I live in the rainforest, 900km north of Cairns, so air conditioning is a must! BUT, if you aren’t lucky enough to already have it, is it really worth the massive cost of having it installed only to use it part of the year?

I didn’t think so! Solution? Find the best portable air conditioner, Australia, below.

Whether you’re looking for something with all the bells and whistles or just the best cheap portable air conditioner, our portable air conditioner reviews Australia can help.

In a rush? Take a look at the handy comparison chart below!

If you have a little more time scroll further down for our in-depth reviews and you’ll never need to ask “what’s the best portable air conditioner” again.

Comparison Chart – Best Portable Air Conditioner, Australia 2020

Air Conditioner vs Evaporative Cooler

Before choosing the best air conditioner, it’s important to know the difference between an air conditioner vs evaporative cooler.

The primary difference is the climate of the area that you live in.

An air conditioner is best for those that live in very humid climates. These units will allow you to dehumidify your home and get some extra cooling on, especially hot days.

The best portable air cooler, however, is best for those that live in dry climates and aren’t typically bothered by humidity. These units are very eco-friendly and will keep the humidity in your home.

In simple terms: if you live in a humid area, you’ll want an air conditioner and if you live in a dry area, you’ll benefit from an air cooler instead.

How Do The Best Portable Air Conditioners, Australia, Work

If you’ve never purchased an air conditioner before, you may be unfamiliar with the overall functionality of how the best portable air conditioning units work. While I could go very in-depth, there are a few major things to know.

Why Does A Portable Air Con Need a Hose?

The best portable aircon Australia has works by removing heat and humidity from inside and discarding it outside. Without a hose, you won’t be able to achieve this.

If you fail to properly vent your air conditioner, it is essentially useless to install in the first place. The reason is that hot air will be cycling around the room and in some cases, increase the temperature rather than cooling it down.

Additionally, improper venting will cause humidity levels to rise and I don’t think I need to tell you how miserable that will make you on an especially hot day!

Will There Be Condensation?

Due to the fact that air conditioners are constantly extracting moisture from the air, they will produce a significant amount of condensation. This can become alarming to some buyers if they are unaware of the amount of condensation that can be produced.

To remedy this, make sure your new air conditioner has a draining system. The best portable air conditioner brands will evaporate most, if not all, of the condensation on their own or push it out the window.

Other units, however, will require a bucket system where the condensation can be dripped into a bucket or other container in order to avoid it ending up all over the floor and damaging the carpets.

How Will My Electricity Bill Be Affected?

Many who purchase an air conditioner for the first time can oftentimes be surprised when they see the first electricity bill following their purchase.

While some air conditioners will have little impact on your electricity bills, others may increase it significantly. This fully depends on the portable air conditioner unit.

When trying to decide on the best air conditioner, make sure to look at the power. This can be listed by either BTU or tons. This is the amount of energy required to cool half a kilogram of water down by 17 degrees celsius.

The best value portable air conditioner Australia offers will increase your bill by only $60 or less. For larger units, expect increases by a couple hundred or more.

Features Of The Best Portable Air Conditioners, 2020

When you start shopping around for the best rated portable air conditioner, you might want to consider which features are most important to you. When it comes to the top portable air conditioner unit, you will need to know what features you will sacrifice for the ones that are more important.

So what features should you consider when making a buying decision? Keep reading as we cover exactly that in the following sections.

Noise Level

The first thing to consider is the noise level. Unfortunately, all standing portable air conditioners will have some noise they let off. The more powerful they are and the faster they cool the room, the more noise they will let off.

When considering which unit you will choose, think about the purpose of your unit. What room will it be used for and how bothersome will noise levels be?

For example, a unit intended for use in a home office may want to sacrifice cooling ability for a low amount of noise. The last thing you want while you work is a portable air conditioner that will be a large distraction.

Size/Cooling Ability

As noted previously, the best quiet portable air conditioner will not have the best cooling ability. If the cooling ability is a concern for you, be willing to sacrifice a quiet unit.

The best way to tell how powerful the cooling ability on your unit is would be by looking at the BTU listed. This may also be listed by tons, depending on the model that you are looking at. This tells you how much energy it will take to cool the room that it sits in.

It is important to note that the best portable ac will also be large in size. The more powerful the unit, the more space in a room it will require.

Portability

It goes without saying that the best small portable air conditioner is also very portable. If you choose a unit that is large in size with a lot of power, it is going to lack in portability and may be difficult to move around.

Price

Unless you have a very large budget to work with, the overall price of your unit is also something you will consider.

You may be willing to sacrifice other features to keep the cost down, or you may disregard cost in order to get the best rated portable air conditioner Australia has to offer.

But how much does the top portable air conditioner unit cost? Well, that depends.

On average, you will pay $400-$500 for the best cheap portable air conditioner unit. If you’re looking for a unit that is more feature-rich, however, you’ll want to expect to pay an average of $1,000 for your unit.

Quick Reference – Best Portable Air Conditioner Reviews, Australia 2020

Best cheap portable air conditioner

1. Carson PA200

The Carson PA200 gets our vote for the best value portable air conditioner.

This unit does a great job of being portable and only takes up 10-15 meters within a room. We have found it is great for moving around into different areas of the home.

You will love the additional settings included such as timers, speeds, and even a sleep mode. If you are gone for long periods, you’ll rest easy knowing you can set it to be the perfect temperature when you return home.

It is a unit that is very easy to install, however it will require changing the water frequently. It does include an easy to install exhaust kit, however. All things considered, we find this is a great option for a cheap portable ac.

If you’re looking for the top-rated portable air conditioner that won’t break the bank, this is the one you’ll want to consider.

The Rest Of The Top 10 Portable Air Conditioners

2. DeLonghi PACCN86 Cooling Only Portable Air Con

The DeLonghi PACCN86 is our top pick for the best mobile air conditioner. We have found the best thing about this unit is the flexibility to work for your needs.

This unit includes a variety of settings including 3 fan speeds so you can choose between power and noise. As a bonus, it is found to be significantly quieter than the average unit on the market.

While it does cool down a room quickly, we have found it to be best for small rooms due to the limited power. It can work in larger rooms but would take longer to cool down on a hot day.

It’s a great portable unit but can be clunky to move around at times. It comes with an exhaust kit to dehumidify out your window and generally works great, but may not be best for sliding windows.

All in all, this is a great option for those looking to cool down a small room quickly.

3. Rinnai C4.1kW Cooling Only Portable Air Con

The Rinnai C4.1kW can easily be a contender for the best portable air conditioner in Australia. With a sleep mode that adjusts the temperature automatically, this is a great unit to use throughout the summer.

This unit features a very sleek design, cools down a large room quickly, and is quieter than many models available.

We found that it is a great value for the power available with this unit and is incredibly easy to operate and install. Our only complaint is that it can be a bit heavy to move around to another room.

If energy efficiency is important to you, you’ll be happy to know that this unit is a great option. It also works on a self-evaporative system so you don’t have to empty a water bucket.

For those looking for the best portable air conditioner that is a great value for the power it gives and is very easy to operate, the Rinnani C4.1kW is a great option to consider.

4. DeLonghi Pinguino PACN76DG Portable Air Conditioner

With its superior portability, it has been an easy choice to include the DeLonghi Pinguino PACN76DG in our list of top 10 portable air conditioners. The handles and castors make this unit a breeze to move around.

This unit has a variety of features that are easy to manage on the touch interface and remote. This includes things like temperature, fan speed, timers, dehumidifier, and conditioner settings. It also includes a 12-hour timer to make sleeping through the night obtainable during hot summer months. Check out my ultimate guide to buying the best mattress topper for a night of better sleep.

The dehumidifier function collects up to 30 liters of water per day. Additionally, this unit features a condensate recirculation system that many might find useful.

Since this model does include 3 fan speeds, it can be much quieter than many models on the market.

If you’re looking for the best portable air conditioner on the market, I highly suggest you consider this model. It is packed with great features that many will benefit from.

5. Dimplex 4kW Portable Air Conditioner with Dehumidifier

While looking for the best portable ac unit, you may consider the Diplex 4kW Portable Air Conditioner as an option. It is fantastic at cooling down even the higher temperatures during the summer very quickly.

Many will love that a drip pan is not needed and only needs to be emptied once per day. However, you will need to wheel it to a concrete floor and it can be slightly bothersome without a hose to empty the unit.

Much like other models on this list, it is very easy to operate all the settings with the remote. This includes things like fan speed, temperature, and timer. We love that this unit includes a 24-hour timer for maximum use.

If you’re looking for a great option for a portable unit that also cools down the hottest of temperatures, we highly recommend this unit. It is a great option for long hot summers and gets the job done with ease.

6. Devanti 13000BTU Portable Mobile Air Conditioner

As one of the top portable ac units, we love the powerful functionality, how easy this unit is to clean, and the portability of this unit.

It features efficient motors that work best in rooms up to 15 square meters. It offers a cooling mode, fan speed, and humidifier setting. The settings are easy to manage on the control panel or using the remote.

This unit includes removable filters so you can wash it anytime you need as well as the ability to drain water when utilizing the humidifier functionality.

Many will benefit from the quiet noise level of this unit as well as how easy it is to move around. The handles and castor wheels make it a breeze to move to different rooms as needed.

If you’re looking for one of the top portable ac units to use in your home, this is a great option to consider.

7. Carson 000BTU 4-in-1 Portable Reverse Cycle Air Con

If you live in an area with not only hot summers but some crazy winters, you may be looking for the best portable reverse cycle air conditioner. We find this Carson 000BTU model to be a great option.

This unit includes settings for cooling, heating, use of a fan, and even a humidifier functionality. The use of a remote is included and it features very intuitive controls.

The overall design of the unit is very sleek and it includes an easy to read LCD display so you know exactly how the model is running without confusion.

The overall design of the unit is very sleek and it includes an easy to read LCD display so you know exactly how the model is running without confusion.

No installation is required for this unit and it includes a 24-hour timer. It includes castor wheels that make it a breeze to relocate to a different room.

This portable aircon unit is great for those in areas where reverse cycle functionality is a must. It is packed full of features at a great price point.

Useful Accessories & Window Fitting Extras

In some cases, you may need additional accessories and window fittings. If you have a window style that is not best suited for the air conditioner that you are considering, you may want to buy additional accessories.

This could include things like sliding windows, swinging window doors, awkward heights, an improper seal on your windows or otherwise. In those cases, we find that these accessories are your best bet in remedying any inconveniences due to window styles or other problems.

You may also want to consider additional accessories to add to the convenience of your chosen aircon unit within your home.

9. AirLock Window Seal

Great for windows that need additional sealing as it can prevent warm air from being returned to the interior and discharge warm air to the outside. This improves the cooling function as well as reduces your energy consumption.

10. Extra Long Universal Flexible Exhaust Hose

In some cases, you may need an additional exhaust hose as some units include very short window units. This option is great as it is very long with a 3-meter long hose and is easy to install.

Final Thoughts

When choosing the best portable air conditioner, know what features are most important to you. You’ll want to consider cooling ability, size, noise level, portability, and of course the price.

We also recommend doing some research to understand how units function so you can choose the best option for your home and needs.

If looking for the best cheap option, we find that Carson PA200 gets our vote. However, if you’re looking for a model full of features, we enjoy the Carson 000BTU.