5,500 BTU (SACC) single-hose portable air conditioner and inverter
Antarctic Star AC7290-10K
Excellent efficiency for its size: a CEER of 7.9 beats 99% of the certified 5,000 BTU or less portable air conditioners.
The Antarctic Star AC7290-10K delivers 5,500 BTU of real cooling (SACC), enough for about 100-150 sq ft, draws about 696 watts and costs about $94 a year to run at typical U.S. use and prices. A window unit that cools as much costs about $52 a year.
- CEER
- 7.9 Combined efficiency, higher is betterExcellent · beats 99%
- Real cooling
- 5,500 BTU/h (SACC)For about 100-150 sq ft
- Energy use
- 522 kWh/yrAbout 696 W, at 750 hours a year
- Design
- One hose Uses room air for its condenser
A good fit if…
- You want low bills - its CEER beats 99% of the 461 certified 5,000 BTU or less portable models.
- You want steadier, quieter running - its variable-speed compressor slows down instead of cycling.
Think twice if…
- You want the most efficient design - one-hose units pull warm air in through gaps; dual-hose units lead the efficiency ranks.
- You also need heat - it cools only.
- You want no drain to deal with - it uses a gravity drain you must run to a floor drain or a bucket.
- You need to cool more than a very small room - this size covers about 100-150 sq ft at most.
Calculate my running costCheck the size for my room
Details
Certified ratings
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Real cooling capacity (SACC)Seasonally adjusted cooling capacity: what the unit delivers in the DOE test, after the heat it lets back in | 5,500 BTU/h |
| Full-load cooling (SACC)At maximum compressor speed | 10,100 BTU/h |
| CEERCombined energy efficiency ratio, includes standby power | 7.9 |
| Power drawSACC divided by CEER | About 696 W |
| Yearly energy use750 hours of cooling a year | 522 kWh |
| Design | |
| Hose design | Single-duct (one hose) |
| Heating | No, cooling only |
| Compressor | Variable speed (inverter) |
| Water removal | Gravity drain (hose to a floor drain or bucket) |
| Certification | |
| Certified model numbers | 6 (6 basic models) |
| Brands | 6 |
| Size class | 5,000 BTU and under |
Model numbers with these ratings
These model numbers are certified with the same capacity, efficiency, hose design, heating, drain type and compressor as the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K.They may be the same unit sold under several brands, or different products that test the same: the DOE data has no dimensions or noise figures, so check those with the maker. Ratings within about 2% in capacity and 0.3 in CEER are treated as the same; a model whose own rating differs a little shows it in brackets.
- Antarctic StarAC7290-10K
- COWSARAC7290-10K
- ElectacticAC7290-10K
- KISSAIRAC7290-10K
- R.W.FLAMEAC7290-10K
- ZAFROAC7290-10K
How it compares with the other 5,000 BTU or less portable units
- CEER (class median 6.2)7.9, no ties
- Yearly cost vs. class median ($109)$15 less
- Efficiency rank among 19 rating profiles#3
- Models in the class with two hoses0%
- Window units with similar cooling (median CEER 14.4)$52 a year
Compared with every DOE-certified portable unit in the same size class (SACC). Each model number counts once. Yearly cost at 750 hours and 18.0¢/kWh.
Yearly running cost by city
This unit at each city's cooling hours and state electricity price, against a window unit that cools as much.
| City | Hours | ¢/kWh | Per year | Window unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 1675 | 15.5 | $180 | $99 |
| Houston, TX | 1400 | 16.0 | $156 | $86 |
| Miami, FL | 1750 | 15.4 | $188 | $103 |
| Atlanta, GA | 775 | 15.1 | $81 | $45 |
| New York, NY | 525 | 28.4 | $104 | $57 |
| Chicago, IL | 475 | 19.0 | $63 | $34 |
| Denver, CO | 350 | 16.6 | $40 | $22 |
| Seattle, WA | 125 | 14.2 | $12 | $7 |
Ranked around it in the 5,000 BTU and under class
| # | Model | BTU (SACC) | CEER | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7 | 4,150 | 13.4 | $42 |
| 2 | Foshan Hanyang KOW60A | 4,850 | 10.9 | $60 |
| 3 | Antarctic Star AC7290-10K | 5,500 | 7.9 | $94 |
| 4 | 5,300 BTU single-hose portable AC, 7.1 CEER | 5,300 | 7.1 | $101 |
| 5 | 5,250 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.6 CEER | 5,250 | 6.6 | $108 |
| 6 | LG LP0526PGF | 5,000 | 6.6 | $102 |
Questions
- What size room does the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K cool?
- 5,500 BTU of real cooling (SACC) suits about 100 to 150 sq ft with normal sun and two people (about 90-135 sq ft if very sunny), by the ENERGY STAR floor-area table. Size by SACC, not the larger BTU on the box.
- How many watts does the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K use, and what does it cost to run?
- About 696 watts at full power (5,500 BTU/h divided by its CEER of 7.9), roughly 6.1 amps if it runs on 115 V. At 750 hours a year and 18.0¢/kWh that is about $94, which is $15 less than the typical certified 5,000 BTU or less portable unit ($109). Its inverter compressor slows down once the room is cool, so real use is often lower. Its CEER beats 99% of the 461 certified models in its size class.
- Is a one-hose portable air conditioner a problem?
- It is the common design: 100% of the certified 5,000 BTU or less models have one hose, with a median of 6.2 CEER. The top-ranked Foshan Hanyang HYAC-TG7 reaches 13.4 CEER.
- How does the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K handle the water it removes?
- It drains by gravity: you run a hose from the unit to a floor drain, a sink or a bucket that stays lower than the unit. Do not coil the hose or lift it above the outlet.
- Can the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K also heat the room?
- No, it only cools. 6 of the 461 certified 5,000 BTU or less portable models can also heat if you want one unit for the year.
- Is the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K as efficient as a window air conditioner?
- No. The 12 ENERGY STAR certified window units that cool about as much (within 15% of 5,500 BTU) have a median CEER of 14.4, against 7.9 here, and the best reach 16.0. At 750 hours a year a window unit with that median would cost about $52, $43 less than this one. ENERGY STAR window units are the more efficient part of the window market, so the gap to an average window unit is smaller. A portable unit makes sense when a window unit will not fit or is not allowed.
- Which model numbers have the same ratings as the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K?
- 6 certified model numbers from 6 brands share these ratings: capacity, CEER, hose design, heating, drain type and compressor. They may be the same unit under different brands, or different products that test the same; the DOE data does not include dimensions or noise, so check those with the maker. The full list is on this page.
Running cost calculator
Pre-filled with these ratings. Pick your state and how many hours you run it, or see what portable units cost to run in every state.
Closest alternatives
Rating profiles with a similar CEER in the same size class, and what sets each one apart from the Antarctic Star AC7290-10K.
| Model | CEER | Compared with this one |
|---|---|---|
| 5,300 BTU single-hose portable AC, 7.1 CEER | 7.1 | 0.8 CEER lower, 200 BTU less cooling, single speed, self-evaporating |
| 5,250 BTU single-hose portable AC, 6.6 CEER | 6.6 | 1.3 CEER lower, 250 BTU less cooling, single speed, self-evaporating |
| LG LP0526PGF | 6.6 | 1.3 CEER lower, 500 BTU less cooling, single speed, self-evaporating |
| Frigidaire FHPC082AC1 | 6.3 | 1.6 CEER lower, single speed, self-evaporating |
| BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT | 6.2 | 1.7 CEER lower, 200 BTU less cooling, single speed, self-evaporating |
See all 19 5,000 BTU or less portable air conditioners, ranked
Before you buy
- SACC vs. the BTU on the box
- Portable vs. window air conditioner
- Portable AC without a window
- All portable air conditioners, ranked
- Window air conditioners
The Department of Energy lists every certified model, including some no longer sold: check availability before you buy. Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Compliance Certification Database (portable air conditioners), updated 2026-10-14. How we use the data.