Need to know
- Portable air conditioners can be convenient, but are usually less efficient and more expensive to run than split-system units, and can be extremely heavy and bulky
- It's important to consider the size of the room you want to cool to know whether a small portable air conditioner will have the capacity to be effective
- CHOICE experts have reviewed almost 100 portable air conditioners. We assess units based on cooling performance, noise, energy efficiency and more
Portable air conditioners are useful if you don't have air conditioning installed in your home and you need fast relief from a heatwave.
While they may not do the job as well as in-built systems, they're comparatively cheap, easy to install and simple to use, which makes them popular alternatives for people on a budget, in rented accommodation, or anyone who just wants to cool a small area.
CHOICE experts have reviewed almost 100 portable air conditioners and can give you the lowdown on how size affects the cooling performance of these units, as well as some other things to note before you buy a portable air conditioner on size alone.
How portable are they?
If you've started researching which portable air conditioner to buy, you may have noticed that they're often described as 'compact'. However, they can actually take up quite a bit of space in a bedroom or office.
They often come on castor wheels to make them easy to move around, but most also come with a 'window kit', which includes a flexible ducted tube to vent air outside that must be affixed to a suitable window.
They also need to be plugged into a powerpoint, with space around the unit for airflow – so you'll need to allow about double the space of the actual unit's footprint.
Some units weigh over 40kg ... and stand at a height of up to about a metre, which all starts to make the 'portable' label seem a bit far-fetched
In addition, some units weigh over 40kg (almost half of the models we looked at weigh 30kg or more), and stand at a height of up to about a metre, which all starts to make the 'portable' label seem a bit far-fetched.
They're not the most discreet appliances and are hardly going to be on your list of 'most desired features' when you're styling the interiors of your home. So, what is the smallest and most effective portable air conditioner you can buy?
Physical size vs cooling capacity
When manufacturers, retailers or review websites refer to the size of a portable air conditioner, they're most likely referring to the cooling capacity of the appliance, which is measured in kW (kilowatts).
For every extra kW, you have more cooling power, but it's also going to cost you more in energy. The bigger the room you want to cool, the more kilowatts you'll need. (To find out the recommended kilowattage for the size of room you want to cool, see our portable air conditioner buying guide.)
If your priority is finding an air conditioner that isn't too bulky or heavy, it's also important to consider how well that unit is actually going to perform
If your priority is finding an air conditioner that isn't too bulky or heavy, it's also important to consider how well that unit is actually going to perform.
Our analysis of almost 100 models has found that the physically smaller and lighter models tend to have a lower cooling capacity of around 2–3kW, which means they're really only suitable for small- to medium-sized rooms.
And while some units may be lighter than others, and therefore easier to move around, they may be bulkier in size. For example, the Electrolux EPM09CRC-A1, which is the lightest model we reviewed at 13kg (with a cooling capacity of 2.6kW), is also one of the tallest and bulkiest models, standing almost a metre high, 58cm wide and 46cm deep.
How do smaller and lighter portable air conditioners generally perform?
As these smaller and lighter models usually have lower cooling capacities, their performance and the score they receive in CHOICE reviews doesn't stack up very well compared to larger air conditioners with a greater cooling capacity.
On the whole, portable air conditioners are not energy-efficient appliances, so even the top-scoring models in our review only manage an overall score of up to 75%.
The best small portable air conditioners
Below are the best of the smallest portable air conditioners in our review. However, we use the term 'best' lightly: these models still really only achieve borderline cooling performance and could only be used in small rooms. To find out the portable air conditioners that were ranked as the best performers in the independent testing, read our portable air conditioner reviews (available to CHOICE members).
For more information on how to buy the best portable air conditioner, view our portable air conditioner buying guide.
1. Onix 2kW portable air conditioner (ON-20KWPA2)
CHOICE expert rating: 58%
Cooling capacity: 2kW
Price: $299
Cooling score: 52%
Standing at 68cm high with a width of 33cm and a depth of 28cm, this air conditioner is on the smaller side and is one of the lightest we reviewed at 19kg. Other models we've looked at measure up to 88cm or taller, and weigh over 30kg.
Available from Big W, it's also one of the cheapest models we reviewed and it scores the same, and even outperforms, other portable air conditioners in the 2–3kW range that cost hundreds of dollars more (our experts recommend two portable air conditioners that have around a 2.9kW capacity).
It's also one of the cheapest models we reviewed and it scores the same, and even outperforms, other portable air conditioners
We've also estimated that its running costs of $108 for the same period over summer is below average for units of this approximate size.
It comes with a remote control and timer (as well as the window kit, and cooling and dehumidifying features that come with most portable air cons).
But, it's rated by our experts as being noisy and the 52% score for cooling is a borderline performance when compared with other units, so take this into account when considering the size of the room you want to use it in.
Read the full full Onix 2kW portable air conditioner review.
2. Ecoflow Wave portable air conditioner (EFH200)
CHOICE expert rating: 55%
Cooling capacity: 1.2kW
Price: $1799
Cooling score: 48%
This diminuitive air con, standing just 52cm high, 42cm wide and 31cm deep, and weighing 18kg, is definitely compact and light enough for the average person to move around the home (or, as the manufacturer suggests, for using alongside an add-on battery pack for a medium-sized tent or small caravan when camping – the first portable air conditioner we've seen spruiking this capability). It also has handles on the front and back to make it easier to lift, but no castor wheels.
Recommended for use in a space no larger than 8m2, it has a timer with three fan speeds and you can control it via an App.
It's very pricey though and our experts noted it's very noisy at full power.
Read the full Ecoflow Wave portable air conditioner review.
3. Teco portable air conditioner (TPO20CFBT)
CHOICE expert rating: 55%
Cooling capacity: 2.05kW
Price: $599
Cooling score: 48%
Relatively expensive for a unit with this low cooling capacity (only suitable for a small room), this portable air conditioner is on the physically smaller side when compared to other units, standing at 66cm high with a width and depth of 32cm.
It weighs 22.6kg and, like most models, has castor wheels so you can move it around, and also comes with 2 speed settings and remote control.
Its cooling performance is borderline when compared to other models, so you should only attempt to use it in a small room. However, it's also noisy at full power (although it does have a sleep function). A positive is that it has relatively low running costs.
Read the full Teco portable air conditioner review.
4. TCL portable air conditioner (TAC-07CPB/RV)
CHOICE expert rating: 55%
Cooling capacity: 2.05kW
Price: $449
Cooling score: 48%
At 67cm high, 32cm wide and 32cm deep, and coming in at 22kg, this is another smaller unit with relatively low running costs that achieves the same borderline cooling performance as the other models featured here (so should only be considered for a smaller space). It has a reasonable warranty cover (three years) but our testers have noted it is noisy.
Read the full TCL portable air conditioner review.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
