.webp){kind=logo}
You can feel it building inside the house by the time the temperature gets into the high 30s. The walls keep heat in. By late afternoon, the bedroom feels stuffy. The air hardly moves, even with the windows open at night. I live in a place where 40°C days aren't uncommon, and every year I promise myself I'll get ready sooner.
This year, I tried out the Newentor Portable Air Conditioner before the worst heat hit, rather than waiting until the summer rush. Not as a demo in a showroom, but in real life in an apartment where a split system can't be installed.
This is what really happened.
.webp)
Who This Is For
Portable air conditioners aren’t for large open-plan homes. They make the most sense if you live in:
- An apartment where drilling walls isn’t allowed
- A rental where installing a split system isn’t practical
- A bedroom that traps heat
- A small office or study room
- A space where you need targeted cooling
Newentor offers three sizes:
- 9000 BTU (10–15 m²)
- 12000 BTU (25–40 m²)
- 14000 BTU (30–45 m²)
I tried out the 12000 BTU model in a 28 m² living space to see if it could really handle hot afternoons.
First Impressions and Build
It has four swivel castors and side handles which is a common design for portable air conditioners. You can move it without lifting it, which is important if you want to move it from one room to another. You need floor space near a window because it's not small.
The unit feels strong, not weak. The included remote uses "Follow-Me" technology, which means it can read the temperature from where the remote is placed, not just near the unit. In practice that helped keep the room from feeling either too hot or too cold.
Setup and Installation
It took about 10 minutes to set up.
The exhaust hose goes from the back of the unit to the window kit. The kit comes with parts that work with most standard sliding windows in Australia. You pull the plate out, lock it in place in the window frame and then connect the hose.
No drilling. No permanent installation.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to set up your windows correctly for the best cooling. If you only want a blast of cool air in front of the unit, you can technically run it without sealing the window, but the room won't cool down well.
Newentor says they can offer different kits if your windows are unusual, which is great for renters.
Cooling Performance in Real Heat
It was 36°C outside, and I turned it on around 3 p.m. when the room was already hot and heavy. It was clearly more comfortable after about 15 to 20 minutes. Not cold, but not stuffy anymore.
It felt like the space was cool enough after 40 minutes.
It has a dual motor system and a TCL compressor that has been made just for it. I can't check the technical side, but the airflow felt strong and steady. In a smaller bedroom of 12 square meters, it cooled down faster, and the 9000 BTU model would probably be enough for that size.
Would it be able to handle 40°C? Yes, but you should have realistic hopes. It keeps the room warm instead of cold, especially if the doors are closed, and there isn't much direct sunlight.
Noise Level
One bad thing about portable units is that they can be loud.
Newentor says it makes about 54 dB of noise (and less than 52 dB on low settings). It really sounds like a fan that is always on. It wasn't completely quiet, but it didn't get in the way of conversations or TV at a normal volume.
When it was dark and I was sleeping, the noise became more of a background hum than a problem. It's not whisper quiet, but it's not too bad.
Water and Drainage
It has auto-evaporation technology, which means that most of the condensation leaves with the exhaust air. I didn't have to drain it by hand while it was cooling down normally. In very humid conditions, drainage may still be needed, but it wasn't a problem during testing.
Energy Use and Cost
When you run an air conditioner every day, energy use is important.
Newentor says that the average price is about AUD 1.99 per night. The actual cost depends on the cost of electricity and how long it runs, but it's more focused and probably cheaper for one room than running a big central system.
In Summary
I liked that it was easy to set up and that it really did cool down a mid-sized room in real heat. The ability to switch between cool, dry, and breezy modes makes it more flexible, and the fact that it can be moved makes it useful for apartments. The 10-year warranty gives you more peace of mind.
The downside is that it's still a portable unit, so it takes up floor space that people can see. The exhaust hose makes it hard to put things where they need to go. Even the 14000 BTU model may have trouble on peak 40°C days in very big or poorly insulated rooms.
It won't replace a split system for the whole house, but it can make one room comfortable.
