Updated on Sep. 27, 2024
Discover the best garage air conditioning solutions to fit your needs, including portable, window-mount, mini-split and swamp cooler systems.
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Air conditioning in a garage has multiple benefits beyond comfort. Garage air conditioning reduces the chance of hot air making its way from an attached garage into the house’s living space through the door or walls. Keeping your garage cooler can also help protect paint, chemicals, lumber or other sensitive materials from damage. Finally, a cool garage can make getting into and out of vehicles a more pleasant experience.
If you spend time in your garage—whether for working, working out, relaxing or creating—installing a garage air conditioner is a must in almost any climate. “If you use the garage as a workspace or spend significant time there, an air conditioner can improve comfort and productivity,” says Brad Roberson, a 20-year veteran and president of Aire Serv, a trusted name in the field of heating and air conditioning installation, maintenance, and repair. However, just as there are good and poor garage heaters, garage air conditioners vary in quality and abilities.
To help you choose the best garage air conditioning solution for your garage space, we’ve analyzed the top contenders, consulted with experts, and listed the best of them here.
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Our pick for the best overall garage air conditioner is the Whynter Portable Air Conditioner for its versatility and ability to meet most garage owners’ needs. This portable, 14,000 BTU air conditioner unit is capable of effectively cooling a two-car garage—but that’s just the start.
The Whynter can also act as a fan or a dehumidifier and includes a 13,000 BTU heater. The unit comes with everything you need for installation and operation, including a window kit, remote control and charcoal filter. The Whynter model may just be the perfect fit if you’re searching for an all-around solution in an easy and convenient package.
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Air conditioning in a small garage can have its own challenges—and space is often the first that comes to mind. Enter the Joy Pebble Portable Air Conditioner. This 8,000 BTU air conditioner weighs in at just 40 pounds, and sports a footprint of just over one square foot.
While this model is available in three larger BTU units, the wallet-friendly pricing of this one—coupled with features you’d expect in more expensive appliances—makes it an excellent value for use in your smaller garage. The unit can also dehumidify without cooling and comes with a remote control and quiet sleeping mode for convenience.
The only downside is that the model uses a single hose for exhausting hot air. While that helps simplify installation, the unit will operate less efficiently than two-hose designs.
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Large garages need large air conditioning and heating solutions, and the DuctlessAire Mini Split provides just that. This 24,000 BTU, ductless mini-split unit is large enough to cool a four-car garage and efficient enough—with a 20.5 SEER energy savings rating—to do it without breaking the bank.
In addition to providing both cooling and heating capabilities, the DuctlessAire model features a host of convenient options. Its built-in diagnostics can self-diagnose any issues as they arise, and its Wi-Fi capability allows for smart-home integration.
While the DuctlessAire DA2421-H2 comes with everything needed for installation, hiring a professional installer or electrician to run a new circuit is necessary to do the job.
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Air conditioning units can be noisy. But the Olmo Alpic Ductless Mini Split has been touted by many reviewers for its incredibly quiet operation. But don’t let the lower noise level fool you—this unit generates an impressive 18,000 BTUs—enough to cool the air in a three-car garage under most circumstances.
Considering the cooling and heating power of this unit and the price of this unit compared to similar models, the Olmo Alpic also provides great value. And with a SEER rating of 16.8, it’s also an energy-efficient choice as well. Other impressive features include self-defrost, self-diagnosis, sleep mode, fan delay mode and a five-year compressor warranty.
Ductless mini split air conditioners are permanent systems that require professional installation. The OLMA runs on 208-230V electricity. So, your garage may also need an electrician’s service before installation.
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It can be challenging to find a portable AC unit efficient enough to keep things cool for those with garages larger than single-car setups. The Black+Decker Portable Air Conditioner is a 14,000 BTU unit that will likely do the trick.
In addition to powerful air conditioning, this 4-in-1 unit also has heating, dehumidifying and fan capabilities. This portable system also features top-mounted touch controls with LED display and a remote control for convenient operation. The unit also includes a two-hose intake and exhaust design for higher efficiency.
Our only concerns with this appliance are its short one-year warranty and its high electrical draw of over 11 amps on a 110V circuit. Consider plugging it into a 20A circuit if one is available, or adding one to the garage to avoid tripped breakers.
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Older garages may not have a window compatible with a window air conditioner. However, if your garage does, a window AC unit like the Midea Window Air Conditioner can be a convenient and out-of-the-way method for keeping your garage cool.
We particularly like this model’s U-shaped design, which allows you to close the window farther than traditional window units and allows you to easily lift the window to help vent the garage. The Midea is available in 8,000, 10,000 and 12,000 BTU sizes, all of which include Wi-Fi compatibility, quiet operation, sleep mode and timer function.
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For those living in warm and dry climates, a swamp cooler may be the best bet for keeping a garage cool on hot days. We particularly like this 3-in-1 evaporative cooler from Cozzyben as it provides an inexpensive solution for your garage cooling needs. In addition to cooling, the unit also serves as a fan and dehumidifier. Plus it’s remote-control and portable, wheeled design means you can put it anywhere that’s convenient.
The Cozzyben 3-in-1 cooling fan blows 2,100 CFM of air over an evaporator, which contains a 5.3-gallon water capacity and four reusable ice packs to increase the unit’s cooling power. The evaporative cooler can only run for around 10 hours before needing a water refill—but that should be just enough to keep the garage temperature down through the hottest part of the day.
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