With summers becoming increasingly toasty, your desire for air conditioning in your garage or campervan is likely to increase. If your campervan does not have dedicated air conditioning for the living quarters, don’t fret because it isn’t game over. There are a number of portable options for you to consider.
Are portable air conditioners noisy?
All of our picks above are reasonably quiet but expect some whirring. The bigger units are louder, and it also depends on the fan speed setting you choose. If you’re working in a garage or workshop, the noise is unlikely to bother you, but if you’re working on an Airfix model and need some quiet, you may find the noise irritating.
If you are eying one of these up for use in a campervan, remember the living quarters is a confined space, and sleepers will find the whirring annoying if running the unit at night. You can have more expensive units professionally fitted to the roof of the campervan, and these are much quieter – brands such as Domestic and Truma are good examples. But they will cost you thousands of pounds.
The best portable air conditioners shortlist:
Editor’s choice: Black and Decker Air cooler – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best budget portable air conditioner: Beldray EH3234 4-in-1 Air Conditioner – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best portable air conditioner for temperature reduction: De’Longhi Pinguino – Buy now from Amazon UK
The best portable air conditioners
BLACK and DECKER BXAC65001GB Air Cooler
The best portable air conditioner for large areas
Price: RRP £89.99 | VIEW OFFER
78 x 33.8 x 33cm
Unlike many portable air conditioning units, this Black+Decker unit does not require ventilation out of a window to work, making it truly portable.
It is very easy to set up and use. There are three-speed settings for the fan and to engage the cooling, fill the seven-litre water tank, add the cooling packs, and away you go. The machine will moisturise the air as well as cool it.
Pros:
• Fan, humidifier, cooler 3-in-1
• Efficient
Cons:
• Large size
Beldray EH3234 4 in 1 Air Conditioner
The best portable air conditioner on a budget
Price: RRP £79.99 | VIEW OFFER
33 x 27 x 60 cm
Technically not an air conditioner, but it is more than capable of keeping you cool on a tight budget.
Just fill the water tanks with water (you can also use ice packs if you prefer), and the air expelled by the Beldray will be moist and cool. There are three fan speed settings to choose from, a ‘swing’ function to cool a larger area and with the inclusion of ionisation and purifying functions, you can refresh the air for a cleaner, cooler surrounding. The castors make it easy to move to any area of the home you desire.
Pros:
• Lasts a long time
• Includes Ionising and purifying functions
Cons:
• Not so good at handling really hot temperatures
De’Longhi Pinguino PACN90 Eco | Portable Air Conditioner
The best portable air conditioner for temperature reduction
Price: RRP £559.30 | VIEW OFFER
15.6 x 17.7 x 29.5cm
If you are looking for something not just to cool the air but actually reduce the room temperature, this De’Longhi Pinguino could be just what you need. It has a three-speed fan, electronic timer and thermostat and a remote control for easy use. Its eco credentials aren’t too bad either, as it uses propane R290, a natural high-efficiency gas which has no greenhouse emissions.
Pros:
• Good build quality
• Efficient cooling
Cons:
• Not quiet enough to run at night
Related: Best air-con units for camping
EVAPOLAR evaCHILL Portable Air Cooler
The best portable air conditioner for your desktop
Price: RRP £99.00 | VIEW OFFER
21 x 20 x 20 cm
The Evapolar Evachill Portable Air Cooler is perfect if you need some cool air while working on paperwork or your laptop. It’s light and portable, has four different speed settings, which are easily adjusted via the touch controls, plus it humidifies and purifies the air as it cools. The water tank can take just under a litre of water which should last you about eight hours.
Pros:
• Effective cooling
• USB powered
Cons:
• No timer function
Clarke AC7000 7000 BTU Air Conditioner
The best multi-use air conditioner
Price: RRP £178.80 | VIEW OFFER
35.2 x 30 x75.6 cm
Combining an air conditioner, two-speed fan and dehumidifier into one product is the best way to ensure that the air around you stays just the way you want it this summer. Easy to use thanks to a simple interface (with added remote control), this product is more than capable of keeping an entire flat cool and is economical to run thanks to the Class A energy rating. It also uses a self-evaporation system to cool the internals, improving efficiency and keeping the operating noise down.
Pros:
• Versatile
• Very efficient
Cons:
• Quite noisy
Air cooler or air conditioner?
Air coolers: Air coolers work by evaporating water. As the water evaporates, it absorbs heat from the surrounding air, which cools the air down. Air coolers are not as powerful as air conditioners, but they are more energy-efficient and can be a good option for cooling small rooms.
Air conditioners: Air conditioners work by using a compressor to cool the air. The compressor removes heat from the air and then releases it outside. Air conditioners are more powerful than air coolers, but they are also less energy-efficient. Air conditioners are a good option for cooling larger rooms or for people who prefer lower temperatures.
Chris Williams is an Automotive Content Writer for Parkers and CAR Magazine, but he also contributes to Live For The Outdoors and What’s The Best. He trained as an automotive journalist in New Zealand, prior to which he studied International Relations and History.
Sign up to the Parkers Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews, news, and recommendations from the Parkers team.
Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us.
