It's that time of the year again - Portable Air-conditioners. Kogan's behemoth 4.7kW vs Delonghi Pinguino 3.5kW

ThithLord on 02/11/2018 - 10:41
Last edited 02/11/2018 - 10:58

Summer is on it's way and I don't want to be sticking it out in the heat at night. I am renting, so I am in no place to be installing a proper air-conditioner. Due to the windows in my bedroom, a Window-fitted aircon won't work either.

My room is about 55m squared. (high ceilings, dangit) and I am thinking of using in my second room a few times which is about 40m squared.

So I'm wondering what your thoughts are on the below Portables:

  1. Kogan's 4.7kW chappy as per here for $549.

  2. Delonghi's 3.5kW champ here which is $949, but I can get it for around $600

Does anyone have any experience with Delonghi? I've found a few reviews that state they're pretty good, and the tank doesn't need to be emptied a lot (their website shows a tiny amount of water needs draining at the end of the season, so, I don't know). Their coffee machines are top notch, so why shouldn't their portable AC's be, too?

Poll Options

  • 10
    Kogan 4.7kW
  • 1
    Delonghi 3.5kW
Electrical & Electronics Air Conditioner

Comments

  • jjjaar on 02/11/2018 - 10:55
    -5

    Not to be an absolute pain and throw a third in the mix, but a friend of mine got the Dyson cool+purifier (not sure which model) and not only is it excellent at keeping their room cool, but it actually cleans the air too so pollens etc that affect her in spring summer and autumn are almost non existent. If the latter is an issue for you, I’d look into an air con with the purifying option too.

    • ThithLord on 02/11/2018 - 10:59
      +8

      Isn't that just a fan? It doesn't actually condition the air.

      • jjjaar on 02/11/2018 - 11:18
        -5

        The fan makes the area feel like it’s been air conditioned, but yes you’re right, it doesn’t remove the heat from the air. But if sinus issues or pollens affect you, it’ll be a better option as it cleans the air.

        • bobbified on 02/11/2018 - 12:00
          +3

          The fan makes the area feel like it’s been air conditioned

          I find that verrrrry hard to believe. In terms of "cooling" functionality, the $600 device moves the air in the same way a $10 desk fan does. Nothing more, nothing less.

  • tanksinatra on 02/11/2018 - 11:30
    +3

    Be careful with portable airconditioners. Most of them are single hose models which create a negative pressure inside your room that sucks in hot air from outside.
    I'd recommend trying to track down a dual hose model, or install a window rattler.

    • ThithLord on 02/11/2018 - 11:34

      Install a window rattler.

      Oh I'd love to, but I have hinged windows in my room. It's a real PITA.

    • shaybisc on 02/11/2018 - 16:24

      Does the mythical dual hose portable air con actually exist?

      And if it doesn't, why not?

    • smuggler on 02/11/2018 - 17:44

      If the air is being blown out of the hose, how on earth is the pressure negative?

      • airzone on 02/11/2018 - 18:20

        Air gets pumped out of the room via the hose. Room is lower pressure than outside. Room isn't perfectly sealed. Outside air comes back in through doors, windows, etc to equalise the pressure.

        • smuggler on 02/11/2018 - 18:32

          hmmm….that makes sense in theory but I'd like to see evidence of an actual temperature increase in the room.

          • tanksinatra on 04/11/2018 - 17:17

            @smuggler: Any air that is leaving the room must be replaced with air from outside or from another room. You don't need evidence of this.

            Dual hose models are a 'closed loop', like a conventional split system or window rattler. That means they suck in fresh air through a tube to cool and that air is then exhausted through another tube. However some heat is radiated from the outlet hose back into the room which reduces their efficiency advantage.

            I haven't seen any side-by-side performance evaluations.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/11/2018 - 12:30
    +1

    I see you listed as QLD?
    So warm to HOT; & likely HUMID too?

    A 'standard' bedroom might be 4m x 3m:
    so ~12sqm (m^2) with a 2.4m ceiling
    - totalling around 29 cubic metres.

    Use the FairAir.com.au room sizing guide to estimate the cooling requirements for your location.

    DeLonghi might be designed for European 35C heatwave conditions, rather than our 43C.
    No summer sun heat load at night tho!

    With our inefficient single hose portables cooling should be downrated to little more than half that specified.
    "Nimble & Agile" NOT: our COALition - having ignored 2011 reports on allowing more efficient portable air conditioners.

    • ThithLord on 02/11/2018 - 14:14

      Sorry I meant cubed, not squared. Damn it. My room is about 55 cubic metres

    • [Deactivated] on 02/11/2018 - 20:12

      Following up in metro Melbourne my ground floor (partially shaded west window) ~12sqm room is rated at around 1.1kW for summer cooling.

      In a summer heatwave (run of 40C+ days) I started an old 1.9kW PAC in the relative cool of morning - overnight lucky to get below 30C. Urban heat island effect.
      Air conditioning comfortably held well under 30C!!

      Exhausting superheated air at over 50C - replaced by ~30C air, drawn under the closed door, from within my low energy building envelope. Concrete slab, & internal block wall heat sinks.
      Meaning that the rest of my home heats up by a further degree, or two, over the day with sucking in hot exterior air to replace the PAC superhot exhaust.

      I subsequently bought the smallest CHOICE recommended PAC - $350 from KOGAN?

      Draws 890W, with 40W of this used to pump condensate to improve efficiency - rated at 2.9kW with moist exhaust under 40C!!
      PACs are poor used just as a fan; & using this as a dehudifier is a pain :-(
      Still has a nice Sleep Mode!

      Come back when you have sized your room cooling needs.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/11/2018 - 11:54

        OP doesn't appear serious, by not sizing cooling needs :-(

        KOGAN now have the least powerful of four CHOICE recommended PACs at $299.
        2.9kW OMEGA Altise OAPC10 with water (condensate) cooled exhaust, & a nice sleep setting!

  • psyren89 on 02/11/2018 - 12:42
    +1

    I don't think the 4.7kW one will be powerful enough to cool such a large area. Even the largest one (5.2kW) will take forever to have much of an effect.

    • ThithLord on 06/11/2018 - 09:49

      Damn, lol. My GF absolutely dies in the heat (she hates it) but she reckons it'd cool a room my size as she's had a PAC before in a similar sized room. I'm so torn!

      It's honestly mainly going to be used at night time, if that changes anything.

  • bongom on 02/11/2018 - 12:51
    +1

    Highly recommend the Olimpia Splendid C4.7kW Cooling Only Portable Air Con

    https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/olimpia-splendid-c47kw-coolin…

    • smuggler on 02/11/2018 - 18:34

      Is it difficult to fit the hose to the window? My windows don't open up and down. I have those old style ones that open like a door.

  • thedriver on 03/11/2018 - 18:38
    +3

    if you're planning on staying in the property for a while, consider discussing the option of installing a split system air-con with your landlord. Maybe you can throw in the $500 and get a $10 rental decrease over the next year to pay you back or ask the landlord not to increase the rent the following year. This will also benefit the landlord in the long term because it will enable them to get higher rent or a new tenant faster.
    A fixed system will be far more efficient than a portable system, saving you money in electricity bills too (if you use it wisely)!

    • ThithLord on 05/11/2018 - 08:40

      This is looking like my only option so far! Thanks for the advice

  • AustriaBargain on 08/12/2023 - 14:04

    Did you get the Kogan, how was it?

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