Kogan - SmarterHome™ 3.5kW Portable Air Conditioner (12,000 BTU)

Even a portable aircon that doesn't sit in the window frame will still need to vent the hot air out a window via its exhaust pipe (much like a dryer). Otherwise it simply won't work. We got the 3.5kw Kogan portable aircon and have found it pretty good for what it is. I don't know how well it would work in a larger space. It's keeping us cool in a small bedroom today when it's 44 degrees outside. It has wifi which is handy because you can set a timer or schedule it to turn on, and has a night time setting. My tips would be to do your best to seal the space around the exhaust pipe as well as possible so no extra outside air is coming in, and to wrap the exhaust pipe itself in bubble wrap because otherwise it produces a lot of heat that just comes back into your room (this will be true of any portable aircon). When choosing how many kw, aim for about 150-200w per square metre.

I have a Kogan wifi one from a few years back, works great for the size of room it is rated for, just a bit noisy - which I expect would be the same with all of them

Kogan sell ones that work well, but they are heavy and use a fair bit of power. You will need a window to exhaust the hot air through along with a baffle to fit it. They usually come with one that can be modded to suit somewhat.

Got one from Kogan. It makes a difference. With our the pain is that in some rooms it’s difficult to access the window for the nozzle to go out. The pipe also gets quite warm. It’s better than nothing though

While I can't recommend a particular model you are lucky because I have researched the shit out of this. Firstly try avoid a portable air-con if you can for all these [reasons.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-mBeYC2KGc) If you are staying in the same class room all day I would consider talking to someone at local council about the legalities of fitting a box window aircon unit with a [no drill bracket.](https://www.amazon.com.au/Fioracl-Conditioner-Mounting-Drilling-Universal/dp/B0B2BQKYCB/) This would be ideal since the noise and heat would be shifted outside. Maybe consider just checking if it is ok with the principal instead of council if no one is likely to be bothered by it. If you can't do this and are looking for a portable aircon get the most powerful unit you can (the bigger the BTU number the better) from the wall sockets you have (check if it can handle the power requirements using a small heater/blow dryer/kettle). Get one that allows you to fit a second intake hose to the unit. [Some units come like this from the factory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhggpHRYCRs) (you will have to order the second hose kit from the USA) [others you will have to modify yourself](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NCtsZvqZ94) using stuff purchased at Bunnings. I did mine (a Kogan unit) using corflute, fabric tape, flexible foil ducting and twist ties. Just make sure the intake pipe is bigger than the exhaust pipe and make the mod as airtight at possible. Consider getting an [insulation shield](https://www.amazon.com.au/Portable-Hose-Insulation-Sleeve-Conditioners/dp/B0CXPNHDP1/) for the exhaust pipe. All the negativity you hear about portable aircons not working is from people who used a single hose unit or those who tried to cool rooms that were too big for the unit . Yes the noise is an issue with portable aircons but this is reduced one you fit the second intake hose.

So you have multiple tiers of answers here. Portable aircon, venting outside. I got one from Kogan a while back for $250 that cooled my entire large studio apartment really well. Reddit it's suggest the following from bunnings: "Arlec Arlec 3.3KW 11000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner" Otherwise, look at increasing the air pressure inside the room with fans to create circulation. If the room is normally warmer than the hallway or outside then a vornado fan from Amazon does the trick. They are cheap, can run 24/7, and have fantastic air circulation. I have two at home that run all the time and they help. Bootleg or Jerry rig options will be varried in success. The wet towel over a fan is effective, as is a misting fan, but moisture in the room will be an issue if you don't vent it after a day of this or have an outtake fan in the room. Even pointing a fan at a bucket of water does the same effective thing in a small area. Otherwise, always have some Zooper doopers or frozen water bottles (small ones, reuse the plastic) in the freezer and break em out at the hottest or most draining part of the day. You'll get a tonne of cred from the students. If cost is a consideration, sell those Cadbury boxes of chocolates that kids normally do for fundraisers. The freddi frogs or caramello koalas. You'd be surprised how much you can earn from them if you sell them in the school. And if anyone gets annoyed at you for it, tell them it's to raise funds for a cooling solution in your classroom.

I had a Kogan one that lasted many summers, only sold it cause I moved to a place with aircon. Just don’t be tempted to buy a cheaper evaporative cooler as they don’t work in humid climates

I've had one of those Kogan ones for a few years - has that big flexible tube that sends the hot air out the wibdow. Yes it is noisy but it does keep my bedroom cool. It comes with this plastic zipper stuff so it will fit any type of window. It won't cool a whole apartment. Totally worth it I reckon. I assume the current models are cheaper and quieter. Even on some days that are not super hot outside, our rental is crap so inside will be a bit of an oven so I've found it useful from November through to April-ish lol.

I purchased one from Kogan for about $400 10 years ago and it’s still going strong. It can cool down my bedroom very quickly. Although, it is very loud. You can’t sleep with it on. It is also very power hungry.

Yup Portable saved my sanity a few summers ago when the lounge AC went out. The only downside is they're loud. PSA: check the exhaust hose length as some exhaust hoses can be very short (less than 5ft extended). I encountered this with a Kogan brand. Despite that, it cooled a bedroom very nicely.