Short answer: a portable air conditioner makes sense when an outdoor unit cannot be installed: a rented flat, a ban from the building owners, a room you use for one season. In every other case a split air conditioner is quieter, also heats in winter and costs a little more. As of 16.10.2026 an inverter split of 9,000 BTU in our catalogue starts from 300 €, and standard installation is 150 €.
A portable air conditioner looks simple: you plug it in and it cools. The limits only show at home: noise, electricity, the gap in the window and winter. The data and prices below come from our catalogue as of 16.10.2026.
How a portable air conditioner works
Every air conditioner with a compressor moves heat from the room to the outside. In a split system the compressor sits in the outdoor unit, and only the fan and the heat exchanger stay in the room. In a portable air conditioner the whole unit, compressor included, is in the room. The heat it removes leaves through a flexible hose (air duct) routed through a window or an opening in the wall.
Three things follow from this. The compressor runs next to you. The hose is warm and heats the room a little. Around the hose in the window there is a gap, and hot outside air comes in through it unless it is sealed. A single-hose model pushes room air outside, and warm street air comes in through the gaps to replace it.
Portable air conditioner without a hose
An air conditioner without an air duct does not exist. The heat from the room has to go somewhere, and without a hose to the outside it stays inside while the unit just stirs it around. Devices sold as a “portable air conditioner without a duct” or “without a hose” are usually air coolers: a fan that blows through a wet filter.
An air cooler lowers the temperature of the air leaving it slightly but raises the humidity. In a hot and humid summer by the sea the room gets stuffier. It does not replace an air conditioner. If a device’s description mentions no compressor, no refrigerant and no hose for the warm air, it is not an air conditioner.
Portable or split: comparison
Our catalogue has one portable model, the AUX AM-12C4A4/QAR2-B6 with 12,000 BTU for 385 €. We compared it with the cheapest split air conditioners of the same and lower capacity, using data from the product cards.
| Portable AUX AM-12C4A4 | Split 9,000 BTU | Split 12,000 BTU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit price | 385 € | from 300 € | from 315 € |
| Installation | not needed | 150 € | 150 € |
| Cooling capacity | 3.5 kW | 2.6 kW | 3.4 kW |
| Heating | not stated | yes | yes |
| Compressor | in the room | in the outdoor unit | in the outdoor unit |
| Moving between rooms | yes, on wheels | no | no |
The split capacities are for the TechPoint TCP H09 MAXCOOL and the TechPoint TCP H12 MAXCOOL, the cheapest in stock. To choose by size, see 9,000 BTU air conditioners (77 models in stock) and 12,000 BTU air conditioners (78 split models).
The portable unit is cheaper only until you count installation. With installation the difference against a 12,000 BTU split is 80 €, and the split air conditioner will also work in winter.
Noise
This is where the gap is largest. The card of the portable AUX lists 64 dB(A). For the 9,000 BTU wall-mounted split models in the catalogue the indoor unit at its quietest speed is between 19 and 26 dB according to the manufacturers. The two figures are not always measured the same way: portable units often state the sound power of the whole device, splits the sound pressure of the indoor unit. The difference is audible anyway, because in a portable air conditioner the compressor runs in the room.
For a bedroom this usually settles it. What a quiet air conditioner means and which models are the quietest is explained in air conditioner for a bedroom.
Electricity and energy class
The energy class of portable air conditioners is set by separate criteria, different from those for split systems. So class A on a portable unit and A++ on a split cannot be compared directly. The split’s card also gives the seasonal efficiency SEER: for the TechPoint TCP H12 MAXCOOL it is 6.2, and the power input in cooling is 0.85 kW.
With a portable unit, the warm air that comes in through the gap around the hose adds to the consumption, because the compressor has to cool it again. What one hour of air conditioner operation costs at the current electricity price is in how much electricity an air conditioner uses.
Portable air conditioner for heating and cooling
There are portable models with a heating mode on the market. Our AUX AM-12C4A4 is listed for cooling, and its card has no heating data. A split air conditioner is an air-to-air heat pump and heats by default: the TechPoint TCP H12 MAXCOOL heats down to −15 °C outside. If you want one unit for summer and winter, the split air conditioner is the safer choice.
When a portable air conditioner makes sense
- Rented home. The landlord does not allow a hole in the wall or an outdoor unit on the facade.
- Outdoor unit ban. The building owners or the building’s status do not allow a unit on the facade.
- Temporary solution. A room you use a few weeks a year, or while you wait for installation.
- Moving between rooms. The unit is on wheels and goes wherever you are.
One limitation for the AUX AM-12C4A4: it runs on R290 refrigerant, and the manufacturer requires a room of no less than 12 m². The hose has to go outside, so the room needs a window or an opening.
Pros and cons of a portable air conditioner
The pros: no drilling, no outdoor unit, no installation cost, and the unit can be moved. The cons: the noise is in the room, the hose and the window stay ajar all the time, and the unit takes up floor space. Our model does not heat. If nothing on the list above stops you from fitting an outdoor unit, a split air conditioner is the better solution for everyday use.
What to choose
If an outdoor unit can be installed, take an inverter split of 9,000 BTU for a room up to 25 m² or 12,000 BTU for 25 – 35 m². For a unit up to 14,000 BTU, standard installation costs 150 € when the unit is bought from us. What is included is on the page air conditioner installation in Varna, and ready offers with price and installation are on the page air conditioners in Varna. If an outdoor unit is not possible, a portable air conditioner is a sensible compromise.
Frequently asked questions
Is a portable air conditioner worth it?
Yes, when an outdoor unit cannot be installed or you need a unit for a short time. For permanent use a split air conditioner is quieter, heats in winter and costs a little more with installation.
Is there a portable air conditioner without a hose?
No. Every air conditioner has to take the heat outside. Devices without a hose are air coolers that blow through a wet filter and raise humidity.
How noisy is a portable air conditioner?
The AUX AM-12C4A4 card lists 64 dB(A). The compressor is in the room, so a portable unit is heard more than the indoor unit of a split, which is 19 – 26 dB at the quietest speed for the 9,000 BTU models in the catalogue.
Is there a portable air conditioner for heating and cooling?
Such models exist on the market. Our AUX AM-12C4A4 is listed for cooling. For heating in winter, a split air conditioner is a heat pump and heats even at sub-zero outdoor temperatures.
Does a portable air conditioner need installation?
No. The hose goes through a window or an opening, and the gap around it is sealed. For a split air conditioner up to 14,000 BTU, standard installation is 150 €.
How much does a portable air conditioner cost?
As of 16.10.2026 the portable AUX AM-12C4A4 with 12,000 BTU is 385 €. An inverter split of 9,000 BTU in the catalogue starts from 300 €, and 12,000 BTU from 315 €, plus 150 € installation.
Is there a floor-standing air conditioner without an outdoor unit?
No. The floor-standing models in our catalogue, 20 in total, are split systems: the column in the room is connected to an outdoor unit. Without an outdoor unit the heat has nowhere to go. The only type without an outdoor unit is the portable one: the hose goes out through a window and the compressor runs in the room, so it is louder. If an outdoor unit cannot be installed, see the portable air conditioner section above.
