Summer means heat, and heat means you need a way to stay cool while camping. Fortunately, you have plenty of options to stay cool that don’t involve bringing along a bulky, loud fan. Best of all, portable air conditioners exist for all types of camping.
Modern camping air conditioners are designed to keep you cool longer without disturbing your sleep, which is why they use less energy and make less noise than their predecessors.
Keep reading to learn all about the best camping air conditioners for 2023 for every type of camping. We’ll walk you through our favorite picks, then provide you with a buyers’ guide and frequently asked questions by buyers of camping air conditioners.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
EF EcoFlow Wave 2
Budget Option:
LoweXII Portable Air Conditioner
Best for RVs:
RecPro RV Air Conditioner
Best for Cars, Vans, and Trucks:
BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner
Best for Outdoor Spaces:
HESSAIRE MC18M Portable Evaporative Cooler
Best Overall
EF EcoFlow Wave 2
The EF EcoFlow Wave 2 just hit the market this spring, and we think it’s the most impressive camping air conditioner on the market.
It’s also the first of its kind because it also offers heating. The product is intended for tents, RVs, and small cabin use. It weighs 32 pounds and has a cooling power of 5100 British Thermal Units (BTU).
This camping air conditioner can drop the temperature by 18 degrees in 5 minutes in cooling mode, and you can buy an optional add-on battery to make it portable for up to 8 hours. Buy the EF EcoFlow Portable Power Station Delta Max 2 Max to keep it running for up to 14 hours.
The EcoFlow is installation-free and compact in size, which means you can place it anywhere you’d like. It cools up to 107.6 square feet and has three run modes: Sleeping, Max, and Eco. The design is safe to use around children and pets.
This is also the only camping air conditioner on the market that works as a heater, so the Ecoflow can also accompany you on those spring and fall camping trips.
Because this is a new product on the market, there are limited reviews about the performance of this camping air conditioner.
Wattage: 1158.99 Watt-hours
Noise: 44 dB
Pros
- Compact and installation-free
- Works as a heater in cold weather
- Three modes: Sleeping Mode, Max Mode, and Eco Mode
Cons
- New product with few reviews
Budget Option
LoweXII Portable Air Conditioner
The LoweXII Portable Air Conditioner is a personal air conditioner intended to be kept close by your side. This evaporative cooler is intended to cool only small spaces like a tent or very small RV campers, and it works by adding water to a reservoir in the bottom of the unit.
The cooler has three speeds and also works as humidifier/mister or a regular fan. You even have the option to use the aromatherapy tablets that are included. It’s powered by a USB cord, starts with a long press on the power button, and has three fan speeds.
Not only is this a small, portable, and affordable cooling option, but there’s also the added benefit of the seven-color nightlight feature on those dark camping nights.
Wattage: 7 watts
Noise: 45 dB
Pros
- Small and portable
- Affordable
- Design includes a carrying handle
Cons
- Must be filled regularly with water
- Only cools small spaces
Best for RVs
RecPro RV Air Conditioner
If you own an RV, you seriously need to consider investing in the RecPro RV Air Conditioner. This air conditioner sits on your rooftop and is capable of cooling your entire RV at 13,500 BTU. It has three fan speeds and customers praise how well it cools their RVs.
It weighs approximately 73 pounds and comes with a remote control, so you don’t have to worry about climbing up on the roof every time you want to adjust your AC. There are complaints that the remote is finicky and has to be held at just the right angle to work.
If you’re going to be camping in an area without an electric hookup, you will need a generator designed for RVs to run this air conditioner.
Note: This AC unit uses more power than the other camping air conditioners on our list. It requires a minimum 2500-watt generator and a dedicated 30-amp service. Using a lower-rated generator may cause trouble when you start the AC unit, or you may need a soft starter.
Wattage: 1550 Watts
Noise: 65 dB
Pros
- Three fan speeds
- Cools well
- One of the quietest RV air conditioners on the market
Cons
- Remote can be tricky to work
- Uses significantly more power than other camping air conditioning options
Best for Cars, Vans, and Trucks
BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner
You don’t want to run your vehicle’s AC the entire time while you’re car, truck, or van camping, so invest in the BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner Portable Air Conditioner which cools 54 square feet of enclosed space at 2899 BTU. This is also an ideal camping air conditioner for cooling down tents.
The EVA Foam Board can be purchased separately to easily vent the BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner through your vehicle’s window, which will greatly improve the cooling effect of this product.
You should not use your car battery to run this camping air conditioner because you will blow a fuse or kill your car’s battery.
Instead, you can pair this camping air conditioner with a Jackery Explorer Power Station (which can be charged with solar panels to conserve energy plus help keep the air conditioner and generator running off the grid). This camping air conditioner requires a power station with at least a 360W AC adapter and runs on 120v, 24v, or 12v (with a converter).
The product description boasts lifetime support, but customers have mentioned issues with contacting the support team.
Wattage: 250 Watts
Noise: 50 dB
Pros
- Fast cooling in 15 seconds
- Four modes: Strong, Sleep, Cooling, and Fan
- Lightweight and easy to move around
- 12-month warranty and lifetime technical support
Cons
- Potential issues with customer support
- Cannot use car battery to run this air conditioner
Best for Outdoor Spaces
HESSAIRE MC18M Portable Evaporative Cooler
If you’re just looking for an option to cool down your campsite but not your tent or RV, take a look at the HESSAIRE MC18M Portable Evaporative Cooler. This portable, lightweight 16-pound camping cooler is perfect for setting on your campsite and cooling down the outdoor space on a hot day.
While this is technically an evaporative cooler (also sometimes called a swamp cooler), not an air conditioner, it’s efficient at blowing cool air farther than many camping air conditioners, covering up to 500 square footage.
It uses little energy, which makes it perfect for camping with a low-wattage power station like the Goal Zero Yeti 500X. You can attach it to a garden hose for continuous use or fill water in the tank for 3-4 hours of cooling.
This is also what we recommend having at your campsite if you plan on sleeping in a hammock on a hot summer night.
Pros
- Compact in size
- Wide cooling area
- Dial control with four settings
- Adjustable louvers to direct air flow
Cons
- Needs regular water refills
- Not intended for inside spaces
Wattage: 85 Watts
Noise: 53 dB
Camping Air Conditioner Buyer’s Guide
Watts/Energy Usage
You might decide to pay close attention to energy ratings if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint.
You’ll only need to know about a camping air conditioner’s energy usage if you are camping at sites without electricity (requiring you to use a portable generator) or if the campground you stay at charges for utilities by usage (rare, but some luxury campgrounds do).
If you are looking to buy a portable power system for camping off-the-grid or primitive camping, you will want to be positive your generator can handle your camping air conditioner’s energy needs.
Noise
All of the best camping air conditioners have a low decibel rating. A camping air conditioner that is too noisy can be bothersome for light sleepers, and no one wants to be kept up at night while trying to stay cool.
Cooling Space/Square Footage
You want to consider how much space your camping air conditioner will cover or needs to cover. Some options will require you to be right by the camping air conditioner to feel relief, but others will easily cool down the whole space.
Cooling Power
Cooling power is typically measured in British Thermal Units (BTU). The higher this number, the more powerful the device is.
You might be wondering why an air conditioner’s cooling power is measured in BTU. BTU isn’t just about your air conditioner. It’s a unit of measurement used all over the world for measuring how much heat is needed to increase or decrease one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Follow this chart to determine how much cooling power you need. (Most 4-person tents range from 55 to 65 square feet, and a 40-foot RV typically is around 320 square feet.)
| Square Footage | BTU Needed |
| 50 | 2,000 |
| 100-150 | 5,000 |
| 150-250 | 6.000 |
| 300-350 | 8,000 |
| 350-400 | 9,000 |
Other factors like the number of people, sun, and even the color of the tent or RV’s roof can impact these numbers and require more cooling power to successfully remove heat from your camping area. RVs also are long and narrow, meaning they lose heat faster than a square or round area like a tent.
Weight
A camping air conditioner should be lightweight for easy transport to your campsite.
Adjustability
Many camping air conditioners will allow you to adjust the angle that the air shoots. Take a look at the angles that the camping air conditioner, so you can change the angle of the air as needed.
You will also need to note how your camping air conditioner will be positioned when in use. Can it be on the ground, or is it easy to mount on top of something?
Warranty
A standard warranty period for a camping air conditioner is one year. RecPro offers a 2-year warranty for manufacturer defects only. If you purchase on Amazon, you’re guaranteed a 30-day return window if you are unsatisfied with your product.
Camping Air Conditioner Frequently Asked Questions
Can you leave a camping air conditioner on all day?
Yes, in most situations, it is safe to leave your camping air conditioner on all day and night.
Most portable air conditioners will automatically turn off once the temperature reaches your desired temperature, but that’s not the same as turning it off completely because it’ll continue to turn on and off throughout the day and night as temperatures fluctuate.
Keeping your camping air conditioner all night may not be practical on a battery, and it increases your carbon footprint if you’re connected to power. The EF Ecoflow Wave 2 uses clean energy that will help you stay cool longer while helping the environment and saving money.
How often does a camping air conditioner need to be drained?
This is going to depend on your portable AC and the humidity level. For example, the EF Ecoflow Wave 2 does not need to be drained if humidity levels are below 70% in cooling mode (though you will still need to drain it in heating mode).
A rule of thumb is to drain your camping air conditioner every 8 hours, but we recommend reading your device’s manual for drainage recommendations.
Do all portable air conditioners have to be vented out a window?
In most cases, you will need to vent your camping air conditioner because it needs to expel warm air – when your air conditioner is turned on, it releases heat. If you are not venting your camping air conditioner, that heat can be released right back into your space.
You don’t necessarily need to vent your camping air conditioner out of a window–you can vent it through a door, wall, or ceiling.
You may want to cut a hole in your tent for the vent if your tent does not already have an AC port or hole installed (which should be installed on the right side or the bottom side of your tent like the Bushnell Instant Tent).
Many campers prefer to just crack their door open to vent their camping air conditioner, but this can let in bugs.
The good news is if your camping air conditioner is 12V battery-powered like the BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner, then your tent’s natural ventilation will be enough (although you will still need to vent this air conditioner when used within the walls of a car, truck, or van for optimal cooling).
LoweXII’s portable air conditioner also doesn’t need to be vented.
Wrapping up the Best Camping Air Conditioners
You’re ready to stay cool this summer with one of the best camping air conditioners, and you can even do it in an environmentally-friendly way with the brand-new EF EcoFlow Wave 2.
If you’re looking for more eco-friendly ways to stay cool, check out our recommendations for our favorite solar camping fans.
