combo, and it’s what I happen to use in my own home.

I bought this Whynter model for my finished basement, which is primarily where my family watches football games and movies but doesn’t have the comfortable airflow as the rest of our home.

The specs are similar to the other Whynter model on my list below, the ARC-14SH.

While both are among best dual-hose models featuring 14000 BTU cooling and 13000 BTU heating, I find that the Whynter ARC-1230WNH takes the lead for two specific reasons:

1. 1

   This model features an inverter compressor.

2. 2

   While both Whynter models are dual-hose, the Whynter ARC-1230WNH uses a hose-within-a-hose design.

These two details alone make the ARC-1230WNH one of the quietest traditional portable air conditioners on the market, with a decibel rating as low as 42.5 dB, which is really important for when I’m hosting game day.

I also really appreciate the WiFi controls on this Whynter model.

It has a very intuitive app that I can control from anywhere, which is nice when I’m away from home and want to get the room ready before I arrive.

It also works with voice controls and can be paired with Amazon Alexa or Hey Google.

The Whynter ARC-1230WNH is one of the few models that impresses me just as much with its heating mode as it does with its cooling.

The powerful heating is an excellent supplement to my home’s furnace, and I have really only used it on low-fan mode.

The EER of this Whynter model is 10.79. It’s not as energy-efficient as most window AC models, but it is the most energy-efficient portable AC/heater combo on my list, coming just ahead of the Whynter ARC-14SH’s 10.7 EER.

This is the most expensive model I’ve included and retails for just over $600. However, it tops my list for a reason.

All these premium features check all the boxes for cooling and heating large spaces of up to 600 square feet.

2. Whynter ARC – 14SH

On a similar note, you must remove the intake hose once the heating season comes along.

The Costway FP10115US-WH comes in second on my list as the most affordable cooling/heating combo.

Notice that I didn’t say “budget.” Usually, with budget items, I expect budget-level specs, but I am truly impressed with how many features Costway includes in a model under $350.

Like the Black + Decker BPACT12HWT, this single-hose Costway model has 12000 BTUs of cooling power and 10000 BTUs of heating power. It won’t cover as much space as the Whynter ARC-1230WNH, but it still covers up to 450 square feet.

I recently installed this one in an in-law suite in South Georgia. My client’s cooling needs were high, and the supplemental heating needs were low, so the Costway FP10115US-WH was the perfect solution.

Since the space would only be used on rare occasions, this AC/heater combo was a much more affordable solution than installing a mini-split. Plus, they can easily move the portable Costway to any other part of their home easily, if desired.

The energy efficiency rating of the Costway FP10115US-WH is 9.92.

It’s not as efficient as the SereneLife or TURBRO Greenland models, but an EER of 9.92 is really not that bad for a single-hose model.

The downside of single-hose models is the noise levels. The Costway is much louder (56 dB) than my top choice Whynter ARC-1230WNH (42.5 dB).

That said, those who like sleeping with white noise may find the Costway to be the ideal solution.

I was pleasantly surprised that this affordable cooling/heating combo came equipped with WiFi controls.

It doesn't respond to voice commands like the Whynter ARC-1230WNH does, but the Smart Life app is easy to setup and use. The remote is also nice and features and small LED screen.

First things first, the Black + Decker BPACT12HWT portable air conditioner, with its 12,000 BTU capacity, won't effectively cool up to 550 sq. ft. - despite what the listings say.

Instead, I found Black + Decker BPACT12HWT more efficient for 350-400 sq. ft. spaces.

To be fair, it heats and cools more effectively than the SereneLife SLACHT108.

From my measurements, it will spew out 43-44 degrees air when you put it on high, so it will be at most 20 minutes before the room is nice and cool.

On the other hand, I didn't find the heating as impressive, but it will warm up your space to 75-76 degrees in most cases. I just wouldn't rely on it during really cold months.

For those freezing months, I'd probably have you go with a 14,000 BTU version of this Black + Decker or pick the TURBRO Greenland, which is also 14000 BTU.

While this one is supposedly running at 52 dB according to the guide, I found that to be untrue. It is significantly louder than the Costway model, and on high, I registered it at over 70 dB.

This isn't unreasonable for a portable AC, but it's not exactly pleasant, either.

On the bright side - the dehumidifier on this model is very good.

Not only will it handle the moisture in the air, but it auto-evaporates the liquid it pools from the room, so you don't have to drain it or empty the tank, which is pretty neat if you live someplace humid, such as Florida.

Finally, the Black + Decker portable air conditioner is not the most energy-efficient in its price bracket, drawing 1.4 kWh at max.

Its EER is 10.43, which is almost as high as my first choice model, the Whynter ARC-1230WNH, at 10.79.

However, that still shouldn't affect your electric bill much. On average, that'll be like $15-20 per month, depending on usage.

With its 14,000 BTU of cooling power and impressive 13,300 BTU heating output, I witnessed a product that can definitely keep you both cool and warm year-round.

I have had my apartment as chilly as 69 degrees with TURBRO Greenland after running it for an hour, with my room temperature dropping to 72-73 from the low 80s in about 20 minutes.

The same thing goes for heating.

As long as your insulation is on point, the TURBRO Greenland will heat up your apartment to comfy 75 degrees by the time you’re done with your morning routine.

All this can be achieved in spaces anywhere from 400 to 600 sq. ft. This is the model I would choose if heating is your primary concern.

However, I'm confident this portable air conditioner could handle even larger spaces, provided they're open-floor.

Now, like with SereneLife, I was delighted when I received the batteries for the remote.

I also received two foam seals in the box, which came in handy when I had to fill up the gaps between the window and the unit’s window kit.

One thing I must say is I was quite pleasantly surprised with the efficiency of this one, especially at this price point and for such a high BTU model. The EER is 10.1, which is very similar to the SereneLife model's 10.4.

This one draws 1380 kW per hour when running at max, making it objectively budget-friendly for an air conditioner this powerful.

Another thing that took me by surprise was the noise, or better yet, lack thereof.

I kept my TURBRO unit around 6 feet from where my head rests when I sleep, and it didn’t bother me in the slightest. If I had to guess, it was 50 dB at most.

I must say that I'm not a fan of the Auto mode.

This Auto mode switches between heating and cooling, depending on the room temperature, to keep it "where you want it," which I don't necessarily like.

Some of you might enjoy this, and it is supposed to be more "energy efficient."

Still, honestly, I'd rather it just shut off the compressor and keep the fan on to circulate air when the space gets "too cold" - so I just used other operating modes.

The only other thing that bothered me is that this one doesn't have WiFi controls. In most other aspects, it's very similar to the Costway model above.

This is one of the smallest portable ACs with a heater combo. With a 10,000 BTU cooling capacityrating, SLACHT108 efficiently lowers the temperature in medium-sized rooms of up to 350 square feet to the low 70s.

More impressively, it heats the same space less than 30 minutes to 80-82 degrees.

(And it's 12,000 BTU big brother does an even better job.)

It won't be a great addition to larger rooms like the Whynter ARC-1230WNH, which can cover up to 600 square feet, but this is the model I recommend for smaller areas.

Also, the SLACHT108 is energy-efficient. Its EER of 10.4 is on par with the most efficient items on this list. It's more than good enough for regular use, and it shouldn't add more than $12-15 to your monthly electricity bill.

After reading countless reviews, I noticed many people complaining about the noise levels, but in my experience, when running the fans on low, this portable AC won’t exceed the manufacturer's noise levels of 52-56 dB.

In that respect, the noise level is very similar to the Costway model above. It's not as quiet as the dual hose models on my list, but the white noise is pleasant.

Another great feature of the SereneLife air conditioner is its compact design. It is one of the smallest portable ACs in terms of the floor space or the volume it occupies.

This thin unit has solid design features, such as cable hooks on the back, for seamless cable management.

Setting the whole thing up took me less than 5 minutes, including unpacking.

You'll get a window kit you can mount both vertically and horizontally, which means it will fit essentially every window.

Also, the hose is excellent. It'll keep its shape no matter how many times you extend it and put it back.

Finally, you can rest assured that you'll be covered with a 1-year warranty. I've read about a few instances in which people got their unit replaced within two weeks, even if it was just slightly nicked during delivery.

Overall, I really can't say I dislike anything about this product in any way, shape, or form - especially at this price point.

1. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/units-and-calculators/british-thermal-units.php
2. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/guide_to_home_heating_cooling.pdf
3. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230519/Noise-levels-as-low-as-40-dB-can-lead-to-a-decline-in-work-performance-study-shows.aspx