Let’s be honest; if you are looking to buy a 7000 & 5000 BTU RV air conditioner, you will not be doing yourself any favors. That is because even the best 7k & 5k roof AC units for your camper might not be enough to cool the whole RV, as they are only powerful enough to cool very small areas. And because of that, there aren’t really any rooftop AC units for camper with that little BTU. This is why we compared & ranked better and more powerful roof mounted units, as well as some less powerful portable ACs that you will have the freedom to move around the RV instead of cooling a fixed place.
In a rush? When it comes to the best rooftop air conditioners that you can get in 2024, go for Dometic B57915.XX1C0 is a great first choice, and RecPro RP-AC2801 is a fantastic second choice. If you decide to opt for a portable AC for your RV instead, then BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT is an excellent option.
7,000 BTU & 5,000 BTU RV Air Conditioner: Quick Comparison
BEST RATED |
Dometic B57915.XX1C0
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RUNNER UP |
RecPro RP-AC2801
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ASA Electronics Advent 13.5
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ICON 01545
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BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT
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Whynter Elite ARC-122DS
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Best 7000 & 5000 BTU Rooftop Air Conditioner 2024: Reviewed & Ranked
1. Dometic B57915.XX1C0 Rooftop Air Conditioner
Winner – Best Rated Rooftop AC Unit
There are no comparisons when you look at this fantastic Dometic model. It is the best choice to use as a rooftop air conditioner in an RV, as it does not cost a lot, and it produces the powerful 13500 BTU of cooling power that can efficiently cool space up to 500 square feet.
Considering the high-quality materials that it is made out of, one would expect to be on the heavier side. But instead, it only weighs 77 pounds, which is almost nothing for a rooftop air conditioner.
Because it is exceptionally light, installing this unit should be a breeze, no pun intended.
The only thing you might be having some issues with is that it can be slightly louder than its competitors, but if you ask us, the slight noise is undoubtedly worth the price and the cooling power.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to install
- 13.5K BTU
- Very light
Cons
- Slightly loud
2. RecPro RP-AC2801 Rooftop ACU
Runner Up – Best Quiet Rooftop Air Conditioner
If our winner’s slight noise might be an issue for you, do not worry, as RecPro has you covered.
While the model is not as powerful as our winner, since its cooling power is only 9500 BTU, it should still be enough to cool space up to 400 square feet.
If you care about the clearance of your roof, then this model is a fantastic option, as it is only 9 inches in height when placed on top of the roof.
Naturally, it also has a remote control, a timer, and all that good stuff you can expect from a modern air conditioner, but it is not designed to be used with ducted systems.
Pros
- Quiet
- Easy to install
- Low-profile design
Cons
- Slightly weaker model – 9500 BTU
3. ASA Electronics Advent 13.5 Rooftop Air Conditioner
Best Rooftop AC With A Heating Option
While this air conditioner has the potential to steal the number one spot, after a lot of testing, we decided that it is just not as good as the first two choices.
It is somehow the mix of our winner and runner up. It has that 13500 BTU power level, and it is not as loud as the winner, but not nowhere quiet as the runner up.
Even if the power level is the same, our winner has a better model design that allows it to take full advantage of its cooling power, while this was not as efficient in bigger campers.
One thing that this model does have going for is adding a heat strip that can heat your RV. While its heating power is not strong, it is good to have that extra heating if you need it.
Pros
- 13.500 BTU
- Easy to install
- Plug-in heating strip option
Cons
- Bad design for airflow
4. ICON 01545 Roof AC Unit
Best Budget Rooftop Air Conditioner
Our last spot for roof air conditioners is a pure budget option. If you are short on cash and you just want to get good value for what you can spend, then this model has you covered
There are three different options for BTU strengths, but they all perform more or less the same, which is odd, as the airflow power goes from 11k to 15k BTU.
You can expect this model to be a bit loud and harder to install, but those are the quality of life features you lose with a budget option.
Pros
- Variable BTU choices
- Affordable
Cons
- Outperformed by previously ranked AC units
5. BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT AC
Best Overall Portable Air Conditioner For RV
While it is not the most powerful portable air conditioner out there with 10000 BTU, since it is portable, you are not looking for power anyway, as you can move it around and cool each area as necessary.
This portable AC is extremely quiet. You can easily keep it in your RV and run it during the night to keep your bedroom cool. There is no way it is going to wake you up.
Installing this AC to all kinds of windows is very easy too, which is why moving it around the RV should be no issue.
One of the most important things about this model is that it has a dehumidifier option, and unlike most models that require you to empty the bucket, this model does not due to its bucket-less design.
The only real issue about this model is that if you do not have too much space in your RV, it can feel a bit bulky. But if you have a bigger RV, you will not notice this at all.
Pros
- Easy to move around
- Easy to install
- Bucket-less design
- Extremely quiet
Cons
- A bit bulky
6. Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Air Conditioner
Best Energy Efficient AC For RV
One thing that this portable AC has on our runner up is the power, as it has 12000 BTU, which cools up to 400 sq. ft. easily.
That is extremely impressive for a portable model.
Like our winner, it does have a dehumidifier, and you will also not have to worry about emptying the bucket since it uses self-evaporative drainage.
It comes with an installation kit, it is easy to install it to most windows, but in some cases, you might have slight issues, but nothing to worry about.
When it comes to loudness, it is also very quiet. The only thing we do not like about this model is that its CFM is relatively low, as it is only 155.
Pros
- 12000 BTU
- Dual-hose option
- Self-evaporative system for the dehumidifier
- Quiet
Cons
- Low CFM
Final Words Best 7000 & 5000 BTU Rooftop AC Units For Camper
As we said, getting a 7000 & 5000 BTU RV roof air conditioner just won’t cut it these days unless you are planning to cool a tiny RV. Instead of listing the best 7k & 5k AC units for your camper, we compared & ranked options that are worthy of your investment. For rooftop conditioners, get yourself a Dometic B57915.XX1C0 or RecPro RP-AC2801, as they are both great models, and in case you wish to purchase a portable model for your RV, then the BLACK+DECKER BPACT10WT should be your first choice.