Portable air conditioners and evaporative coolers Australia: The best units to buy

If you live in a home or apartment without air conditioning, the Australian summer can quickly become unbearable. One way you can beat the summer heat is to buy a portable fan, buy a dehumidifier, improve your home’s passive cooling capabilities, or invest in an air conditioner.

Portable air conditioners are a great option if you just need to cool one room, if you’re a renter, or if you’re not quite ready to fork out for a ducted air conditioning system. But when it comes to buying the best portable refrigerated air con or evaporative cooler for your space, it pays to consider both your budget and the climate you live in.

The best portable air conditioners and evaporative coolers to buy in Australia

The difference between evaporative coolers and refrigerated air conditioners

There are two main types of portable air conditioners that you will find in stores: evaporative coolers and refrigerated air conditioners. So what’s the difference?

Evaporative coolers are usually cheaper to buy and cheaper to run, but will not provide the same level of cooling as a refrigerated air conditioning unit - particularly if you live in a humid climate. In humid climates, refrigerated air conditioners are the best choice, as they remove moisture from the air as they cool.

Many evaporative coolers will require you to fill a tank of water before you begin operating it. Refrigerated air conditioners, on the other hand, will usually come with a window exhaust kit (basically a large pipe that forces hot, humid air outside through a window).

Now we’ve got that covered, here are the best portable air conditioners you can buy in Australia.

The best refrigerated air conditioners

1. DeLonghi 2.9kW Pinguino portable air conditioner, $729, The Good Guys

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According to Canstar, DeLonghi portable air conditioners consistently receive great feedback from consumers for reliability, functionality and overall satisfaction. This machine features ‘Silent Technology’ for quiet operation while you sleep.

2. Kogan SmarterHome 3.5kW portable air conditioner, $399, Kogan

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Stay cool at a more accessible price with Kogan’s SmarterHome air conditioning unit. Not only will this unit keep a room cool, it also has excellent connectivity features including voice control (via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa) and can be controlled from your phone when you download the Kogan SmarterHome app.

3. Devanti portable air conditioner with dehumidifier, $308.70, Catch.com.au

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This air conditioner by Devanti is three heat-beating appliances in one: air conditioner, 2-speed fan and dehumidifier. Even at the affordable price point, this unit is packed with features including a 24 hour timer function, remote control operation and a smart LED display.

4. Omega Altise 3.5kW portable air conditioner, $799, Bing Lee

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This unit by Omega will serve you all year round, with the ability to both cool and heat. The sleek design means it won’t look out of place in your home. It features directional air louvres, a timer option and four different setting modes.

5. Shinco mobile air conditioner dehumidifier, $369, Amazon

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The Shinco mobile air conditioner also functions as a 3-speed fan and as a dehumidifier. It's easily set up in five to 10 minutes, and can comfortably cool rooms ranging from 18-22 square metres.

The best evaporative coolers

1. Kmart 10L evaporative cooler, $89, Kmart

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If you live in an area that gets hot dry summers with low humidity, an evaporative cooler may be enough to beat the heat in summer. Luckily, evaporative units are generally cheaper to buy and, in many cases, are cheaper to run. This affordable Kmart unit is a good entry level model. It requires little to no set up, but you will have to occasionally refill the water tank when it is in use.

2. Klika New Pronti evaporative cooler mist humidifier, $119, Myer

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The New Pronti will help keep the summer heat at bay, and features a 3.5L reservoir and durable castors. As this evaporative cooler only consumes 60 watts of power, keeping cool is often more wallet and environmentally-friendly compared to using standard air conditioners.

3. Evapolar evaLIGHT plus in white, $149, Kogan

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The small but mighty evaLIGHT plus by Evapolar is an eco-friendly Green Product Award-winning evaporative cooler that uses just 10 watts of power. Featuring a leakage-proof system, full-spectrum LED light, a removable water tank and much more, this nifty device chills, purifies and humidifies.

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