Choosing an air conditioner for 30 m²

Real models and CHF price references

Individual observations from the Swiss market, not a market average or Freath selling prices. These are not offers. Availability, accessories and delivery need checking again at purchase.

Selected by configuration and advertised maximum area. No in-house measurements or guarantee for your room. The PortaSplit’s differing 40/42 m² figures and the PAC 3810 S’s older delivery message remain points to check. Freath does not currently sell these models.

Understand the space

A studio often combines sleeping, cooking and working. Cooking and electrical equipment add occasional heat that a floor-area number cannot describe. Decide when you need cooling and which part of the space matters most.

Match the setup to your use

A sun-facing glazed wall can change the requirement considerably. Start with solar shading and plan a position near the window with a hose route that follows the manual.

A transparent starting estimate

At 30 m² with a 2.5 m ceiling, our central assumption of 40 W/m³ gives 3.0 kW of cooling, about 10,236 BTU/h before the sunlight adjustment. This is an educational scenario, not a product recommendation. Adjust the assumptions in the calculator.

Check before buying

Window type and compatible kit; hose route; footprint and clearances; capacity and test method; noise at the setting you will use; electrical input. Even a well-sized unit depends on an appropriate installation.

Compare assumptions, not just floor area

The table keeps ceiling height at 2.5 m and sunlight factor at 1, varying only the thermal assumption between 30, 40 and 50 W/m³. These are not certified building categories. They show why one floor-area number cannot reliably select a capacity or a particular model.

Observe how the room changes during the day

Record when sunlight reaches the room, what shading is available and which equipment is running. An open door to a kitchen or corridor changes the space actually being treated. Compare your most demanding use with an ordinary day. If they differ substantially, an average may conceal discomfort at the time that matters most.

Turn an estimate into a product decision

Next, check the manufacturer’s capacity and test conditions, then consider noise, window setup and electrical input. Do not pick a unit simply because the BTU number in its name exceeds the estimate. A nominal rating and a calculation scenario do not together guarantee an achieved room temperature.

Translate floor area into the volume you will cool

A 30 m² room with a 2.5 m ceiling contains 75 m³. Raise the ceiling to 3 m and the volume becomes 90 m³, even though the floor area stays the same. Measure the actual height and note any open staircase or gallery connected to the room. For a sloping ceiling, use a reasonable average height rather than only its highest point. Volume does not capture the entire heat load, but it exposes a useful assumption. It prevents you from comparing your space with an advertised coverage figure based on an unknown ceiling height or a completely different room layout.

Use three scenarios rather than one precise-looking answer

For 75 m³, our educational assumptions of 30, 40 and 50 W per cubic metre give 2.25, 3.00 and 3.75 kW of cooling before the sunlight adjustment. These figures are not a sizing standard or certified minimum capacities. They show how sensitive the estimate is to the assumptions. Use the middle scenario as a starting point and write down what makes your room different: roof exposure, external blinds, large windows or equipment producing heat. Selecting the lowest figure simply to fit a cheap unit into the result is not a sound decision. Unusual conditions require a closer assessment of the building.

Separate purchase cost from the cost of running the unit

A price for an air conditioner serving 30 m² may exclude suitable window accessories. Make separate budget lines for the appliance, compatible installation parts and electricity. As an example, an average electrical draw of 1 kW over six hours uses 6 kWh. At an assumed CHF 0.30/kWh, that costs CHF 1.80 per day, or CHF 36 across twenty identical days. This is not measured consumption for any model in the table, and the tariff is not a Swiss universal rate. Use your own electricity price. Equal cooling capacities do not necessarily mean equal operating costs in your particular installation.

Rehearse the installation before placing an order

Mark the appliance footprint on the floor and add the clearances specified in its manual. Check whether the door can still open and whether you can reach the bed, desk and storage without stepping over a hose. Then plan the heat outlet. Wheels make a monoblock movable but do not remove the need for a sensible exhaust route. The sealing kit must fit the actual window dimensions and opening mechanism; a universal label alone does not establish compatibility. For a portable split, check the route of the connecting line and a secure outdoor-unit position instead. Resolve these points before purchasing.

Make a home trial answer a specific question

If the return terms allow a trial, decide beforehand what you want to observe. Record temperature at the same point away from the cold air jet, along with time, weather, shading and target temperature. Listen from your normal seat or sleeping position and check how easily you can reach the filter. Fast cooling immediately beside the outlet does not describe comfort across the room. Your observations will not be equivalent to a standardised laboratory test, but they can expose awkward placement, intrusive noise or controls that do not suit your routine. Judge the appliance against the use you actually planned.

Keep unknown specifications visibly unknown

A missing specification is not an advantage. A page with no electrical-input figure does not establish low consumption, and an omitted noise figure does not establish quiet operation. Ask for the exact variant, the operating mode behind a measurement and a complete accessories list. Freath model pages separate documented information from questions that still need checking before purchase. Market price references are dated observations. They are neither Freath selling prices nor promises that a unit will be available at that amount when you order. A familiar brand name also cannot replace checking the documentation for the exact model you are considering.

Separate the different uses of a 30 m² studio

Cooking, working and sleeping may all happen in one studio. Note when each activity produces heat and how many people share the space. A room empty until late evening differs from a home office used throughout the day. Check whether furniture, curtains or an open cupboard door will interrupt air circulation. If you must remove the hose each morning to open the window fully, that task becomes part of your routine. Installation simplicity can therefore matter as much as an extra control feature. The floor-area figure alone describes neither this daily effort nor the timing of the room’s heat gains.

Compare a coverage limit with a different installation

The KL90 is listed for up to 30 m², placing this search at its stated limit rather than inside a guaranteed safety margin. A shaded living room and a room beneath a hot roof may lead to different decisions. The PortaSplit illustrates a portable split with a larger listed area, but its outdoor part must have a suitable position. Begin with that feasibility check. Use the internal product pages to examine the open questions before interpreting the price gap. Freath has no test establishing how many degrees either unit would reduce the temperature in your studio under your actual conditions.

Choose between two possible windows

A living space with openings at opposite ends may offer two exhaust positions. Sketch both options with distances, clearances and normal walking routes. The window closest to a socket is not necessarily the best location. Decide whether the door to the hallway will stay shut while cooling. An open connection changes the area being treated and can introduce additional heat. Defining one target room makes the sizing process clearer. If your aim is to cool the whole dwelling, investigate that as a separate task rather than assuming that a unit described for 30 m² will distribute cooling everywhere you need it.

Plan the seasonal changeover

For a studio, decide where the appliance and window parts will go outside the cooling season. Keep compatible fixings together and retain the installation instructions. Check the manual before moving or storing the unit. This practical detail matters when the same limited space must serve as your living room, bedroom and home office throughout the year.