18 June 2026

Which air conditioner suits your home? Split, multi-split or portable

A split unit is the default choice, but not always the right one. The honest trade-off between split, multi-split and portable.

A split air conditioner consists of an indoor unit on the wall and an outdoor unit that discharges the heat, connected by refrigerant lines. That separated design keeps it quiet indoors and efficient to run — making it the default choice for structurally cooling one room. Expect € 1,500 to € 2,500 for a split unit including installation.

Want to cool two or more rooms — say the living room and the bedrooms? There is no need for an outdoor unit per room: a multi-split system connects several indoor units to a single outdoor unit. That saves facade space, noise and often permit hassle too, at € 2,500 to € 5,000 depending on the number of units.

And the portable unit from the DIY store? It is cheaper to buy and needs no installation, but the principle has a built-in drawback: the hot air has to leave through a hose, usually via an open window or door — so warm outdoor air keeps flowing back in. A portable unit also sits with its compressor inside the room it cools, so you hear it. As a temporary fix or in a rental it can be fine; for structural comfort the fixed installation wins.

Two things to check before choosing: virtually every modern split can also heat (as an efficient air-to-air heat pump for spring and autumn), and the capacity must match the room — floor area, insulation and glazing determine the required output. Have that calculation done with the quote and set the figures against the price index.