Source
r/Portland•
SlanskyRex

Where can I buy a portable AC today?

I know everyone has been sold out the past few days. Anyone have any leads on restocks I could pick up today? Looking for 10,000+ BTU if possible (rated for 450+ sf). We'll be driving from Olympia to Portland today, so availability anywhere along that drive would work! So far every Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc is still saying they're out until next week.

Our old AC broke on Saturday so we've been hiding from the heat at my parents' house with central air, but we really need to get back to our apartment and back to normal life. Our guinea pigs are at risk of heat stroke if the indoor temp climbs over 80, which is why we need an AC so urgently!! Thank you for any tips you can offer!

Posted Jun 30, 2021, 4:02 PM UTC

018
golgi42•

They can be shipped but doubt you will find a good one in the stores. The good thing is temps are way down so it shouldn't get much over 80 indoors while you wait for it. Seeing July 5th-11th arrivals when I was shopping for one this morning.

4
SlanskyRexOP•

That's my hope. As long as it cools down at night, we can get through the hottest part of the afternoon with ice packs and fans. Those 90F nights just fucked us up!!

2
SlopenHood•

I feel like there's going to be people returning units but also reselling stuff they bought in panic mode shortly. not en masse but hey there's a lot of people here who didn't have ACS and a lot of budgets that couldn't really stand them so I bet something's going to pop out up there.

2
michaelrsewell•

I saw a couple dozen portable AC units at the Tigard Home Depot two hours ago.

3
SlanskyRexOP•

Thank you!!

2
PTFCDiegoMassacre•

Same at the Home Depot around Mall 205. 8K BTU (cools 250sqft). Picked one up yesterday around 2-3ish.

3
debsbb•

If everyone is out locally, I would check online - including wal-mart and Amazon. You may need to get something smaller for quick delivery but hopefully it’ll at least save your guinea pigs. Good luck to you!

2
InterstellarIsBadass•

I found a good one for about $200 at Walmart, that was a month ago though

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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phatsakisAlphabet District•

Is there absolutely no way you can use a window unit? The "portable" ones are fundamentally flawed in their design. They even have to have two BTU ratings now, the actual and the effective. A 10,000 BTU portable unit is only about 6000 BTU in reality because it has to overcome its own heat.

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Blackstar1886•

These guys watch one YouTube video smh.

My inferior portable unit kept my apartment an average of 25-30° cooler than the outdoor temperature. If that’s what you can have, it will keep things at safe temperatures even during world record breaking heat.

15
phatsakisAlphabet District•

Yeah my tiny window unit did too. Are you arguing that the information in the video is wrong?

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Blackstar1886•

No just that people are being overly dramatic about the conclusion. Not being as efficient does not mean it can’t deliver most of the value. Especially when we’re dealing with dangerous heat wave and those are the only option for the majority of people in rentals, you’re doing a more harm than good if they’re persuaded not to buy one for worry it’s “flawed by design.”

If you must evangelize for the Youtuber then maybe tone it down to a realistic representation? Say, “If you can do a window unit they’re best, but a portable will be a LOT better than nothing during this dangerous heat.”

8
WheeblesWobble•

I'm going to return the portable I got last week. While it would keep a fairly small area cool, it heated the rest of the apartment up by drawing large quantities of outside air in.

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phatsakisAlphabet District•

I'm the dramatic one? You're acting like you designed this AC unit. Of course if you can't get a window unit then get a portable one. That's why I started off by asking

Is there absolutely no way you can use a window unit?

and the dude in the video says that they work for in those situations multiple times. Heatwave is over anyways and OP survived without any AC.

Edit: Here's an MS paint masterpiece flowchart just to avoid any future confusion.

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brothworm•

My portable unit got me through the heat wave just fine, also no, I can’t use a window unit and neither can many people in Portland. Not our fault the way the windows are in rentals 🤷🏻‍♀️

11
Expensive-Eggplant-1•

Does it really matter, when all we're trying to do is survive? It's better than 100 degrees inside a bedroom.

8
SlanskyRexOP•

I hear ya. Unfortunately our apartment complex uses portables, so it'll have to be that if we want any chance of being reimbursed. Plus our living room already has the hose vent installed in the wall. Last summer, our portable held up fine and kept the place at a livable temperature. It just prefers blowing hot air now, and no one is available to repair it, so we need a replacement!

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[deleted]•

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