Best portable air conditioning UK for surviving the heat

This air conditioning unit from BLACK+DECKER gives three-in-one functionality as a fan, dehumidifier, and air conditioner. For us, this makes this great value for money as you can use it throughout the year. You can programme the controls with the LED display with three-speed settings, a 24-hour timer, and an energy-saving sleep mode. And with the convenient remote, you can control it from anywhere in the room.

Customer review: "This is my third portable air conditioning unit since I first bought one in 2005. It's also easily the best. Cooling is excellent, with the unit easily able to cool a single large room (living room) or three smaller rooms (two bedrooms and a hall). As with all portable air conditioning units, it is somewhat noisy, but it is still probably the quietest I've owned, despite having the highest cooling ability."

This one is a firm favourite - and for good reason! Whilst it is more expensive, this AC looks smart, has multi-functionality, four settings - auto, cool, fan, and dry - three speeds, and has a powerful 12,000 BTU. It will automatically adjust to the set temperature, removing moisture from the air for a fresher climate. With operation temperatures between 16-32 degrees Celsuis, you can even warm your room if you wish in the winter.

Customer review: "Do not hesitate on this purchase, this machine is unbelievable! Purchased at the beginning of June ready for the summer. At the beginning of July when we experienced the unprecedented heatwave, unbelievably this air conditioner pulled every ounce of heat from my lounge, I set it to cool on auto mode, and within seconds it swung into action, pumping freezing cold air into the room. Over the next 4 hours, it worked incredibly hard taking the temperature from 41°c to 18°c. I'd have paid double the price for this not only because it works but for the comfortable night's sleep I've had this summer."

For an air conditioner that won't distract too much, this one has a low sound level of just 52dB. The three-speed air conditioner also doubles as a dehumidifier with a 24-hour timer and thermostat included on the wide LED display. It features Real Feel Technology, designed to work simultaneously to both control humidity and reduce the room's temperature for optimal comfort.

Customer review: "This helped us a lot, especially during the heatwave. It cooled the room down quite quickly and even when turned off our room stayed cool for a while. We didn’t find it too noisy either! Happy with our purchase."

At under £350, you can get this AC with three-in-one functionality as an air conditioner, dehumidifier, and fan. It only has two speeds but still has a clear display and remote control to set times and adjust the temperature. Slightly more compact, it'll take up less space in the room and is easy to install thanks to the expandable exhaust hose (up to 1.6m), though you will need to buy a window kit separately.

Customer review: "I bought this after looking around for air conditioners. This came up as the best option for price and features. It does an excellent job at cooling the room and easily cools by 5-9 degrees where the original room temp is 29-30 degrees. I also had a window adapter which is useful even for a window that swings out. I just tuck into the groove where the hinge opens and close a blind. Just as effective in my opinion. Worth the money and I'm sure if you are hot, you want to at least try it!"

If you're looking for the latest technology, we'd recommend this smart air conditioner. The AC uses artificial intelligence to cool you with the Cool Surround Technology kicking in when the temperature and humidity warm up. It's WiFi enabled so you can use the app to control it and use the MyEcoRealFeel feature to set your comfort levels so the AC knows exactly when to kick into gear. Another fun feature we love is geo-fencing - it'll switch your AC on when you're close to home so you'll be welcomed into a cool home.

Customer review: "It works well, due to its specifications. 11,000btu is enough for a sizable room. It is quiet enough to run at night, especially on quiet mode. It is easy to control and I like the smartphone app, so I can monitor the temp. and humidity of a room from anywhere"

Made to cool rooms up to huge 100m3, this is a great choice for open-plan living. Like the other De'Longhi ACs, this one has three-in-one functionality and features Eco Real Feel Technology - it will monitor your temperature and humidity to automatically maintain the perfect level of comfort. It's easy to use with the LED soft touch control panel and remote, and easy to install with castors, a window kit, and a flexible exhaust hose included.

Customer review: "I was totally against getting an air-conditioning unit, but here I am writing this review to tell you I was wrong! It's blooming amazing! Not only has it kept us cool through this crazy hot weather we have had but it also has a great A energy rating. It can cool up to 100 square metres. The ao team that delivered it were polite, friendly really helpful. Thank you ao!"

With 7,000 BTU, this little Russell Hobbs portable AC is best suited for smaller rooms whilst keeping energy consumption to a minimum. With use as an air conditioner, cooler, and dehumidifier, it's easy to control thanks to a remote-control timer and clear LED display. It comes with a window sealing kit included and with castors and a generally smaller unit, it's easy to move around your home.

Customer review: "All you need for the UK summer nights. Super happy with how quickly it cools the room (4m x 4m in about 6mins). Would suit a sash window more but the adjustable outlet is helpful. Take your time to properly screw in the outlet to the flu. Also great value and not driven by Amazon's hike in prices as we get into summer."