With a higher BTU rating than its stablemate, the Pinguino PAC EL112, the PAC EX130CST is equipped to handle rooms of up to 120m³ in size, and we suspect it could go larger. There’s a lot of cooling power on offer here. It effortlessly reduced the temperature of our test room from 25°C to 20.5°C in half an hour, then dropped down to a steady 20°C for the rest of our two-hour test period. We had no problem throughout testing keeping the temperature at about that level, although attempts to push it down to 18°C weren’t so successful; it’s within the range of the thermostat, but seems to be outside the EX130 CST’s comfort zone.

AEG PX71-265WT Air Conditioning Unit - Silver/White Grey

It's even a pretty quiet unit, compared to some, and it was given an A+ energy efficiency rating - although, do bear in mind, running any 1kw device for long periods will pile pounds onto your electricity bill. Obviously, the relatively low BTU rating puts it out of contention for larger rooms, let alone open-plan living spaces, but for the average UK living room or bedroom it should be fine. You can control it using the top-mounted touch controls or bundled remote, and there’s a 24-hour stop/start timer to cool your bedroom before you go to sleep. The only problem is that most users describe it as “pretty noisy”. You might not want to leave this one running overnight. Air-conditioning units don’t get much more reasonably priced than the MeacoCool MC 7000. Suitable for rooms up to 22m² thanks to its 7,000 BTU rating, the unit includes two fan speeds, as well as dehumidifier and fan functions. It’s reasonably compact, too, measuring less than a metre tall and 35cm square. At 21kg, it’s also more realistically portable than some PACs; you can just about lug it from room to room without risking a hernia. AirSurround, ефект на непряка циркулация, скрити колела за висока мобилност, висококачествени алуминиеви дръжки, многофункционален: охлаждане/отопление/вентилация/обезвлажняване/автоматична функция, интуитивно дистанционно управление с магнитен държач, първокласен комплект за прозорци, за стая с размер 30 - 40 m² / 70 - 90 m³

The best portable air conditioners you can buy in 2023

Of course, you don’t want to go much bigger than you have to. Weight, size and convenience matter, and if a unit’s too big, too heavy and too difficult to set up, then you may end up avoiding using it except for a few really hot days in the summer. You need to balance the cooling power you need against how big and obtrusive a PAC can be before you’re not prepared to put up with it. Where can I put a portable air conditioner? Once set up, it’s a highly effective unit that’s able to effortlessly keep your average UK living or bedroom cool down to temperatures of 16˚C. In tests, we managed to cool our mid-sized living room from 24˚C to 20˚C within an hour. We also like that the unit uses a more environmentally friendly R290 refrigerant. Key specs – BTU rating: 7,000; Functions: AC, dehumidifier, fan; Energy rating: A; Max noise: 65dB; Extra features: Remote control, timer, two-speed fan; Hose length: 1.8m; Dimensions: 348 x 335 x 740mm; Weight: 21kg

AEG 9000 BTU 2.6kW A+ Smart WIFI App Alexa Portable Air

Our standard free delivery on large appliances is a 3 – 5 working day economy service, therefore the delivery day will be dictated by area and may not be flexible or changeable. As an air conditioner, the EL112 is easy to use; just set your desired temperature and let it do its stuff. However, DeLonghi also provides one of its CST remote controls, including sensors, to help it monitor and regulate the temperature and humidity, and you can also connect it to your Wi-Fi network and use DeLonghi’s Comfort app. We had a few problems setting this up, since it refused to find or connect to a Mesh Wi-Fi network, but it would talk directly to an 802.11ac router. Once hooked up, it mirrors the controls on the remote but also adds a useful scheduling function, where you can set exactly when you want the PAC to turn on and off, along with the mode and fan speed.

More info

While it has a different layout of touch-sensitive controls to the smaller Pinguino, we found the EX130CST every bit as easy to use. It comes with the same CST remote control, which support’s DeLonghi’s myEcoReal technology to keep temperature and humidity at a comfortable level, while reducing energy consumption and noise. This is still a fairly noisy unit, though, putting out around 52dB while cooling, and over 46dB just while running the fan at its lowest setting. You probably won’t want it on while you’re trying to get to sleep at night. Even better still, this duct comes with a "coat" - a fabric cover which insulates the plastic to make sure heat doesn't escape into the room while it's on the way out. We are unable to ship large appliances to Ireland, Scotland or Wales at present and can ship to mainland England only. Throw in the same smart features as the smaller model, and you have a fully featured PAC that can keep you chilled out in the middle of a scorching day. Just be aware that it’s a chunky unit and, at 32kg, a bit too heavy to be lugged around the house.