I think it’s important to start this review off by saying that I haven’t tested this type of unit before so I went into the process not really knowing what to expect. However, as the owner of an old house with a first floor, vaulted bedroom that can get unbearably hot thanks to a poorly insulated roof, I was curious to see. The best portable air conditioner Can offer me – and what vonhas Air conditioning The 9000 BTU unit lived up to my expectations.
This unit combines air conditioning with a fan and dehumidifier Mods and, in the past I have tested some Best fans and dehumidifiers, so I was curious to see what they had to offer in these departments as well.
While summer hasn’t quite hit here yet, I was still able to get a good idea of this unit’s cooling capabilities thanks to a few unseasonably warm spring days – here’s how I got on.
In short
Combining an air conditioner, fan and dehumidifier in one, where this unit really comes into its own is its ability to quickly cool even large rooms. It’s heavy and the instructions for set-up can be a little sketchy but when it comes to lowering the temperature in my son’s over-heating-prone bedroom, I couldn’t have asked for more.
(Image credit: Vonhos)
About your tester
Natasha Brinsmead
I’m Natasha, a freelance homes and interiors journalist who’s been writing for all kinds of publications for over 20 years. As such, I have constant home envy and am always on the lookout for the latest and greatest products, appliances and accessories for my home.
I tested the VonHaus High-Performance Air Conditioner 9000BTU in late April when the temperature was unseasonably warm for a week or two – about 22°C on the day I was testing the air conditioning mode. I put it in my son’s bedroom which gets stuffy and hot especially at night.
Learn more about How we test fans and portable air conditioners.
specification
- Cooling Capacity (BTU): 9000BTU
- Recommended Room Size: Up to 18m²
- Noise level in cooling mode: 65dB
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 30.3cm x 67.3cm x 28.9cm
- Weight: 22 kg
- Wattage: 1005W
- Functions: Air conditioner, fan, dehumidifier
- Other features: Timer, ‘night’ mode, remote control
- The window kit includes: Yes
Unboxing, setup and first impressions
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
This was my first time testing any type of air conditioning unit so I was a little unsure of what to expect in terms of it. How does a portable air conditioner work?. Given that this model combines the air conditioner with a fan and dehumidifierI thought it would be the same set-up as when I tested these types of products – it wasn’t.
Firstly, it’s really heavy and, when boxed, very unwieldy – I had to help my teenage son carry it through the front door and into the house, and then upstairs where I planned to test it in his bedroom.
Then came the unboxing. The box had a decent amount of packaging, but it was mainly cardboard that could easily be recycled. Getting the actual unit out was a bit of a struggle given its weight, but I got there in the end.
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
Now personally, I found it really difficult – to set up the unit to use as an air conditioner. Before I could even think about using the machine I needed to fit the window kit that was included as it needed to be removed from the outside. You can use this kit with a sliding window or hinged like I did. The main issue lies in the rather confusing instructions for the kit, which is made of a large sheet of fabric with a zip in the middle. Basically, you use self-adhesive velcro strips to attach it to the window frame and the window itself so you can open the window to let the exhaust duct out and seal everything else.
After I watched the instructions a few times, I found a video online that walked me through the steps and finally, the set-up was complete – this took the best part of an hour for reference. After this, things were plain sailing.
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
What is it like to use?
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
The window kit fiasco was something I wish I had known before buying the air conditioner But, after the initial set-up, this unit is very easy to use either through the control panel on the unit or with the remote control. Three different modes – fan, dehumidifier and air conditioner – as well as temperature and speed settings are easy to change. There’s also a complicated timer which means you can have a nice cool room waiting for you when you’re gone.
My son’s room is just under 11m² and this unit can cool spaces up to 18m². I set it to cooling mode, closed the door and left it to go to work. When I returned about 15 minutes later the room was lovely and fresh – not uncomfortable, but just right and perfect for a hot summer night.
I also tested the fan mode – both low and high speeds offer powerful blasts of air, although you should be aware that this is circulating air as opposed to cooling like a normal fan. One of the negatives I found was that there is no oscillating option. Instead, you manually adjust the louvers to direct the air where you want it – definitely something to note.
When it comes to the dehumidifier, I felt it lacked some functions. I have a Meaco dehumidifier that works great and comes with all sorts of useful features that when Choosing a dehumidifierIncluding humidity indicator, removable water tank and oscillating fan that can be used in laundry mode to dry clothes quickly. The VonHaas unit has none of this – the main negative for me is the lack of a water tank. You will need to connect the drainage pipe and direct it into a container such as a bowl or bucket instead.
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
Water drainage is also a consideration when using the unit as an air conditioner. When full, an alarm sounds, meaning the integrated water container needs to be emptied. However, it is not removable so you need to connect the drainage hose to the outlet near the base of the unit. This outlet is really close to the ground which makes it really hard to get any kind of pot under it other than a baking sheet to catch the water.
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
And, finally, if there is There is one thing to know before installing air conditioning It is the associated noise level. I was expecting the air conditioning unit to be a bit noisy, but I have to say, this one was sadder than expected. Using the Decibel app on my phone I got a reading of 67.7dB at high speed and to be honest, this is comparable to my vacuum cleaner – I imagine this might be too much to sleep on for many people. I assumed that selecting ‘Sleep Mode’ would calm things down but it actually works by automatically raising the pre-set temperature by 1°C after one hour, then another 1°C after another hour, and dims the control panel lights.
That said, if you have the air conditioning on before bed, it will do a great job of cooling the space ready for sweat-free sleep. Even after returning to my son’s room after the unit was turned off for a while, it remained cold.
(Image credit: Future/Natasha Brinsmead)
Running costs
This Cost of running portable air conditioning This unit came out lower than I expected, although this will obviously depend on the power setting you use, the amount of time you use it and your electricity costs.
Based on the April 2026 energy price cap figure of 24.67p per kilowatt hour, it costs around 25p to run an air conditioner for an hour.
I don’t know about you, but I’d be more than happy to pay that to cool the upstairs rooms in our house that can get uncomfortably hot in the middle of summer and make a good night’s sleep impossible.
Cleaning and maintenance
As I mentioned, emptying the tank can be a bit of a struggle and you have to take care of the water generated in dehumidifying mode yourself. Other than that, maintenance and cleaning is really easy. The filter needs to be cleaned periodically and you will need to remove a few screws to do this.
The unit can be easily moved from room-to-room once in a while thanks to the castor it sits on and its carry handle.
As part of seeing if it is, the most important thing to consider Fitting air conditioning in the UK is fine Overall, you will store this air conditioning unit where it is not in use. It is quite large and needs to be kept in a dry, well-ventilated area, ideally indoors directly. It also needs to be drained of all water and allowed to dry so it doesn’t collect mold when not in use.
What are other online reviews saying?
Online reviews are generally really positive, with users praising how quickly and effectively it cools the space.
A fair few reviews have mentioned the noise level, stating that having this running in the background will make it difficult for them to sleep, however if you’re using it elsewhere in the house, such as in the living room or to try Cool down a hot kitchenThis will not be much of an issue.
And, finally, a few people were a little surprised by the size of the fabric section of the window seal and, like me, found it a little awkward to fit.
Who should buy this product?
(Image credit: Vonhaus)
I thought long and hard about how often I would use this and how useful it would be in the long run. For the last couple of summers, find out Ways to keep the bedroom cool priority and they have become quite unbearable on really hot nights. This will really make a huge difference in that regard. Personally, I probably don’t mind too much running noise, but it will definitely be too much for some people. The solution is to let it blast for a few minutes before bedtime with the door closed.
Where I think it will really come into its own, however, is in a warm, stuffy living space or kitchen diner where the noise isn’t overwhelming. It will be especially useful if you have pets that feel very hot.
I also think that anyone who works from home, is watching Complete workplace planningThis will benefit from placing it in their home office where both the fan and air con will come in handy on a hot day.
