Lidl’s portable aircon unit is just £170 and it could just be our heatwave hero

Feeling hot hot hot? Us too, but this gadget may help

This unit is only available in store so we’ll see you in the car park (iStock/ The Independent )

At first, like most people, we were incredibly excited about the thought of a heatwave. A free holiday seemed to be on the cards, and we had the sunloungers, paddling pool and barbecues at the ready.

But, now it’s here, we’re seeing just how foolish we were – we say, sat on our pet’s cooling mat with an ice lolly in hand and the curtains closed like some sort of gremlin.

Instead of frolicking in the sun, it’s too hot to leave the house and sleeping at night feels like a distant dream. Not to mention the huge health risks, wildfires and environmental destruction we’re starting to see as a result of the extreme heat.

Luckily, Lidl is here to help us struggling at home with a portable aircon unit. And, being known for its budget-friendly bargains, with a price tag under £170, it doesn’t disappoint.

So keep reading below for everything you need to know about how to buy it.

Read more:

• 11 best fans for keeping cool
• Best mattresses: Memory foam, pocket-sprung reviewed
• This portable air conditioner is helping us battle the heatwave
• 5 best portable air conditioners for keeping cool
• Dyson pure cool me review: A pricey but perfect fan

Silvercrest portable air conditioner: £169.99, Lidl.co.uk

(Lidl.co.uk)

• BTU: 7000
• Dimensions: W39 x H69 x D33cm
• Speed settings: 2

While fans are a great option – and we’ve, of course, rounded up the best ones to buy – nothing beats the cold chill of air conditioning. Once reserved for supermarkets and offices alone, the handy gadgets have been miniaturised for at-home use, but the price tag usually isn’t all too small.

At £169.99, this is actually quite a steal. To put it into perspective, the lowest priced option in our best portable air con unit guide was over £100 dearer at £289. But, the catch is that this unit is only available in store. And weighing a hefty 22.5kg you’ll probably not want to carry it home on the bus. Let’s not forget the rising energy bills it will take to run too.

But, this is not just an air conditioning unit, it also heats, fans and dehumidifies at the same time, making it seem like even more of a bargain. The temperature ranges from 16C to 31C – which should be more than generous for those who like it extremely hot or cold – and a room thermostat will let you know exactly how hot (or cool) your space is too.

Wheels make for easy manoeuvring, and a remote control is also included, so you don’t even have to move to adjust the temperature – dreamy. If we haven’t sold it to you by now, we’ve certainly sold it to ourselves so see you down in the Lidl car park.

Read more online here

We’ve also got some handy IndyBest-approved options that can be delivered to your door below.

MeacoCool MC series 7000: £299.99, Amazon.co.uk

(Amazon.co.uk)

• BTU: 7000
• Dimensions: 70.1 x 35 x 34.8 cm
• Speed settings: 2

This one was named best overall in our portable air con unit round-up, and our tester had a rave review. “This ticked every box for a portable air conditioning unit that was easy to use around the home, (relatively) unobtrusive, and possible to store away when not in use, all for a reasonable price,” they shared.

“Best of all, it comes with both a standard window kit and a flexible kit which – rejoice! – works on any window and makes a huge difference to cooling. It has a 24-hour timer, sleep mode and remote control, and uses the new R290 refrigerant which is kinder to the environment. An all-round heatwave hero.”

Buy now

MeacoCool MC 14000 portable air conditioner: £479.99, Meaco.com

(Maeco.com)

• BTU: 14,000
• Dimensions: 76.2 x 35.3 x 47cm
• Speed settings: 3

Reviewed in this crazy heatwave by one of our expert testers, this spenny bit of kit is quite the upgrade compared to the first MaecoCool model. But, was it worth it? Absolutely.

“Yes, the MeacoCool does cost the most money at £479.99, but that is the average price for portable air conditioners with 14000 BTUs,” shared our tester. “It’s efficient with an A energy rating, it’s supposedly ‘kinder to the environment’ with a new R290 refrigerant, and most of all, it works, and it’s the only thing that worked for us when it came to cooling down our home.”

So, if you’ve got money to spare and are craving the cool, it’s another great option in our books.

Buy now

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on household appliances, try the links below:

• Very discount codes
• AO discount codes

Keep cool this summer with the IndyBest team’s hot weather essentials, from fans to face mists