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When setting up wi-fi on your air conditioner (if applicable), place the air conditioner as close to the router as possible. Manufacturers often state that the unit requires a good signal during the setup process.
Positioning is another issue: most PACs need to vent hot air through a window, and if you can’t place it right next to a suitable opening, you’ll either need to put a permanent vent through the wall or find a model with a hose extender. What’s more, where the air goes out, there’s also potential for more warm air to creep in. In fact, the negative air pressure created by the air conditioner actively encourages it to do so. Key specs – BTU rating: 9,000; Functions: AC, dehumidifier, heater, fan; Energy rating: A; Noise: 64dB; Features: Remote control, timer, three-speed fan, heat pump; Hose length: 1.5m; Dimensions: 705 x 472 x 383mm; Weight: 31kg to 34kg
Going crazy with the heat? Cool things down with our pick of the best portable air conditioners
The only major downsides are noise and power consumption. The MC Series 7000 outputs around 58dBA in typical use, and is only a few decibels quieter with the fan on its lower setting. And while it uses around 104W while cooling, we saw that rise to peaks of 641W during dehumidification – although the way the dry mode works means that this isn’t constant, by any means. Still, you’ll hear the same complaints of most PACs, but you can easily live with such issues when the price is so low and the performance so impressive. Multiply the dimensions (in feet) of the room by five. So for a room measuring 15ft x 10ft x 8ft, you would calculate 15 x 10 x 8 x 5 = an air conditioner of 6,000 BTUs. You could also look at the claimed energy class. Air conditioner manufacturers are obliged to self-certify their energy class, from A to G. However, we conduct our own expert tests according to the European Standard BS EN 14511:2013. Often, we find the claimed and actual energy class to be different. Can you buy an eco air conditioner? Need to be permanently mounted on an outside wall by a certified professional, so involves structural work to your home.
Of course, you don’t want to go much bigger than you have to. Weight, size and convenience matter, and if a unit’s too big, too heavy and too difficult to set up, then you may end up avoiding using it except for a few really hot days in the summer. You need to balance the cooling power you need against how big and obtrusive a PAC can be before you’re not prepared to put up with it. Where can I put a portable air conditioner? PACs should really be emptied and cleaned at the end of every summer season, and easily accessible fans and filters make that job a whole lot easier. Make sure you clear out any pipes or drains as well; they can get pretty stinky if left alone over a long winter. Yes, there are lots of companies that offer this. Trying a portable model before you buy could save you from making a costly mistake. For instance, you may not realise how much noise they can make. At their quietest, they sound like a fridge on its cooling cycle, and some models will also rattle and gurgle. Keep an eye out for any refrigerant leaks If yours is blowing out warm air or is noisier than usual, this could indicate that it has a refrigerant leak. With a higher BTU rating than its stablemate, the Pinguino PAC EL112, the PAC EX130CST is equipped to handle rooms of up to 120m³ in size, and we suspect it could go larger. There’s a lot of cooling power on offer here. It effortlessly reduced the temperature of our test room from 25°C to 20.5°C in half an hour, then dropped down to a steady 20°C for the rest of our two-hour test period. We had no problem throughout testing keeping the temperature at about that level, although attempts to push it down to 18°C weren’t so successful; it’s within the range of the thermostat, but seems to be outside the EX130 CST’s comfort zone.They are generally heavy, unwieldy appliances. If you have reduced strength and/or live alone, you might need to get someone to help you set it up. Our data shows that they use as much energy in an hour as a typical fridge freezer uses in one day. It’s an effective cooler, taking a 25°C room to 21°C within half an hour, and to 20°C over a further 30 minutes, after which it kept the temperature steady for another hour. Testing in the middle of a heatwave, this was sweet relief. However, take any claims of silent running with a pinch of salt; noise levels hit 52dB at full tilt, falling to 46dB once the temperature had stabilised. Power consumption can also reach 620 to 820W when the unit is working hard. It isn’t the cheapest PAC to buy or run, but if you need some serious cooling, it’s exactly what you need. Due to condensation, water droplets are collected, so you'll need to manually remove the water from the tank every so often and clean the filter at the same time.
The UK is experiencing one of its hottest summers on record, and with temperatures soaring to new highs Britons have been struggling to keep cool – and keep their cool – both indoors and outside. The best portable air conditioners you can buy in 2023 1. Amcor SF8000E: Best low-cost portable air conditioner Location. Where you're positioning the air conditioner is another consideration. You'll need to be able to move it / position it close to a window so the warm air can be expelled through a vent. Throw in the same smart features as the smaller model, and you have a fully featured PAC that can keep you chilled out in the middle of a scorching day. Just be aware that it’s a chunky unit and, at 32kg, a bit too heavy to be lugged around the house. If it helps, here's what our Managing Editor, Computing and Entertainment, Matt Hanson, says about his experience with a portable air conditioner...
Air Conditioning by Daewoo
According to appliance retailer Marks Electrical, sales of portable air conditioning units increased by 526% in one week at the height of the recent July heatwave, with a year-on-year increase of 2,110%. The retailer says this category has been its best-performing product area. The good news is that portable air conditioners aren't especially noisy – they commonly put out in the range of 60 decibels, which is similar to to a typical conversation or an electric shaver. Still, it would be a good idea to not position the unit too close to where people are sleeping– the low-hum AC units emit could even act as white noise to help us sleep. All of the models we've tested are heavy (up to 30kg) and awkward to lift out of the box. If you live alone, we suggest you get someone to help you set it up, particularly if you're pregnant or elderly. How much you need to spend depends in part on the size of the room. If you want to cool a small bedroom, for example, you'd probably be better off going down the route of buying a fan – an air conditioning unit would be overkill. With some air conditioner/dehumidifiers, you'll need to connect a hose (which might not be supplied) to drain the water. With others, you'll need to set the machine up as you would in air conditioning mode, with the hose out of the open window.
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