Air conditioners - Which Reports in assocation with Tiscali

WHICH? REVIEWS: Air conditioners

Beat the heat without getting into a sweat with one of our Best Buys.

As the heat rises, avoid that panic buy you'll regret. We've reviewed 26 portable air conditioners and found six that will allow you to sit back and chill.

Our Best Buys can quickly cool a large volume of warm air, which is great in the heat of summer. They dehumidify the stickiness of the day, are easy to use and aren't too noisy.

Other air conditioners we tested don't cool as quickly as our Best Buys and some were very noisy - which isn't ideal if you're looking for a quiet night's sleep.

You can find out our Best Buy recommendations by taking out a 30-day trial to www.which.co.uk. Below, we explain more about the features of air conditioners.

Do they work?

Air conditioners do cool you down. All the models we tested can lower the room temperature by several degrees, and are generally easy to set up and use. Our Best Buys do this the fastest and are the quietest models.

All models have a choice of settings for different conditions. On a cooler day, for example, you can use a fan-only setting to freshen your room. If the weather's particularly sticky, you can take the moisture out by using the dehumidifier option.

So far so good. But there are some downsides. The main annoyance is that they're noisy and portable models take up quite a bit of space. Fixed, split models are quieter, but need to be permanently installed.

The machines' electricity consumption is gluttonous compared to other appliances. Only one model we tested meets its claimed A-rating for energy efficiency, with most others falling way short of the mark.

Air conditioners: Single vs. split units

Single air conditioning unit

Pros: Cheap, doesn't need to be permanently installed
Cons: Need to vent the hose through a window or a hole in the wall, unit gets hot and radiates heat

Split unit

Pros: More effective at cooling, doesn't compromise security by having to leave a window open
Cons: Need to be permanently installed and mounted on an outside wall, more expensive

What to look for

Sleep or night modes

This reduces noise by running the compressor and fan more slowly.

Timer options

Allow you to set the machine to automatically switch on and off - useful if you want to come home to a cool house or save energy by having the unit switch off once you've fallen asleep. Pick a model with a clock and 24-hour setting. Some come with only countdown or delay timers; these need to be reset daily.

Remote control

Lets you adjust settings without moving from your seat, but are easy to lose. Look for a machine with a dock to store the remote if you are prone to gremlins hiding your things.

So what's the best air conditioner for you? By taking out a 30-day trial to www.which.co.uk can discover all you need to know about air conditioners and find out our Best Buy recommendations.

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