Brand guide · Cooling
De'Longhi
Primary question · Are De'Longhi's Pinguino portables genuinely better than the supermarket boxes?
The best-executed portable AC brand in the UK; Pinguino remains the default if a portable really is your only option.
Evidence · Verified · Last reviewed 2026-03-01 · Evidence verified 2026-03-01
Overview · House view
De'Longhi occupies an unusual position: they make the best-executed unit in a category we would rather most people did not buy at all. A Pinguino is a genuinely well-built portable, and the R290 refrigerant range gives it a lower running cost than the supermarket alternatives; but a portable AC is still a portable AC, and the physics of a flexible hose in a UK sash window is unchanged by the badge on the front. Judged against other portables, Pinguino wins comfortably; judged against a properly-installed fixed split, no portable wins.
Origin
Italy
Verified fact
UK presence
Not applicable; portables are self-install. Merchant support is the real question, and De'Longhi's UK service is decent.
Verified fact
Typical price stance
£350–£700 typical; the top of the portable market, and worth the premium against supermarket own-brand.
Editorial judgement
Product families in cooling
De'Longhi units on Your Home Climate
Strengths
- Best portable build quality
- R290 eco-refrigerant range
- Decent controls and apps
Editorial judgement
Trade-offs
- Still a portable; all the portable trade-offs apply
- Window kits look awful in most UK sashes
Editorial judgement
Typical customer
When we would reach for De'Longhi, and when we would look elsewhere
Reach for it when
- The property is rented and a fixed install is not permissible
- The room only needs cooling for a handful of nights per year and the budget rules out a fixed unit
- A move is planned within twelve months
Editorial judgement
Reconsider when
- A fixed install is possible and the homeowner plans to stay three or more years
- The window is a traditional sash where no portable seal kit fits neatly
- Overnight noise matters; every portable is louder than any fixed split
Editorial judgement
Questions an informed buyer should ask
What we would put to the installer before signing
- 01
Does the window kit actually fit your window, measured, before ordering?
- 02
Is the quoted model R290 (Pinguino PAC EX) or the older R410a stock?
- 03
Where will the condensate go — continuous drain, or a tank that needs emptying nightly?
- 04
How loud is the specific model at its lowest fan speed, in the room it will actually live in?
Editorial judgement · Your Home Climate
The evidence behind this guide
Sources for the factual claims on this page.
Sources support factual claims about De'Longhi. They do not stand in for editorial judgement; the verdict, suitability calls and price stance on this page are our view, labelled as such. If the evidence weakens, so does the confidence rating.
Evidence verified · 2026-03-01
Official register
- European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL)
European Commission · Accessed 2026-03-01
Supports · Product range · Technical claim · Primary
Independent publication
- Keeping your home cool in summer
Energy Saving Trust · Accessed 2026-03-01
Supports · Technical claim · Primary
Manufacturer information
- Portable air conditioners, UK
De'Longhi UK · Accessed 2026-03-01
Supports · UK presence · Product range · Warranty · Secondary
Related dimensions
De'Longhi across the cooling ecosystem
De'Longhi's cooling range: best portable build quality, tempered by still a portable; all the portable trade-offs apply. The specific units are where the judgement lives.