Best portable air conditioner UK: in-stock AC units

Living in the UK, you may think that investing in the best portable air conditioner wouldn’t be necessary. On stifling hot days and nights, a portable AC system can be an invaluable addition to your home, and they work much better than an air cooler in a heatwave. With 2024 predicted to be one of the hottest years on record and more and more people working from home and in extensions and garden or home offices ill equipped for extreme temperatures, you’ll want to ensure you have everything you need to keep you and your family cool and comfortable throughout the summer months.

Of course, you’re never going to need an air conditioning unit in the middle of winter in the UK, which is why most air conditioners sold here are portable units or double up as heaters. But with so many to choose from and important factors like running costs, noise levels, price and size to consider, it can be tricky to pick the right one.

To bring you our list of the best portable air conditioning units you can buy right now, we scoured the Mumsnet forums for tried-and-tested recommendations. Every guide we have to help you beat the heat - covering everything from the best cooling boxes to the most powerful handheld fans - starts with research on our forums, as we know the value of a real-life recommendation. We then conducted our own extensive testing, researched bestseller lists, explored air conditioning brands and scrutinised authentic customer reviews to ensure that only the very best make the cut.

Do portable air conditioners cool well?

Yes, if you want to beat the heat this summer, an air conditioner is one of the most effective ways to cool your home. While fans do come much cheaper, they blow air around the room giving you a welcome breeze, instead of actively lowering the air temperature like an AC unit.

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.

Due to the energy required, they can be quite power hungry, so keep an eye out for the ‘energy rating’ from A to G - A is the highest award for efficiency. The good news is, most modern air conditioners use an environmentally-friendly refrigerant, unlike older models which could be damaging to the environment.

What’s the difference between an air conditioning unit and an air cooler?

An air cooler works in a similar way to a fan but cools down the air using a water tank. Unlike an air conditioner, they don’t require outside ventilation to cool a room and are cheaper to purchase, however, they won’t be as effective on really hot days, costing more to run as they work harder to cool their surroundings. Air coolers tend to lower the room temperature by up to three degrees, although when you’re sat close by, the effects will still be far more noticeable than using a traditional fan.

Air conditioning units are generally more expensive to buy. They work with a refrigerant gas that actively removes hot air and replaces it with cool. They are generally far more effective, particularly in larger spaces. Air conditioners also offer far more control over the room temperature and can help reduce humidity too.

Where can I put a portable air conditioner?

A portable air conditioner can be used in most living spaces or bedrooms, but it needs to be positioned within close proximity of a window, as the hose needs to be vented to the outside in order to work effectively. To improve energy efficiency and prevent warm air from reentering the room, it’s also recommended you buy a window seal kit (usually sold separately).

Are portable air conditioners expensive to run?

As you may expect, portable air conditioners are fairly power-hungry. According to data from consumer champion Which?, portable air conditioners use as much energy in one hour as a typical fridge freezer uses in one day.

There are various ways you can reduce the running costs of your air conditioner:

• Check the room size recommendations and the BTU rating. If you choose a smaller BTU rating, it will have to work extra hard and for longer if the space is too large, ultimately costing you more in energy consumption.

• Use a window sealing kit to prevent warm air from travelling back into the room.

What is a BTU rating?

BTU stands for 'British Thermal Units'. It's a key consideration when shopping for a portable air conditioner, and you'll notice each product on our shortlist has a BTU rating in the key specs.

The higher an AC's BTU, the more cooling power it has across a larger space. So, if you want maximum chills for a large room, go for something with a 12,000 BTU rating, but bear in mind this may be more expensive to buy and run than a less powerful unit. The higher the BTU rating, the less environmentally-friendly the AC unit tends to be, too.

How to choose the best portable air conditioner for you

• Room size - Most air conditioners provide guidance on the recommended room size, but if not, take a look at the BTU rating (British Thermal Units). The higher the BTU, the more efficient it is at cooling a room and the larger space it can accommodate.

• Multi-purpose - Some air conditioners offer other functions too such as a dehumidifier mode, fan or heating mode. Consider which options work best for your needs and what you are getting in terms of features for your money.

• 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.

• Ease of use - How easy is the air conditioner to set up and start using? Does it have a remote control or smart controls for quick and simple operation?

• Noise levels - Air conditioning units obviously make a reasonable amount of noise, but in most cases, this is a small price to pay for a more comfortable night's sleep. Some units offer sleep or quiet modes that run with quieter fans for use overnight.

• 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.

• 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.

• Cost - Last but by no means least, how much are you willing to spend? You can pick up a decent portable air conditioner from around £300, but for more features, multi-purpose units or a more significant BTU rating, you may need to spend a little more.

What is the best portable air conditioner?

The AEG AXP26U339CW Air Conditioner is the best portable air conditioner to buy in the UK in 2024. An energy-efficient model using modern refrigerant, it's portable, has low noise levels and can be operated remotely via your smartphone. It’s quick and easy to set up, and thanks to the 9000BTU rating, can have an instant impact when making your rooms more comfortable.

Where can I buy a portable air conditioner?

If your house tends to get warm in summer or you’re already concerned about another heatwave, it’s best to buy air conditioners earlier in the year as prices will fluctuate with demand. Most of the air conditioners we recommend can be found at Amazon, John Lewis, Argos, B&Q, Currys or Homebase.

How to vent a portable air conditioner

You will need to vent your AC unit, but fortunately this can be done in a few easy steps. Grab the hose and connect it to the back of your AC. Here's the important part: make sure the other end of the hose is directed outside, preferably through a slightly open window or a vent hole. This lets the hot air escape while your AC cools things down indoors. Just double-check for any gaps or leaks around the window and hose, and you're good to go. A lot of air conditioners come with a sealing kit so you can maximise its efficiency, too, by blocking gaps in the open window.

How to clean an air conditioner

If you want to ensure your air conditioner performs at its best and runs efficiently, you must look after it. You should ensure that the filters and fans are cleaned regularly to avoid the build-up of dust, using either a vacuum or wiping down with a dry cloth (when unplugged). You should then use a damp cloth to wipe down the grill, ensuring to get in between the individual vents where dust or fluff could build up.

Before stashing away in the loft for winter, you should ensure water is fully drained by removing the plug before spraying your unit with hydrogen peroxide and wiping down to fend off mould and mildew building whilst in storage.

How we chose the best portable air conditioners

Recommendations from real Mumsnet users

Last year's heatwave hit hard, and as a result, many Mumsnet users decided to bite the bullet and get an air conditioning unit for the very first time. To help you choose the best one, we first sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users to get their feedback on the portable air conditioning units they own and would recommend based on their tried-and-tested experience.

We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsnetters highlighted products that they felt were poor quality, incredibly noisy, or failed to work effectively.

Expert opinions

Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning products or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those recommended by consumer champions such as Which?.

Authentic consumer reviews

Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the best portable air conditioners on the market, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Argos and John Lewis to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.

About the author

Lucy Cotterill is a freelance writer, who in addition to running an established blog, Real Mum Reviews, writes lifestyle content for a variety of publications in the UK and US, with a focus on detailed and balanced product reviews.

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

We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.

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