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A portable air con could be the solution if you rent or are on a budget. We test and review the leading brands on the market to help you buy with confidence.
Use this report to find out:
Our comprehensive test also gives detailed stats for those who like to drill down, and good and bad points for each portable air conditioner. Our Recommended list helps you quickly see which portable air conditioners come out on top.
This test includes some discontinued models which may still be available second hand. To view them, select 'Discontinued' under 'Related products'.
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List of brands we tested in this review.
Recommended or typical retail, as of October 2018.
enter value/s in increments of 1 between 309 and 1395
We recommend currently available models scoring 70% or above.
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Our test is performed by an accredited laboratory. Portable air conditioners are tested in a 4.5m x 4m room with a 2.4m insulated ceiling.
enter value/s in increments of 1 between 0 and 0
Based on power used vs the temperature drop achieved in our test. Portable air conditioners don't currently have energy star-rating labels and can't be compared to split systems. The higher the score, the more energy efficient the air conditioner is compared with others on test.
Approximate cost of operating the unit at maximum capacity for four hours per day for three months in hot weather, based on 30c/kWh.
Testers look at stability, portability, installing the window kit, removing and refitting the air filter, water drainage, controls (including remote controls) and instruction manuals.
The power cord should be long enough to let the unit reach the window. Extension cables are not recommended as they may overload.
enter value/s in increments of 1 between 110 and 240
The hose that directs air from the unit to the window.
enter value/s in increments of 1 between 110 and 190
A Similar model is identical in most aspects except for a few. This means that a majority of its test results are identical so you can reasonably expect to get the same results from the model we tested, but for those aspects which aren't identical, we'll note these as "Not Tested" in the Compare tables.
A Tested model refers to a model that is still current and available in the Australian market. You should be able to order this model through your local retailer, or find it online.
These models can't be found in retailers or online or are no longer manufactured. You may still find these models on second hand websites, or in second hand dealers. Test methods may change over time, so criteria which can't be directly compared will contain an N/A.
An Identical model is exactly that. Performance characteristics will be identical and the only difference will be something trivial such as colour, which won't have an impact on performance.
These are models we haven't yet tested but that are available.
