Living in Australia means you could experience all sorts of season in one day – rain, hail or shine, there’s a good chance you’ll need a good quality portable air conditioner to get you through the summer.
Fortunately, we’ve dug around for the affordable, energy-efficient and quiet portable air conditioners on the market for your consideration.
One of our top picks is the Solt 2.5kW Portable Air Conditioner. It’s a two-in-one portable air conditioner and dehumidifier which shoppers say is “perfect for hot nights” – especially if you’re wanting to cool down quickly and reduce the amount of moisture in the room with the built-in dehumidifier function.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
Our team of experienced writers spend hours researching products to include in articles. We find out what factors make a good product by talking to experts, reviewing test results and analysing thousands of customer reviews.
OUR TOP PICKS
In this article
BEST PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER AND DEHUMIDIFER
De’Longhi 2.9kW Pinguino Air-to-Air Portable Air Conditioner PACEL112CST, $1099, Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
The De’Longhi Pinguino range continues to provide some of the most popular portable air conditioners on the market, with many of its products receiving high star ratings from customers. This model is one of the top picks, offering a 2.9kW cooling capacity as well as a large 41L dehumidifying capacity to help get rid off any excess moisture that’s making the room feel more humid than it should.
You can also expect castor wheels and handles for easy portability, plus a remote control for convenience.
“It gets my bedroom to a freezing cold temperature fairly quickly on those very hot and humid nights,” one customer posted.
“Easy to set up (and) quieter than I expected. The vent opens itself when turned on so less likely to get damaged or fill with dust when its off. The vent can also go into swing mode to help move the cold air around,” another commented.
BEST BUDGET PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER
Polo 2.6kW Cooling Only Portable Air Conditioner PH26C, $519 at Harvey Norman
What You Need To Know
For the bedroom or home office, shoppers are loving this easy to install and space-saving Polo portable air conditioner. You can expect all the essentials, including adjustable temperature control, built-in timer, washable filter and ventilation kit. It also includes a remote control so there’s no need to lose your comfy spot.
“Bought this a few days ago for our master bedroom after having to use two fans. It’s a great little unit, easy to set up and cools nice and quickly. It’s not too loud either (our fans were louder) and has a timer to switch off in the middle of the night. Very happy customers!” praised a Harvey Norman shopper.
Solt 2.5kW Portable Air Conditioner GGSAP2560W, $549, The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
Solt offers a variety of wallet friendly home appliances, such as this Solt portable air conditioner. To tackle the heat, this unit features a dehumidifier mode that can remove up to 50.9L of moisture per day. It’s also fairly quiet, operating at 51.9dBA (which is similar to having a conversation).
“Perfect for hot nights in the bedroom. Can’t sleep without it,” praised a shopper.
“Awesome little machine,” another reviewer described, rating it five stars.
“Cools room down quite quickly while being reasonably quiet. Easy to use. Easy to sleep while running. Very happy.”
BEST PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONERS FOR LARGE ROOMS
Olimpia Splendid 4.7kW Procool Portable Air Conditioner PROCOOL16E, $1049, The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
The Procool 16 is the most powerful portable air conditioner from Olimpia Splendid, boasting three fan speeds and up to 4.7kW of cooling power. Unlike other models, this unit displays the temperature at the front to make it easy to read. It can also be controlled by pressing the buttons on the appliance itself or via the remote control.
“This is a great option for renters who are unable to install a more permanent solution. It rolls smoothly on the castors (which is good, because it is a bit on the heavier side) and the ventilation kit is easy to install,” an impressed customer recommended.
“The only downside is that it can be a little noisy, but it makes up for it by powerfully and quickly cooling my living room.”
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONERS AND FANS?
Though fans are certainly a more attractive cooling option for your wallet, there are many benefits to airconditioning worth considering when making an investment. Unlike fans, which simply move air around to create a breeze, air conditioners remove warm air from a room, and replaces it with cool air. This is especially useful in larger spaces with direct sunlight, where simply creating cool air would be is insufficient for lowering indoor temperatures.
DO PORTABLE ACS HAVE TO BE VENTED OUT A WINDOW?
Most portable air conditioners require venting through a window, or alternatively a wall, ceiling or door. This is because portable air conditioners draw in warm from inside the room, which then needs to be released outside.
If venting outside isn’t practical for your home, you can opt for a portable split air conditioner, portable evaporative cooler or fan to beat the heat.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DUCTED AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS AND SPILT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONING?
For those looking to make the move to more permanent cooling arrangements in their home, there is the option of built-in air conditioners. But how to decide between ducted airconditioning and split system airconditioning?
DUCTED AIRCONDITIONERS
Ducted airconditioning moves through ducts from a central cooling system, allowing for many different rooms to be heated or cooled at once. Additionally, zones can be created, to allow for cooling or heating of only the rooms in use. Arguably the most effective and efficient of the airconditioning systems, it also requires the most cost investment and is the most labour intensive to implement.
SPLIT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONERS
Split-system airconditioning consists of two units: an internal, which ingests the warm air indoors; and external, which pushes out the hot air, away from your home. It is also responsible for pumping cooled air back indoors. The most common type of airconditioning in Australia, it can cool a sizeable area at much less cost than installing ducted airconditioning – however, due to the need for the internal and external units to be connected, a home will typically need more than one to cool each side or floor.
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Originally published as Best portable air conditioners | Top-rated air cons of 2023
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