I want to save money but not melt in the heat next summer

[DreamingOfSoftWhiteSand]

As the title says, we are thinking of buying a portable air conditioning unit so that we won't melt next summer given projections say that heatwaves will become more and more commonplace.

So we have started looking at the prices of portable AC units to try and save money as if demand rises nearer to the summer months prices may too.

So if any of you bought portable AC units last year, what did you buy and how much did you pay? Any tips on picking the most suitable unit also welcome. Thank you.

I bought mine a few years ago in winter - I live in one of those blocks of flats that's always boiling.

I think I paid about £180 in November 2017. It was the cheapest I could find. Very noisy to run but I think you're into £400+ if you want a quiet one.

Thank you. How did you work out how powerful you needed it to be, please?

I bought one 2 years ago during a mini heatwave when I had a newborn and I was freaking out he'd over heat. I got a d'longhi one from appliances direct website. It was around £450 so not cheap but it's absolutely amazing and cools the room down in minutes. Not too noisy. However I would say it's really heavy to move around. It's got wheels but still find it hard to move on carpet but my husband doesn't find it too heavy.

My company bought me one in 2019 from their health and wellbeing fund. Its too heavy for me to drag around 🤣 It doesn't flash red on the smart meter - that's all I know

It's really refreshing though

£400
Could not do without it

I think you can get calculations based on the sq foot area you're trying to cool

usually it's in the listing

it wasn't an issue for me in a small flat but thinking about it, most people will have had to pay a lot more because of having more space.

in terms of wheeling it around, it took me a few weeks of the 2018 heatwave to realise that actually, even if not properly vented via a window, it can really cool the room. So I moved it to the bedroom every night - initially I slept on the sofabed in the lounge/kitchen. It's fine with the castors. Brand is Amcor.

I thought it would be a killer cost but it isn't. Then again, we all probably have little need to switch the heating on!

I got one when the heatwave was predicted.. it was lovely!
Need to figure out how to use it properly next year - having the hose just slung out of the door isn't on, it was probably letting heat in too!
I think it was around £300 but for the life of me I can't remember where I bought it from.. online, obviously.. & it's stuffed in the shed for winter, so can't even tell you the brand! :-0

We bought ours just before the second heatwave this year in July as the first was just awful. It was a 10000 BTU unit and was around £200 from Robert Dyas.

It was bliss. As a portable unit it could only handle one room at a time, so we opted to cool down our daughters room up to her bedtime and then swapped to ours after. The really hot days we all slept downstairs in the living room with it running.

It was noisy, but the sheer discomfort of the heat meant I just didn't care.

DeLonghi Pinguin6.

You work out how powerful you need it by working out the cubic feet measurement of the room(s) you'll use it in.

I used Klarna to spread the payments for mine. I need it because of a chronic health problem.

Another satisfied DeLonghi Pinguin customer. I bought one back in 2018, managed to time delivery for the day the weather broke. Was very glad when the heated started the next year.

We use it in the bedroom. DH would run it all tbd time but I only run it when the weather forecast goes above 26C or if I'm wilting.

The days the thermometer went above 40C this year, I was WFH on the first day so stayed in the bedroom all day and then fled into the office the next day.

V Pale skin, don't function in the heat.