The UK heatwave has been brutal (Picture: getty/ Metro)
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As Brits brace themselves for their fourth heatwave of the summer, there’s one home accessory that’ll make you the envy of all your neighbours: portable air conditioning.
The cooling units flew off the shelves when the country saw record June temperatures of 37.3°C last month, with near-apocalyptic queues when Lidl and Aldi both launched ranges.
Most units at the discount supermarkets are still sold out, but the savvy shoppers here at Metro have scoured the internet to find the best options currently available — some with speedy delivery or in-store collection.
Figuring out what to buy isn’t easy though. So, we’re here to help you navigate this new world of exhaust hoses and BTU calculators, with our easy guide to buying a portable aircon unit and if they are actually worth having.
All portable air conditioning units listed below were in stock at the time of publishing on 6th July – good luck!
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Air conditioners remove the heat from your room, leaving the indoor air cooler. But, there are two types of portable air conditioners. A ‘single hose’ and a ‘dual-hose’.
Katie Lillywhite, air treatment expert at AO.com tells Metro: ‘Single hose air conditioners have one hose to vent hot air from the appliance. This works by drawing air from your room, cooling it through its system then venting this out.
‘[They] lack a bit of power to cool particularly hot rooms.
‘Dual hose air conditions have a lot more power – one hose to pull in outdoor air and the other to vent this back out.’
How do I set up my portable air conditioner?
Portable aircon units look a bit bonkers, as you need to put the exhaust hose outside via a vent or in most cases, a window.
Jamie Hillard, of Heatable.co.uk, tells Metro his tips for installation.
‘Installation is key and the exhaust hose must be sealed properly at the window to prevent warm air from coming back in. The exhaust hose needs the shortest, straightest route possible to the outside. Long, kinked, or poorly positioned hoses reduce performance because the hot exhaust air can radiate heat back into the room.
‘The window opening also needs to be sealed properly. A proper window sealing kit or rigid panel makes a noticeable difference.’
Most units come with a kit, or you can by window sealing kits for portable air conditioners online, with heatershop selling them for only £19.98. You can also find them on Amazon.
But one Metro reader has resorted to ‘sealing’ the gap with a giant bit of taped plastic sheeting, noting that the fitting kits are ‘quite fiddly’. She says the result is imperfect, but the room still gets significantly cooler.
It’s not a look for Interior Design Masters though…
Your room will look like this (Picture: Supplied)
What unit do I need?
Figuring out what you need for your house depends on various factors such as the room size and height, the size and condition of the windows, the insulation for the house, the direction the room faces and even the type of room. For example, a conservatory or loft will need more strength than a bedroom of similar size.
‘A really common mistake is buying an undersized unit and if the unit is too small, it will run almost continuously, using more electricity but still struggling to bring the room temperature down,’ says Jamie.
To find the best option, you need to use a BTU calculator, which stands for ‘British Thermal Unit’ and this measures how much energy something has.
How many BTUs should your air conditioner be?
Glow Green have a helpful chart for figuring out what BTU you need.
100–150 sq. ft. / 9–14 sq. m.: 8,000 BTU
150–250 sq. ft. / 14–23 sq. m.: 9,000 BTU
250–300 sq. ft. / 23–28 sq. m.: 10,000 BTU
300–350 sq. ft. / 28–33 sq. m.: 12,000 BTU
350–400 sq. ft. / 33–37 sq. m.: 14,000 BTU
400–450 sq. ft. / 37–42 sq. m.: 18,000 BTU
450–650 sq. ft. / 42–60 sq. m.: 25,000 BTU
How much will it cost?
‘Running costs depend on the size of the space, insulation, glazing, solar gain, tariff, and how aggressively the system is used,’ Jamie says.
‘The biggest mistake is setting the target temperature too low. Trying to cool a room to 18°C during a hot spell will use far more electricity than maintaining it at around 22–24°C.
‘For portable AC units, many models are in the 1–1.5kW electrical input range when running.’
There a number of great brands at affordable prices (Picture: Getty Images)
Doing the maths on that, using an electricity calculator, it is on average £0.06 per 10 minutes, which per hour is 36p or £8.64 per day, though it is unlikely you would run it 24 hours.
‘Homeowners can reduce running costs by closing blinds on south- and west-facing windows, keeping windows shut during the hottest part of the day, and cooling rooms before they become overheated,’ Jamie recommends.
What brand should I get?
Bush 9K Air Conditioner
The Bush 9K Air Conditioner is a portable unit designed to keep smaller rooms cool and comfortable during warm weather.
It offers four modes – auto, cooling, fan and dry (dehumidifier) – so you can adjust it to suit the conditions, while the 9,000 BTU output is suitable for rooms up to around 18m².
It also features a 24-hour timer, sleep mode, LED display and remote control, plus castor wheels to make it easy to move from room to room.
Bush 6.5L Vortex Blade Air Cooler
The Bush 6.5L Vortex Blade Air Cooler is a 2-in-1 air cooler and humidifier designed to make hot days more comfortable without the bulk or installation requirements of traditional air conditioning.
Featuring a 6.5-litre water tank, three fan speeds, three operating modes and automatic oscillation, it uses water-cooling technology to turn warm air into a cooler breeze, while reusable ice packs can be added for an extra-chilled effect.
Suitable for rooms up to 25m², it also comes with a remote control, an eight-hour timer and a compact design, making it a practical option for bedrooms, home offices and living spaces.
Bush 4L 2 in 1 Air Cooler and Humidifier
The Bush 4L 2-in-1 Air Cooler and Humidifier is designed to provide a refreshing alternative to a standard fan, using evaporative cooling technology to help make warm air feel cooler and more comfortable.
Priced at £110, it features a 4-litre water tank, three fan speeds, three cooling modes and 60-degree oscillation to circulate air around the room.
It also comes with two ice packs for an extra cooling boost, plus a remote control and seven-hour timer for convenience.
Standing just over a metre tall, it’s a practical option for bedrooms, home offices and living spaces during warmer weather.
Meaco Cool MC 8000CHBTU Air Conditioner
The Meaco Cool MC 8000CHBTU Air Conditioner is a versatile portable unit designed to cool, heat, dehumidify and circulate air, making it a useful year-round appliance.
Priced at £380, it is suitable for rooms between 16 and 26m² and features an 8,000 BTU output, A-rated energy efficiency and app connectivity, allowing you to control it remotely via your smartphone.
Complete with a remote control, 24-hour timer, castors for easy movement and multiple window kits for installation, it’s a practical option for anyone looking for a more powerful cooling solution during heatwaves
Meaco 14000BTU Air Conditioner
The Meaco 14000BTU Air Conditioner is a powerful portable air conditioning unit designed for larger rooms between 25 and 35m², making it ideal for keeping bedrooms, living rooms and home offices cool during heatwaves.
Priced at £500, it offers four modes – Cool, Dry, Fan and Sleep – alongside three fan speeds and a 24-hour timer, allowing you to tailor the settings to your needs.
The unit also helps reduce humidity, comes with a window kit and exhaust hose for easy installation, and features castors for moving it between rooms.
With its 14,000BTU output and A-rated energy efficiency, it’s a strong choice for those looking for a more robust cooling solution.
What about the impact on the environment?
While portable air conditioning units can be done on the cheap, they aren’t always eco-friendly. Like most tech, there are eco mode options and energy ratings. Plus, if you have solar panels, you can power your units that way. But even if you cannot, Andrew Sissons, the sustainable future director at the charity Nesta, says people shouldn’t feel guilty for using them, acknowlidng they are a ‘last resort’ for many people.
Additionally, Nicole Miranda, a sustainable cooling researcher and carbon reduction manager for the University of Oxford, notes that they can be vital in keeping vulnerable people safe in dangerous weather.
Though Earth.org do report that air conditioners are worsening global warming, they advise setting them to 26°C instead 24°C, which consumes around 30% less energy. They reccomend regular cleaning and replacing of the filter too so it does not use more energy, and opting for models with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER).
Fans are good, but no match for this historic heatwave (Picture: Getty Images)
So, are they worth it?
Though the upfront cost will be a few hundred pounds, and you could be spending approximately up to £8 a day, hot weather can cause dehydration, overheating and heatstroke.
According to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), the heatwave in Europe has already been linked to 1,300 deaths.
People over 65, babies and children under 5, and those with pre-existing health conditions are espiecally vulnerable.
Steve Charnock, Audience Writer for Metro, who recently bought a 9,000BTU Ariston unit from B&Q for £225, says he had his on ‘constantly’ all of last week, and claims it ‘pretty much saved my life’.
Though, he notes ‘I’ll find out next month if it’s also pretty much bankrupted me’ refencing the daily running costs.
But in comparison, according to Checkatrade, an average, a 12000 BTU wall-mounted unit costs around £750, plus £1,150 for installation and air conditioning engineers typically charge around £280 – £720 per day.
So a portable air conditioning unit is far cheaper and keeps you cool, sane and most importantly safe.
Cheap and easy ways to keep your home cool when installing aircon isn’t an option
No aircon? No problem.
Put a bottle filled with ice and a tablespoon of salt into your freezer, and the salt will help the freezing point of the water go even lower, creating colder ice.
Once you’ve done that, put the bottles in front of the fan.
As the ice melts, the breeze from the fan will pick up the cool air coming from the ice’s surface, recreating a cool breeze, similar to an air conditioning unit.
Plus, a room will stay cooler if curtains and blinds are closed; even better if they’re the blackout variety.
An open window will also let hot air into the house, which, if you have a fan on the go, completely defeats the point.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk
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