Once set up, it’s a highly effective unit that’s able to effortlessly keep your average UK living or bedroom cool down to temperatures of 16˚C. In tests, we managed to cool our mid-sized living room from 24˚C to 20˚C within an hour. We also like that the unit uses a more environmentally friendly R290 refrigerant. Who knew a pair of headphones could be so controversial, but when the original AirPods launched in 2016, many thought Apple had lost the plot. With no wires connecting the earpieces, the brilliantly white clubs of plastic sat in your ears and Apple told us they would stay there. Few believed it. Cue numerous stories focused solely on whether the pods would fall out. The concerned press and prospect of forking out for a single earpiece if one fell out could have spelled doom for the AirPods, but a walk in any town centre today shows truly wireless in-ear headphones have caught on. Very often an air con unit will come with additional functionality, usually a fan setting and dehumidifier function. More expensive portable air conditioners sometimes also feature a heater function that means you're more likely to be able to get year-round use out of your investment. We also liked that the unit provided a clear and constant update of the room temperature and that you're able to set a timer and change the settings easily from the unit or with the remote control. In our tests, similar to the MeacoCool MC Series 7000BTU Portable Air Conditioner and AEG Comfort, it managed to cool a 4.5m2 room by 2°C in 10 minutes, and despite the manufacturer stating its noise level is 65dB, our reviewer found it much quieter than the Meaco model, comparing it to the AEG Comfort on this front.

So let’s carry on with our Challenge 7K Air Conditioning Unit review and explore the product’s pricing. 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. Further down, we recommend their EL98 model which is more powerful, at 11,000 BTU. But this smaller, cheaper N82 is slightly cheaper to run (at 27p per hour rather than 33p) and boasts many of the same features, including an LED control panel and thermostat, making it our top choice for most families. It’s also about as quiet as air conditioners get: 52dB compares to the murmur of a quiet office. Pros: Easy to use, decent temperature range, easy to wheel around, different modes, heating function I tested the unit over a couple of humid days in my home office and bedroom, both of which measure around 26m2, the upper volume limit for the unit. Weighing in at 23.5kg it is – just – possible to get the unit up a flight of stairs single-handed, but nul points to Meaco for the shallow finger-grips.

The unit performed solidly during our testing, reducing the temperature in the room by 2°C in 10 minutes. Like most air con units it isn't silent, there's 51-53dB of noise depending on if you opt for the low or high cooling setting, but it's a downside our testers were happy to accept in return for its temperature-reducing powers. Obviously, the relatively low BTU rating puts it out of contention for larger rooms, let alone open-plan living spaces, but for the average UK living room or bedroom it should be fine. You can control it using the top-mounted touch controls or bundled remote, and there’s a 24-hour stop/start timer to cool your bedroom before you go to sleep. The only problem is that most users describe it as “pretty noisy”. You might not want to leave this one running overnight. Here comes Apple again, but this time the computer has a screen and what a screen it is. Colours burst from it like fireworks and it's searingly bright, which is perfect for a device you can use outdoors. Coupled with the excellent sharpness, the iPad is a treat to look at, whether that's watching a film, playing a game, reading a paper, or doing advanced video and photo editing, which the Pro was designed for. Eco-Friendly Refrigerant】 Unlike traditional air conditioners that emits Freon and harm the ozone layer, this room air conditioner adopts natural refrigerant R290, and causes no harm to the ozone layer, letting you enjoy the fresh and cool air environmental friendly. 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.

It also offers some good functionality, including air con, heater, and dehumidify functions that enable year-round use, plus a timer, 'night' mode, remote control, and WiFi connectivity. You're likely opting for a portable air con unit because you would like it to be... portable! However, in reality, even the best portable air conditioners are both bulky and heavy, weighing from 20kgs for a smaller 'lightweight' air conditioner to 30kgs+ for more powerful units.In terms of cooling powers this is one of the most powerful portable air con units we've tested, but, that power does comes at a price, with the AEG Comfort 6000 using 3400W of energy compared to the MeacoCool MC Series 7000BTU units 780W. It means running costs for the AEG are higher – as is the initial outlay compared to the Meaco – but, our reviewer did find they didn't need this unit running for as long to cool down a space. A stylish mobile air conditioner that offers 3-in-1 functionality, WiFi connectivity, and comes with remote control and window kit included, the Duux North 9K Smart Air Conditioner promises a lot. And so it should with a price tag that's double the most affordable air conditioners in our round-up. However, they can last a long time. Good quality, well-looked-after units are able to last for five to 10 years. 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.

The best portable air conditioners you can buy in 2023 1. Amcor SF8000E: Best low-cost portable air conditioner Portable units tend to be cheaper and bulkier, but if your house needs cooling in multiple rooms during the summer they can be carried from room to room. A portable air conditioner is perfect for home use in the UK. What is the best portable air conditioner?So whilst the best fans definitely work to cool a person thanks to the breeze they create that does a surprisingly good job of cooling the skin, only an air conditioner can dramatically lower the temperature of an entire room or living space. And only an air conditioner will deliver that fridge-like cold air we all crave in a heatwave. Do portable air conditioners cost a lot to run?