When you go camping, it’s likely you’re going during a time of year when it’s very warm out. Naturally, it can be incredibly hot in some places, so air conditioners for tent camping are crucial. Not only can they help to make the outdoors a bit more comfortable but they can also be a literal lifesaver.
There have been times in which heat exhaustion or heatstroke nearly took people from this world and into the great beyond. However, proper treatment early, including a cool environment to be put in, helped them survive. Imagine that, life could be saved simply from having one of these products on a routine camping trip to a hot environment.
These air conditioners for tent camping may seem like cheating the elements, yet not everyone can handle roughing it. If you’re ever going to get the RV type of people outdoors, then you may need to have one of these air conditioners too. Let’s face it, these types are going to be the hardest to convince, so if you bring a little inside to the outside…it may convince them.
Ultimately, these air conditioners serve numerous uses and it’s clear that there is an interest in them. Otherwise, no one would make them to begin with, right?
Of course, there are tons of these portable air conditioners out there today. For some people, it may be hard to determine what the best one might be for them. That is why we’re here, as we’ve found four of these little air conditioners that we’re certain you will love. All of them are different sizes and some can cool larger areas than others.
No matter the specific needs you have, one of these will fit for sure!
Table of Contents
Breakdown Of The Best ACs For Tent Camping
With that said, let’s highlight some of the best air conditioners for tent camping available today.
Zero Breeze Z19-B Portable Air Conditioner
- 1100 BTU
- Plugs Into Wall, Gas/Propane, Or Lithium
- 12.8lbs
One of the coolest things about this portable air conditioner by Zero Breeze is that it can seemingly hold up well against anything! You need this from any air conditioner, of course. Yet it is especially huge for the ones you plan to use outdoors in a tent.
This air conditioner uses an 1100-BTU patented micro-compressor. Thus, it can change temperatures relatively well, and with ease. Say a room is 90-degrees, it can manage to bring it down to 72-degrees in a 50 square-foot tent. Obviously, the larger your tent is, the longer it will take to cool as well as the more power it will take to remain cool.
While it is in the name, this air conditioner is portable but we're undercutting it by just saying this. It's considered one of the most portable air conditioners on the market today, only weighing 12.8lbs. This will make it easy to store in your vehicle on the way to a campsite. On top of this, the weight is so low that it won't be too difficult to move for adults as well as kids.
Best of all, it's an easy set-up each time you use it. It'll work off of a lot of different sources. A 12V car battery works, as well as gas, propane, or lithium powered generators. It can even work when powered from a simple wall outlet.
With so many possibilities on HOW to use it, one must conclude that the versatile use of this air conditioner makes it well worth the investment asked of it.
This is a 5-in-1 design that includes the actual air conditioner, fan, USB charging station, Bluetooth Music Player, and even LED lighting. Included in the purchase beyond this are 1 power adaptor, an extra power cord, a drain tube, a flexible hose adaptor, and a flexible exhaust hose. Not to mention a 1-year warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee.
MightyKool A 12-Volt 120/12-volt Converter Bundle
- 2 Outlets
- Anything 12-Volt to 120-Volt
- 6.5lbs
The MightyKool system is pretty compelling. This particular model has the ability to work in multiple different ways. It's a bit smaller and capable of fitting into smaller tents as a result. Since we wanted to find various different air conditioners for tent camping, we felt that MightyKool stood out quite well.
The system actually uses water to produce cold air. Essentially, once it's plugged into a power source, the system basically cools the water and then blows out cool air. It technically blows out water as a result but it's very little and won't dampen or soak an area or the inside of your tent.
Due to this, you want to be careful when using it in very humid environments. Since humidity adds H2O into the air, this will mix with it and it may cause some with allergy or breathing issues to have trouble breathing near it.
The coolest part of this system is that it can work on a 12-Volt power outlet, which can be as simple as a cell phone charger or any wall outlet. This model actually bundles with the capability to use up to 120-Volts too. This is in addition to the 2 extra Smart Cooling Filters included in the purchase.
As a result of the bundle, you could save somewhere near $100 compared to buying everything included on its own. That makes this price well worth it and essentially a steal!
Do keep in mind that the 12-Volt side of these air conditioners for tent camping is not capable of cooling entire areas. It can merely handle smaller areas, including the inside of most tents. Meanwhile, the 120-Volt side will be able to handle all of this.
Suuonee Portable Air Conditioner
- Energy Efficient
- 12-Volt Capable Outlet
- 2lbs
The Suuonee Portable Air Conditioner is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the air conditioners for tent camping. It's so light and mobile that you can have it on your desk in a small or large office and even in your vehicle. You know, in case your own car air system it messed up. Due to all of this, it can handle cooling a tent without any problem at all!
Like the MightyKool, this is a model that is best at the 12-Volt power level. That means you need to keep it somewhere in that area when you plug it into a nearby power source. You can likely plug it into an outlet that is capable of more but only if it's in a wall outlet or one from your vehicle that won't send back any issue that will break it.
It's built tough based on what we've seen of it. It can handle any season, all year long. However, you will mostly need it for 2 to 3 times out of the year most likely. It takes up and uses such low power that it's essentially energy efficient, making it a perfect gift for someone that environmentally conscious.
It works on 2 different speeds, slow & fast. This may seem pretty simple compared to others but ultimately this is all anyone really needs.
You can use it with water by just filling it with said water or just add ice. The fan will then blow out cool and refreshing air completely based on the temp of the cool water/ice you put in there.
The Suuonee brand also stands by its air conditioner. So much so, they are willing to service you quickly and efficiently should any issue come up with the machine. They mention that you can call them anytime with any questions or concerns you might have with their product. You get free 30-day support on the product and can get a full refund should issues remain.
On top of this, they offer a one-year warranty for added security and support. However, we'd recommend checking out the terms of their warranty to know what is and isn't covered.
Lelekey Portable Air Conditioner Fan
- Inexpensive
- Rechargeable 2000 mAH Lithium-Ion Battery
- Less Than 5lbs
Perhaps our favorite on the list is the Lelekey Portable Air Conditioner Fan. While this particular fan is meant for office use, it's actually capable of handling the job of cooling a tent too!
This product is like the others in that you can use water to cool the room. It differs in other ways, however. This air conditioner literally sucks the warm air out of a tent and blows it back out in a cool refreshing breeze. It essentially humidifies in this regard, so be careful with this.
Unlike others on this list, Lelekey does not make you find some sort of power source to make it work.. It's a completely wireless product while in operation. Therefore, the power source is built-in, as this air conditioner works on a 2000 mAH Lithium-Ion battery. It's rechargeable and capable of working for 3-8 hours. The amount of time it lasts truly depends on the setting you have it at.
It works off of 3 different speed options. Of course, kept on low it will cool things and last 8 hours while doing so. Meanwhile, if kept on the highest setting, it'll do similar but last only 3 hours. Therefore, we'd recommend the low setting for the best results while camping.
Included in the purchase is a built-in LED light to help you see what settings you're on. This light is also relatively warm when left on, sort of acting as a heating source if nights get very cold. On top of this is the added USB adaptor & power bank.
Truly, Lelekey is a tremendous product that is well worth checking into. Plus, it's incredibly small and the most portable on our list due to its rechargeable battery.
