REVIEW – Even though the Pacific Northwest is considerably cooler in the summer than what I’m used to on the East Coast, there are still plenty of days when the heat inside my apartment becomes unbearable. So, when my home office starts feeling like an oven, a reliable air conditioner goes from being a luxury to an absolute necessity. For serious cooling power without sacrificing aesthetics or convenience, I found that the Dreo Smart Air Conditioner checks all the right boxes. Priced at $449.99, this affordable unit offers strong performance, modern smart features, and a portable design that gives you actual control over your comfort. Over the past month, this unit has kept me and my pup very comfortable and I’m looking forward to putting it through its paces in the hotter summer months ahead.
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $449.99
Where to buy: Dreo and Amazon
What is it?
The Dreo Smart Air Conditioner AC516S is a 14,000 BTU portable air conditioner equipped with smart features like an app and easy integration with Google and Amazon smart home systems. Designed to cool spaces up to 450 square feet, it offers multiple modes, including cooling, dehumidification, and air circulation.
The Dreo Smart Air Conditioner arrives in a very heavy and sturdy box with a large Dreo logo on the front along with a simple illustration of the unit. Once the tape is cut away, the box is designed to lift up and over the heavy AC unit, sparing you the task of lifting it out of the box.
What’s included?
- Dreo AC516S Portable Air Conditioner
- Universal window kit
- Exhaust hose
- Remote control (with batteries)
- Drain hose
- User manual and quick-start guide
Tech specs
- Cooling Power: 14,000 BTU
- Capacity: 400 Cubic Feet
- Coverage Area: Up to 450 sq ft
- Noise Level: 46 dB at lowest setting
- Voltage: 120 Volts
- Modes: Cooling, Dehumidifying, Fan
- Airflow Direction: Automatic oscillation
- Smart Control: Wi-Fi enabled, Dreo app, Alexa, Google Assistant
- Dimensions: 14.37″ D × 17.32″ W × 28.13″ H
- Weight: 63 lbs
- Refrigerant: R-32
- Drainage: Self-evaporative (with optional manual drain)
- Timer: 24-hour programmable timer
- Wheels: 4 x 360-degree casters for mobility
Design and features
The Dreo Smart AC is sleek and minimalist in its styling. The white plastic body has smooth curves and subtle branding.
The glossy black circular digital display is centered on the unit just below a row of soft-touch control buttons.
The included remote covers the same functions — or you can use your voice, thanks to its built-in Alexa and Google Home support. I love that I have so many options to control the unit, seeing how I always wind up losing remotes.
The unit is very practical in its air handling, with an auto-swing feature that oscillates the airflow louvers, helping to evenly distribute cool air throughout the room.
The fan is surprisingly quiet, especially on the lower settings. Even at higher speeds, it doesn’t produce the kind of droning white noise that many AC units are known for.
On either side of the Dreo are handles for lifting the heavy unit, luckily it also has built-in wheels for moving it around your space.
Along with a handle, the right side of the AC also features a sticker with its specs and ratings.
Atop the Dreo is a convenient magnetic remote control holder, which hopefully helps me keep the remote from disappearing into the void.
The upper back of the Dreo is the main vent and air filter. The vent pops out easily for cleaning.
On the back, there is also the slide-in port for the exhaust hose.
Another great feature on the Dreo is its self-evaporative system. This means that in most environments, you don’t need to worry about draining water — it reuses the condensation as part of the cooling process. That said, Dreo still includes a drainage plug on the back of the unit in case you live somewhere extremely humid and need to empty it manually.
The included exhaust hose is durable and expands, but I feel like it’s a bit too short for most applications.
The exhaust hose snaps easily into the window panels that Dreo supplies. The panels are adjustable to many lengths, which I appreciate, and lock in place through the use of wingnuts.
Also included are foam inserts with and without adhesive backing for insulating the panels once installed.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
One of the best things about the Dreo Smart AC is how easy it is to get it up and running. Once you get everything unboxed, the process of setting it up is fast and straightforward.
The window kit is adjustable and fits most standard horizontal and vertical windows — I installed mine in a sliding window in under 15 minutes, with no tools required.
Once the panels are sized correctly and tightened into place, connecting the exhaust hose is a simple snap-in operation.
As long as you follow the airflow guidelines and avoid sharp bends in the hose, you’re good to go. It feels secure and doesn’t require duct tape or DIY fixes, which I like.
The port on the back of the unit holds the attached hose securely after it’s slid into place.
Once powered on, the unit boots up with a soft chime, and the round display panel lights up. From there, you can either use the buttons on the unit or the remote control to adjust the settings until you set up the Dreo app and Google or Alexa. If you want to take advantage of the smart features, the app setup is surprisingly painless. Download the Dreo app, register or log in, and follow the prompts to pair the device via Wi-Fi. It took me only a few minutes, and everything worked on the first try. Voice control setup was just as easy — a quick connection through the Alexa app, and it was responding to voice commands as well.
Overall, the whole setup process was very simple and I was able to start cooling down my space.
Performance
When it comes to actual cooling power, the Dreo AC didn’t disappoint. I tested it in a 250 sq ft room with west-facing windows that tends to trap heat in the afternoons, and it handled the challenge easily. Within 10–15 minutes, the temperature dropped from 77°F to 71°F, and after 30 minutes it felt downright chilly.
The airflow is consistent, and the oscillating louvers do a great job of avoiding hot or cold spots. In terms of noise, even at full blast, it never got overly loud or whiny. On low fan settings, it’s quiet enough to run while watching TV or sleeping. Power consumption was in line with expectations for a 14,000 BTU unit. It’s not exactly energy-saving, but given the performance, it’s efficient for its class.
The front display makes it easy to see the current temperature the unit is set to even from across the room. Even better, the display can be shut off so it doesn’t disturb you at night.
The smart controls also performed flawlessly. Using the app, I was able to monitor the room temperature in real time and adjust settings remotely.
The ability to set a cooling schedule meant I didn’t have to remember to turn the unit on or off, which helps conserve energy.
As I mentioned previously, integrating the Dreo with my Google and Amazon home assistants was as easy as signing into each service and selecting “Add”.
Final thoughts
The Dreo Smart Air Conditioner is a reasonably priced, thoughtfully designed product that’s easy to recommend if you’re looking for portable cooling with some modern smart features thrown in. It’s powerful enough to handle most living spaces, quiet enough to not disrupt your day-to-day life, and smart enough to integrate into your connected home setup. While the $449 price tag might seem high for some, the added convenience, sleek design, and solid performance absolutely justify the cost. Whether you’re upgrading from an older unit or this is your first portable air conditioner, the Dreo Smart Air Conditioner delivers a balanced, hassle-free experience that will keep you and your space cool as can be.
What I like about the Dreo Smart Air Conditioner
- Well designed app
- Easy integration with Google and Alexa home assistants
- Excellent cooling performance
What needs to be improved?
- Very short hose
- Window kit could be better
- Quite heavy
Price: $449.99
Where to buy: Dreo and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Dreo. Dreo did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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