Portable Air Conditioners Australia: What to Know Before Buying

Portable air conditioners can be useful when a permanent split system is not practical, particularly for renters, apartments or rooms that only need occasional cooling.

But they are not simply air conditioners on wheels.

A portable refrigerated air conditioner still needs to move heat outside, usually through an exhaust hose fitted to a window. The room, window, hose position, noise and condensate arrangement can all affect whether the unit is practical.

Before buying one, check the room and the window first.

For a broader comparison of fixed, portable and evaporative systems, start with the Air Conditioning Buying Guide.

Make sure it is actually an air conditioner

A portable refrigerated air conditioner removes heat from the room and exhausts it outside. A portable evaporative cooler passes air through water and adds moisture.

They are not interchangeable: evaporative cooling is best suited to hot, dry conditions, while adding moisture can make it a poor substitute in humid coastal, tropical and subtropical areas.

Be cautious when products are described simply as an air cooler rather than an air conditioner. Our guide comparing evaporative coolers and refrigerated air conditioning explains the climate and ventilation differences.

Check the window before you buy

Most portable refrigerated air conditioners need an exhaust hose connected to the outside.

That usually means fitting a supplied window kit into a sliding or sash window.

Before buying, check:

• how the window opens
• the dimensions of the opening
• whether the supplied kit will fit
• whether extra sealing will be required
• whether the window can still be secured
• where the unit can sit while connected to the window.

Awning, casement and unusual window designs may require a different solution from a standard sliding-window kit. Renters should also check the lease and seek permission where required before fixing or altering anything.

A portable air conditioner is much less useful if there is nowhere practical to exhaust the hot air.

Keep the exhaust hose short and sensible

The exhaust hose carries hot air from the air conditioner to the outside.

Follow the manufacturer’s installation requirements and avoid unnecessarily extending, crushing or sharply bending the hose.

A long or poorly routed hose creates more hot surface area inside the room and can make the installation less effective.

The unit also needs enough space around it for airflow, so squeezing it tightly behind furniture simply because that is where the window is located may not work well.

Understand the limitation of single-hose units

Many portable air conditioners sold for household use have a single exhaust hose.

The unit takes air from inside the room, uses some of it to carry heat away and exhausts that air outside.

This reduces the air pressure in the room, encouraging warmer air from adjoining rooms or outside to enter through gaps and openings.

This is one reason a portable unit can struggle more than expected in a large, poorly sealed or open-plan space.

Portable air conditioners generally make the most sense in smaller, enclosed rooms where doors and windows can be kept closed while cooling.

Treat claimed room size as a starting point

A manufacturer’s suggested room area can be useful, but the same room-sizing considerations that apply to fixed air conditioners still matter.

Cooling demand can increase with:

• strong afternoon sun
• north- or west-facing glazing
• large windows
• poor insulation
• high ceilings
• upstairs rooms
• open adjoining spaces
• heat-producing appliances.

A small shaded bedroom and a similarly sized west-facing upstairs room can place very different demands on an air conditioner.

Use our guide to air-conditioner sizing as a starting point. If the room gains excessive heat through the roof or walls, also check the practical options in our home insulation guide.

Portable does not mean quiet

The compressor, fan and other major components of a portable air conditioner are inside the room with you.

That makes noise particularly important if the unit will be used in a bedroom, study or television room.

Do not rely only on terms such as sleep mode, quiet mode or low noise.

Check published noise figures where available, remembering that fan speed and compressor operation can change the sound while the unit is running.

CHOICE testing has found that even some quieter portable units remain clearly audible. For a bedroom, consider noise before purchase rather than discovering it on the first hot night.

Check how condensate is handled

Refrigerated air conditioning removes moisture from the air as it cools.

Depending on the design and operating conditions, a portable unit may evaporate some condensate through the exhaust system, collect water internally or require a drain hose.

Check:

• whether a tank needs emptying
• whether continuous drainage is supported
• where a drain hose could go
• what happens when the tank becomes full.

This deserves particular attention in humid climates, where the unit may need to remove more moisture from the indoor air.

Dry mode can be useful in humid weather

Many portable air conditioners include a dry or dehumidify mode.

This can be useful when humidity is uncomfortable but heavy cooling is not required. Our guide to air-conditioner dry mode and humidity explains when it suits the conditions.

It does not necessarily replace a dedicated dehumidifier, and operation differs between models, so check whether dry mode requires continuous drainage and how the manufacturer intends it to be used.

Think about how portable it really is

Portable air conditioners commonly have wheels, but many are still large and heavy.

Moving one from room to room may also mean moving the exhaust hose, window fittings, drainage arrangement and power connection.

Check the unit’s dimensions and weight before buying, and consider where it will be stored when summer is over.

For many households, “portable” means movable when necessary, not something that is conveniently wheeled between bedrooms every evening.

When is a portable air conditioner a good choice?

A portable refrigerated air conditioner can make sense when:

• you rent and cannot install a fixed system
• strata or property restrictions prevent permanent installation
• only one small room needs occasional cooling
• you need a temporary cooling solution
• installing a split system is not practical.

If permanent installation is possible, compare portable, window/wall and split-system air conditioners before deciding.

Fixed systems generally avoid the portable unit’s flexible exhaust hose and keep more of the refrigeration equipment outside the occupied room. Our guide to split-system installation costs explains the site and quote questions to check first.

Before you buy

Check the room, window and exhaust route before comparing portable air conditioners.

Then consider cooling capacity, noise, condensate handling, dry mode, physical size and the realities of your local climate.

A portable air conditioner can solve a genuine cooling problem, particularly where permanent installation is not possible.

Even a capable portable unit is a poor purchase if the window cannot accommodate it, the room is too demanding or the noise makes it unsuitable for how you intend to use it.