The difference between portable air conditioners and split air conditioners
In short
| Portable air conditioner | Split air conditioner | |
|---|---|---|
| Do I need to have the air conditioner installed? | No | Yes |
| Will the air conditioner have a permanent spot in the house? | No | Yes |
| Will the air conditioner be ready for use immediately upon coming in? | Yes | No |
| Is the air conditioner suitable for cooling large spaces? | No | Yes |
| Does the air conditioner have high efficiency? | No | Yes |
| Can I place the air conditioner in any desired room I need to cool? | Yes | No |
The differences
Portable air conditioner
As the name suggests, portable air conditioners are portable. This means that you can move them around. That way, a portable air conditioner provides cool air in the living room in the daytime and in the bedroom or nursery at night. That's ideal. All you need is a window you can open, as every portable air conditioner has a drain hose that has to lead outside with a window sealing kit. This does mean the efficiency is a lot lower, because hot air comes in through the open window.
Features of a portable air conditioner:
- Use it right away when you receive it..
- Move it to any space.
- Cools and dehumidifies.
- Energy consumption is relatively low.
- Capacity is generally lower compared to a split air conditioner.
Split air conditioner
Split air conditioners always consist of 2 elements, an indoor and an outdoor unit. Mount the outdoor unit to the facade, so it'll always have a fixed spot. The same goes for the indoor unit, but indoors. Once you've installed the split air conditioner, it'll have a high efficiency. This allows you to cool a space fast. YIf you keep windows and doors closed, the temperature will be 10°C lower in no time. Since it extracts moisture from the space as well, any damp feeling will soon be gone as well.
Features of a split air conditioner:
- Installation required.
- Fixed element in the house.
- Cools, dehumidifies, ventilates, and heats.
- Energy consumption is relatively low.
- Capacity is high compared to a portable air conditioner.
What should you pay attention to when purchasing an air conditioner?
- Energy consumption | Portable air conditioners and split air conditioners consume more energy than a fan, for example. Want an air conditioner? Choose an air conditioner with at least an A+ energy label.
- Cooling capacity | The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is indicated as a number of BTU (British Thermal Units). The higher the BTU number, the larger the space to be cooled may be.
- The space | Choose a portable air conditioner or split air conditioner depending on the size of the space. The BTU number will help you make your choice, as described above.
