How many times has somebody you know complained about how stuffy their room is?

In the UK, people don’t seem to have discovered portable air conditioning units yet – appliances that can easily cool a bedroom or living room and appliances that don’t cost the earth. If you are new to portable air conditioners, here’s a list of the key benefits to buying one:

They are a take-anywhere appliance

Portability is the biggest benefit of portable air conditioning units. They can be moved from room to room and home to home with minimal effort, which also makes them ideal for small office environments. Thanks to their small size, they are easy to store away during the colder months and when it gets warm, they don’t take up much space.

They are energy efficient

Portable air conditioning units run off a power socket and draw very little energy in comparison to their larger, fixed air conditioning brethren. This means they’re not going to cost you much money to run on a day-to-day basis, and they’re not going to harm the environment. Because they are energy efficient, this will give you extra scope when running other appliances.

They are relatively safe

Because they draw little power from a wall socket, portable air conditioners don’t get hot – so you aren’t at any risk of burning yourself or the unit catching fire (unless there’s a serious internal malfunction). Like all electrical appliances, these air conditioners are also backed up by safety features to prevent electrical shocks and to cut power in the event of a malfunction.

They can cool or heat a room

Lots of portable air conditioners have a dual feature for cooling or heating air – much like larger fixed air conditioners do. Thus, they can be used all year round. These units should be able to cool or heat a small room all by themselves and if you combine two or three a larger room should not be a problem. Dual-heat air conditioners cost more than regular units, though.

They are cost-effective

Not just to run, but to buy too. Good portable air conditioners can be purchased on sale online for as little as £100, and they are ideal for cooling a small room. You tend to pay more for higher output models and dual-heat models, but you shouldn’t be paying more than £350 for a top-of-the-range portable air conditioner. Be sure to shop around for the best price.