to buy an air con unit?

[IRememberXanadu]

I thought I liked hot weather but I'm now finding the constant heat too much. A week or so ago, my OH suggested buying a portable air con unit, and initially I thought it was a waste of money. But after another sleepless night because of the heat I'm coming round to the idea.

Does anyone have one? Do you like them? Any recommendations?

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This thread is from last year so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but we’ve recently updated our best air conditioner page with lots of great Mumsnetter-approved AC units, plus info on whether they're the right choice for you this summer! We hope it’s useful.
MNHQ

should have said ours is a “woods” and we got it from costco

It might be 25 outside but that doesn't mean it is indoors!! Lots of people live in new build flats that are little glass saunas. The temp indoors can be up to 30 even when it's 25 outside, let alone in a heatwave, and it can be really uncomfortable for weeks on end.

I'd certainly consider getting air con fitted if I thought I'd be allowed and there was a way to do it effectively and reasonably aesthetically in a small flat without much wall space. I have a portable unit that was quite expensive, but even with that it's hard to get the temp below 27 indoors. And I presume it uses more electricity, which is bad for environment and pocket. So proper air con would actually be a real boon.

You'd have to prise mine out of my very cold, dead hands. I'm Peri Menopause as well and it's been an absolute godsend.

They may not be morally worse than heating but they are soooo much more expensive to run. And if you need a window open to vent, you’re losing loads of the benefit.
instead/definitely as well, do look at ways to keep heat out. We have heat reflective blinds on the loft bedrooms which have transformed those rooms. Also some thin plywood covered in foil which we Velcro to south facing windows when it gets really hot. Almost free and makes SUCH a massive difference

I've had one for years - just one in the bedroom.

I have to be fully alert when i'm at work and I cant be fully alert if i haven't had any sleep because the bedroom is too hot. People could die if I made a mistake with medication at work so I consider it money well spent. I know it's bad for the environment but i only really use it for a few weeks at a time.

Definitely worth it in my opinion, we have a loft conversion and ours and my DD room can get sooo hot.
It was also a heatwave the week we brought DD home so was so grateful for it, and for use while I was pregnant!

Thank you for all the recommendations - we will be doing some research and getting one. The bedrooms are like ovens, even now. To be able to not worry about sleepless nights because of the heat will be like a dream come true!

I bought one last year and I love it. Even on the hottest days we were sleeping under a duvet.

Bliss.

I bought a portable one from Screwfix, which also acts as a heat pump. I couldn't get a split one, due not having an accessible wall more than 1m from a boundary.

It made quite an efficient heater when my boiler broke and it makes a big difference in heatwaves as it drops the bedroom by 6 degrees and also the humidity.

Portable ones are noisy but it a droning noise really and could still sleep with it on.

100%! Having tried the usual things of windows shut, reflective film on windows, plus light-blocking curtains etc., but during the heatwave our 1st floor flat was 32 degrees - this is with those other measures in place. Indeed even now, it's 27 degrees inside.

But I've promised myself that (for now) we will only engage the air con if it's over 30 outside and we are really struggling. The difference it made (to the one room, we had to shut everything else off and only venture out when needed to our new home sauna!) was wonderful.

The window fixings can be a pain in the arse, especially when you need to then close the windows to be able to secure the place if you're out. But for me, worth the faff. The one we have is also able to function as a fan and a dehumidifier, but tbh only used as AC for now.