Best Tent Air Conditioner for Camping
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Entering in a sauna-like tent after cycling on the road or hiking all day long may not be everyone’s idea of a vacation. If you are camping for a couple of days in the wild, then having your beauty sleep is essential. Utilize technology available around you, such as a portable air conditioner for camping. It is a great way to counter the harsh conditions of the outdoors. If you want to skip and get the best tent air conditioner, we recommend Frigidaire 5,000 BTU 115V as our top choice.
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Why Trust Us
Jules and Ken
We are Jules and Ken. We are outdoor lovers, travellers and writers all rolled into one. You have seen our posts here reviewing lots of different types of outdoor gears, camping equipment, kayaking to cycling. Our reviews are guided by our years of experience being outdoors. We are happy to share our knowledge with you to make a better choice when you are outdoors.
As there are so many choices out there, finding the perfect tent air conditioner can be confusing. At Outdoormagnet, we have performed hours of detailed research and have narrowed down a list of features we think campers need most for a tent air conditioner. We have reviewed it all and listed down 5 conditioners as our top picks for Best Tent Air Conditioner For Camping.
5 Best tent air conditioners
We have shortlisted 5 best portable conditioners. You can’t go wrong with any of the units that we have recommended below.
- Frigidaire 5,000 BTU 115V Window-Mounted Mini-Compact Air Conditioner
- Honeywell HL10CESWK, 10, 000 BTU, Black/White Portable Air Conditioner
- Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
- Black + Decker BPACT10WT Portable Air Conditioner, 10,000 BTU
- SereneLife SLPAC8 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
Why a tent air conditioner
Camping with kids can be tricky, especially young ones with inconsistent sleeping schedules. It could also be your pets who are panting outside from the sweltering heat. A cooler can be crucial for keeping them from being tired and cranky. Generally, it is easier for anyone to drift to sleep when the surroundings are at a lower temperature.
Temperatures can be unreliable as it can fluctuate a lot during the day. The heat accumulated inside that tent can be unbearable. Many would add a fan to ventilate the air. But if temperatures soar too high, no amount of circulation can make it tolerable. You can remove the rainfly, or sleep openly under the stars. But you will be risking yourself to bug bites or slithering creatures. If there is heavy rain, you may get drenched wet. Portable camping air conditioners make it possible for you to control the situation. You can transform your camping experience by 10 times better!
When you are not camping, having a portable air conditioner at home is useful, as you need it only during summer seasons. It is a more cost effective option than a permanent unit, especially if you are renting a place. In fact, you can save on the modifications to your house, and carry with you when you move out. You can cool your commonly used areas and move it around when necessary.
What to look for in a tent air conditioner
Noise
If you are able to sleep with white noise in the background, then this should not be a concern for you. Most air conditioners are between 50 – 60-decibel range, equal to a household refrigerator. You may want to avoid those that exceed this range.
Portability
Think about the convenience of moving your air conditioner. The more compact it is, the easier for you to load into your vehicle and place around the tent. Weight affects the portability. Being light, allows you to carry it everywhere you want. You would want a small portable air conditioner for camping.
Installation and Maintenance
You would not want to spend hours trying to figure out how to install your camping air conditioner. There are so many other tasks to perform at the campsite. The main factor you need to consider is the ease in hooking up the window kit for ventilation. Most tent ac unit come with a window installation kit. After care maintenance is usually required for draining the moisture out. This is important as you want to avoid spills in the tent. Some air-conditioners drain moisture into a bucket system or have moisture evaporator technology. Most units have a drainage outlet at the back base of the unit. You may also need to clean the filters regularly to increase its ability to absorb heat.
Cooling capacity
To keep your air conditioned tent cool, your air conditioner needs to run on a generator, a campsite with grid power, or battery power. Generally, battery operated air conditioners do not work efficiently especially for long durations. It needs to have at least 5000 BTU (British Thermal Unit) capacity to cool a good-sized family tent. BTU is the standard unit of measure to measure how powerful a camping ac is. Any less BTU capacity will not provide you relief through the day or night.
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It is the most basic and effective tent ac. Frigidaire 5,000 is a window tent conditioner. It is more compact and superior than room tent conditioners when it comes to cooling capacity. Although it has the lowest cooling coverage among the 5 tents, it is the perfect choice for a 4 person tent. At 5,000 BTU, it can cover spaces up to 150 Sq. ft, which is sufficient for a standard family tent. This baby will cool down a small area fast, making it comfortable to fall asleep even in the warmest days of the year.
It has a lower power start-up option which is great. This is because it requires only a low amount of energy to run. This helps you minimize the amount of power you use with camping generators.
It will not take up space in your tent as it is a window mounted air conditioner. You probably may need extra effort to install it at a tent window or create a sock for installation. Among all the 5 top tent air conditioners, the model is great value for money. If you are only using it for camping purposes, there is no need to break the bank . This air conditioner for tent fits the basic requirement of cooling your tent. Even though it has no wheels, its ultralight compact size makes it super portable.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easily fit a tent window
- Evenly cooling
- No chemical coolants needed
Cons
- Noisy
- No wheels for easy rolling
PROS
CONS
- Inexpensive
- Easily fit a tent window
- Evenly cooling
- No chemical coolants needed
- Noisy
- No wheels for easy rolling
Its 10000 BTU efficiently cools the air up to 350- 450 sq, ft. The unit is able to cool down your tent quickly. The fan helps to circulate the air well so you don’t have to keep the temperature that low. Its Smart Digital Thermostat is able to sense the air temperature right next to it. This allows you to control your room’s climate in a more precise manner. It helps you save a considerable chunk of money by reducing your cooling costs.
Honeywell HL10CESWK is extremely effective in handling humidity with its built in dehumidifier. It helps remove up to 80 pints of water. You will be happy to know that it drains the humidity out of the hose, if you leave it unattended. This makes it very low maintenance especially if you are a busy person. It has a washable dual filtration system. It helps eliminate that musky smell when it’s very humid.
Another advantage is the noise levels produced. At maximum speed, this air conditioning for tents produces up to 49 to 52 decibels. This is because it is able to run quietly with its dual motor technology. You can now listen to the voices of nature without being annoyed by the rattling sounds.
Pros
- Quiet
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Very portable
- Powerful enough (10,000 BTUs)
- Built-in wheels
Cons
- Heavy
PROS
CONS
- Quiet
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Very portable
- Powerful enough (10,000 BTUs)
- Built-in wheels
- Heavy
This award winning unit from Good Housekeeping’s “2020 Best Overall”, delivers superb performance. It is able to keep your uninsulated tent at a very pleasant temperature. Its 14,000 BTU, it delivers very cold, clean and filtered air conditioning. It can cool rooms up to 500 sq ft. It has 3 functions, air conditioner, dehumidifier or fan. This camping AC is definitely a win for you. Being dual hose means it has more cooling capacity than its size. This makes it more efficient in fighting off harsh conditions. It is fitted with a carbon air filter. This helps reduce odors and benefit people who suffer allergies from impure air.
This portable air conditioner for tent has no drainage issues as it has an auto drain functionality. It helps exhaust all condensation automatically in most environments. Gone are the hot and humid days where you feel sweaty and sticky all over. This unit is efficient in taking out the humidity in the air. It has a dehumidifying capacity of 71 pints per day. It definitely goes a long way in making any tent feel comfortable.
Pros
- 3 operational modes
- Dual hose for fast cooling
- Filter access is pretty easily accessible for cleaning
- Water goes out with the hot air, no drainage issues
- Reliable
Cons
- Bright blue LED panel cannot be turned off or dimmed at night
- Cost is higher than average
PROS
CONS
- 3 operational modes
- Dual hose for fast cooling
- Filter access is pretty easily accessible for cleaning
- Water goes out with the hot air, no drainage issues
- Reliable
- Bright blue LED panel cannot be turned off or dimmed at night
- Cost is higher than average
There will no longer be hot summers for you. This 10,000 BTU compact air conditioner will keep you cool and comfortable all summer. It has all in one functions, with cooling, fan, & dehumidifying modes. So you do not have to install 3 different types of cooling devices in your house. It is powerful enough to cool areas of 250 sq. ft.
Its 24 hour timer is a useful feature to automatically turn off or on the air conditioner when you want it. This makes the portable ac for camping energy efficient. It comes with a remote control that is self explanatory, making it simple to operate. Having a remote is useful, when you want to control temperature in the middle of the night from inside your tent. It’s fairly quiet, much quieter than the window units. The best part is, it has a sleep mode, which is not available in most models. It generates the perfect soft white noise that will lull you right to sleep at night.
The installation is simple with its easy to understand manual guide. This portable ac camping is equipped with an exhaust hose and a window adapter, making it effortless to install. Additionally, it features built-in carrying handles and four caster wheels for easy transportation. This allows it to be conveniently lugged around the campsite or within the RV. Its compact size of (16.5 x 11.5 x 26 in,) makes it easy to put away in the closets when summer is over. Maintenance of the air conditioner is effortless. The filters are easily accessible for cleaning once a week.
Pros
- Easy Movability
- Remote control makes life easier for couch potatoes
- 3-in-1 Portable AC, Fan, and Dehumidifier
- 24 timer
Cons
- Vent not adjustable
PROS
CONS
- Easy Movability
- Remote control makes life easier for couch potatoes
- 3-in-1 Portable AC, Fan, and Dehumidifier
- 24 timer
- Vent not adjustable
The price is a steal for 3 functions which you can use separately. It has the cooling mode, the dehumidifying mode, and the fan mode. The dehumidifier works great to pull the moisture from the air. This makes your tent more comfortable to sleep at night. The portable outdoor air conditioner cools very quickly with its 8000 BTU cooling power and it works beautifully in spaces up to 215+ sq. ft. There is an exhaust hose installation that comes together with the unit. This helps pull out the heat from the tent.
Its design would require you to run inside the tent. There are wheels and finger grips so you can roll it or pick it up to move it. This makes it portable to move the unit from your car to the tent easily. It comes with a remote control which is a great addition. This portable ac unit camping allows easy temperature adjustments. There is no need to get up to turn it on or off. The window vent kit is sturdy. The vent swings up and down to provide great air flow through your tent. Although it has an operating noise level of only 55 57 dB, some users have feedback that it is a little loud. But this is the same as most portable air conditioners.
Pros
- 3-in-1 functionality: cool, dry, and fan.
- shows the current room temperature just plugged in and not on
Cons
- Noisy
- Window exhaust installation kit could be improved
PROS
CONS
- 3-in-1 functionality: cool, dry, and fan.
- shows the current room temperature just plugged in and not on
- Noisy
- Window exhaust installation kit could be improved
SUMMARY
Frigidaire 5,000 BTU 115V is our ultimate choice, consistently having best reviews. This model is easy on the wallet and yet able to perform as expected. It comes in a compact design, yet able deliver a powerful breeze of cool air. Having a good tent air conditioning unit can make a big difference on the enjoyability of tent camping especially on brutal hot summer nights. So, choose your gem from the 5 best air tent conditioners above to begin enjoying your outdoor adventures even more.
What's next
Looking for warmth during cold seasons? Check out the best tent heaters for winter camping. Learn about the various types of tent heaters available in the market and how to choose the right tent heater you need.
I hope you enjoyed this review and if you have questions about any of the 5 best tent conditioner, or want to leave your own personal review, feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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