There's no denying portable air con units are expensive, so if affordability is key then this Pro Breeze 9000 BTU 4-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner is certainly a winner on price. It has some downsides, but only in keeping with most portable air con units, in that it's heavy which makes it not quite as portable in reality as its name may suggest.However, the build quality is good, it has easy-to-use controls, and its design is unobtrusive – although we think the AEG Comfort just pips it to the post in the style stakes by offering a sleeker design. 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. All in all, the MeacoCool MC Series 7000BTU Portable Air Conditioner is a good all-rounder at an affordable price point. The Russell Hobbs RHPAC11001 can do just that, offering 4-in-1 use thanks to air con, fan, dehumidifier, and heater functionality. Depending on your needs that could mean it offers better value for money, as it will be useful all year round, keeping your space cool in the summer as well as warm in the winter.

Relatively affordable, lightweight and compact, energy efficient and easy to use, there's a lot to love about the MeacoCool MS Series portable air conditioners. Which is why we think they're the best portable air conditioner to invest in if you're looking for an affordable all-rounder. As such, we've rounded up the key features to look out for when sourcing the best portable air conditioner for your home. BTU (British Thermal Units) We also like the fact that you can clean the filter under the tap or in the dishwasher, and that the illuminated side panels can be set to glow with a choice of seven colours if you fancy a little mood lighting. While it could be easier to remove the filter and get the water tanks in and out of place, for sheer value and convenience, this cut-price compact cooler is a winner.In an ideal world, all of our homes would be better insulated and able to remain cool in the summer without the additional energy use or expense of an air conditioner.However, for many of us this isn't the reality, and if you struggle to keep your home at a bearable temperature during the summer months, then a portable air con unit could help. Beyond that, this air con unit is bulky and heavy. It weighs in at 31.5kg, one of the heaviest units we've tested, so carrying it upstairs is a definite two (strong) person job. But, it looks good. And its curved front, minimal design, and gloss finish all make it far more unobtrusive in a room than you might expect. The build quality is also solid and robust. 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? If you're spending this much on an appliance – and one that's going to take up a good deal of storage space in the home – then you might want it to do more than just cool.

It's generally recommended to close doors and windows in the room that you're trying to keep cool, so if you only want to keep a small bedroom cool then you can opt for a cheaper lower BTU unit, however an open plan space will require a much more powerful appliance with a larger BTU. PortabilityAs far as features go, the Honeywell keeps things simple. One dial switches between off and the three fan settings, while the other selects cooling, oscillation or cooling and oscillation. What matters more is that it dishes out a consistently good, cooling airflow, with the louvres shifting side to side to spread it over a wider area. You’ll still need to clean the honeycomb cooling membrane regularly to avoid unpleasant smells, but if you’re keener on keeping cool than faffing around with modes and features, this is the air cooler to buy.

Overall, if you're looking to invest in a powerful air conditioner that can bring an icy to chill to a room in under 20 minutes, or your willing to pay a little more for white noise over the thundering din of most air con units, the AEG Comfort 6000 Portable Air Conditioner is a great buy. However, a higher BTU also means a higher price tag, and likely higher running costs, so it's a balancing act of investing as much as you can for better performance against how much you're willing to pay upfront for a unit. Room size After being massively impressed by the brand's virtually silent Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan, we had high hopes this unit was going to be just as whisper-quiet, but sadly that also wasn't to be, with the North Smart proving just as loud as your average portable air con. A remote control is always a handy feature to have, especially if you're using the unit in the bedroom and don't want to have to get out of bed to adjust settings or turn the unit off.This cheap cube desktop cooler doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but it’s a good way to chill your fevered brow while you’re plugging away at your desk. Its two removable 300ml tanks mean it doesn’t constantly need refilling, and you can freeze them if you want some extra cooling. The three-speed fan gives you options from subtle breeze to full-on gusting, and on the lowest setting it’s quiet enough that it won’t disturb you while you work. 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. The 7000BTU air conditioner's 20.5kg weight, whilst not insignificant, makes it far lighter the 30kg average, and means this unit is much easier to move around the home than most. Plus, its 780W power consumption is one of the lowest of all the air con units we've tested, meaning it offers lower running costs too. Sadly it doesn't come with a window kit included, or a remote control – but WiFIi connectivity means you can control it from your phone instead, a really handy feature. 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.