Best Air Conditioning
Britain's summers are getting hotter and energy bills are not getting any cheaper. This page covers every portable air conditioning unit and evaporative cooler we review, organised by budget. If you have solar panels or a power station, read our full guide on how to run a portable AC unit on solar power before you buy.
Page Contents
Budget Under £400
Entry level true refrigeration units. All will genuinely cool a room. The three SereneLife models show 230W wattage in manufacturer specs — verify this on the Amazon listing before sizing solar against them.
SereneLife
Portable Air Conditioner 7000 BTU
| BTU | 7,000 |
| Wattage | 230W* |
| Room size | 32.5m² |
| Noise | 57dB |
| Hose | Single |
| SEER | 20 |
£240.85
View on Amazon
SereneLife
Portable Air Conditioner 7000 BTU with Remote
| BTU | 7,000 |
| Wattage | 230W* |
| Room size | 32.5m² |
| Noise | 57dB |
| Hose | Single |
| SEER | 20 |
£249.99
View on Amazon
SereneLife
Portable Air Conditioner 12000 BTU Self Evap
| BTU | 12,000 |
| Wattage | 1,450W |
| Room size | 47m² |
| Noise | 57dB |
| Hose | Single |
| SEER | 16 |
£329.99
View on Amazon
SereneLife
Portable Air Conditioner 14000 BTU
| BTU | 14,000 |
| Wattage | 230W* |
| Room size | 60m² |
| Noise | 57dB |
| Hose | Single |
| SEER | 15 |
£359.99
View on AmazonMid Range £400 to £700
The SereneLife 12000 BTU Dual Hose Inverter is the solar sweet spot of the entire range. At 902W it is the lowest wattage true refrigeration unit available. A 1,000W solar setup runs it continuously all day.
SereneLife
Portable Air Conditioner 12000 BTU Dual Hose Inverter
| BTU | 12,000 |
| Wattage | 902W |
| Noise | 55dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| Inverter | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes |
£512.99
View on AmazonUpper Mid £700 to £1,200
Two options here covering different needs. The Belaco is a solid single hose unit. The ZAFRO 16000 BTU is the largest room coverage in this price band at 74m².
Belaco
Portable Air Conditioner 9000 BTU
| BTU | 9,000 |
| Wattage | 950W |
| Noise | 65dB |
| Hose | Single |
| SEER | 14.5 |
£799.99
View on Amazon
ZAFRO
Inverter Portable Air Conditioner 16000 BTU
| BTU | 16,000 |
| Wattage | 1,310W |
| Room size | 74m² |
| Noise | 42dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| Inverter | Yes |
£1,127.55
View on AmazonPremium Over £1,200
All inverter units. All dual hose. Noise levels down to 42dB — quiet enough for bedroom use. These are the units to buy if you are running from solar or battery and want the best balance of power draw and cooling output.
ZAFRO
Inverter Portable Air Conditioner 14000 BTU
| BTU | 14,000 |
| Wattage | 1,250W |
| Room size | 65m² |
| Noise | 42dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| Inverter | Yes |
£1,141.78
View on Amazon
Inverter
Portable Air Conditioner 16000 BTU
| BTU | 16,000 |
| Wattage | 1,300W |
| Room size | 79m² |
| Noise | 42dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| SEER | 12 |
£1,145.44
View on Amazon
Gasbye
Portable Air Conditioner 14000 BTU DC Inverter
| BTU | 14,000 |
| Wattage | 1,290W |
| Room size | 46m² |
| Noise | 45dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| CEER | 13.6 |
£1,189.62
View on Amazon
Humhold
Portable Air Conditioner 14000 BTU Inverter
| BTU | 14,000 |
| Wattage | 1,250W |
| Room size | 65m² |
| Noise | 42dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| Inverter | Yes |
£1,195.53
View on Amazon
ZAFRO
Inverter Portable Air Conditioner 14000 BTU Premium
| BTU | 14,000 |
| Wattage | 1,250W |
| Room size | 65m² |
| Noise | 43dB |
| Hose | Dual |
| Inverter | Yes |
£1,452.92
View on Amazon| Product | BTU | Wattage | Room | Noise | Hose | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZAFRO 14000 BTU | 14,000 | 1,250W | 65m² | 42dB | Dual | £1,141.78 | Buy |
| Inverter 16000 BTU | 16,000 | 1,300W | 79m² | 42dB | Dual | £1,145.44 | Buy |
| Gasbye 14000 BTU | 14,000 | 1,290W | 46m² | 45dB | Dual | £1,189.62 | Buy |
| Humhold 14000 BTU | 14,000 | 1,250W | 65m² | 42dB | Dual | £1,195.53 | Buy |
| ZAFRO 14000 BTU Premium | 14,000 | 1,250W | 65m² | 43dB | Dual | £1,452.92 | Buy |
Evaporative Coolers From £39.99
Not a replacement for a refrigeration unit in a UK heatwave. But at this price and this power draw, they make a real difference at close range. Fill the tank with cold water and add ice. The colder the water, the harder they work.
Mini Cooler
Mini Air Cooler with RGB Lighting
| Wattage | 8W |
| Noise | 45dB |
| Power | USB |
| Use | Personal/desk |
£39.99
View on Amazon
Personal Cooler
2000ML Personal Evaporative Air Cooler
| Wattage | 36W |
| Tank | 2L |
| Noise | 65dB |
| Use | Personal |
£71.99
View on Amazon
Personal Cooler
1200ML Portable Personal Air Cooler
| Wattage | 10W |
| Tank | 1.2L |
| Noise | 36dB |
| Use | Personal |
£69.98
View on Amazon
Pro Breeze
4-in-1 Evaporative Air Cooler 10L
| Wattage | 110W |
| Tank | 10L |
| Noise | 58dB |
| Use | Large rooms |
£104.99
View on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
What does BTU mean and how many do I need? +
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and measures how much cooling power a unit delivers. As a rough guide, a small bedroom up to 15m² needs around 7,000 BTU. A medium room up to 30m² needs 10,000 to 12,000 BTU. A large living room up to 50m² needs 14,000 BTU. For rooms over 50m², look at 16,000 BTU units. South facing rooms and rooms with poor insulation may need a higher BTU rating than these guidelines suggest. Check the current Met Office forecast to see how hot your area is expected to get.
Can I run a portable AC unit on solar panels? +
Yes. The key is matching your solar panel output to your AC unit wattage. The SereneLife 12000 BTU Dual Hose Inverter at 902W is the easiest unit to power from solar — a 1,000W solar setup runs it continuously on a clear day. Higher wattage units need more panels. Read our full guide at How to Run a Portable Air Conditioner on Solar Power for the full breakdown including battery runtime tables.
What is the difference between single hose and dual hose? +
A single hose unit exhausts hot air out through one hose but draws replacement air from inside the room, creating negative pressure and reducing efficiency. A dual hose unit uses one hose to exhaust hot air and a second to draw fresh air from outside, which is significantly more efficient. Dual hose units cool faster, use less energy per hour of cooling, and are better suited for solar or battery power because of their lower net energy draw.
What is an inverter AC and is it worth paying more for? +
A standard AC compressor runs at full speed or not at all. An inverter AC adjusts its compressor speed to match the cooling demand, which reduces energy consumption significantly during sustained use. If you are running from solar or battery, an inverter unit is worth the extra cost because it draws less average wattage and extends your runtime considerably. Paired with a cheap overnight tariff like Octopus Go, the savings add up fast. All premium units on this page use inverter technology.
Do evaporative coolers actually work in the UK? +
In dry heat, yes. In humid conditions, less so. Evaporative coolers work by evaporating water into the air, which only works effectively when the air is dry enough to absorb more moisture. During a UK heatwave, which often brings relatively low humidity, evaporative coolers can provide useful cooling at close range — particularly at a desk or bedside. They will not cool an entire room the way a refrigeration unit will. Fill the tank with cold water and add ice for the best results. Browse our rechargeable batteries and power stations if you want to run either type off solar or battery.
* 230W wattage figures for SereneLife units are as stated by the manufacturer. Verify on the Amazon listing before sizing solar or battery against these units.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. No additional costs are passed on to you. Prices correct at time of publication — verify on Amazon before purchase.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. No additional costs are passed on to you. Prices correct at time of publication — verify on Amazon before purchase.