Portable Air Conditioners – Are they worth it?

For those on a budget, renters, and those who find themselves in the middle of summer and looking for a quick fix to their hot home, a portable air conditioner picked up from an electronic or home appliance store seems like a good solution. In some situations a portable AC system may be able do the job fine, however in many others, buyers often feel disappointed with the limitations of portable AC products.

In this post, H&H Air Conditioning share our impartial advice on the pros and cons of portable air conditioners, to help you decide if the could work for your needs, of you might be better off investing more in a split system. 

Benefits of Portable Air Conditioners

– Price. Understandably much of the appeal of a portable air conditioner comes from the price. For as little as $300 these can be purchased and may provide cool relief.

– Mobility. Perhaps the biggest benefit of portable air conditioners, is like their name explains, they can be moved around at will. The potential for this is huge, if you are going away on holiday, or working in the garage, or garden shed.

– No Ductwork and Easy Set Up. Portable AC’s need very little set up, just place the air exhaust vent out the window, and you are ready to go. This makes them a good option for renters since no drilling or installation is required.

Limitations of Portable Air Conditioners

As you probably expect, portable air conditioners have more than a few limitations when compared to conventional split and ducted air conditioning systems.

– May not cool effectively. Generally portable air conditioners don’t work well for cooling average to large spaces. Depending on their output they may struggle to cool a living room and this may mean they are expensive and ineffective to operate – especially on very hot days in Brisbane when they are needed most. With that said, they are effective in cooling a small bedroom and study, however on a very hot day this may mean sitting close to the unit itself.

– Noisier than other air conditioners. Because all the components are housed in the same unit, portable AC’s are noiser than other system that typically have an outdoor unit. This can be distracting for sleeping, conversation, or while trying to watch television.

– Water output. Portable AC systems create indoor condensation, which is collected in a drip tray. In other models they must be placed near a window so condensation can escape through the hose. This limits where they can be placed, or with drip tray models, means regular emptying to prevent water escaping onto the floor.

Our verdict?

For most situations, where possible we would advise people on a budget to buy the right sized split system to cool the space – generally portable AC systems fall short for what most people would like from a cooling system. This will not only address all of the limitations recommend buying a smaller portable unit, but will be more financially economical and keep you cooler when you need it most. For a small split system, it’s usually only an investment of another $500 plus installation costs for a far superior product.

To find out more about budget air conditioning options, get in touch with the team at H&H Air Conditioning today on (07) 3276 1800 for our Brisbane, and (07) 5477 1777 for our Sunshine Coast service centre.