01.Introduction
Test results for six portable air conditioners priced from $699 to $999
If you’re dreading the thought of sweltering in a rented home this summer, a portable air conditioner may look tempting.
Though you're still better off with a built-in split system — they’re more energy efficient and powerful and can cool down a room faster — if you’re renting or looking for a portable air conditioner for the home office or holiday house, these six units may help you keep cool.
To see whether they’ve improved since we last tested them, we bought six portable, single-unit air conditioners with a claimed cooling capacity of around 3.5 kW, which is suitable to cool a large bedroom or medium-sized living area.
And the good news is they’ve improved significantly compared with the lot we tested last year, which we found generally ugly, noisy, high-maintenance and less effective than their built-in counterparts.
Brands tested
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Convair Supercool TRB
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Convair Supercool FR
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Delonghi Pinguino Eco PAC T120
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Delonghi Pinguino PAC C100
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Kelvinator KPK35CRA (A)
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Tecoair TAC1319C
(A) Discontinued, but may still be available in some stores.
26 Aug 2008
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An ever-increasing number of Australians are getting air conditioning installed, or moving into a new home that delivers a cooling breeze at the touch of a button.
6 Mar 2009
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Air conditioners are usually thought of as a summer appliance, but a reverse cycle model can also be an effective way to heat your home.
27 Nov 2011
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Preventing your house from getting too hot should be your first priority. Make sure it's properly insulated, draught-proof, shaded and ventilated.
22 Apr 2009
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A cool home’s important for many Australians, and an air conditioner is the only appliance that can really cool down a hot room effectively — but there are other, ways to keep the heat out of your home in the first place.