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Air conditioners tend to be bulky and can be heavy – they typically weigh around 30kg – so if you need to move yours around a lot, think about whether you can manage carrying it up the stairs every evening.
There are three main types. Desk fans, as their name suggests, are smaller fans designed to sit on a desk or table and cool you while you sit close by, while pedestal and tower fans are designed for a whole room. All PACs incorporate a compressor and one or more fans, so they’re never going to be totally silent. Some are quieter than others, however: you should find the minimum and/or maximum noise pressure levels listed in the manufacturer’s specification. Watch out for sleep modes, too. These power down the compressor and reduce the speed of any fans to make the PAC’s hum a little easier to sleep through. If you really struggle with the noise, though, think about cooling the room before you go to sleep, or try using a desktop or pedestal fan instead.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? I’ve had to use it on numerous occasions, and it does a great job of cooling down any room it’s in, even large ones, and it’s not too noisy. While most of the UK was sweltering due to record temperatures the other day, I actually got a bit toochilly, and had to turn the AC off for a while, something I proudly told all my co-workers, much to their delight, I’m sure." Where to buy a portable air conditioning unit 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. Our data shows that they use as much energy in an hour as a typical fridge freezer uses in one day.
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.
Going crazy with the heat? Cool things down with our pick of the best portable air conditioners
How much you need to spend depends on your cooling requirements. PACs are rated in British thermal units (BTU): one BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree. A higher rating means an air conditioner can cool a larger space, which normally means the unit itself will be larger and more expensive. A 9,000BTU unit will handle a space of approximately 45 cubic metres, while a 12,000BTU unit could go up to 90 cubic metres. Measure your room before you buy to make sure you choose an air conditioner that’s up to the job. Split-unit air conditioners tend to be more energy efficient, but these are more expensive and have to be permanently installed by a professional. We don't test split-unit air conditioners as they're less popular in the UK. Electric fans come in many shapes and sizes. They range from basic models right up to the expensive and multi-functional Dyson Hot + Cool, which doubles as an electric heater. 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.
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. Key specs – BTU rating: 7,000; Functions: AC, dehumidifier, fan; Energy rating: A; Max noise: 65dB; Extra features: Remote control, timer, two-speed fan; Hose length: 1.8m; Dimensions: 348 x 335 x 740mm; Weight: 21kg Air-conditioning units don’t get much more reasonably priced than the MeacoCool MC 7000. Suitable for rooms up to 22m² thanks to its 7,000 BTU rating, the unit includes two fan speeds, as well as dehumidifier and fan functions. It’s reasonably compact, too, measuring less than a metre tall and 35cm square. At 21kg, it’s also more realistically portable than some PACs; you can just about lug it from room to room without risking a hernia. This reduces noise by running the compressor and fan more slowly. Often, the target temperature will increase automatically across the night so you don't wake up freezing cold. They feature a compressor in its outdoor unit that circulates the refrigerant and turns it from a gas to a liquid. That liquid passes through coolant lines to the indoor evaporator, where it transforms from a liquid to vapour. Heat is removed from the surrounding air and cooled air is blown into your home.If you've not yet jumped on the air conditioning band-wagon, should you? Here are six things to look out for when choosing and using a portable air conditioner. What to look for when searching, choosing and using a portable air conditioner Fans use just a fraction of the energy that air conditioners guzzle, as they only have to rotate lightweight blades. But while they might help your room feel less muggy, they only move the air around rather than actually cooling it.
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?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. If you're concerned about how much energy an air conditioner will use, look for a model with a good energy efficiency ratio (EER). This is the ratio between an air conditioner's BTU and its power input (in watts). Generally, the higher the EER rating, the more efficient it is.
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