Portable air conditioners sell out the moment the UK gets a proper hot spell, and 2026 has been no exception. The good ones now ship in days rather than hours, so it pays to know which is which before you order. Here are five worth buying, from a £200 box that just gets on with it to a quiet Meaco you can run next to the bed.
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The short version
For most rooms, the MeacoCool MC Series Pro 9000. To spend the least, the Pro Breeze 9000. For a bedroom where noise matters, the Meaco Cirro 12000. If you want dehumidifying as well, the Princess Smart 12000. For a small bedroom, the MeacoCool 7000R.
How they compare
| Unit | Cooling | Room size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeacoCool MC Series Pro 9000 | 9 | rooms to 26m² | around £400 |
| Pro Breeze 9000 BTU | 9 | rooms to around 22m² | around £200 |
| Meaco Cirro 12000 BTU | 12 | varies | around £450 |
| Princess Smart Air Conditioner 12000 | 12 | varies | around £350 |
| MeacoCool 7000R | 7 | rooms to around 22m² | around £300 |
The units worth buying
MeacoCool MC Series Pro 9000
Best overallThe one to get if you just want it to work. 9,000 BTU cools a room up to about 26 square metres, the A rating keeps the running cost sensible, and the app lets you start it cooling before you walk in the door.
The catch: At around £400 it is one of the pricier portable units, and like every single-hose model it needs a window for the exhaust hose.
9,000 BTU, A-rated, rooms to 26m² · around £400
Check price on AmazonPro Breeze 9000 BTU
Best budgetHalf the price of the premium units and still 9,000 BTU. There is no app and no clever modes, but it drops the temperature in a normal bedroom quickly, which is all most people actually want.
The catch: It is noticeably louder than the Meaco, and the basic controls mean no scheduling.
9,000 BTU, rooms to around 22m² · around £200
Check price on AmazonMeaco Cirro 12000 BTU
Quietest for bedroomsMeaco built the 2026 Cirro range around noise, and it shows. It runs near 45 decibels in quiet mode, which is unusual for a portable unit with this much cooling power, so you can actually sleep next to it.
The catch: It costs around £450 and is a big unit, so it is better left in one room than wheeled about the house.
12,000 BTU, around 45 dB quiet mode · around £450
Check price on AmazonPrincess Smart Air Conditioner 12000
Does dehumidifying tooA 12,000 BTU unit with app and voice control and a dehumidifying mode that keeps it useful long after the summer ends. A sensible buy if you want one machine to do two jobs.
The catch: It is a large unit, and the dehumidifier is a handy extra rather than a match for a dedicated machine.
12,000 BTU, 380 m³/h, dehumidifies · around £350
Check price on AmazonMeacoCool 7000R
Best for small bedroomsSized for a single or double bedroom rather than a living room, so it cools a small space fast without the bulk or the running cost of a bigger machine.
The catch: 7,000 BTU is not enough for a large or open-plan room, so size up if that is what you are trying to cool.
7,000 BTU, rooms to around 22m² · around £300
Check price on AmazonWhat the BTU number means
BTU is just a measure of cooling power. As a rough guide for UK homes, a bedroom up to about 20 square metres is happy with 7,000 to 9,000 BTU, while a living room of 25 square metres or more wants 10,000 to 12,000. Bigger is not automatically better, because a higher BTU unit cools faster but uses more electricity and runs louder. Match it to the room rather than buying the largest one you can find. Our air conditioner size guide has a room-by-room table. One thing applies to every model here: single-hose units vent hot air through a window kit, so you need an openable window nearby.
What they cost to run
At current electricity prices a portable air conditioner costs roughly 21 to 37 pence an hour, or about £50 to £88 a month with regular daily use. An A-rated unit like the MeacoCool Pro sits at the cheaper end, which adds up over a long summer.
Common questions
Do portable air conditioners need a window?
Yes. Single-hose units push hot air out through a window kit, so you need an openable window or door close by. A fully sealed room will not work.
How many BTU do I need for a bedroom?
For a typical double bedroom up to about 22 square metres, 7,000 to 9,000 BTU is plenty. Larger rooms of 25 square metres or more are better matched to 10,000 to 12,000 BTU.
Are they expensive to run?
Reckon on 21 to 37 pence an hour at current prices, or roughly £50 to £88 a month with regular use. A-rated models cost the least to run.
What is the quietest portable air conditioner?
The Meaco Cirro 12000 runs at about 45 decibels in quiet mode, which is among the quietest you can buy and quiet enough to sleep beside.
Not sure a portable unit suits your room? Read our plain guide to how well portable air conditioners actually work in UK homes, or see the best fans for cheaper everyday cooling.
Related reading: what it costs to run a fan, air conditioner and dehumidifier, and how to cool a bedroom in a heatwave.