We all love summer … in theory — until it’s a sweltering upper 90-degree day and you’re standing on the platform in your business suit waiting for the 7 train, but it’s 45 minutes late. Or you’re driving to work and your AC in your car goes out and now you’re driving what feels like a taxi in hell. Or your home isn’t equipped with AC and opening windows, even at night, just isn’t cutting it. We all hit those moments where it’s just too damn hot outside. That’s where personal air conditioners can save the day (and maybe your summer).
You don’t have to sweat to death this summer. Many personal air conditioners only cost around $20 – $30 and keep you nice and cool for hours. Most wrap around your neck (with a few exceptions) and blow cool air down your shirt and around your neck and face, keeping you nice and cool, even on crazy hot days.
What To Look For in the Best Personal Air Conditioners
Personal AC units widely vary in size, design and price. With that in mind, here’s what you should consider when looking for a unit that will fit your cooling needs:
- Battery Life – The battery life can vary widely depending on use. But as a base, these personal fans should last at least two hours on continuous use. But many last anywhere from four to 16 hours.
- Weight – The motto here is: less weight equals more comfort. Since most of these rest on your shoulders and around your neck, you don’t want anything that is more than a pound.
- Noise Level – You want the fan to be quiet. Anything above 40 decibels is more than a whisper, and considering these personal air conditioners are often so close to your ears, you definitely don’t want one that makes more than 40 dB of noise.
Staying cool has never been this easy, affordable, and actually rather stylish. Here are our picks for the best personal air conditioners available now.
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1. TORRAS Coolify Portable Air Conditioner Neck Fan
BEST OVERALL
They might look like headphones, but instead, this wearable AC unit keeps you cool when you’re out and about or for a quick post-workout cooldown. One of our SPY members tested it out and said the Torras Coolify kept him cool walking around on a hot day. This portable air conditioner lasts up to eight hours and is comfortable enough to wear while you’re walking around town. Don’t knock it till you try it.
2. Jisulife Portable Neck Fan
BEST VALUE
Through Amazon, you can score the Jisulife Portable Neck fan for a hefty 43% discount. If that isn’t enticing enough, it also has over 11,500 ratings and has a 4.4-star ranking. That’s a lot of hot bodies that are now cool happy campers. That probably has something to do with the long battery life and quiet and bladeless operation that’s sub 25 dB.
3. Civpower Bladeless Fan
GREAT AIRFLOW
With 78 air vents and three different air settings, this personal air conditioner gets air moving around your neck and face efficiently to keep you cool. The tradeoff is at the highest setting, this does get a little loud around 60 dB, but its lightest and quietest setting only comes in around 35 dB. That being said, it’s also lightweight and well-reviewed sporting 4.4 stars on Amazon.
4. Koonie Waist Clip Fan
GREAT FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
This looks more like a portable Bluetooth speaker as opposed to a personal air conditioner. Instead of resting on your shoulders, it clips to your waistband and blows cool air up your shirt to keep you cool on hot summer days or during activities. This design is more ideal for things like biking or rock climbing where there’s a chance a neck fan could fall off. Since it’s clipped to your waistband, there’s a better chance of it staying secure.
5. TORRAS Coolify2 Neck Air Conditioner
COMFORTABLE
The newest personal air conditioner from TORRAS offers both heating and cooling. One of our SPY members tested the TORRAS Coolify2 and found it extremely easy to use and lightweight. She was able to do squats, push-ups, and even 30-minute yoga sessions without feeling burdened by this personal air conditioner and its bladeless design makes it safe for people with long hair. The Coolify2 offers short bursts of intense cooling, but lasts only 1.5 hours on its highest setting. In the winter months, it can warm for longer periods of time making it a versatile option.
6. Delmac Rechargeable Neck Fan
NEW RELEASE
This fan comes in four color options so users don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort. It features an ergonomic design that follows the curve of your neck with a silicon connecter that can be adjusted to perfectly fit any sized neck. It has three levels of air flow that can keep you cool for between six and 20 hours. It’s bladeless, too, so it accommodates people with long hair.
7. Sweetful Bladeless Personal Fan
BUDGET PICK
This fan weighs 10.4 ounces and generates less than 40 dB of noise for a quiet and complete cooling experience. It can operate between four and 16 hours depending on your use and has three adjustable fan speeds to keep you as cool as you need. Plus it is rechargeable with the included USB cord.
8. Evapolar evaChill EV-500
HONORABLE MENTION
This personal and portable air conditioner is a great choice for the budget-conscious. The large water tank holds enough water to keep you cool for up to eight hours, so if you’re a hot sleeper, this is a quiet cooling solution. The unit is only 7 x 7 x 7 inches and weighs less than two pounds making it easy to carry around the house.