Living without air con during an Aussie summer? That can quickly turn into an experience you’d rather forget.
Luckily, portable air conditioners and evaporative coolers are here to save the day (and the next few months!).
In the midst of a sweltering hot summer, these cooling heroes are on call, ready to provide the refreshing breeze you need to beat the heat.
8 best portable air conditioners and coolers to shop in Australia 2024
Omega Altise 2.6kW portable air conditioner, $599 at The Good Guys
With a 2.6kW cooling capacity, there’s no doubt this portable AC from Omega will keep you cool on even the hottest summer nights.
“We bought 3 of these units and I have absolutely no complaints! We live in an old Queenslander home with high ceilings and the typical tongue-&-groove walls. The bedrooms are fairly average sized but the high ceilings means more air to cool, and these little units handle it perfectly. For us, the air cons are barely noisy, and much quieter than other portable air cons I’ve used before,” wrote one five-star reviewer.
Key features:
- Cooling only
- 1.6kW
- Two speeds
- Touch control
- 24 hour timer
- Dehumidifying mode and AQUA CHILL technology for greater efficiency
- Two-year warranty
In a hurry? Choose Click & Collect from your nearest Good Guys and it’ll be ready for pick up from your local store in just one hour.
SmarterHome 3.5kW portable air conditioner, $449 for First members (usually $699.99) at Kogan
This clever Kogan portable air conditioner connects to your smartphone, Google Home or Amazon Alexa, so that you can control the temperature with your voice or the touch of a finger.
“Apart from being slightly noisy the portable air conditioner cools my bedroom wonderfully,” said a reviewer. “The delivery was really quick and the installation was quick and easy using the instructions, I would recommend this product.”
Key features:
- Dehumidifying capacity 28L/24hours
- Ideal for rooms up to 30sqm
- Cooling temperature of 16-30° Celsius
- Three modes – air conditioner, fan and dehumidifier
- Control via the remote, control panel or the free Kogan SmarterHome app
- Compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa
- One-year warranty
Rinnai 4.1Kw cooling only portable air conditioner, $883 (usually $975) at Appliances Online
Your air will be chilled in no time with Rinnai’s portable air con. It has a bunch of great features, including an in-built timer, various operating modes, a washable filter, a convenient water alarm, and you don’t even have to empty the water tray because it eliminates condensation through the exhaust duct.
Key features:
- 4.1kW cooling capacity
- Adjustable temperature control
- Multiple speed fan
- Washable filter
- Sleep mode
- Inbuilt timer
- Two-year warranty
Also available at:
- $869.98 from Big W
- $989 from The Good Guys
Excel Air 2.62Kw portable air conditioner, $549 at Bing Lee
This unit is solid proof that good things can come in small packages. It’s lightweight, easy to transport and works extremely hard to keep your space nice and cool on those stinking hot days.
“This small, lightweight, portable aircon unit works surprisingly well,” wrote a five-star reviewer. “We purchased this to cool down a back bedroom that the lounge room wall aircon doesn’t hit due to turns and corners in our house. It does a really good job of cooling the room down. On 38 degree days it kept the back bedroom at 18-20 degrees.”
Key features:
- Two-speed fan
- Water tank full indicator
- Sleep function
- 12-hour timer
- Remote control
- Two-year warranty
Also available at:
EWT 9L evaporative cooler, $229 at The Good Guys
With three fan settings to choose from, a timer and a nine-litre tank capacity, this evaporative cooler is a great way to keep cool whenever and wherever you want.
“This product is fantastic,” said a reviewer. “We use it in our large bedroom and lounge room when the days are 35-40. It has a remote control which is super convenient and 3 settings to play with. We brought some extra ice blocks from Woolworths to rotate them only [on] the really hot days. If you’re expecting this to cool your whole home you have to be realistic but its a fantastic addition.”
Key features:
- 9L water tank capacity
- Three speeds
- 15-hour timer
- Remote control
- Easy to move from room to room
- Eco-friendly
Evapolar evaCHILL personal evaporative air cooler, $149 at Amazon
With almost 2000 five-star reviews on Amazon, this evaporative cooler is perfect for popping on your desk when the office temperature just won’t cooperate. You can even use it to cool a small bedroom or space.
“I thought this might have been another one of my failed purchases but it does exactly what it says,” wrote a reviewer who left five stars. “It can cool a small room – even my study that gets the afternoon Australia Summer sun was noticeably improved.”
Key features:
- Three-in-one cooling
- Reduces outgoing temperature by up to 14° Celsius
- All natural from basalt fibres
- Energy-efficient and cost-saving
- Powered by patented evaBREEZE technology
- One-year warranty
Hyundai 4.1Kw smart portable air conditioner, $529 for First members (usually $899.99) at Dick Smith
Enjoy the perfect temperature in your home with this small air conditioner, which effortlessly connects to Amazon Alexa and Google Home through an app. It also features a built-in fan and dehumidifier with adjustable temperatures from 16°C to 31°C.
“I bought it about a month ago and it simply met all the needs,” said a reviewer. “Easy to assemble and move through the environments. All functions work perfectly. I highly recommend it.”
Key features:
- Cooling temperature of 16-31° Celsius
- Wifi enabled
- Three speed settings
- Timer
- Sleep mode
- Digital display
- Self evaporative
- One-year warranty
Also available at:
- $529 from Kogan
Klika pronti evaporative air cooler, $99 at Big W
Featuring a 3.5-litre reservoir, this cooler is great for taking the heat out of the day, no matter what part of the house you’re in. The low-power consumption (only 60 watts) translates into incredible savings on energy bills, too.
Key features:
- Honey comb cooling pad
- Durable castors
- Low-power consumption
- Ice-cooling & humidifying function
- Three fan speeds :low, middle and high
- Motorised, directional swing louvers with three-position speed adjustment
What’s the difference between a portable air conditioner and an evaporative cooler?
A portable air conditioner and an air cooler are both used to cool indoor spaces, but they work in different ways and have distinct advantages.
Portable air conditioner
A portable air conditioner functions similarly to a traditional central air conditioning system. It removes heat and humidity from the air through a refrigeration process, cooling the room in the process. It requires an exhaust hose to release hot air outside.
Portable AC units are effective in all climates, making them suitable for both dry and humid conditions. They can achieve lower temperatures and provide precise control over room temperature. However, they tend to consume more energy and can be a bit noisier.
Air cooler (evaporative cooler)
An air cooler, or evaporative cooler, cools the air through water evaporation. It draws in warm air, passes it through water-saturated pads, and releases cooler, moisturised air. This method is more energy-efficient and eco-friendly than traditional air conditioning, making air coolers a good option for dry climates.
However, they work best in low humidity environments and might not achieve the same low temperatures as portable air conditioners. They also add moisture to the air, which can be beneficial in dry conditions but not ideal for humid environments.
