LIVING in London during the height of summer feels like being slowly roasted alive.
To be fair, it’s not much better anywhere else in the UK right now.
I picked up my Inventor Chilly portable AC unit for just £180 from Amazon.co.uk, a fraction of the Dyson’s price I previously splurged on a high-end Dyson air purifier tower fan, which set me back a hefty £450Those muggy, sleepless nights when the temperature stubbornly hovers around 30°C are nothing short of torture.
Forget slipping into a cool, crisp bed – it’s more like trying to sleep inside a sauna.
For years, I thought I was doing the right thing.
I splurged on a high-end Dyson air purifier tower fan, the flagship model, which set me back a hefty £450.
I imagined it would fill my flat with a blissful, cool breeze.
It looked the part, sure, but actually cooling the room? Forget about it.
The reality? It turned out to be an overpriced gadget that simply shuffled the hot air around – though I’ll admit, it’s excellent at banishing stubborn odours.
Having grown up in the hot, humid stickiness of Hong Kong, where air conditioning ran 24/7, I knew deep down that this was the only real solution for beating scorching weather.
The gentle hum would lull me to sleep while keeping me cool as ice and with hot summers becoming increasingly common in the UK, investing in an air conditioner was an obvious decision.
And honestly, it’s been a total game-changer – and far less expensive than you might think.
I picked up my Inventor Chilly portable AC unit for just £180 from Amazon.co.uk, a fraction of the Dyson’s price.
Unlike permanent air conditioning systems, portable AC units are compact, easy to move, and simple to store away during the winter months.
They work by pulling in hot air from your room, cooling it with a refrigerant, and blowing out chilled air.
The leftover hot air is vented outside through a hose placed through a window.
It’s basically like a fridge for your room, removing heat and leaving you with a cool, comfortable space.
Unlike the sleek Dyson, my portable air conditioner truly delivers cool air, transforming my sweltering bedroom into a refreshing oasis.
Major retailers like B&Q, Homebase, and Wickes are offering portable AC units both online and in-store, with prices starting at just £132.
Trade shops Screwfix and Toolstation also stock portable ACs with prices starting from £239.99.
Before you buy, make sure you choose the right unit for the size of the room you want to cool.
Check out the box below to learn about the key feature you need to consider before making your purchase.
How to choose the right portable air conditioner
WHEN buying a portable air conditioner, it's important to check its BTU rating, which determines how much space it can cool.
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and measures the air conditioner’s cooling power.
The higher the BTU, the more powerful the unit and the larger the room it can cool. For example:
A small room (up to 150 square feet) needs a unit with 5,000–6,000 BTUs. A medium-sized room (250–350 square feet) requires 8,000–10,000 BTUs. A large space (up to 500 square feet) would need 12,000–14,000 BTUs.If the BTU is too low for your room, it won’t cool effectively and will waste energy.
If it’s too high, it may cool too quickly, leaving the air damp and uncomfortable.
Choosing the right BTU ensures efficient and comfortable cooling.
What are the pitfalls?
Before you rush to buy one, keep in mind that portable AC units cost more to run than fans.
They use more electricity, which means your energy bill will likely be higher during hot months.
For example, my 8,000 BTU Inventor Chilly portable AC unit uses up to 2.64kWh of electricity on its maximum cooling setting.
With Ofgem’s current electricity price cap of 27p per kWh, it costs around 71p per hour to run.
In comparison, my Dyson fan uses just 0.05kWh (50 watts) of power per hour, costing about 1p to run.
However, fans often stay on for hours and only shuffle hot air around the room, so it’s almost like you’re paying for nothing.
The advantage of a portable AC unit is that you can use it in short bursts to cool your space effectively.
For example, I run mine in my bedroom for just one hour before bed.
If temperatures stayed above 25°C for a week, it would cost me about £5 to keep my bedroom cool and ensure a good night’s sleep.
So, if you’re struggling with the heat and your fan isn’t cutting it, investing in a portable AC unit is a smart choice.
It’s far more effective, keeps you comfortable, and eliminates the misery of sleepless, sweaty nights.
Trust me, once you try it, you’ll never go back to using a fan—especially an overpriced one like my Dyson.
How to calculate your appliance costs
HERE'S how to work out how much your appliances are costing you:
Find the wattage: Look for a sticker on your appliance. It will tell you the wattage (W). If it’s in kilowatts (kW), remember 1kW=1000W. Convert to kilowatts: Divide the wattage by 1000 to get kilowatts (kW). For example, a 500W appliance is 0.5kW. Figure out usage: How many hours a day do you use the appliance? Calculate daily kWh: Multiply the kilowatts (kW) by the hours of use. For example, a 0.5 kW appliance used for 4 hours a day would use 2kWh (0.5 x 4=2). Factor in electricity cost: Ofgem’s current electricity price cap is around 27p per kWh (this can vary slightly depending on your supplier and region so it is always worth double checking). Multiply your daily kWh by this price to get the daily cost. In our example, 2kWh x 27p=54p per day. Monthly cost: Multiply the daily cost by the number of days in the month. So, 54p x 30 days=£16.20 per month. Read More Details
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