The best air conditioners

Mini air conditioners and evaporative coolers, portable monobloc air conditioners and fixed split units: our selection to actually bring the temperature down.

Unlike a simple fan, a real air conditioner genuinely lowers a room's temperature through a refrigeration cycle (or, for evaporative models, by cooling the air through water evaporation).
We have sorted our selection into several families: mini air conditioners and evaporative coolers (compact, no installation, for individual use), portable monobloc air conditioners (with an exhaust hose through the window, no building work needed) and fixed split air conditioners (indoor plus outdoor unit, professional installation required, but far better performance and much quieter). For a lighter and more economical way to cool down, see our Fans category.

▽
No product matches these criteria.

I - Mini air conditioner

Compact, with no installation or exhaust needed, this small device combines fan cooling with evaporative water cooling. A stopgap solution for a desk or personal space.

evaCHILL Evapolar evaCHILL Personal Air Cooler
zoom_in

Evapolar evaCHILL

Check price and availability (34)

Ultra compact and USB powered, the Evapolar evaCHILL cools the air through water evaporation, sitting right on a desk or bedside table.

  • Type : Mini personal evaporative air cooler, no compressor or refrigerant gas
  • Power consumption : 7.5 W maximum, USB powered (wall outlet, PC, power bank 5V/2A min.)
  • Water tank : 800 mL, up to 9 hours of continuous runtime
  • EvaBreeze basalt-fibre cartridge, which also filters out large dust particles
The Evapolar evaCHILL is a miniature USB-powered evaporative air cooler that combines fan cooling with water evaporation in a footprint small enough for a corner of a desk. With no installation and no refrigerant gas, it suits individual use for cooling the air near a workstation or bedside table.
See the product page
MCH-2 V2 FreshLine OneConcept MCH-2 V2 FreshLine
zoom_in

OneConcept MCH-2 V2 FreshLine

Check price and availability (10)

A compact mini evaporative air cooler with a rechargeable water tank, for a personal touch of coolness.

  • Type : Mini evaporative air cooler (fan + humidifier, no compressor)
  • Airflow : 403 m3/h, 3 speeds
  • Power consumption : 65 W
  • 8 L tank with 2 removable ice packs, horizontal oscillation and 2-hour timer
The OneConcept MCH-2 V2 FreshLine combines fan cooling with water evaporation in a compact unit designed to sit on a desk or coffee table. Its rechargeable water tank and multiple fan speeds make it an economical stopgap solution for cooling the air in a small area without the constraints of a genuine air conditioner.
See the product page

II - Portable air conditioner

The monobloc unit on wheels, with its hot-air exhaust hose run through a partly open window: real air conditioning, with no building work or fixed installation.

PortaSplit 12000 BTU Midea PortaSplit, reversible split-style portable air conditioner 12000 BTU
zoom_in

Midea PortaSplit 12000 BTU

Check price and availability (13)

The portable air conditioner that mimics a real split system: an outdoor unit on the window, no hot air hose in the room, installable without a professional in under 30 minutes.

  • Power : 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU/h), cooling and heating
  • Type : Split-style portable, with outdoor unit, no hot air hose in the room
  • Noise level : 39 to 50 dB(A) indoors depending on mode
  • A real outdoor unit: no hot air released into the room, unlike a monobloc
The Midea PortaSplit 12000 BTU is unlike most portable air conditioners: instead of a single monobloc unit, it pairs an indoor unit on castors with a genuine outdoor unit mounted on a window bracket, linked by a rigid 2 metre refrigerant line. The result: no hot air hose runs through the room, and the compressor, the main source of noise, stays outside. Reversible (cooling and heating), rated A++ for cooling and A+ for heating, it covers up to 42 m². At around 45.5 kg total, it is best described as semi-portable rather than a true everyday nomad.
We have followed buyer feedback on this PortaSplit closely, and one point keeps coming up: it is the first portable air conditioner that genuinely feels like a fixed split system. The difference is most noticeable at night, the outdoor unit takes the compressor noise with it, leaving only the fan hum indoors. Installation, window sealing kit included, really does take under 30 minutes with no drilling. On running costs, users who tracked their usage report reasonable figures (roughly £0.50 to £2 a day in summer), far below the usual worries around portable AC bills. Two things are worth knowing before buying: at 45.5 kg total, the unit moves between rooms but doesn't handle like a simple monobloc on wheels, and the rigid 2 metre refrigerant line means the placement of both units needs planning ahead. One isolated review also mentions the cooling mode eventually dropping to fan-only after weeks of heavy use, worth watching during the warranty period. The price sits above a basic monobloc, but the day-to-day comfort gap, quiet operation and a genuine heating boost in shoulder seasons, feels well worth it to us.
See the product page
Dolceclima Olimpia Splendid Dolceclima 10 HP WiFi Portable Air Conditioner
zoom_in

Olimpia Splendid Dolceclima

Check price and availability (3)

A reversible, WiFi-connected portable air conditioner from Olimpia Splendid, an Italian benchmark for cooling a room with no building work or fixed installation.

  • Type : Reversible monobloc portable (cooling/heating), heat pump, built-in WiFi
  • Cooling capacity : 2.6 kW (EN14511 standard, about 10000 BTU/h)
  • Energy class : A in both cooling and heating (EER 2.6)
  • Automatic condensate removal, no bucket to empty, plus stopgap heating for mild seasons
The Olimpia Splendid Dolceclima 10 HP WiFi is a monobloc portable air conditioner, with a hot-air exhaust hose to run through a partly open window. Reversible for heating, controllable via WiFi and with no condensate bucket to empty, it makes everyday use easier for genuine air conditioning with no fixed installation work.
See the product page
Pinguino PAC EX100 Silent De'Longhi Pinguino PAC EX100, 10000 BTU portable air conditioner
zoom_in

De'Longhi Pinguino PAC EX100 Silent

Check price and availability (14)

The Pinguino, De'Longhi's long-standing portable air conditioner reference: 10,000 BTU, A++ energy class, Real Feel technology and a built-in dehumidifier.

  • Power : 2.5 kW (10,000 BTU/h)
  • Energy class : A++
  • Dehumidifying : Up to 24 L/24h
  • Real Feel technology: regulates temperature and humidity to save up to 30% energy
The De'Longhi Pinguino PAC EX100 Silent is a monobloc portable air conditioner rated at 10,000 BTU/h (2.5 kW), A++ rated, covering rooms up to 110 m³. Its Real Feel technology automatically regulates temperature and humidity to save up to 30% energy, and its dehumidifier function removes up to 24 litres of water per 24 hours. Supplied ready to use with a window kit, remote and LED touch panel, it remains a classic monobloc portable unit: an exhaust hose is required and noise levels are worth knowing about despite the "Silent" name.
The Pinguino PAC EX100 has been racking up reviews since 2016, and the pattern that emerges is fairly consistent: an effective air conditioner that genuinely cools, but a "Silent" name best taken with a pinch of salt. Several users confirm it runs reasonably quietly once the target temperature is reached, but the compressor at full power stays clearly audible, much like nearly every monobloc portable unit. The dehumidifier function is regularly praised as a real plus, useful outside heatwave season too. The point that comes up most in less favourable reviews concerns the remote, seen as basic, with no display for the set temperature, and the total absence of WiFi or app connectivity, a choice that feels a little dated next to newer models. One faulty unit was also reported, barely cooling at all, with the buyer describing Amazon's after-sales support as unsatisfactory, an isolated case but worth knowing about. For a room of 20 to 40 m² in typical summer use, the Pinguino EX100 remains a solid, proven choice, carried by De'Longhi's established reputation in this segment, as long as you don't expect absolute silence from it.
See the product page
Relax Style Argo Relax Style Portable Air Conditioner
zoom_in

Argo Relax Style

Check price and availability (9)

A compact portable air conditioner from Argo, designed to effectively cool a bedroom or home office with no fixed installation required.

  • Type : Monobloc portable
  • Cooling capacity : 10000 BTU/h (2600 W)
  • Energy class : A
  • Air conditioning, dehumidifying (34 L/day) and fan functions in a single unit, with a quiet night mode
The Argo Relax Style is a compact monobloc portable air conditioner with an exhaust hose and several fan speeds. Suited to a medium-sized bedroom or home office, it genuinely lowers the room temperature with no building work required, backed by the reliability of the Italian brand Argo.
See the product page

See all 11 Portable air conditioner →

III - Fixed air conditioner

Indoor and outdoor units linked by a refrigerant line, fitted by a certified professional: the most efficient, quietest and most durable solution.

CA35YR01G Hisense CA35YR01G Inverter Split Air Conditioner
zoom_in

Hisense CA35YR01G

Check price and availability (9)

A Hisense Inverter split air conditioner: performance, quiet operation and fine temperature control, installed by a professional.

  • Type : Fixed split (indoor + outdoor unit), Inverter technology
  • Cooling capacity : 3.5 kW (12000 BTU/h)
  • Energy class : A++ in cooling / A+ in heating
  • Good performance-to-price balance with Inverter regulation and A++ cooling energy efficiency
The Hisense CA35YR01G is a fixed split air conditioner fitted with Inverter technology, which continuously adjusts the compressor's power output for finer temperature control and optimised electricity consumption. Its discreet indoor unit and quiet operation make it a long-lasting solution, to be installed by a certified professional.
See the product page
Sensira FTXF25A Daikin Sensira FTXF25A Split Air Conditioner
zoom_in

Daikin Sensira FTXF25A

Check price and availability (10)

The Daikin Sensira, a long-standing benchmark in fixed air conditioning, combines proven performance with reliability recognised over the long term.

  • Type : Fixed split (indoor + outdoor unit), Inverter technology
  • Cooling capacity : 2.5 kW (9000 BTU/h)
  • Energy class : A++ in cooling / A+ in heating
  • Very quiet Daikin Inverter technology (from 20 dB) with fine temperature control and well-known reliability
The Daikin Sensira FTXF25A is a fixed split air conditioner from Daikin, one of the most established names in residential air conditioning. Fitted with Inverter technology, it delivers precise temperature control with quiet operation, for an installation carried out by a certified professional and built to last for many years.
See the product page

IV - Related questions

A portable air conditioner suits occasional use, rentals, or when building work isn't an option: it moves from room to room but stays noisier and less efficient than a fixed unit. A fixed split unit, fitted by a professional (a legal requirement in many countries for handling refrigerant), offers better performance, much better energy efficiency and a far lower noise level, for a larger investment.

No: an evaporative cooler (often called a 'mini air conditioner') cools the air by evaporating water, which works well in dry air but stays noticeably less effective than a real compressor-based air conditioner, especially in humid conditions. It is an economical stopgap solution, not a full replacement for a portable or fixed air conditioner.

Also on the blog

Compare