How an awful lot does it fee to run a portable air conditioner, and how speedy does it cool a room? [Updated with 2022 prices]



UPDATE: This turned into originally written back in 2021 and in some way on account that then, returned then all we needed to fear about turned into a plague. That’s nevertheless a trouble however we now also have conflict and a fee of living crisis. What a time to be alive. I have therefore up to date this put up with greater accurate pricing, to mirror the astronomic charge rise of strength. This is accurate for May 2022.

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With the temperatures continuing to soar and the Met Office issuing an extreme warmth caution, a lot of us had been searching to buy a transportable air con unit.

If, like me, you’re vaguely privy to these, you will understand they price plenty to run, they may be loud, they’re huge and awkward to use with UK based totally home windows.

This 12 months, I in the end caved and purchased an Inventor Magic 12000BTU Portable Air Conditioner from Amazon, that’s now out of stock.

Recommended Portable Air Conditioners

How a great deal does a transportable air conditioner value to run?

The principal problem with air conditioning is the fee to run it. The strength consumption will range relying at the cooling ability of the unit. This normally degrees from 1Kw to 1.3kW for air con gadgets rated from 9000 to 12000 BTU.

My Inventor Magic is rated at 1350W consistent with hour for cooling. Actual usage seems to vary among 1100W and 1300W, and this seems to common out at 1200W whilst it’s far going for walks complete blast.

Cost to run an air conditioner in 2022

I am presently with SO Energy which has a unit rate of 13.6476p/kWh (I selected them due to the reasonably-priced strength because of me running loads of computer systems). You can sign up for SO Energy right here.

This then works out at sixteen.38p in keeping with hour to run, which appears quite reasonably-priced, honestly.

I left the struck-out text above just so we can all feel depressed approximately how cheap power turned into.

Various tariff examples:

• 2021:
  • SO Energy: 13.6476p/kWh
• 2022 (May, Variable Tariffs)
  • Bulb: 28.0203p in keeping with kWh
  • British Gas Standard Variable: 28.021p in step with kWh

SO Energy and EON Next may not offer variable tariff details as they’re not taking new customers.

Based on the above fees, ultimate year it was costing me 16.38p in keeping with hour to run and now it’d price 33.60p or a one hundred and five% rate boom.

Last year I mentioned that running this by way of itself used up just as an awful lot strength as the relaxation of my house and the prices will add up fast, simply twice as quickly this yr.

My universal opinion hasn’t changed about them, other than that it prices twice as plenty. If you intend to leave one of these on all day, then you are in for a awful time when you get your power announcement. Of route, the aircon will switch off whilst it reaches the favored temperature (and again on) so that you might not be walking it all the time.

Air conditioners had been always high-priced to run and being a good-fisted northerner I might in no way run one all day. However, while it is painfully hot outside and my workplace is touching 30-ranges or my bed room is 23+ tiers, I think spending 67p walking an air-con for more than one hours is still really worth it. They are very noisy anyway so I’d favor to have them running as little as viable.

How quickly does an air-con cool a room?

I am nevertheless testing it and have handiest simply started preserving a watch on temps and instances. Considering the cutting-edge heatwave, I thought I’d get some content out sooner and upload greater accurate numbers over time.

In 2 hours 15 mins, it used 2.5kW of power and cooled my office from 27-stages to 21-tiers. Subjectively it feels cooler, I think the cool air shifting around the room makes it seem less warm than it’s miles. My office is 4.5m x 3.5m and is 2.5m excessive, so just shy of 30m3.

How loud are transportable air conditioners?

Really pretty loud. I don’t have an accurate sound meter, but the use of my cellphone, it reads forty-50db with the air conditioning just off to the aspect of me. The sound profile isn’t too bad, it is not high pitched and just seems like a fan on excessive speed. I can deal with it switched on inside the workplace, but there isn’t always a danger within the international may want to I nod off with it on. I plan to chill my bedroom to some thing greater exceptional after which transfer it off after I fall asleep. I will lodge to a quiet pedestal fan if it receives too warm within the night time.

How huge are air con devices?

They manifestly range plenty relying on their rating. The Inventor Magic 12000BTU is one of the better-rated models available and, consequently, physically large.

It might be approximately as tall and extensive as an underneath-counter refrigerator however less deep. It weighs 35KG, so it wasn’t all that fun wearing it up the stairs on my own. If you keep it at the identical floor, it is not too horrific as it’s miles roller wheels on it.

How clean is it to healthy a transportable air conditioner hose via a UK uPVC window?

The Inventor Magic 12000BTU comes with a home windows package, but this appears to be for sash home windows (the conventional home windows that slide up).

I have uPVC windows which can be top hung, which is therefore not like minded. There are diverse kits you may purchase on Amazon, which are basically bits of cloth with zip and velcro that stick across the gaps within the window. From my brief enjoy with them, they may be a piece rubbish, and I am very sceptical of the huge range of Amazon reviews a number of them have. Unfortunately, this seems approximately the great solution, really for temporary use.  It is some distance from best, and they are pretty unsightly, however it’s far what it’s miles.

• [Original Post] 20th July 2021
• [Updated] twentieth May 2022 – Reflecting expanded energy prices.