As average UK temperatures climb, the need for air conditioning is becoming greater. Especially when you consider that buildings in the UK just aren’t built for the hotter summers we’ve experienced over the past few years.
In fact, temperatures between 2014 and 2023 were on average 0.42°C warmer than the 1991-2020 average (according to data from the Met Office), and 1.25°C warmer than 1961-1990.
We’re more likely to experience heatwaves too (we still remember cooking on the Bakerloo line when it hit 40°C in London a few years ago), making air conditioning more necessary than ever.
In this article, we’re looking specifically at air conditioning for bedrooms in the UK. We’ll cover why you should get air conditioning for your bedroom, the different types available, what features to look for, costs, energy-saving tips, and the best air conditioners you can get in the UK.
Why Get Air Conditioning for Bedrooms
Getting air conditioning for your bedroom can drastically improve the quality of your sleep.
During UK summers, it can get a lot hotter than we like to believe. Sure, it’s a popular pastime to complain about the summer rain and long for drier days, but the reality is that temperatures can regularly climb above 25°C.
And then there’s heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent because of climate change. If you’ve tried to sleep in a room without air conditioning during a heatwave, you’ll know just how unpleasant it is.
When it gets too hot in your bedroom, your body actually becomes less capable of producing melatonin, a hormone responsible for lowering your core body temperature and regulating your natural sleep cycle.
Studies also show that even minor sleep deprivation can negatively impact cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical health.
Air conditioning in your bedroom helps mitigate this, so it’s well worth considering.
Best Air Conditioners for Bedrooms in the UK
We’ve researched the best air conditioners you can find for bedrooms, covering a mix of wall-mounted and portable units. Our personal pick for the best wall-mounted unit is the Worcester Bosch Climate 3000i air conditioner 3.5kW. It’s packed with helpful features, including a ‘wind avoid me’ mode, which stops air from flowing directly over you.
For portable air conditioning, our top choice is the De’Longhi Pinguino Extreme EX93 Air Conditioner, as it’s one of the quietest portable units you can find on the market. At close to £550, it’s on the expensive side for portable units, but the best-in-class noise reduction and excellent cooling capabilities make it worth the extra spend (in our opinion).
Model | Efficiency Rating | Noise (dB) | BTU | Cost (unit only) | Portable or wall-mounted? |
Daikin Comfora, 3.5kW | A++ | 19 | 12,000 | £800 | Wall-mounted |
Worcester Bosch Climate 3000i air conditioner 3.5kW | A++ | 21 | 12,000 | £756 | Wall-mounted |
Samsung Comfort Wind-Free, 2.5kw | A | 46 | 9,000 | £765 | Wall-mounted |
AEG Chillflex Pro | A | 52 (in quiet mode) 63 (in cooling mode) | 9,000 | £469 | Portable |
De’Longhi Pinguino Extreme EX93 Air Conditioner | A+ | 44dB | 8,900 | £543 | Portable |
Types of Air Conditioners for Bedrooms
There are a few different types of air conditioners you can get for your bedroom, and deciding which type depends on your needs. Broadly speaking, you can divide the types of air conditioners into wall-mounted units, which are fixed to a wall and require installing a duct, and portable units, which can be moved wherever needed and don’t need to be installed.
Wall-Mounted Units (split systems)
When talking about wall-mounted units in the context of air conditioning for your bedroom, we mean split systems and not central air conditioning. The difference being that split systems are designed to cool individual rooms, instead of your entire home.
Split systems are generally the better option in the UK, as the cost of installing central air conditioning throughout your home is high and likely not worth it. This is because even though it’s getting warmer on average, the year-round temperatures in the UK don’t justify the cost of installing central air conditioning, which can range between £6,500 and £12,000.
Pros | Cons |
Can efficiently cool your bedroom | Can’t cool your entire home |
Cheaper than installing central air conditioning | Higher upfront cost compared to portable units |
Energy efficient | More complicated to install |
Portable Air Conditioners
If you want the simplest way to stay cool in your bedroom, a portable air conditioner is a great choice. All you need is to buy the unit, plug it in, and hey presto, instant cool air.
Convenience almost always comes at a cost though, and in the case of portable air conditioners, the price you pay is lower efficiency and effectiveness compared to wall-mounted units.
Pros | Cons |
Quick to set up and easy to control | Not as effective as wall-mounted units, especially when the weather is particularly warm |
Can be moved to other rooms | Requires more floor space |
Lower upfront and running costs | Less efficient than wall-mounted units |
Ideal for renters | Louder than wall-mounted units |
Key Air Conditioning Features to Consider
When looking to get air conditioning for your bedroom, there are several key features to keep an eye out for:
Noise levels
Energy efficiency
Cooling capacity
Any additional features
Noise Levels
It’s all well and good keeping cool at night with air conditioning, but you want the unit you choose to be quiet enough not to interrupt your sleep. Good air conditioning units don’t sacrifice decibel (dB) levels for performance, and ideally, you don’t want a unit that produces more than 50–60dB maximum. Just for context, 50dB is roughly equivalent to the sounds of a quiet office.
Many air conditioning units these days can be as quiet as 20dB, which is no louder than the sounds of rustling leaves (we’re feeling sleepy just thinking about that).
Energy Efficiency
In a world of rising energy bills, efficiency is key, and it’s important to consider this when buying air conditioning for your bedroom. Simply put, the more efficient an air conditioning unit is, the less it’s going to cost you to run it.
Most air conditioning models will have an energy efficiency rating, typically either EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) or SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). EER is a measure of cooling output divided by power consumption, and the higher a unit’s EER is, the more efficient it is.
SEER, on the other hand, measures cooling over a season and provides a longer-term picture of an appliance's energy efficiency. In the UK, we rate models on a scale from G (least efficient) to A+++ (most efficient), so keep this in mind when comparing air conditioning units.
Cooling Capacity
When choosing air conditioning for your bedroom, it’s important to think about cooling capacity, which is how much heat a unit can remove from a space. The bigger the room, the larger the cooling capacity needs to be.
We typically use BTUs (British Thermal Units) to measure an air conditioning unit’s cooling capacity. More BTUs mean better ability to keep you cool, though you want to think about the size of your room to figure out how many BTUs you’ll need.
On average, bedrooms in the UK require 5,000–12,000 BTUs to be efficiently cooled.
Additional Features
Additional features such as sleep modes and programmable timers are worth considering too. Sleep modes, for example, keep your bedroom cool enough to help you get to sleep, then switch off when no longer needed. You’ll save money on your energy bills this way as well.
Modern units often come with smart controls, allowing you to adjust the air conditioning via your phone. Some even come with the ability to purify the air, which can be very handy when pollen counts are high.
Lastly, compact designs are useful if you don’t have the space for a bulky unit. Nowadays, though, air conditioning units for bedrooms rarely need to sacrifice power in favour of size.
Air Conditioning Installation and Costs
On average, a wall-mounted air conditioning system suitable for a double bedroom will cost between £620 and £890 for the unit alone, and around £910–£1,310 for installation.
Installation costs can increase depending on how complicated the process is, with factors such as additional ductwork and wiring all adding more to what you’ll pay.
If you opt for portable air conditioning, there’ll obviously be no installation costs!
Energy-Saving Tips
Air conditioning is great at keeping you cool and reducing discomfort at night, but it can be expensive to run. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to reduce what you spend:
Change the air filter: Aim to change the air filter every six months or so, as it can become clogged over time and reduce the efficiency of your air conditioning unit.
Keep your windows and doors closed: When it gets really hot, the temptation is there to run your air conditioning and keep doors and windows open. Instead, close them, because this will reduce the strain on your air conditioning and allow it to do its job properly.
Set the right temperature: If you’re using air conditioning to help you sleep during sweltering summer nights, set the temperature to around 19°C. This is the optimal temperature for sleeping in, supporting melatonin production and helping your body naturally cool down.
Take advantage of smart features: Sleep timers and eco modes will help your air conditioning run when it’s needed, rather than all the time, saving you more money overall.
