Window AC vs Portable AC: In pursuit of low electricity bill and fast cooling, are you wasting your money on the wrong AC?


Window AC vs Portable AC: In pursuit of low electricity bill and fast cooling, are you wasting your money on the wrong AC?

Most parts of India are currently experiencing record breaking heat. To protect themselves from the heat of the sun and the scorching heat, people are installing air conditioners (AC) in their homes, offices, shops and rented rooms. When it comes to buying an AC without any hassle and in a low budget, two options are most discussed in the market – Window AC And Portable AC.

Even though both these ACs are designed for small and medium sized rooms, their working mode, power consumption and requirements are completely different from each other. If you are also confused about which AC will be the most value for money for your room, then let us compare the two in simple language.

1. Electricity bill: How heavy will it be on your pocket?

The electricity bill that comes at the end of the month is the biggest worry of every common man. In this case, window AC has the upper hand.

  • Functionality of Window AC: In window AC, the compressor and cooling system fit in a single box and half of it remains outside the room through the window. Due to this, it throws out the heat from the room very easily and provides excellent cooling even by consuming less electricity. In general, a 1.5 ton window AC as per its star rating 1.2 to 1.4 units per hour Consumes electricity.

  • Mathematics of Portable AC: You keep the portable AC inside the room only. Since its entire machine is inside the room, it has to take the help of a thick exhaust pipe (hose pipe) to expel the hot air coming out of the compressor. In this entire process, the machine has to work extra hard, due to which the electricity consumption in portable AC is slightly higher than that of window AC.

2. Cooling and sound: Which will cool the room faster?

How quickly the room cools down in the hot afternoon is the real test of AC.

  • Window AC: If your first priority is fast and powerful cooling, then window AC is a great option. It reduces the room temperature very effectively even in extreme heat. However, due to the compressor being near the window, its noise is clearly heard inside the room, due to which some people may have some difficulty in sleeping.

  • Portable AC: Portable AC cools small or medium sized rooms adequately. But if the room is big or the afternoon sunlight is directly falling on the room, then it starts panting a bit to maintain cooling. Talking about the sound, since it is kept inside the room, it continuously makes a slight humming sound, which you can feel on quiet nights.

Quick Comparison

For your convenience, the main features of both ACs have been compared in the table below:

3. Hassle of price and fitting

Talking about budget, both the ACs are in almost the same price range i.e. Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 Are easily found between. But their fitting story is different.

To install a window AC, it is necessary to have a solid window in your room or a cut space of the right size in the wall. On the other hand, the biggest USP of a portable AC is its independence. Small wheels (Castor Wheels) are fitted below it, with the help of which you can move it to the living room during the day and to the bedroom at night.

thing worth noting

Portable ACs are not completely ‘plug and play’. Wherever you place it, it should have a window or vent so that the thick plastic pipe behind it can be taken out, allowing the compressor’s hot air to escape from the room. If the pipe does not vent properly, the room will get hotter instead of cool.

Final Verdict: Which AC is best for you?

  • Who is Window AC best for? If you have your own house, there is proper window space in the room and you want a machine that can provide powerful cooling at low electricity bills for years without any hassle, then blindly choose a window AC. It is still the most value-for-money deal today.

  • Who is portable AC best for? This is a boon for those who live in rented flats and have to change jobs or houses frequently. Apart from this, if the society of your apartment does not allow hanging window or split AC on the outer wall, then portable AC will prove to be the best and convenient lifesaver for you.