The Basics

The Wessex Portable Air Conditioner & Dehumidifier 9000 BTU/h is a robust cooling solution designed for small to medium-sized rooms. While it is portable, it’s a hefty unit so be prepared for its weight – around 25KG. While it’s equipped with wheels, making it easy to move across flat surfaces, carrying it up or down stairs is definitely a two-person job. The setup is straightforward, with clear instructions provided. Apart from cleaning the filters once every 2 or so weeks, it’s been pretty much set up and forget. The upper filter traps dust very well and is easy to clean out. No screws, just slide out, vacuum and pop it back in. There is a at the bottom that collects dust and isn’t removable. I have found that a vacuum nozzle on the most powerful suction setting is enough to get a majority of the dust out.

Sound

After cooling performance, sound is probably the second most important point. All portable air conditioner units are loud due to the compressor being inside the house (unlike a mini split unit), however this air conditioner isn’t too bad. Yes, it’s loud, but not unbearably. Unlike many units that keep the fan on high even when the compressor turns off, this unit lowers the fan speed to a much quieter level. There’s no jarring noise when the compressor kicks in or shuts off and the fans ramp up and down slowly which makes it easier to sleep with the unit running. In fact, by the end of the summer, I had gotten used to the white noise it created I had to use a regular fan for a few weeks after as the whole room just felt too quiet without it!

Control

Where this unit really excels in comparison to my other portable AC units is in its control features. The remote controller is super easy to use and packed with useful features. The Timer ON and Timer OFF functions, which can be set in 30 minute increments up to 24 hours, is fantastic. I can schedule the air conditioner to come on an hour before bed time and turn off an hour or two before waking up.

The best feature is the I SENSE mode, which reads the temperature from the remote controller rather than the unit itself. This ensures more accurate and comfortable cooling based on where you are in the room.

You can easily switch between fan speeds (Low, Medium, High) and modes (AUTO, Cool, Dry), and choose between Celsius or Fahrenheit for temperature display. The controller has a locking function, so there’s no risk of accidental adjustments.

A very well refined set of control options which are actually useful.

Summary

The Wessex Portable Air Conditioner & Dehumidifier 9000 BTU/h is a high-quality unit which has lived up to my expectations of it when I purchased it 5 months ago. With excellent control features, reliable performance, and a thoughtful design, it’s a great value for the money. It does a great job of cooling a small to medium sized room. I’m seriously considering purchasing the same model for my home office next summer, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others. Whether you’re cooling down a bedroom, living room, or small office, this unit is a solid choice.

If you have a larger room, they do also offer a 12000BTU/h version which appears to look the same and offer the same functionality but with a larger compressor and more cooling capacity.