Best Tent Air Conditioners For Your Camping Trip

Thought about buying one of the best tent air conditioners for your next camping trip?

Particularly if your trip falls on some of the hottest days of the summer.

It’s certainly nice to leave behind technology and just reconnect with nature.

But why put yourself through sweaty nights when you simply can bring along a tent air conditioner with you?

Sure, you can open up flaps in your tent to let the air in but that’s not going to help with high humidity and temperatures.

So do yourself a huge favour and read the ultimate tent air conditioners buying guide. Then take a look at our picks below:

Our Selection Of The Best Tent Air Conditioners

Note that these picks aren’t ranked in any particular order. This is because depending on your situation, the ideal choice for you will vary.

1. LG LP0818WNR Portable Air Conditioner

As the name implies, this tent air conditioning unit from LG is pretty easy to carry around and convenient to store. You won’t need to move things around inside the tent to find a spot for it. It can cover an area of 200 square feet, which is plenty for larger and smaller tents alike.

The LG LP0818WNR Portable Air Conditioner is not just an air conditioning unit; it's also a dehumidifier that is capable of reaching a moisture removal rate of up to 1.27 kilograms per hour. As a result, you'll be feeling cool pretty quickly after turning the unit on.

But that's not all this unit offers. It's equipped with auto-swing air vent technology that helps to spread the cold air around efficiently. So regardless of where you sleep inside the tent, you can rest assured that you'll get the full effect of it.

The unit conveniently comes with an LED display so that you can keep monitoring the temperature. Plus, with the programmable timer, you can set the temperature at a constant level for up to 24 hours.

Pros:

  • Cools the area fast and efficiently.
  • Comes with remote control for easier operation.
  • Very compact and easy to carry around.
  • Fast dehumidification.

Cons:

  • Needs to be plugged into a standard 115-volt electrical outlet at all times.
  • Need to manually remove water from the collector tray whenever it fills up.

2. SPT WA-1420E Portable Air Conditioner

The SPT WA-1420E Portable Air Conditioner comes packed with several useful features. To start with, it's rated at 14,000 BTU and can cover an area of 550 square feet or greater. Plus, like all great units, it functions as an air conditioner, dehumidifier and fan.

The SPT WA-1420E comes with a few intuitive features. For instance, its intelligent Auto-restart technology will retain the current settings following a power outage. The unit also includes a very user-friendly control panel that allows you to toggle through all the different settings.

It comes with a remote as well, which offers the exact same controls, including the 24-hour programmable timer and the fan speed settings.

Last but not least, the SPT WA-1420E has an auto-evaporative system so you don't need to bother manually draining water from the unit.

Pros:

  • Comes with intelligent technology.
  • Covers a wide area.
  • Auto-evaporative.
  • Energy efficient.

Cons:

  • A bit expensive.

3. Edgestar AP8000W Portable Air Conditioner

If we're being honest, the EdgeStar AP8000W Portable Air Conditioner doesn't pack the most power compared to others on this list.

It's got a rating of 4,600 BTU (which stands for British Thermal Unit – in the context of air conditioning, it's basically used as a measurement of how much air is added per hour). This means that it can cover an area of around 150 square feet, which is adequate for small to medium size tents.

However, the Edgestar AP8000W shines when it comes to convenience. First of all, it's also part dehumidifier which is capable of removing 50 pints of moisture in a day. As a result, you never have to feel 'stuffy' while you're sleeping inside the tent.

It can be a nuisance when you have to manually get rid of the water that gets collected. Fortunately with the AP8000W you get a direct drain option. It's fitted with a small exhaust hose that can take out the water automatically. Just make sure it's not aimed inside the tent!

This best tent air conditioner comes with a proprietary remote which allows you to control several features, including the intensity of its three speed fan and the direction of the louvers. But that's not all! You can also set an automatic on/off time for up to 24 hours beforehand. This way, you can go on a hike and return to a tent that's already cooled and ready for you to sleep in.

Pros:

  • Programmable timer.
  • Compact.
  • Automatic draining.
  • Comes with a variety of cooling features.

Cons:

  • Does not cover a wide area.
  • Because of the lower BTU, it can take a while to cool.
  • The fans can be a bit loud.

4. MightyKool A 12V Air Conditioner

As the name indicates, this MightyKool A Portable Air Conditioner works off a 12V DC electrical port. However, if you have trouble locating one, then fear not! You can just use a 110-volt AC convertor and have it running.

When turned on, this unit blasts out cold air at a speed of 25 miles per hour, which means the interior of the tent will be cooled pretty quickly and efficiently.

While the MightyKool A 12V can't be labelled an evaporative cooler, it does need water to work. The difference is that you don't have keep refilling the water often. Since it actively blasts out air, the unit does tend to get a bit loud.

Pros:

  • Efficient and fast at cooling.
  • Works on both 12V DC or 110V AC converter.
  • Does not require constant water refills.

Cons:

  • Noisy operation.

5. Honeywell MO08CESWK Compact Portable Air Conditioner

The Honeywell MO08CESWK Compact Portable Air Conditioner covers an area of up to 350 square feet, which is plenty for a decently sized family tent. Thanks to it being rated at 8000 BTU, this unit can cool any space fast and have it stay that way for a long time.

The Honeywell MO08CESWK is a multi purpose unit because it can serve as an air conditioner, dehumidifier or a fan. As a dehumidifier, it can remove around 44 pints of moisture in a day. This is pretty handy if you plan on leaving it on continuously.

It's easy to switch between the three modes thanks to the included remote. You can also adjust the temperature, air distribution and humidity to your liking. With most air conditioners, you have to go through the hassle of emptying water frequently. Luckily, the MO08CESWK is auto-evaporative which means that you don’t have to bother draining it yourself.

Pros:

  • Covers a large area.
  • Can act as an air conditioner, dehumidifier and fan.
  • Auto-evaporative.

Cons:

  • Can get a bit noisy.

6. FRIGIDAIRE Portable 10000 BTU Air Conditioner

This 10,000 BTU FRIGIDAIRE Portable Remote Control Air Conditioner is quite a capable unit.

For starters, it can cover an area of 450 square feet, which is enough for large family tents. Plus it’s packed with a lot of great features including an anti-bacterial mesh filter that removes any harmful pathogens and un-pleasant smells from the air. This is particularly useful if you're sharing a tent with other campers.

This unit allows you to switch between three fan speeds and offers a sleep mode, which when en-gaged, increases the temperature gradually. Hence you can turn it down to a lower setting during the afternoon and have it slowly rise as the day naturally progresses to a cooler temperature.

Pros:

  • Portable and compact.
  • Antibacterial mesh filter.
  • Three-speed fan.
  • Covers a large area.

Cons:

  • A bit pricey.

Best Tent Air Conditioners Conclusion

A tent air conditioner can make for a very pleasant camping experience during the summer months. If we had to pick just one out of the six units we’ve reviewed above, it would have to be the SPT WA-1420E Portable Air Conditioner. It’s a compact, reliable unit that sports all of the required features and more.

We hope you have found value in reading our list of the Best Tent Air Conditioners today, feel free to share your comments below.

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