Summer will be here before you know it, and the last thing you want is to be suffering in the heat without a proper cooling solution. That's why now is the prime time to invest in an AC unit while top models are on sale for a limited time.

These innovative ACs allow you to open a window and maybe get a little outside air with the unit installed, but they're not for everyone . . . or every windowThe U-shaped ACs shown at center and

When it's hot out, the heat pump extracts the heat from the air inside your house and pushes that heat outside, cooling the inside of your home just like an air conditioner. In the cold, a heat pump extracts heat out of the air (even at low temperatures) and moves it into your home.

Stay cool this summer with the best portable air conditioners for rooms of all sizes. We test ACs for cooling ability, noise, and energy efficiency.

Portable air conditioners aren’t cheap, we know that. That’s why, from the basic ACs that get the job done to the smartest devices you can buy, we’ve searched far and wide to get our hands on to find the best around.

Top choices for small, midsized, and large rooms from Frigidaire, LG, Midea, and moreWindow air conditioners from LG, Frigidaire, and Midea (left to right) are among the models that top CR's