A portable air conditioner dehumidifier combo sounds like two machines for the price of one. It is partly true. Air conditioners remove moisture whenever they cool, because water condenses on the cold coil. Most portable units also have a dry or dehumidify mode that runs the compressor with a slow fan to pull out more water while cooling less.
What they are not is a basement dehumidifier. A portable AC needs a window hose, works best in warm rooms, and its dehumidifying numbers are not measured on the same test as a real dehumidifier. If you need to dry a cool, damp basement, buy a dehumidifier. If you need to cool a hot, sticky room, a portable AC with a good dry mode does both jobs well.
| Model | Cooling (ASHRAE / SACC or DOE) | Dehumidify figure | Hose | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midea Duo MAP14HS1TBL | 14,000 / 12,000 SACC | Not published | Hose-in-hose (dual) | Yes |
| LG LP1419IVSM | 14,000 / 10,000 DOE | 3.1 pints per hour (LG) | Single | Yes |
| Whynter ARC-1230WN | 14,000 / 12,000 SACC | 87 pints listed, conditions not stated | Dual | Yes |
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT | 14,000 / 10,200 SACC | Not published | Single | Yes |
Sources: Amazon listings for each model, LG specification sheet, Midea product page. Dehumidify figures are not measured on a common test, so do not compare them with dehumidifier pints per day.
Best portable AC and dehumidifier picks
| Pick | Capacity | Coverage | Pump | Noise | ENERGY STAR | Price tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best portable AC and dehumidifier Midea Duo 14K | See notes | Up to 550 sq ft (Midea) | No | As low as 42 dB (Amazon listing) | Not stated | $$$$ | Check price |
| Best quiet inverter LG LP1419IVSM | See notes | Up to 500 sq ft (LG); Amazon detail table says 450 | No | As low as 44 dB in sleep mode (LG listing) | Not stated | $$$$ | Check price |
| Best dual hose Whynter ARC-1230WN | See notes | Up to 600 sq ft (Amazon listing) | No | 42.5 dB (Amazon detail table) | Not stated | $$$$ | Check price |
| Best value BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT | See notes | Up to 700 sq ft (Amazon listing) | No | 54 dB (Amazon detail table) | Not stated | $$$ | Check price |
| Best dedicated dehumidifier instead Midea Cube 50 (no pump) | 50 pints/day (DOE) | Up to 4,500 sq ft (Amazon listing) | No | Not published for this SKU (RTINGS measured the pump version at 54 to 56 dBA) | Yes | $$$ | Check price |
Best portable AC and dehumidifier
Midea Duo 14,000 BTU Inverter Portable Air Conditioner with Heat
Best for: hot, humid rooms up to about 550 sq ft.
The Midea Duo is our pick for the best portable air conditioner and dehumidifier because of its hose-in-hose design: one hose pulls outside air in for the condenser and the other sends it back out, so the unit does not suck humid outdoor air in through gaps around the house. Midea rates it at 14,000 BTU (12,000 BTU SACC) for up to 550 sq ft, with an inverter compressor, a heat pump mode, and app and voice control. The Amazon listing gives as low as 42 dB.
Midea does not publish a pints-per-day figure for dry mode, so we cannot rank its dehumidifying against the others.
| Model number | MAP14HS1TBL-A |
|---|---|
| Type | Portable air conditioner with dry (dehumidify) mode |
| Coverage | Up to 550 sq ft (Midea) |
| Built-in pump | No |
| Wi-Fi / app | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR | Not stated |
| Noise | As low as 42 dB (Amazon listing) |
| Cooling | 14,000 BTU ASHRAE / 12,000 BTU SACC (Midea) |
| Dehumidify rating | Midea does not publish a pints/day figure for dry mode |
| Hose | Hose-in-hose design that takes in and exhausts air outdoors |
| Heat | Heat pump, works from 41F to 86F outdoors |
| App and voice | Midea app, Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Weight | 77.2 lb |
| Price tier | Premium (about $400 to $900) |
Pros
- Hose-in-hose design
- Inverter
- Heat mode
- App, Alexa, Google
Cons
- Heavy (77 lb)
- No published dehumidify rating
Spec sources (checked 2026-11-12): Amazon listing B0FC2SGGF9 (Model Number MAP14HS1TBL-A); Midea US product page MAP14HS1TBL.
Best quiet inverter portable AC with dehumidifier
LG 14,000 BTU Dual Inverter Smart Portable Air Conditioner
LG's LP1419IVSM is the only pick here with a published dehumidify rate from the maker: 3.1 pints per hour on LG's spec sheet. It is rated at 14,000 BTU (ASHRAE) and 10,000 BTU (DOE), and LG lists it as low as 44 dB in sleep mode thanks to its dual inverter compressor. It uses a single hose, which is simpler to fit but less efficient than a dual hose design.
| Model number | LP1419IVSM |
|---|---|
| Type | Portable air conditioner with dry (dehumidify) mode |
| Coverage | Up to 500 sq ft (LG); Amazon detail table says 450 |
| Built-in pump | No |
| Wi-Fi / app | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR | Not stated |
| Noise | As low as 44 dB in sleep mode (LG listing) |
| Cooling | 14,000 BTU ASHRAE / 10,000 BTU DOE |
| Dehumidify rating | 3.1 pints per hour (LG spec sheet; Amazon detail table) |
| Hose | Single hose |
| App | LG ThinQ |
| Weight | 71 lb |
| Price tier | Premium (about $400 to $900) |
Pros
- Published dehumidify rate
- Quiet sleep mode (44 dB, LG)
- LG ThinQ app
Cons
- Single hose
- 71 lb
Spec sources (checked 2026-11-12): Amazon listing B07NC2QM6V (Model Number LP1419IVSM); LG LP1419IVSM specification sheet.
Best dual hose portable AC
Whynter NEX 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Inverter Smart Portable Air Conditioner
The Whynter NEX ARC-1230WN is a dual hose inverter unit rated at 14,000 BTU (12,000 SACC) for up to 600 sq ft. Amazon's detail table lists 87 pints for dehumidifying without stating the test conditions, so treat that as an upper limit in hot, humid air rather than a comparable rating. It has Wi-Fi and voice control.
| Model number | ARC-1230WN |
|---|---|
| Type | Portable air conditioner with dry (dehumidify) mode |
| Coverage | Up to 600 sq ft (Amazon listing) |
| Built-in pump | No |
| Wi-Fi / app | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR | Not stated |
| Noise | 42.5 dB (Amazon detail table) |
| Cooling | 14,000 BTU ASHRAE / 12,000 BTU SACC |
| Dehumidify rating | Amazon's detail table lists 87 pints; test conditions not stated |
| Hose | Dual hose (separate intake and exhaust) |
| Weight | 77.3 lb |
| Price tier | Premium (about $400 to $900) |
Pros
- Dual hose
- Inverter
- Wi-Fi
Cons
- Heaviest here (77.3 lb)
- Dehumidify figure has no stated conditions
Spec sources (checked 2026-11-12): Amazon listing B09TP51PPH (Model Number ARC-1230WN).
Best value portable AC with dry mode
BLACK+DECKER 14,000 BTU Smart Portable Air Conditioner
The BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT is a 3-in-1 air conditioner, dehumidifier and fan rated at 14,000 BTU ASHRAE and 10,200 BTU SACC on its Amazon listing. Its Follow Me remote reads the temperature where you sit, and it supports Alexa and Google Assistant. It is a single hose unit and the listing gives 54 dB.
| Model number | BPACT14WT |
|---|---|
| Type | Portable air conditioner with dry (dehumidify) mode |
| Coverage | Up to 700 sq ft (Amazon listing) |
| Built-in pump | No |
| Wi-Fi / app | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR | Not stated |
| Noise | 54 dB (Amazon detail table) |
| Cooling | 14,000 BTU ASHRAE / 10,200 BTU SACC (Amazon listing) |
| Dehumidify rating | Not published in pints/day |
| Hose | Single hose |
| Extras | Follow Me remote that senses temperature where you sit; Alexa and Google Assistant |
| Weight | 68.3 lb |
| Price tier | Mid (about $200 to $400) |
Pros
- Lower price tier
- Follow Me remote
- Voice control
Cons
- Single hose
- Louder than the inverters
Spec sources (checked 2026-11-12): Amazon listing B01DLPUWHQ (Model Number BPACT14WT).
Best dedicated dehumidifier instead
Midea Cube 50 Pint Smart Dehumidifier (no pump)
If your problem is humidity rather than heat, skip the AC. A dedicated dehumidifier like the no-pump Midea Cube 50 is ENERGY STAR certified at 49.67 pints a day on the DOE test, needs no window hose and works in a cool basement where a portable AC would barely run.
| Model number | MAD50S1QWT |
|---|---|
| Type | Compressor (portable) |
| Capacity (current DOE test, 65F) | 50 pints/day |
| Coverage | Up to 4,500 sq ft (Amazon listing) |
| Built-in pump | No |
| Wi-Fi / app | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR | Yes |
| Noise | Not published for this SKU (RTINGS measured the pump version at 54 to 56 dBA) |
| Bucket / capacity | Expandable large-capacity bucket (same Cube design as the pump version) |
| Drain | Bucket or gravity drain hose (no pump) |
| App | Wi-Fi, works with Alexa (Amazon listing) |
| ENERGY STAR test data | 49.67 pints/day, IEF 2.01 L/kWh, about 515 kWh/yr (record for MAD50S1QWT-A) |
| Price tier | Mid (about $200 to $400) |
Pros
- Real, comparable capacity
- No window hose
- Works in cool rooms
Cons
- Adds heat to the room
- Does not cool
Spec sources (checked 2026-11-11): Amazon listing B0GL7B1FC8 (model MAD50S1QWT); Midea US store page MAD50S1QWT; ENERGY STAR certified product record (MAD50S1QWT-A).
Does AC dehumidify?
Yes. Any air conditioner removes moisture while it cools: warm, humid air passes over the cold evaporator coil, water condenses and drains away, and the air comes out cooler and drier. That is why a running AC fills a drain pan. Danby explains that dehumidify mode adjusts the unit's settings to remove more moisture than it would while cooling, and that the water may collect in an internal tank you have to empty.
The catch is that an AC dehumidifies only while the compressor runs. An oversized AC cools the room fast, shuts off and stops removing water, which leaves a cold, clammy room. That is the main reason people add a dehumidifier for AC unit support.
Dry mode explained
| AC dry mode | Dedicated dehumidifier | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Runs the compressor with a slow fan to favor water removal | Removes water and returns the air slightly warmer |
| Room temperature | Cools a little | Warms a little |
| Needs a window hose | Depends on the model; check the manual | No |
| Rated on a standard test | No common pints/day test | Yes: DOE pints/day and ENERGY STAR IEF |
| Works in a cool basement | Poorly | Yes, down to the unit's rated minimum |
Dehumidification in AC dry mode works well on mild, muggy days when you do not need much cooling. De'Longhi's FAQ describes dry mode as removing humidity without the full cooling of AC mode.
AC vs dehumidifier: which to run
Use this rule of thumb:
- Hot and humid: run the AC. It handles both.
- Mild and muggy: run AC dry mode, or a dehumidifier if the room should not get cooler.
- Cool and damp (basements, spring and fall): run a dehumidifier. An AC would make the room cold.
- AC running but the house still feels sticky: run a dehumidifier alongside it. Running a dehumidifier and air conditioner together is common in humid climates and in homes with oversized AC systems.
When you use both, keep the dehumidifier away from the AC's thermostat or remote sensor, because it gives off warm air.
Frequently asked questions
Can a portable AC be used as a dehumidifier?
Is dry mode the same as a dehumidifier?
Should I run a dehumidifier with AC?
Sources
- Danby: How to use your portable air conditioner as a dehumidifier
- De'Longhi: Dehumidifying mode vs air conditioning mode
- ENERGY STAR: Dehumidifier testing and capacity
- ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifiers dataset (data.energystar.gov)