The best portable air conditioners you can buy this Summer

Every year as the Australian Summer starts to heat up (typically hotter than the last,) split-system air conditioner specialists are run off their feet and often booked up well into the New Year. That's why so many Australians turn to a trusty portable air conditioner to get the job done.

Especially popular with renters, portable air conditioners can be moved from room to room and are easily installed and operated. But as many people who have previously invested in portable air-con would tell you, some products simply don't have the power required to combat the harsh Australian Summer, and sometimes the ones that do can do some serious damage to your energy bill. 

With that in mind, we've rounded up the best portable air conditioners currently available in Australia based on their coverage, noise levels, budget and cooling features. 

The De’Longhi Pinguino Air-to-Air is a super quiet portable air conditioner that’s powerful enough to keep a large bedroom or small living room space cool, works as a standalone or combi-mode dehumidifier (an impressive 1.7L/hr) and is also eco-friendly. However, it's not the cheapest model out there.

If you’re sensitive to noise, the Pinguino Air-to-Air gets a solid tick for its standout quietness. At a minimum noise pressure level of 47dB, it’s well below the level of normal conversation (around 60db) according to Safe Work Australia and on the lower end of the average sound level of portable air conditioners in our market selection (around 56dB). That said, you'd be hard-pressed to find a truly silent portable air conditioner, so expect the usual humming and fan noises.

We also loved the use of low-emission refrigerant R290 and the inclusion of an ultra-smart remote, which can sense the humidity and temperature of a room and adjust the system’s output accordingly.

If you're looking for a simple, compact cooling solution, it's hard to look past EvaPolar's evaCHILL range. This tiny evaporative air cooler offers comparatively quiet air conditioning for small rooms and studies. At less than $150, it's easy to recommend, but at this price don't expect any dehumidifying functions. In fact, expect the opposite. As an evaporative air cooler, the evaCHILL actually humidifies the air. That's great for dry heat but not so good for muggy, humid days. Those living on Australia's East Coast are more prone to humid Summer days, whereas Central and Western Australia have a much drier heat, where the evaCHILL works best.

To control the temperature in a large space, you generally have to spend quite a bit more money. Case in point: the Dimplex 4.5kW Portable Air Conditioner. It comfortably cools areas up to 34 square metres and also functions as a dehumidifier (a market-leading 2.9L per hour) and is self-evaporative (meaning no drip tray or drainage hose).

Now, you might be thinking more power means more noise, but in Dimplex's case, that's not necessarily true. It's rated at about 56dB, which is a little noisier than our top quiet picks (understandably), but still well below some of its less-powerful competitors.

It weighs in at 34kg, which isn't the lightest, but it's still significantly lighter than our runner-up. Speaking of...

Carson may not be a household name in the world of portable white goods but there's no denying that its 3-in-1 portable air conditioner offers good bang for your buck. Unlike our budget frontrunner, the Carson 3-in-1 is built for bigger rooms (between 10 and 15m³). It also dehumidifies the air and uses a self-evaporative system that reduces the need to constantly empty the water reservoir.

The Carson 3-in-1 may not have the smart features of our next pick but it does offer the convenience of remote-operated control, a 24-hour timer and a Sleep Mode for quieter operation during the twilight hours.

If you’re on a tight budget but you want to give a smart home-compatible model a go, your best bet is the Kogan SmarterHome 3.5kW portable air conditioner. With a cooling area of up to 30 square metres, it’s certainly one of the better dollar-to-cooling-space ratios we’ve seen.

The biggest plus is that it can be completely controlled remotely via a supported smartphone app or device and is compatible with both Google Assistant and Alexa. That means if you’ve forgotten to turn it off before leaving for a weekend away, you can switch your AC off from your phone rather than having to turn back home. What’s more, for an affordable price, as well as decent cooling capacity, you’ll get an AC that isn’t too heavy and dehumidifies (1.2L per hour).

Unfortunately, it is quite loud at 65dB and only comes with a one-year warranty.

Okay, okay, we may have cheated a little with this one. The Dyson Purifier Cool isn't a portable air conditioner per se, but this bladeless tower fan offers more efficient cooling than your average pedestal fan. It has 350-degree oscillation for whole-room cooling, 10 speed settings, voice and app control and a bevvy of air-purifying features. The HEPA-grade air filter will catch 99.95% of airborne particles and allergens while the activated carbon layer will filter out harmful gases and stanky odours. 

The Dyson Purifier Cool can be a tough sell at the regular retail price of $949 but at the discounted price of $838, it's much easier to recommend.