The best portable cooling solutions for every room

Do you get hot under the collar when the mercury rises? A portable air conditioner or portable cooler might be the perfect climate-control tactic for you. “Portable air conditioners and coolers are a great choice for small spaces and rentals that don’t have fixed air conditioning installed,” says Scott Bazley, The Good Guys Buyer – Seasonal. “They can be a highly efficient way of cooling a small room – and you can take them with you when you move house.”

Indeed, when it comes to lowering the temperature without sending your bills sky-high, bigger isn’t always best: if your air conditioner’s too big for the room, you’ll waste both energy and money. So if you’re looking to cool a space of 20sq m or less, a portable air conditioner or portable cooler could well be the top choice to keep you chilled out all summer long!

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Portable Air Conditioners vs Portable Coolers

So, you’ve decided portable home cooling is the way to go. Next up, it’s time to choose between an air conditioner and a cooler. 

Portable coolers

• can be moved easily from room to room

• offer highly efficient, targeted cooling – they can cool just you, rather than a whole room

• are a great option for mild to moderate heat

• can include models that heat the room in winter, too

• are a simple and cost-effective option that can be easily packed away

Portable air conditioners

• can be very effective at cooling an entire room

• are a great option for very hot temperatures

• use an evaporation process that also combats humidity

• are very easy to install – simply plug in, install the venting hose and make sure to regularly empty the water condenser

To help you keep a cool head all season, we’ve pulled together a guide to the best portable air conditioners and coolers for every room in your home.

“Portable air conditioners and coolers are a great choice for small spaces and rentals that don’t have fixed air conditioning installed.”

For The Living Room

As one of the larger spaces in your home, your living room needs a portable cooler that packs a punch. Step forward, the De'Longhi Dual Oscillating Tower Fan. With three speed settings and oscillation that guarantees even airflow, its 968mm height means it has an impressive reach. This tower fan even has a remote control, which means you don't have to leave the sofa to crank up the cooling – perfect for some serious chill time.

Rather cool down your living room with portable air conditioning? The Olimpia Splendid 4.7kW Portable Air Conditioner is a great choice for living areas up to 30sqm. It includes a nifty sleep and eco mode – to help take the heat off your energy bills.

For The Bedroom

If there’s one thing you don’t want hotting up in the bedroom, it’s the temperature. With muggy nights getting in the way of a good night’s sleep, you need the best portable air conditioner for the job – and the Dimplex 3.2kW Multidirectional Portable Air Conditioner w/Dehumidifier is a cool contender. Reducing and controlling humidity levels in your room, this air conditioner works hard to give you the slumber of your dreams, and its energy efficiency means it can be used the whole night through.

Want to sleep easy knowing you’ve made a sustainable selection? If so,  evaporative cooling – such as the EWT 9L Evaporative Cooler – might be the one for you. “A great choice for drier climates, evaporative coolers are energy efficient, and work by drawing hot air across cool pads, where the water from the air evaporates – leaving cool air that’s then blown into your room,” says Scott Bazley.  As the pads provide filtration, evaporative cooling is ideal for allergy sufferers. It will also suit those who like to sleep with a window open but want a cooling system, as evaporative coolers need a steady stream of fresh air.

For The Home Office

With working from home now a fact of life for many, we need our home office to stay cool while the emails pile up. Whether you have a room or a nook set aside for the daily grind, you’ll want to look into your cooling options – and if space is a premium, you might want to consider the Dimplex 40cm High Velocity Oscillating Floor Fan. With three speed settings and a classic design, it’s a perfect pick for small spaces.

If you need absolute silence to get the job done, try the ultra-quiet De'Longhi 3.3kW Portable Air Conditioner. This clever option uses the De'Longhi Comfort app or voice-enabled speakers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to control your air conditioner whether you're chilled out at home or out and about.

For The Kids’ Retreat

For a fan that’s easily hidden away when not in use, you can’t go wrong with a box fan – in fact, you could say we’re big fans of these little guys. Adjustable and portable with three speed settings, the De'Longhi 360 Degree Pedestal Cooling Fan is a compact way to cool a room – and just the thing when hordes of teenagers descend on your home.

Another great option is the Kambrook 77cm Arctic Black Tower Fan – a powerful and portable fan with a slick black finish. Taking up little space, it comes with a remote control that means it can be turned on and off while young eyes remain glued to the nearest screen.

Sweating over the perfect portable home cooling solution? Head online or into your nearest The Good Guys store – and once you’ve made your choice, check out our guide to shrinking your cooling and heating bills.