As a rule of thumb, portable air conditioners need 20 BTU for every square foot to be effective. Small spaces of about 300 sq feet will require an AC with between 7000 and 1000 BTU while 300+sq feet will be well suited by 12000 to 14000 BTU. Got an eye for style? Then you’ll love the Honeywell CS12AE Evaporative Air Cooler which is without a doubt one of the most stylish and versatile units in the UK. With an unmistakeable sleek beige and silver exterior, the unit works even better than it looks. Its powerful airflow of 460M/Hr makes it ideal for smaller and medium sized rooms, hotels and offices. However, anything larger than 130sq feet will not be as effective. At lower settings, the CS12AE can keep a room cool for up to 8 hours and just a little under that in UK’s current heat wave. While it has a different layout of touch-sensitive controls to the smaller Pinguino, we found the EX130CST every bit as easy to use. It comes with the same CST remote control, which support’s DeLonghi’s myEcoReal technology to keep temperature and humidity at a comfortable level, while reducing energy consumption and noise. This is still a fairly noisy unit, though, putting out around 52dB while cooling, and over 46dB just while running the fan at its lowest setting. You probably won’t want it on while you’re trying to get to sleep at night. It’s an effective cooler, taking a 25°C room to 21°C within half an hour, and to 20°C over a further 30 minutes, after which it kept the temperature steady for another hour. Testing in the middle of a heatwave, this was sweet relief. However, take any claims of silent running with a pinch of salt; noise levels hit 52dB at full tilt, falling to 46dB once the temperature had stabilised. Power consumption can also reach 620 to 820W when the unit is working hard. It isn’t the cheapest PAC to buy or run, but if you need some serious cooling, it’s exactly what you need.

With a remote control, three fan speeds and even a timer that you can set for up to 24 hours in one-hour increments, it's fairly foolproof to operate, but you may find it quite noisy for overnight use when running on maximum speed. However, it’s the low noise levels that really make this conditioner stand out. Sure, not all AC can be used in sensitive places, but the N87 is so silent that it can be used on full setting in a nursery, library, hospital or your office without being noticed. She's written about a vast range of products for Mumsnet, including the top ways to beat the heat this summer, whether that's with the best cooling boxes for family trips or the top cooling pillows for a dreamy night's sleep. Why you should trust us It can also dehumidify the room. If the air feels hot and humid, as it often does during summer, simply turn down the temperature and turn on the dehumidifier. One way is by getting yourself a self-evaporate conditioner where no drainage is required. Another way is by use of a condensate pump that pumps out excess water through a hose to your desired drainage point. 4. How do you install a portable air conditioner in push out window?All costs includes parts, labour, call out and delivery charges, so you can rest assured there are no hidden costs. The ChillFlex Pro comes with three fan speed settings, an on/off timer and an auto mode that maintains the room at a constant temperature. The Pinguino PAC N82 is among the smaller models in the Pinguino portable AC range. But despite being an entry level air conditioner, it’s actually more robust, energy efficient and powerful than most other portable units in its class. The phrase ‘smart’ may be a little misleading as this simply refers to the app. It is not operated by smart devices such as Google Home or Alexa Size and portability - How portable is the air conditioning unit? If you're intending to use the air conditioner in a number of rooms or regularly move it up and down the stairs, you should consider both the weight and overall size of the unit as well as the inclusion of castors for easy manoeuvring.

Great for small rooms, caravans, boats, or where space is limited, the cooling fan function is perfect when you need to cool one part of your room - ideal for when you're on your own or don't want to waste time and money cooling unnecessary areas. Of course, this will translate to a higher cost margin when purchasing, but it will save you a lot of money in electric bills in the long run. There is nothing worse than your Air Conditioner breaking down just after the Manufacturer's warranty has expired. Here at Buy It Direct Ltd we want you to get the most out of your Air conditioner which is why we offer a5 Year Warranty plan. The Amcor SF8000E is designed for small and midsize spaces of up to 18 sqm. It’s great for the bedroom, office, nursery or living area. 2. 3-in-1 System Setting up the window venting kit takes very little time. You can move it and set it up in another room in less than 10 minutes. 4. Washable Filters

A1/SF8000E

With the ability to extract up to20 litres a day, the powerful dehumidifier setting can help prevent health problems that result from condensation, mould and damp. Throw in the same smart features as the smaller model, and you have a fully featured PAC that can keep you chilled out in the middle of a scorching day. Just be aware that it’s a chunky unit and, at 32kg, a bit too heavy to be lugged around the house. Similarly, portable air conditioners with a dehumidification function will require a hose to dump the water; either through a drainage, window or a hole in the wall. Positioning is another issue: most PACs need to vent hot air through a window, and if you can’t place it right next to a suitable opening, you’ll either need to put a permanent vent through the wall or find a model with a hose extender. What’s more, where the air goes out, there’s also potential for more warm air to creep in. In fact, the negative air pressure created by the air conditioner actively encourages it to do so.

Once all the water has drained, replace the plug and power up the machine. 7. How do you clean a portable air conditioner? Energy efficiency - How energy efficient is the air conditioner? Is a window sealing kit included? If not, you may want to consider purchasing one to improve the overall efficiency of your choice. It is a compact portable air conditioner, manufactured by a respectable German brand, that comes with three integrated functions. Multifunctional Features – These include reverse cycle modes for cooling and heating, dehumidification, fans, purifiers, among other functions. This also includes automatic functions where the unit decides which function to use depending on the temperature.

1. Best overall portable air conditioner: AEG AXP26U339CW Air Conditioner

If you’re looking for affordable air conditioning but still want to get the most out of your AC, why not give EcoAir’s Crystal portable AC a go? Read our full review. As for running costs, a higher BTU rating generally means the PAC will be doing more work and consuming more energy, but not all units are created equal. Your air conditioner should have an energy efficiency class, from A++ down to G, just like your fridge or cooker. The higher the class, the more efficient the unit will be. Are there any other features I should look out for? With UKs annual heat wave peaking at an all-time high, the need for decent air conditioning has never been higher. Fortunately, homeowners and workers now have a full range of affordable, portable air conditioners to choose from. Variety of speed settings - How many speed settings does the air conditioner have? The more speed options, the more control you will have over your environment. You can set the AC to your preferred temperature between 16 and 31 degrees Celsius. If you don’t set any temperature, the AC will operate in auto mode, automatically maintaining the room at 22 degrees and fan speed at low.

BTU rating: 12000 BTU | Functions: Cooler, heater and dehumidifier | Energy rating: A | Noise level: 53/51/49dB | Speed settings: 4 | Hose length: 150cm | Dimensions: 40.5 x 82 x 39cm | Weight: 35kg | Power: 1345W What we like BTU rating: 12000 BTU/hour | Functions: Air conditioner, dehumidifier and fan | Energy rating: A | Noise level: 51 - 53dB | Speed settings: 3 | Hose length: 1.8m | Dimensions: 76.2 x 35.3 x 47 cm | Weight: 29.5kg | Power: 1337 watts What we like BTU (British Thermal Units) measure the heat amounts that an air conditioner can clear from the air within a certain period. Most portable units have cooling capacities that range from 5000 o 12000 BTU. We have a 1930s house and the bay windows are 3m wide so the solar gain is horrendous this time of year. When the temps get into the 30s our bedroom is just unliveable. We bought an AEG air conditioning unit two years ago and it’s been just brilliant.” (Recommended by LadyEuphemia) Our verdict The compressor unit in an air conditioner forces warm air over cool ‘refrigerant’ gases, which can be evaporated over and over again to absorb heat and replace it with cooler more comfortable air.Trying to get a good night’s sleep during a heatwave can be pretty much impossible, but sometimes the loud drone of an air conditioning unit can be more disruptive than helpful. For a quieter model that will provide ambient 'white noise' rather than keep you awake, the Inventor Chilly 9000BTU Portable 3-1 Air Conditioner runs at just 52dB on maximum speed, although some reviewers found that the volume varied slightly each use, even on the same speed setting. It also has caster wheels to make it easier to move it from room to room. Read our full review of AEG ChillFlex Pro. The De'Longhi Pinguino PAC EM90 ECO Portable Air Conditioner is a great choice for bedrooms up to 90m³ with a choice of the fan for mild nights or the air conditioner when it starts to get hot, offering fast and efficient cooling without using too much energy or creating too much noise. The manufacturer incorporated all the features you would expect in a high-end portable AC and gave the Artica more than enough power to get the job done. And while you will definitely have to figure out how to vent your unit while cooling and drain absorbed water after dehumidification, it really doesn’t affect the mobility of the device. And if you absolutely have to move the conditioner around, the space saving design and easy roll castor wheels make the process a breeze (pun intended). But if you’re still not convinced, then the Class A energy efficiency rating should sort things right out. After all, who doesn’t enjoy saving money in form of power bills?