Highest BTU Window & Portable Air Conditioner for Large Room

The largest window air conditioner is 25,000 BTU. That’s the amount of heat, British thermal units, that it removes from the room per hour. In AC terms, that’s about 2-tons of cooling power for the most powerful window models.

The largest portable air conditioner units are 14,000 to 15,000 BTU using the standard AC BTU rating.

If you apply the new portable air conditioner rating developed by the DOE to compensate for heat being released or pulled back into the space, the BTU rating is around 9,000 to 12,000 BTU for the biggest units.

In the article, we will go over the highest BTU portable and window air conditioners available that would be perfect for a large room in any home. When choosing a window air conditioner for a large room, make sure that the window will fit the AC unit. Use this link to check to see if the window air conditioner will properly fit in your window.

Read on to find out more about the highest BTU air conditioners available  for a large room.

Highest BTU Window Air Conditioner

Air conditioners are measured in size by BTUs or by tons. Window AC units range between 5,000 and 25,000 BTUs. The largest of the window air conditioners are able to effectively cool spaces around 1,500 square feet.  

110v/120v Largest Window Air Conditioner

The highest number of BTUs a 110v/120v window air conditioner can generate is 15,000 BTUs. Anything larger than 15,000 BTU will require a 220v/230v electrical line.

Below are the largest 110v/120v window air conditioning units available. 

Emerson Quiet Kool EARC15RE1

This is a 110v window AC unit that has a 15,000 BTU cooling capacity. It is a popular window air conditioner because of its quality, efficiency and that it can be plugged into any standard outlet – rather than a 220V outlet. 

This Emerson window AC is Energy Star certified, covers 700 square feet of space and has a remote for conveniently changing temperature, mode, fan speed and more. 

What makes it unique? At 52 decibels, it is very quiet. 

Its minimum window width is 28”, which is fairly wide. It has a minimum height of 19” window opening. At more than 25” deep – front to back – you might want a bracket to carry the weight, especially if it will be installed on an upper floor.  It is a little heavy at 105lbs, so consider getting help to install it. 

This Emerson window AC runs on 11 amps, so a 15-amp outlet should be fine if there isn’t a lot of other electronics on it. 

Total dimensions are: 25.4″ D x 23.6″ W x 17.9″ H

Frigidaire FFRE153WAE 15,100 BTU Window-mounted AC 

Here’s another highly rated option that delivers 15,100 BTU of powerful cooling. It is also Energy Star certified, includes a remote, has a 24-hour timer and uses environmentally friendly R32 refrigerant. This is the biggest 115V window air conditioner available, and it can cool up to 850 square feet. That’s quite impressive. 

What makes it unique? It is available in 6 sizes from 5,000 to 15,100 BTUs. And this size is also very quiet at an operating noise level of just 52 decibels (dB). 

HomeLabs HME030343N 15,000 BTU 115V Window AC 

This is a quality brand, and the most powerful 110/120V AC it makes. It’s Energy Star certified, fits windows from 28” to 41” wide and is very quiet too. A multi-function remote is included that allows you to control temperature and settings from anywhere in the room. 

What makes it unique? This series is produced in sizes from 8,000 to 15,000 BTUs. It is approximately 25 ½” wide and 18” tall, so your window opening should be 26” wide and 19” or 20” for a minimum height. The sound ratings are 52dB (low speed), 53dB (medium) and 56dB  (high). 

220v/230v Largest Window Air Conditioner

The largest window air conditioner units, the most powerful in terms of how much heat they remove, are 25,000 – 28,000 BTU. Here are highly rated, powerful AC options. 

Frigidaire 25,000 BTU Window AC 

This AC is Energy Star certified and cools more than 1,400 square feet. It’s ideal for an apartment or small home with an open floor plan that allows the cool air to circulate throughout. It will also supply powerful cooling for a converted attic, garage or any application.

This 25,000 BTU window air conditioner has a slide-out chassis, so the weight isn’t all in one component. This makes it easier to lift into place – first the chassis and then the rest of the AC. It features a 24-hour timer, multi-direction airflow and remote.

Note: Frigidaire also makes a 28,000 BTU window air conditioner with the same type of chassis for easier installation.

Highest Heating BTU 110v/120v Window AC 

To find a window air conditioning unit that runs on 110v/120v with heat for a large room is not an easy task. Most of the window units require 220v/230v outlets. But we found a couple really good choices. 

Koldfront WAC8001W

This Koldfront window AC with heat delivers 8,000 BTU of air conditioning plus 3,500 BTUs for heating. This system can cool up 350 square feet and heat up to 150 square feet in the colder months. The Koldfront has an EER rating of 10.7, which is above the average EER rating of 9. The unit requires a minimum window width of 26 7/8″- 36″ Minimum window height is 16 1/2″.

Frigidaire FFRH0822R1 with Supplemental Heat 

Frigidaire makes some of the very best window air conditioners available. In this category, our second choice is the Frigidaire FFRH0822R1 window system. This unit generates 8,000 BTUs and can cool up to 350 feet. The heating aspect of the Frigidaire is 3,500 BTUs and it can heat a room up to 150 square feet. 

Highest Heating BTU 220v/230v Window AC 

These are powerful units for climate control in all weather. 

Koldfront WAC25001W Window AC with Heat

25,000 BTU of AC and 16,000 BTU of heating is very impressive. 

The Koldfront WAC25001W is the largest window AC unit with a heater that is available on the market. This unit will generate up to 25,000 BTUs of air conditioning to cool large spaces. In addition to the high cooling BTUs, the Koldfront can also generate up to 16,000 BTUs of heating in the winter months. The Koldfront WAC25001W can cool a space up to 1,500 square feet and heat an area up to 700 square feet. It requires a 30 amp breaker and runs on 230 volts. 

LW1216HR Window AC with Heat 

This is a powerful tool for keeping large rooms comfortable in all weather. 

As a window air conditioner unit, it can cool a room up to 500 square feet. The LG LW1216HR is highly rated by consumers, one of the best window air conditioners available. It produces up to 12,000 BTUs of cooling output in the summer and 11,200 BTUs of heating in the winter, which is enough heating power to warm a space up to 450 square feet. The LG is extremely energy efficient. It has an EER rating of 11.3.

Highest BTU Portable Air Conditioner

When you want powerful cooling in a portable unit, check out these quality options.

110v/120v Largest Portable Air Conditioner

These units obviously plug into a standard outlet, which makes them very convenient. You can find a few 15,000 BTU portable air conditioners on the market, but frankly, they aren’t very good. The ratings are low for reliability. And our goal is to help you find quality AC options – not the biggest whether they are any good. 

Whynter ARC-14S

This is a quality portable air conditioner – an Amazon’s Choice, though this is not why we selected it. The Whynter ARC-14S produces 14,000 BTUs of powerful cooling. The Whynter is also very efficient, with an EER rating of 10.8. The Whynter portable air conditioner has over 4000 positive reviews on Amazon, so it is not only powerful, but also very popular. 

Black & Decker 14,000 BTU Portable AC 

The standard rating is 14,000 BTU, but the new SACC rating for this model is 7,700 BTU. Customers love its dependable cooling for about 300-350 square feet. Plus, if you only want to remove humidity from a clammy room without making it chilly, use the Dry Mode, which is a dehumidifier. 

220v/230v Largest Portable Air Conditioner 

N/A! Units this size are not sold in the US. Your only option is a 110/115/120V portable AC. 

Highest Heating BTU 110v/120v Portable AC  

These aren’t heat pumps, but they do have a heating element, like a space heater, that takes the chill out of a room in winter. Here are the best and most powerful 110V / 115V / 120V portable air conditioners with heat. 

The highest heating BTU 110V/120V Portable AC models are the same as those listed above with one difference – these versions come with a built-in heater to do double-duty to keep you comfortable. 

Black & Decker 14,000 BTU Portable AC with Heat 

The top-rated portable air conditioner above from Black & Decker also comes in a model with heat. It is designed to warm up to 200 square feet, which is a room of about 10 x 20 or 15 x 13.5. It’s ideal for a bedroom, home office or similar cozy room. 

Whynter ARC-SH

There is already one Whynter portable AC on our best portable air conditioners list. This one offers supplemental heat too.

The Whynter ARC-14SH is a portable air conditioner that has two hoses that allows the unit to work more efficiently in both the summer and winter. The ARC-14SH  has 14,000 BTU cooling capacity and can cool up to 600 square feet. It also can generate up to 13,000 BTUs of heating output, which can heat up 500 square feet. Finally, the Whynter ARC-14SH is very energy efficient, with an EER rating of 10.8. 

Highest Heating BTU 220v/230v Portable AC

N/A again.

Other Larger/ Higher BTU Air Conditioner Alternatives: Mini Split

If a window AC unit or a portable air conditioner is not what you are looking for, there are other options available. Besides installing central air conditioning, many homeowners are opting to go with a mini split system.These systems can easily cool a large room in any home, as well as heat the room efficiently. Like all of the different types of air conditioning options, mini split systems range in price and in BTUs. The smallest mini split units are 6,000 BTUs, and the largest go up to 60,000 BTUs. Mini splits range in price from as low as $700 to up to $7,000 for just the unit. To operate a mini split system, expect to spend between around $0.25 to up to $1.00 per hour.

Written by

Rene has worked 10 years in the HVAC field and now is the Senior Comfort Specialist for PICKHVAC. He holds an HVAC associate degree and EPA & R-410A Certifications.

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