Portable air conditioner guides for UK homes
Nine plain-English guides that take you from what a portable air conditioner is to choosing, installing and looking after one. Written for British windows, British prices and British summers.
Start here
New to portable air conditioning? These two cover what you need before spending a penny.
What is a portable air conditioner?
How a portable air conditioner works, the types on sale in the UK and who should (and should not) buy one.
9 min readRead
How to choose a portable air conditioner
A seven-step checklist: room size, BTU, hose type, noise, window fit, running costs and budget.
12 min readRead
Sizing, hoses and running costs
The three numbers and one design choice that decide how well a unit actually cools.
Single vs dual hose
Why dual-hose units cool faster, what they cost extra and when a single hose is perfectly fine.
8 min readRead
Running costs and energy efficiency
Read the energy label, work out the cost per hour and cut the bill without losing cooling.
9 min readRead
Noise levels explained
What 45 dB, 55 dB and 65 dB actually sound like, and how to find a unit you can sleep next to.
8 min readRead
Built for British homes
Sash windows, thin walls and small rooms: the UK-specific problems and how to solve them.
Set up and look after it
Install it properly, keep it clean and put it away correctly for winter.
How to install a portable air conditioner
Window kit, hose and drainage set-up in under 30 minutes, with fixes for the usual problems.
7 min readRead
Maintenance and cleaning
Filter, drain and coil care that keeps cooling strong and running costs down.
7 min readRead
Winter storage
Drain, dry, cover and store it so it starts first time next summer.
6 min readRead
Put the guides to work
Do the sums for your own room, tariff and shortlist.
BTU calculator
Work out the cooling capacity your room needs from its size, sun and occupants.
Running cost calculator
Estimate the hourly, daily and monthly cost using the current UK electricity price.
Sound meter
Measure how loud a unit really is with your phone or laptop microphone.
Compare models
Put up to four UK models side by side on capacity, noise, size and price.