Need to know
- Aldi is selling a 0.9kW portable air conditioner with fan and dehumidifier for $229 as a Special Buy on Wednesday 19 November
- Portable air conditioners are generally an inefficient way to cool your home. However, as they are relatively cheap, easy to use and don't require installation, they can be useful for a fast cooling fix
- Our expert reviews compare over 40 portable air conditioners to help you find the best one for your home and budget
On this page:
- Are portable air conditioners any good?
- Should you buy the Aldi portable air conditioner?
- Is $229 a good price for a portable air conditioner?
- CHOICE verdict on the Aldi portable air conditioner
Extreme temperatures are predicted to continue across Australia this summer, and if you've been breaking out in a cold sweat worrying how to keep yourself and your home cool, you may be enticed by Aldi's cheap offer on portable air conditioners.
The supermarket chain is selling a 0.9kW portable air conditioner as a Special Buy this Wednesday 19 November.
But is this a hot deal you should grab or should you cool your heels? CHOICE experts share their take on portable air conditioners and things to consider before picking up this Aldi buy.
Are portable air conditioners any good?
There are various pros and cons to consider before buying a portable air conditioner. They're relatively cheap to buy, but they're an inefficient way to cool your home, and anything you save on the purchase price can show up in increased energy bills down the track.
They can be a useful cooling option if you're not able to install reverse-cycle air conditioning in your home – for example, if you're renting or can't afford the upfront costs associated with installing air conditioning.
Portable air conditioners are easy to install, simple to use and you can move them from room to room, but they can be quite noisy, especially when used on a higher fan setting.
Should you buy the Aldi portable air conditioner?
How does it perform?
While we can't give away all the details from our expert review of this Aldi portable air conditioner (full reviews are available for CHOICE members), we can reveal that it scored the same, and even outperformed, other models that cost hundreds of dollars more.
Overall, most of the portable air conditioners we've tested haven't blown us away and our experts rate them as only 'OK', and others as 'Borderline'. Only one model scored well enough to be recommended, and it costs more than three times as much as the Aldi model.
Specifications and features
The unit being sold by Aldi is a portable heat pump air conditioner, which means it comes with a large flexible ducted tube that exhausts air outside via a window.
Most portable air conditioners of this type, including the Aldi model, come with a 'window kit', which is an adjustable panel that helps you seal the ducted tubing into your window with minimal leakage. So, the first thing you need to check is that you have enough room to position your portable air conditioner next to a window.
This Aldi portable air conditioner scored the same, and even outperformed, other models that cost hundreds of dollars more
The Aldi model comes with cooling, fan and dehumidifying features which are common to most of these types of portable air conditioners. It has an LED display control panel, 24-hour timer and a remote control.
Like most portable air conditioners, it comes on four castor wheels so it can be moved around, but keep in mind that portable air conditioners tend to be quite bulky and heavy, and you'll need to put it next to a window wherever you move it.
What size room is the Aldi portable air conditioner good for?
It's important to note that its cooling capacity of 0.9kW is very low, which means it's only suitable for cooling a 5–8 square-metre room – a small bedroom, for instance, but not a living room.
For a room that's up to 15 square metres, you'd need a portable air conditioner that's 2.0–2.5kW. See our size guide in our portable air conditioner buying guide.
The Aldi portable air conditioner is one of the cheapest on the market.
Is $229 a good price for a portable air conditioner?
Generally the greater cooling capacity a unit has, the more it will cost to buy and the more it will cost to run.
We don't have any other 0.9kW models in our portable air conditioner review, but models in the 1.5–2.5kW range are priced from $249 to more than $800, so the Aldi model is definitely at the lower end of the pricing spectrum.
On top of the purchase price, the running costs for this type of appliance can be significant. As part of our review, we look at energy efficiency and performance.
We've calculated that the average running cost for a 1.2–3kW unit used for four hours per day over summer is $132* and the average price of a unit for this size is $585.
Consider performance and how long the product will last
The price of an appliance doesn't always indicate performance, and there are certainly cheaper models that outperform more expensive models in our testing.
When an appliance is sold for such a low price, it's worth considering the customer service that may or may not be available to you should something go wrong with the product, and also how long it will last.
A cheap product could mean it's made with cheaper components that may make the unit harder to repair later on.
One benefit of the Aldi model is that it comes with a three-year warranty. Most of the 45 products in our portable air conditioner review come with a one- or two-year warranty; only 11 models come with a three-year warranty.
But you'd still want your portable air con to keep running for longer than three years, so the quality of customer service after that point is worth considering.
CHOICE verdict on the Aldi portable air conditioner
Although we're not fans of portable air conditioners in general due to their inefficiencies, we know that for some people they're the only option to beat extreme heat.
And they're easy to install and cheap to buy, which are both bonuses if you find yourself in need of a cooling solution, fast.
This Aldi portable air conditioner is a tempting buy due to its low price tag and the fact it scores relatively well against other models that cost significantly more.
If you intend to pick this appliance up in the Special Buy sale, keep in mind that these units can be very heavy (almost half the portable air conditioners in our review weigh 30kg or more and some weigh over 40kg), and they are quite bulky, so you'll likely need a large car or van and someone to assist you.
The Aldi model is a tempting buy due to its low price tag, three-year warranty, and the fact it scores relatively well against other models that cost significantly more
And if you're trying to decide whether you're better off spending a little more on a higher-performing model, log in or sign up to read our full portable air conditioner review, which compares 45 products.
*We calculate the approximate cost of operating portable air conditioners at maximum capacity for four hours per day for three months in hot weather, based on 40c/kWh.
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