Are there portable ac units available immediately anywhere?

[DreadedInn]

Hi, my 93 year old MIL has been struggling with the heat in her flat. I have been looking for a cheap (around £150-200) portable ac unit my husband could take there and set up this week.
Obviously they are mainly out of stock but I am wondering if anyone has found a “secret stash” perhaps in a shop I wouldn’t normally think of?
Thanks

Cheap doesn’t mean good, look for something with at least 12000btu .

She has a tiny flat and I am not sure she will end up using it, hence the cheap, kind of try it out thought

But if you buy a cheap one that doesn't make any difference, you haven't really tried it out.

None of the Which recommended ones are in stock anywhere.
Apparently they are all made in the far east & so there simply isn't the supply here as not enough were shipped here. Even if they have stock in the far east they will have to ho be shipped here (presumably by sea) for everyone to restock, so will be some months.

BTU is irrelevant at the moment because the answer is no.

I haven't found a single one available through any reputable supplier but have found several scam websites claiming to have them in stock.

I've been looking and they are out of stock everywhere. You would need to spend at least £350 though

Have you had a look at hire shops ?
Now that the weather has returned to more normal temperatures they might have some back in.

At least then you will find out if she will use one without the initial layout.

Also have a look at things like the Personal Coolers that you can wear round your neck

I know they won't cool the room but it will give her some relief

she’s very vulnerable at that age and these heatwaves are quite extreme circumstances - can she come and stay with you or another relative? All of the usual things we do to keep cool (feeezing hot water bottles/managing curtains and blinds to keep out the sun/ changing bedding for cool cotton sheets/ frequent icy drinks) may be difficult for her to keep on top of depending on her mobility.

https://www.bestpickreviews.co.uk/pick/best-5-wearable-air-conditioners-of-2026-beat-the-heat-with-ultimate-portable-cooling-solutions/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22885749504&gbraid=0AAAAAq36JXkV7m6h9FixzrBR9AW1Olw4M&gclid=CjwKCAjwu53SBhAhEiwAJzSLNo9SELtG0SkLz5Lz_K6zjK0FkmoxjFIvcE3kgReKMpvCuWF5t2uJVBoCnZ8QAvD_BwE

https://www.hss.com/hire/p/p56781/evaporative-cooler?variant=40m

This is the kind of thing I meant.
The air con units are available near me from hss but obviously it depends where you are.

Fair point

Thanks everyone.
I have looked extensively myself and wasn’t really expecting much but I do appreciate the replies

On another thread someone suggested registering for availability alerts on ao.com and swooping in immediately if available. But they don’t have anything in that price bracket anyway.

Daewoo we have this little cheap thing. Its not in stock but you could check locally.

I find it quite effective and you can add ice blocks too.

Robert dyas also had in store a couple of weeks ago.

There are places you can hire them from. Where we are (London and relatives in South West) there is literally nothing available for fast delivery. Everything I’ve seen seems to be on back order for several months.

Not what you’ve asked for, but we have Dreo fans from Amazon and they’re really good.

https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/daewoo-6-5l-cooler-humidifier-with-remote-control-col1583rd#reviews

Same machine at Robet Dyas. It isn't as effective as a large machine but better than a standard fan. And has a fan feature.

My brother got one a couple of days ago from Marks Electricals not sure what he paid though

They only have them in back order now.

Hired one from B&Q that I was able to take away on the day, though this was in the 2022 heatwave, not just recently. I get the feeling they do go quickly but it's worth investigating before temps go up again as if there is a unit due back, you could reserve for that day. It did make a difference.

Edit - it was actually Speedy Hire and period you can hire for is a week, plus extra days if necessary, but that desk was based in my B&Q.

I think mine is 7000 BTU - it's about 15 years old maybe

anyway, in a tiny flat it helps. It's more about freshening the air than reducing the temp though.

Until you can get something better, even a cheap cooling fan will help if it is sited to blow colder air on her.

Again, thanks everyone. She does have a good fan, so that’s a start.

If you do but one for her, make sure it's easy to set. We bought actower fan for us that had a few different modes on a remote, which we don't think my DM would remember.

If you can't get one, something like a damp flannel to pat herself with. Also, if she can avoid cooking as that'll only add to a small flat heating up. My elderly Mum walks around in just a tshirt and pants.

I’m not sure that is an image I want in my head😂 thank you