By the end of June, the heat wave that has engulfed Europe, with temperatures hitting 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit), had been linked to 1,300 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 700 people die every year due to extreme heat. The CDC’s number one recommendation during extreme heat events is to stay in an air-conditioned environment. However, if you’e thinking that a powerful electric fan is the answer, the WHO warns that while fans usually have a cooling effect, at 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) or higher, they actually increase your body temperature. Here, then, are WIRED’s AC recommendations to keep you cool as the mercury goes stratospheric.
Midea U-Shaped Air Conditioner
Most window AC units block you from opening your own window. Midea’s U-shaped design does not. A support bracket takes the weight of the unit from outside the wall, so the window can slide down into the notch between the front and back halves. Less gap around the frame means better sealing, quieter operation, and less wasted cooling.
This is WIRED’s top pick for 2026, and at 42 decibels on high it is one of the quietest units we have tested, since most of its hardware sits outside your window. It connects to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, and supports app and remote control. The app also flags filter changes. It comes in 8,000, 10,000, and 12,000 BTU versions (a British Thermal Unit measures how much heat an AC unit can remove from a room in an hour—8,000 BTUs should be enough for a large bedroom or living room).
It’s worth mentioning that Midea also sells a window-mounted heat pump, the PWHP. It is not an AC with a heat setting bolted on. It’s a fully reversible heat pump, meaning it moves rather than generates heat, and it can pull warmth into a room even when the outside air is far below freezing. The specs are impressive: 9,000 BTU output and vastly cheaper to run than other heat devices. Right now, though, as this is cutting-edge tech for consumer AC, pumps are very expensive and very hard to come by.
Zafro Lullaby Duo Portable AC
WIRED’s portable AC of choice, this is a freestanding, movable dual-hose unit that, since it’s not fixed to a window, lets you wheel it around your house. An adjustable panel slides into the chosen window opening rather than requiring a custom-built frame. Controls run through onboard buttons, a remote, and a Wi-Fi app with eco, humidity reduction, fan, and a high-power mode that aims to hit 61 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius) as quickly as possible.
Because it uses two hoses rather than one, the Zafro crucially avoids a real physics problem that occurs with cheaper portables: the negative-pressure effect that pulls warm air in through gaps elsewhere in single-hose units. Its ability to be rolled between rooms and reinstalled in a different window is a boon, too. However, while sealing foam is included, we found getting a fully tight fit was harder than expected. Noise on high is 60 decibels, notably louder than the Midea.
Windmill With WhisperTech
Windmill’s pitch is that window AC units do not have to be ugly, loud, or a nightmare to install. Yes, this is the “good-looking” AC option, one that ships preassembled, cutting setup time to about 15 minutes. The WhisperTech version is quieter than other models, going from a barely-audible hum to 50 decibels on high, but despite its name, this is still louder than the Midea.
A neat magnetic front panel gives easy access to the main filter and a small activated carbon filter, and for those more in tune with a smart-home vibe, it works with Google Home, supports remote app control and scheduling, and has an auto-dimming LED display.
Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus
If you’re leaving the house, a window unit simply won’t do. Now you’ll need a wearable cooling device. Yes, such things exist. This Sony option sits against the back of your neck on a rubberized band, with a stainless-steel plate that heats or cools with the help of a small fan that vents air out through the collar.
Sony’s fourth generation of the Reon Pocket finally solves the two problems that dogged earlier models: a slipping neckband, and heat having nowhere to vent with higher collars. The new design increases staying power by about 40 percent, apparently, while a small companion sensor, the Reon Pocket Tag 2, feeds outdoor temperature and humidity stats to the app so the device adjusts automatically. Battery life is a claimed 15 hours in Smart Cool mode, though expect closer to 10 hours, and charging to 90 percent takes just more than two hours.
For even more AC options, check out WIRED’s full window and portable air conditioner buying guide.
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