The most silent portable air conditioner models in the 8000 BTU, 10 000 BTU, and 12000 BTU and above ranges have less than 56 dB of noise.
The fact that portable air conditioners are so accessible, and movable makes them quite convenient, but the noise levels can be inconvenient, and maintenance can take a lot of effort with these units.
This is why many portable air conditioner manufacturers have developed silent models. There are silent models that have below 56 dB in varying BTU ranges.
The convenience of portable air conditioners
Portable air conditioner models are popular because they are a convenient way to cool down rooms ranging from as small as 150 square feet to larger rooms of up to 500 square feet.
They are also popular because these portable air conditioners are easy to install and use and can be moved from one room to another.
However, portable air conditioners do need to be drained and vented, which can make them more maintenance-heavy and inconvenient to use than other types of air conditioner models.
Most silent portable air conditioners
One of the other factors that can be inconvenient about a portable air conditioner is the fact that these units can be extremely noisy.
Part of what makes portable air conditioners so unique and flexible is that they are contained in a single unit. This makes them ideal for apartment living and renter-friendly, since they do not need to be permanently installed in your space.
However, this setup does mean that the fan motor and compressor are not hidden away in an outside unit or in your house’s ductwork, which makes portable air conditioners much louder to operate than other central air and mini-split units.
To counteract this, many manufacturers have started focusing on making their portable air conditioner models as quiet as possible, and some even introduced ultra-quiet models that produce less than 50 decibels (dB) of noise.
General guidelines for finding a quiet portable air conditioning unit are as follows:
| Decibel level (in dB) | Description |
| Over 80 dB | Too loud for household usage |
| 70 dB | Loud household appliances |
| 60 dB | General noise level for appliances |
| 50 dB | Fairly quiet for a portable air conditioner |
| Under 50 dB | Ultra-quiet portable air conditioner models |
However, with such a wide variety of portable air conditioner models available, it is important to find not only the quietest one, but also the model that is the appropriate size for your space. Fortunately, there are quiet options in every BTU category.
Most silent 8000 BTU portable air conditioners
In general, 8000 BTU portable air conditioners can effectively cool rooms that are up to 350 square feet in size. Some of the quiet portable air conditioners in this range include:
| Portable air conditioner model | Price | Capacity | Noise level | Available on Amazon |
| TOSOT Shiny Portable Air Conditioner | $314.99 | 8000 BTU for rooms of up to 300 square feet | 49 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| LG LP0821GSSM Smart Portable Air Conditioner | $469 | 8000 BTU for rooms of up to 400 square feet | 51 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Portable Air Conditioner | $449.99 | 7 700 BTU for rooms of up to 350 square feet | 53 dB |   |
| Buy it |
Most silent 10 000 BTU portable air conditioners
If your room is slightly larger than 300 square feet, but it is still under 400 square feet in size, a 10 000 BTU portable air conditioner will be best for your space.
You will still be able to find a fairly quiet portable air conditioner, which has a noise level of less than 56 dB, like the following models:
| Portable air conditioner model | Price | Capacity | Noise level | Available on Amazon |
| ShincoSPF1-10C Portable Air Conditioners | $369.99 | 10 000 BTU for rooms of up to 300 square feet | 52 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| TCL 10P94C Smart Series Portable Air Conditioner | $599.99 | 10 00 BTU for rooms of up to 350 square feet | 52 dB |   |
| Buy it | ||||
| AirOrig OL-A010G-06CD Portable Air Conditioner | $399.99 | 10 000 BTU for rooms of up to 550 square feet | 54 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| Pasapair OL-A011F-06CD 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner | $599 | 10 000 BTU for rooms of up to 400 square feet | 56 dB |  |
| Buy it |
Most silent 12 000 BTU and larger portable air conditioners
Larger rooms need a portable air conditioner with at least 12 000 BTU or more. Fortunately, there are models with noise levels under 56 dB in this category, such as:
| Portable air conditioner model | Price | Capacity | Noise level | Available on Amazon |
| BLACK+DECKER BPT08WTB12,500 BTU Portable Air Conditioner | $449 | 12 500 BTU for rooms of up to 350 square feet | 54 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| GE APSA13YBMW Heat/Cool Portable Air Conditioner | $629 | 13 000 BTU for rooms of up to 550 square feet | 55 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner | $450 | 14 000 BTU for rooms of up to 500 square feet | 56 dB |  |
| Buy it | ||||
| SereneLife SLPAC12.5 Portable Air Conditioner Compact Home AC | $419.99 | 12 000 BTU for rooms over 400 square feet | 56 dB |  |
| Buy it |