Portable Air Conditioners Buying Guide
Our buying guide will explain which type of portable air conditioner would suit you most, how much you can expect to pay for one, and which features are worth looking out for.
Reviewer Photos & Videos
Dr1ftwoodmelbourne
- 4 reviews
Works well in smaller rooms
We had this set up in our bedroom over the summer. It did an admirable job of cooling that space but was a little too loud to sleep with it running. On the hottest days we tried moving it to the lounge room but that was too much for it and it didnt get on top of the heat. It was good if you were sitting right in front of it though - like a personal cooler. It comes with widow hoses, so it needs to be pretty close to a window for the hot air to go out. I am giving this a medium high score. It works well in small spaces but has definite limitations.
1 comment
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toll7Geelong
- 4 reviews
Good Cooling Bit Noisy
What a relief to have some cooling in our bedroom. This machine has certainly earned its keep this summer and made unbearable hot weather just fine. I really like its portability. We can just roll it into the room where it's needed, attach the hose and turn it on. The only negative factor is the fan noise when trying to sleep. Its enough to get on my nerves but it's definitely worth it for the cooling. We will pack it away soon and bring it out next season.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for your review toll7, we are pleased to hear your air conditioning unit has served you well over the hotter months. The noise when the air-conditioner is running is usually associated with th... Read more
e compressor which is housed inside the unit which can be a little noisy with internal units.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
AGTSydney, NSW
- 3 reviews
- 1 like
Love it, its a monster cooler
We purchased this product from the Good Guys. It has served us extremely well this summer. It cools the room in about 20 minutes. We placed it in our bedroom. Please dont expect the same, when the room is not closed or if it is the sitting room. The assembly provided had a covering for the window, i installed it and it didnt cover the whole gap, but it still cooled the room real quick, It is ofcourse noisy, but it does the job. I never put an outlet yet for the water, but it still works fine. Very satisfied with this air con.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review AGT, we are always pleased to hear when our customers are happy with our units. We wish you many more cool days and nights.
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Find out how Rinnai RPC35WA / RPC41WA compares to other Portable Air Conditioners
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Ahsan AyazAU
- 5 reviews
- 1 like
- RPC41WA
- Verified purchase
This portable A/C easily cools my big bedroom within minutes during the 40 degree days
This is premium quality air conditioner which does the job of cooling down a large room very easily during those sticky hot Melbourne days/nights. Has a convenient timer to setup for how long to run the A/C. Very easy to setup and has included window installation kit for sliding door windows. Would highly recommend over other expensive brands.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Ahsan, we are pleased to hear the air conditioner has been working well and keeping you cool.
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tomguyczSydney, NSW
- 11 reviews
Exceptional cooling ability but also very noisy
Had this unit for almost 2 years now. It has awesome design. Very good to look at. The remote adds lots of extra features and functions like eco run and night mode. My bedroom have only french window so I couldn't use the window mount. I extended the plastic exhaust hose with steel hose of the same diameter and mounted it to manhole cover in my ceiling. It works a treat. I find it quite noisy especially at night when the surrounding noise is low. Also the the self-evaporating feature is worth to mention as there is no need to empty any canisters of condensed water.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Tomguycz, we are happy to hear your continued happiness with your portable air conditioner.
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RGBSydney
- 4 reviews
Cooling superb but noisy in bedroom
I bought this unit as it was rated the best, it’s performance I cannot underrate as it cools fantastic. Setting it up was a breeze, though it works more efficiently if you wrap the exhaust hose to contain the heat ( I used polyester wrap from the local sewing shop). The unit is in a unit bedroom of middle size & I was expecting it to be a little loud but to be honest it is quite loud. I turn it on for a while to cool the room then just use a fan. If the unit was in a larger bedroom it would be fine I think, so in a house possibly ok. Though on ...Read more
the few over 30 degrees nights we had I was glad I left it running as no way you could sleep otherwise. The only other thing you will need is a large plastic storage container for the water outlet if you don’t put the outlet down a drain. I got the 52 litre one from Big W, which means to can run it all night without the worry of water overflow. The unit also has swing louvres to circulate the air. I did try it on dehumidify to see if the noise lessened & no change. All in all it does a great job cooling, if you can sleep with loud noise then go for it. For the bargain of being portable the rest is of no consequence as most rented places don’t have air conditioning, this solves that problem. The unit looks great as well, much more stylish than some others & easy to move on the castors on a carpet floor.1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review RGB, it is true that portable air conditioners tend to be louder than split systems as the condenser is part of the unit in the room. We are glad to hear the unit is keeping temperatures down for you.
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Beardy BonceSydney, NSW
- 17 reviews
Good for small rooms but noisy
We bought Rinnai as we trust the brand.
Our lounge area is 60m2.... the unit works best at 25m2. That said it does surprisingly well at maintaining an already cooler temperature (rather than lowering the temperature) in the lounge.
The unit is noisy, even on its lower fan settings.... but that’s the compromise with an all in one unit.
Portable? It has wheels.... but with the hose etc it can be quite cumbersome
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Beardy Bonce, you are correct, the unit is designed for areas less than 25m2 but we are pleased to hear the unit is managing to maintain the temperature in the larger room.
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ShellBrisbane
- 5 reviews
Perfect for a portable kitchen/food van
Instantly cools, this was something I was not expecting, as I thought it may take a while. The best thing about the Rinnai
RPC41WA is that it is perfect for portable kitchens and food vans. If you have ever worked in one of those you will know how badly they are needed.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for your review Shell, it's always great to hear our products are exceeding our customers expectations. We wish you many more cool cooking moments.
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Fred C
- 2 reviews
- RPC41WA
- Verified purchase
Good Looking Air Cond does what it should
This is only one of a few Portable Air Conds on the market that is actually good looking and nicely designed. 95% of others are just plain ugly. So well done to Rinnai for designing something nice.
I bought the 4.1Kw and it is very powerful for my small room only 26sqm. It has more than enough power on a 32 C deg day. And it is easily much better than my old 2.3Kw that always struggled to keep my room even bareable.
Im keen to see what it will be like on a 40 deg day. I think it will be fine though.
On the quirky side there are some st...Read more
range things like the remote control only works when your pointing it directly at the control panel standing right next to it ! and you can only control the swing / Timer / Sleep function on the remote control and not on the air cond itself which is odd. The noise is not to bad for a portable unit.2 comments
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Fred C, we are pleased to hear your Rinnai portable air conditioning unit is working well for you.
I might add one more comment. After testing the air cond on a 40 Deg + day in Sydney in my 26 sqm studio it does struggle to keep the room cool. But I think this will be the limit of any portable Air ... Read more
Cond. If you really want good cooling on a 40 deg + day you will need to install a wall mounted Air cond with compressor outside the house as they are much more efficient at cooling a space. A Portable Air Cond keeps removing the cool air it has created through its exhaust outside so its not a very efficient cycle. Where as a wall mount air cond only pushes out cool air but doesnt try to remove it at the same time. However for this Rinnai and (all other portable air conds) It is fine for temps up to 30 Deg but after 33 - 34 - 35 etc it does start to struggle and not become as efficient.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Find out how Rinnai RPC35WA / RPC41WA compares to other Portable Air Conditioners
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Hmm..
So far its been good having this in our home, it is a little noisy when the cooling option is on. I'm hoping on its not going to putting our bill up to high or I'm not going to be very impress. As portable air-conditioning has no electrical ratings at all. Wish they did so I knew how much it was going to cost me, if its too high I will probably have to sell it and try a different air-conditioning unit. Don't need a high bill when you're on a low income and have children to think of. So fingers crossed it won't come to that.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Jess, portable air conditioning units will generally be a little noisier than split systems as the compressor is built into the unit itself rather than being installed outside.
... Read more
It is difficult to estimate cost usage as there are so many variations that have to be considered, i.e. the initial temperature of the area being cooled, how long the unit is used for and the size of the room.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Allan CorreySydney
- 3 reviews
- 1 like
It made big difference
I got this particular unit because the brand and model I wanted was not available. I was not disappointed
Quite the opposite. It's been a wonderful performer as an air conditioner
It was very easy to assemble, to move around on its rollers and it came with useful exhaust duct accessories
It has a very simple to use remote control that mimics one-for-one the buttons on the unit
It cools very effectively and its thermostat is very sensitive, which means it goes from cooling to fan mode readily once it detects that the room temperature is as shown on the preset temperature
...Read more
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Allan, we are glad the unit is working well for you and that you are happy with the functionality.
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FacelessJAU
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
Must have during summer!
Very easy to install, comes with a window and duct kit. The window adaptor sits in the window frame and will fit windows from 67cm tall up to around 120cm. Unfortunatly, the duct is quite wide and may mean the adaptor won't sit flush against the window frame, but this does not affect useability.
Generates a bit of noise, not too much though, and works fantastic. On 35C+ days, we have it on 26-28C and makes a huge difference in our 25m^2 room.
Has swing function, timer + sleep, 3 fan speeds, as well as the option to just use the fan rather...Read more
than air con. Also has cool/dry options for recirculating moisture into the air. Also comes with remote control (only way to set timer/sleep options). Has 2 outlets on rear of unit for draining, which needs to be done once every two months or so.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
LouiseBrisbane, Queensland
Love love love
It's quite and works well in my room, i stay cool in summer like i wanted and i can finally get a good nights rest. Best choice i ever made. Now that i know the small one works well i might splurge on a bigger one down the track. Reliable.
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DoctorMcDoctorSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 10 reviews
Surprising results for 37C outside! Noise level OK.
I've been looking at portable units for the last couple of months and with the heatwave looming I needed to act. So after considering what was around at current prices this unit for $699 was on the top of my list and I got the last one yesterday.
Unboxing
First 10/10 for the packaging. There are two plastic straps you cut off and the 4 sides and top of the box just slides off to leave the unit sitting on it's own foam tray. I lived in Japan for 30 years and this is one of those attention to the finer details you find with most Japanese pr...Read more
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Rather disapponited
WE actually have a 3.5WA but no review page came up for that. Cooling is not too bad given the weather outside - 35degrees. But the downside, with a BIG D - it is SO NOISY you cannot watch TV. Didn't even hear the phone going in the next room. It is NOT portable, weighing in at 33 kgs. And then there is the question of the exhaust tube. Nowhere was this massive tube shown on any of the websites I went to, so can't just move it around the house as we were led to believe. We also have hopper windows so can only use it in one room since my handy husband made a wooden template for the tube to fit into.
Not a really good result for the money spent.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Molly, unfortunately portable air-conditioners will never be as quiet as an installed unit due to the compressor and fan being located within the unit rather than outside. This ... Read more
is also the reason for the exhaust tube which removes the hot air from the room.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Find out how Rinnai RPC35WA / RPC41WA compares to other Portable Air Conditioners
Know better, choose better.
Fantastic
Bought this unit to cool down our apartment in summer. It's a little loud, but this is what you'll get with a portable air conditioner. If you're looking for a quiet air conditioning system, invest in a split system. This air conditioner is well designed and cools efficiently. Works as advertised. Recommended.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review John, glad to hear the air-conditioner is working well for you.
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Works a treat
We purchased this unit to cool the oven that is my sons room, and this unit certainly does that. I was instantly impressed. Instantly cooled down the room with lovely cold air!
Room is approx 3.5x4 (high Victorian ceiling) and I think the 4.1 was a good choice.
This unit was the best looking out of all the options at the Good Guys.
Yep, it can be noisy, but my son sleeps with white noise anyway... so it made no difference to him.
Relatively easy to install (double hung window). Screw for the window kit was missing from my box which was annoying.
I would definitely recommend.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Sarah, it's good to know the noise doesn't disturb your sons sleep. The portable air-conditioners can be noisier than the split system units but they are powerful units as indicated by the cold air they produce.
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Sounds like a Jumbo Jet taking off.
I actually was able to exchange this with the company i bought it from which was great, however i wasn't able to find any reviews online so i thought I'd write one.
This unit pushes out a lot of cold air however the noise it makes is ridiculous. This would probably be a good unit in a lounge room or somewhere your not trying to sleep. And you probably wouldn't notice how loud it is in the shop as they are pre air-conditioned so its not working as hard.
1 comment
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Nick, unfortunately with portable air-conditioners the compressor and fans are all located within the unit so they will always be noisier than a split system. We are glad you wer... Read more
e able to exchange for a more suitable until for your situation.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Questions & Answers
Dillon C.asked
Hi.
My Portable aircon seems to not be pumping cool air out as it was before what would the reason be for this? I’ve not owned it for longer than a year.
2 answers
You might need to clean the filter.
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Hi Dillon C,
Thanks for the question, we would recommend contacting our Technical Department to discuss this matter further. They can be reached on 1300 555 545 (option 3).
Thanks,
Rinnai Australia
Shebaasked
RPC35WA / RPC41WA what’s the difference? Is the 4.1 noisier because it’s got a bigger motor? Or do they both make the same amount of noise? I bought the 4.1 For my bedroom but if the 3.5 is not as noisy I think I would have preferred that.
2 answers
Not sure. Probably the same. I got used to it after a while since I had it in my bedroom for more than a month. You can wear headphones while listening to music or wear ear plugs. I don't wear ear plugs because I fall asleep after a long day at work
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Hi Sheba,
Thanks for the question. The RPC35WA / RPC41WA have the same decibel rating of 52DBA on fan and full cooling operation. If you require any further assistance please contact our technical help desk on 1300 555 545.
Thanks,
Rinnai Australia.
David M.asked
Bought my RPC41WA yesterday. Did a great job cooling my bedroom but woke up in the middle of the night with the carpet completely drenched wet. The instruction manual is so unhelpful particularly regarding the condensation house/draining. It is now the weekend (hottest of the year with a 5 weeks old baby) so I won’t be able to call Rinnai until Monday. Please Help
3 answers
Hi David.
I had the same problem; Ive found if you attach the drainage hose to the higher up plug (near the exhaust hose) it will drain while operating. Just make sure to have a large container to run into, as mine throws out 10 litres of water throughout the night. I hope this has helped, and good luck mate.
Thanks Patrick after reading some other comments on here and yours I realised one of our plugs (plug 7) was left open... so I plugged that rather than attached the hose and very nervously left it on through the night. No leakage but I can hear the water building up and swooshing inside so I’m sure will have to drain it sooner rather than later. Will probably still give Rinnai a call. I can’t beleive how bad the instruction manual is!
Rinnai A.Rinnai
Hi David M.
We have sent a private message to discuss the matter further.
Thanks,
Rinnai Australia
Prices
- Rinnai RPC26WA 2.6kW Cooling only Portable Air ConditionerA$552.00
- Rinnai RPC35WA 3.5kW Cooling Only Portable Air ConditionerA$709.00
- Rinnai Portable Air Conditioner 3.5kw (Cooling Only) RPC35WAA$749.00
- Rinnai RPC41WA 4.1kW Cooling Only Portable Air ConditionerA$769.00
- C3.5kW Cooling Only Portable Air ConA$799.00
- Rinnai Portable Air Conditioner 4.1kw (Cooling Only) RPC41WAA$839.00
- C4.1kW Cooling Only Portable Air ConA$849.00
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Rinnai A.Rinnai
Thanks for the review Dr1ftwood, the portable range is most suited to smaller living areas so can struggle with larger areas.