'I bought an air conditioner and it's saving me from the heatwave'
After researching air conditioners for ages, I'm glad I opted to buy a portable one last year
It's another hot one for Brits this week with temperatures reaching highs of 33C in some areas. This means people will be grabbing fans, thinner clothes and anyway possible to keep cool in this stuffy and humid weather.
However, this year, I don't need to worry about any of that within my home - and it's because of a portable air conditioner I bought last year. If it sounds like I'm bragging, it isn't because I want to; it's more that it has completely changed my life when the hot weather comes - and it might do the same for others.
I was also extremely sceptical at first - as you probably are reading this - worrying about energy usage, the cost and the noise that comes with it. But so far during this heat and last year's hot, albeit short, heatwave it has been a lifesaver - and I can not recommend it more to anyone else.
I bought this MeacoCool MC Series Pro 10000 CH BTU Portable Air Conditioner for around £400 at Costco and despite it being an expensive purchase, it has more than pulled its weight in terms of keeping me and my partner cool in the home, especially when we work from home.
When it comes to choosing the right air conditioner, most homes will do fine with this 7000BTU unit for £329.99 - but for those who have a larger room or space to cool, I recommend going for the same 10000 BTU unit I bought here for £429.
Air conditioning capacity is commonly measured by "BTU" which stands for British Thermal Units. BTU is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
The size of the room you want to cool depends on the amount of BTU power your air conditioner should have. I went with a 10000 BTU machine to cool the upstairs of my home - mostly my bedroom - so I could sleep peacefully at night. The first thing you should do is measure the square footage of your room by using a BTU calculator like this one, then go for air conditioners with that BTU.
I personally went up slightly in case I wanted to cool larger rooms within my home, like the living room - which I suggest shoppers do too.
For the past week, I've had the unit run on Dry Mode which is a cooling dehumidifier which takes the moisture out of the room and cools it - making it feel less muggy and humid. It's a brilliant feature to have before you go to bed - but you do need to attach a hose and bucket so it can get rid of the moisture in the home.
Then there is the Cool Mode that does what it says. It shoots super cold air across the hall and within half an hour, it makes the heat so much more manageable - and less like I'm cooking in a microwave oven.
It's one of the best purchases I have made - and I would do it again. Alternative wise, AppliancesDirect has this 12000BTU unit from electriQ for £329 or this £284.95 12000BTU one from Costway.
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows with air conditioners like these. Despite these units being energy efficient, they do eat a lot of juice when it comes to electricity - but when I'm hot, I don't mind my bill spiking a bit to feel more comfortable.
Portable air conditioners are also noisy. Don't underestimate me when I say how noisy it is. My partner and I regularly fall asleep with it on for an hour or so. We've managed to get used to the noise - but it took us a while because it is VERY noisy. There's also the need of handing of large house outside the window - which can be fiddly and annoying.
But for the comfort it brings during hot times like this, I am more than happy to accept the extra cost and noise - just to not feel like I'm melting like an ice cream.
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