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Ideal Home
Ideal Home
Kezia Reynolds

Lidl is selling a portable air conditioner for less than £150 to help beat the heatwave – everything you need to know about when it's landing in stores

Close-up of portable AC in living room.

I don’t know about you, but I’m really struggling to keep my home cool. The best portable air conditioners are practically all sold out, and with temperatures set to reach record highs, I’ve been desperately seeking good news - and I’ve found it. Lidl’s affordable portable air conditioner is coming back to the middle aisle!

This week, the Ideal Home team has been diligently tracking the stock levels of portable air conditioners and believe me, they’re selling like hot cakes. If you haven’t managed to find a good deal online, the Lidl Tronic 3-in-1 Air Conditioner (£149) is landing in the middle aisle tomorrow (25 June).

While only available to shop in-store, based on its popularity last year, we predict it will sell out fast. Here’s everything you need to know before you rush out and buy.

Many homes are ill-equipped to handle the extreme heat we’ve experienced over the last few years. While you may be considering whether installing air conditioning is worth it, a portable AC offers many of the same benefits at a more affordable price point.

At £149, the Lidl Tronic 3-in-1 air conditioner is unbelievably affordable. It has three operating modes: air conditioning, fan cooling and dehumidifying. It also has two fan speeds and transport wheels, making it easy to move around your home so you can cool a bedroom in the evening and keep your living space cool in the day.

The model looks very similar to the portable air conditioner Lidl dropped last summer. So, I expect it will also work best for rooms between 30 and 45m³, like the previous air conditioner. Last year’s air conditioner’s dehumidifying function was able to collect up to 1.5L in a room that’s 30 degrees with an 80% relative humidity, so again, I would expect this year’s model to do the same.

The Dreo 318s Portable Air Conditioner (£399.99 at Amazon) is one of the few portable AC's left in stock that we've tested (and approve of). (Image credit: Future PLC/ Sarah Handley)

I will say that Lidl’s portable air conditioner is likely to be a more basic model, compared to the higher-end products such as DREO 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (£599, Amazon), or the Bush 9K Portable Air Conditioner (£375, Argos), which is also happens to be the last air con unit in stock at Argos.

However, I do think it is worth testing. I often find Lidl’s middle aisle is a bit of a treasure trove, and I’ve picked up plenty of miscellaneous items from cookware to gym equipment and been impressed each time. I’ve also made the mistake of waiting too long to invest in a portable air conditioner, so you can expect to see me in my local Lidl tomorrow looking for the unit!

As well as the portable air conditioner, Lidl is also selling a £14.99 air cooler, a selection of fans and cooling bedding. Alternatively, here are a few more cooling options that you can shop online.

Offering air conditioning, a fan mode and dehumidifer, this a great portable air conditioner. It's also nice and quiet, making it great for bedrooms and you can even adjust your preferred temperature via the app.

This misting fan is a popular choice amongst the Ideal Home team. It sprays a delightfully cooling mist, that doesn't make your feel wet, to keep you cool and comfortable. You can even take it on the go!

This the last portable air conditioner in stock at Argos. It has a sleep mode and a 24-hour timer, and two different speed settings. It's racked up five star reviews from customers who say it is great at cooling a room.

I believe that the Lidl portable air conditioner will sell out fast. So, if you’re keen to get your hands on one, run, don’t walk.

Lidl Tronic 3-in-1 Air Conditioner DREO Dreo 7500 Btu Portable Air Conditioner Shark Shark Flexbreeze Hydrogo Pro Fan Bush Bush 9K Air Conditioner
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