The LG 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner can cool a 500-square-foot room with easy, runs quietly, works with Alexa and the Google Assistant, and you can control it from anywhere thanks to Wi-Fi support.
My living room, entryway, kitchen, and hallway are all somewhat connected, and in the summer, it all gets unbearably hot. It's a fairly large space of about 500 to 600 square feet give or take. I've been using LG's 14,000 portable AC to cool that big open space, and it makes a huge difference.
The AC was fairly easy to unbox and connect. I have a large window in my living room that has two smaller side panels that open and close, but the big section in the middle does not open. We had to saw part of the included window vent off to get it in the small window, but once that was done, it was easy to fit the cylindrical vent to the plastic window piece. You do have to click it in very firmly, so it's good to have a helping hand when you do it.
To enable smart features like remote control via Wi-Fi and voice control with Alexa and the Google Assistant, you need to download the SmartThinQ app. It's very easy to use, thanks to the simple interface. I had the AC connected to our Wi-Fi in about 10 minutes. After that, I could turn it on when I was on my way home to be greeted by a cool home or turn it on and off with my voice.
The remote control is also easy to use, and there are controls on the top of it, so if you aren't into the smart aspect of the AC, you can still use it just like you would any other AC.
It runs quietly, thanks to LG's Dual Inverter technology. LG says it runs at 44dB, which is 20dB quieter than the noise you experience in a car. Although I did not measure the decibels, I can confirm that it runs very quietly even when it's cooling a large, hot space.
It has a sleep mode that you can set for 1 to 7 hours, which is a nice feature if you end up using it in your bedroom or just want it to turn off automatically after a set time.
The Wirecutter also chose this AC as its top pick. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Quiet operation, cools effectively in large rooms, 14,000 BTU, easy to vent out a window, works with Alexa and Google Assistant, sleep mode, control remotely with Wi-Fi
Cons: Pricey