8 Best Portable Air Cons and Coolers in South Africa

South Africa is seeing record-setting temperatures this summer. There has never been a better time to invest in an air conditioner or air cooler.

In this article, we take a look at the difference between air cons and air coolers and which ones are best suited for different applications.

What is the difference between an air con and an air cooler?

Air conditioners use a coolant to cool the air whatever the weather conditions. They can produce both cold and hot air with fine control over the overall room temperature.

Air conditioners are best operated with the doors and windows closed to save energy. They also need to vent excess hot air outside.

Air conditioners use more electricity than air coolers but there are very efficient models available that can reduce energy consumption.

On the other hand, air coolers use evaporation to cool the air. They work best in dry, non-humid heat. Evaporative cooling can cool the air very effectively without the need for venting.

They offer a subtle humidifying effect and you don’t need to shut the doors and windows while in use.

Evaporative coolers use up to 80% less electricity, making them a more eco-friendly and affordable option.

Best portable air cons

These are some of the best portable air cons available in South Africa.

1. Best affordable portable air con

The Jet-Air portable air con is an affordable portable air con that is powerful enough to cool a room up to 18 m². It offers reasonable energy efficiency with a B rating. This air con has a quiet operation with a maximum noise level of only 56 decibels.

2. Best portable air con for a bedroom

The Midea portable air con can handle larger spaces up to 25 m². It has a washable filter and an ioniser for improved air quality. The sleep mode function offers a lower noise level for night-time operation.

3. Best portable aircon for humid conditions

The Alliance portable air con dehumidifies the air by removing up to 1.2 litres of moisture from the air per hour. It has auto-restart and auto-swing functions as well as a timer and a washable filter.

Best air coolers

Here are our picks for the best portable air coolers in South Africa.

4. Best eco-friendly air cooler

The Unitherm UN165 air cooler produces just 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions of a standard air conditioner making it an eco-friendly air-cooling option. No toxic chemicals or refrigerants are used.

5. Best air cooler for the office

The Unitherm UN168 air cooler is suitable for prolonged periods of air cooling in the office or at home. The unit is compact and unobtrusive with a quiet and economical operation. It has a pre-dust filter and ioniser to remove particulates, microbes and odours from the air.

6. Best air cooler for a very large space

The HP36BX air cooler is a powerful air cooler that can handle very large spaces up to 330 m² with airflow displacement of 23 700 m³/h. The flagship of the H2O Air Cooler product range also features a 200-litre water tank.

7. Best budget air cooler

The affordable Jet-Air Briza air cooler has a compact design, so it fits into any room. Quiet operation means it can be left on even while sleeping. It offers three speeds and the water tank is large enough for many hours of continuous use.

8. Best air cooler for outdoor use

The Jet-Air JASA-KF60-S is a high-capacity air cooler that has been designed for indoor and outdoor use. It’s quiet enough for use in restaurants and shops and features a maximum airflow of 6,000 cubic metres per hour.

What Turbovent offers

Turbovent offers a range of portable air cons and coolers. We specialise in providing affordable and efficient cooling systems to South African homes and businesses.

Contact us online or call 0860 266 537 to discuss your cooling needs.