A portable air conditioner is the answer to making it through the hot summer months in houses that that you either don't have or can't install a central unit. A portable air conditioner only requires a few things; a window for the hot air to exhaust out of, an electrical outlet, and sufficient space (as required by the manufacturer). They can be used to cool an entire room, or brought with you from room to room to keep you cool. And for the person that frequently moves, portable units can easily be brought with you.

Another major benefit of having a portable air conditioner is that it's always on hand whenever you need it.  You can stick in a closet or in the garage to get it out of the way when you don't need it, and as soon as it heats up you have a portable air conditioner that's ready to go!

There are many portable air conditioner options to choose from, and this Hub will help you choose from models under $300.

This model from Koldfront is very powerful at 8,000 BTU's (British Thermal Units, used to measure power in heaters and air conditioners) which allows it to cool rooms up to 255 square feet.  This is a dual-function unit, when it's not being used to cool an area it also works as a dehumidifier.  This is great for people with allergies and breathing conditions.  The thermostat on this model has a built in timer that allows you to set it to turn on and off at specified times.  It's stylish silver color makes it aesthetically pleasing in your home as well.

The Koldfront 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is great value for the price.  It has many of the features of the expensive models at a fraction of the price.

The Soleus Air 7000 BTU Portable Evaporative Air Conditioner has a compact footprint and modern look that works perfectly in any bedroom or small space. This is an evaporative AC unit (AKA swamp cooler). It uses water to cool the air that it takes in, resulting in the need to occasionally empty the water out of it.

The modern look of this portable air conditioner is a real selling point. It would blend into any computer desk or work area, and keep you cool while you're working,

The Soleus model feature a programmable timer and thermostat, remote control, and humidifier function. It is a good value for it's modern look.

This model from SPT has a very innovative design that allows the price to remain very affordable.  It's labeled as an evaporative cooler, but operates like a mix between a misting system and a fan.  It blows out lightly moist water that effectively cools the area around it.  It isn't an AC unit, so its energy consumption is much lower.  One major drawback is that is not very effective in humid climates.