So I was pleased to learn just how easy the MeacoCOOL MC Series 12000 BTU portable air conditioner was to set-up. This operates the top-mounted louvre which oscillates from a near full vertical 90˚ to about 20˚ horizontal. It’s also a a little unwieldy to transport around on your own, mainly when it’s still boxed up, so watch out if you need to get it up to a top floor flat.

We didn’t find it any noiser than other air con units on the market, and the fact that two different types of window kits were supplied was a really bonus. A third reviewer commented on the ease of assembly and effectiveness of the cooling and value: ‘Easy instructions - window and door kit included - easy to put together - decently quiet to run on full blast (no louder than the large fan we have running). There are ways to run an air-conditioning unit sensibly though, and the guide that comes with the Meaco devices is excellent.

Introducing the brand new range of MeacoCool portable air conditioners perfect for home and office use providing personal comfort during the summer months.

I used a sound-monitoring app on my phone to record how loud the MeacoCool MC Series 7000BTU Portable Air Conditioner was, and whilst I can't vouch for the reliability of the app, when positioned one metre away from the unit I measured 52dB noise levels whilst operating the unit in Cool Mode on the Low speed setting. Fan Mode operates in much of the same way as a typical home fan by circulating air rather than cooling it. You can optionally drill a hole through your wall, but that’s a lot of effort for a portable air conditioner. The fan slats on top also provide a lovely stream of cool air that can be set to swing mode, so that it oscillates between a vertical jet of air to a horizontal one.We don’t have a sliding door or window for me to try the fixed window plates on, however, this method also looks very straightforward. This exact model doesn’t include a Heat Mode but this exists on the brand’s Cooling and Heating CH models. Once this is released the water will flow out so it’s worth making sure you’re doing it somewhere that’s ok to get wet (outside for example! It might be an expensive treat, and it might not help your energy costs, but the moment you feel the difference it makes, it'll help you forget all that.

Models with the heating function can be used in the winter months to provide warmth and comfort making them great investments that can be used all year long. When in Cool Mode on High setting, and with the temperature set as 16, it brought the temperature down by approximately two degree Celsius in a super speedy ten minutes. Finally, over to the far right you’ll find the all-important Mode button where you have four options: Cool, Dry, Fan and Heat. Begin by assessing the size of the space you intend to cool and match it with an air conditioner's cooling capacity, measured in BTUs. There are no unfathomable icons to get your head around because all controls on top of the unit are written in plain English.The Sleep Mode keeps the unit in low fan speed to ensure the lowest possible noise level, you can combine this with the Off timer to ensure that you do not wake up cold during the night. You’re not going to be showing off this household addition to guests and a sleek black colourway may be a little more subtle in the space than this model and its larger sizing. If the room is bigger than 30 sqm, you might need to install more than one air conditioner or go for a higher power rating. Next, I put the MeacoCool MC Series 7000BTU Portable Air Conditioner through its paces on all of its different modes and settings to test its portability, cooling powers, noise levels, and ease of use.