The main types of air conditioners for homes are single split wall mounted units, multi split systems, ducted air conditioning, cassette units, console units and portable air con units, each suited to different room layouts, budgets and property types.
Most UK homeowners across the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands end up choosing between a single split for one room or a multi split for several, though larger properties sometimes benefit from ducted or cassette systems instead.
This guide from Clever Energy Boilers breaks down each type of air conditioning unit in plain English, so you can work out which one genuinely fits your home before booking an installation.
6 Types Of Air Conditioners For Homes: At a Glance
The types of air conditioners for homes range from simple single room split systems through to whole house ducted setups, and the right choice depends on how many rooms you’re cooling, your budget and how much disruption you’re willing to accept during installation.
Here’s a quick comparison of the six main air con unit types before we go through each one in detail.
| Type | Best For | Installation Complexity | Typical Cost | Rooms Covered |
| Single split (wall mounted) | One room, bedrooms, home offices | Low | £1,500-£2,700 | 1 room |
| Multi split | Several rooms, family homes | Medium | £2,800-£7,000 | 2-5 rooms |
| Ducted air conditioning | Whole house, new builds, renovations | High | £6,000-£13,000 | Whole property |
| Cassette | Open plan spaces, high ceilings | Medium to high | £2,500-£4,500 per unit | 1 large room |
| Console (floor standing) | Rooms unsuitable for wall mounting | Low to medium | £1,800-£3,000 | 1 room |
| Portable | Temporary or rental cooling | None | £300-£900 | 1 small room |
6 Types Of Air Conditioners For Homes Reviewed
Below we walk through the 6 main types of conditioning units available for UK homes and help you decide which is the best fit for your property.
1. Single Split Wall Mounted Air Conditioning
Single split wall mounted air conditioning units are the most common type fitted in UK homes, consisting of one indoor unit mounted on a wall connected to one outdoor condenser via refrigerant pipework. This is the setup most homeowners picture when they think of an air con unit, and it’s popular for good reason.
Installation is relatively straightforward, running costs sit lower than more complex systems, and the technology has matured to the point where even entry level units run efficiently and quietly. It’s the natural starting point for anyone cooling a single bedroom, living room or home office across the North West or Yorkshire.
Costs: Expect to pay somewhere between £1,500 and £2,700 fully installed depending on capacity and brand, with running costs typically working out at 17p to 30p per hour of use.
Best brands: Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Samsung consistently rank as the strongest performers in this category, with Daikin’s Sensira and Perfera ranges and Mitsubishi’s MSZ-AP series standing out for efficiency and reliability, while Gree and Midea offer solid budget friendly alternatives for cost conscious buyers.
Pros & Cons Of Single Split Air Conditioning
Pros:
- Lower installation cost compared to multi split or ducted systems
- Straightforward, relatively quick installation with minimal disruption
- Wide choice of brands and models across every budget
- Doubles as an efficient heat pump for winter heating in most cases
Cons:
- Only cools one room, so multiple units are needed for whole home coverage
- Outdoor condenser needs a suitable external wall or ground space
- Less discreet than ducted systems, since the indoor unit is visible on the wall
Is Single Split Air Conditioning Right For You?
Choose single split air conditioning if you only need to cool one or two rooms and want the most straightforward, budget friendly installation available.
Do not choose single split air conditioning if you’re trying to cool a whole property, as fitting several standalone units becomes more expensive than a proper multi split or ducted setup.
2. Multi Split Air Conditioning
Multi split air conditioning connects two to five indoor units to a single outdoor condenser, letting you cool several rooms independently while only needing one outdoor unit on the property. This is a genuinely popular option for family homes across the Midlands, since it avoids cluttering an exterior wall with multiple outdoor condensers while still giving each room its own temperature control.
The trade off compared to single split systems is a higher upfront cost and slightly more complex installation, since pipework needs routing to each room from one shared outdoor unit.
Costs: A typical two room multi split installation runs from around £2,800 to £4,300, while a larger three to five room setup can cost anywhere between £4,600 and £7,000. Combined running costs generally fall between 40p and 78p per hour depending on how many rooms are in use at once.
Best brands: Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric lead this category thanks to their robust multi split compatible outdoor units, while LG’s Dualcool range is worth considering for households wanting stronger smart home integration across multiple rooms.
Pros & Cons Of Multi Split Air Conditioning
Pros:
- Only one outdoor condenser needed, even when cooling several rooms
- Independent temperature control for each connected room
- More cost effective than fitting several separate single split systems
- Tidier exterior appearance with just one outdoor unit
Cons:
- Higher upfront cost than a single split system
- More complex installation with longer pipe runs
- If the outdoor unit develops a fault, it can affect cooling across all connected rooms
Is Multi Split Air Conditioning Right For You?
Choose multi split air conditioning if you want to cool three or more rooms without covering your exterior wall in separate outdoor condensers.
Do not choose multi split air conditioning if you only need to cool a single room, as a single split system will be considerably cheaper for that purpose.
3. Ducted Air Conditioning
Ducted air conditioning hides the entire system within your ceiling or floor void, distributing cooled air through a network of ducts and discreet vents rather than visible wall mounted units.
This is the most seamless option available, and it’s particularly popular in new build properties across Greater Manchester and the Midlands where ductwork can be planned in from the start. The main drawback is cost and disruption, since retrofitting ducted air con into an existing property, especially older Yorkshire terraces, often requires significant building work.
Costs: Installed costs typically range from £6,000 to £13,000 depending on property size and the amount of building work involved, with running costs for whole house cooling usually sitting between 80p and £1.50 per hour during peak summer use.
Best brands: Daikin’s VRV and SkyAir ducted ranges are widely regarded as the benchmark for whole home systems, with Mitsubishi Electric’s City Multi range and Toshiba’s ducted systems also well regarded for larger properties needing zoned control.
Pros & Cons Of Ducted Air Conditioning
Pros:
- Completely discreet, with no visible indoor units on display
- Cools the entire property evenly from a single, central system
- Adds genuine value to higher end properties
- Can be zoned to cool different areas independently
Cons:
- Significantly higher installation cost than split systems
- Requires ceiling or floor void space, which older properties often lack
- Retrofitting into an existing home involves considerable building work
Is Ducted Air Conditioning Right For You?
Choose ducted air conditioning if you’re building new, renovating extensively, or want a completely discreet whole house cooling solution.
Do not choose ducted air conditioning if you’re working with a modest budget or an older property without suitable ceiling void space, as the cost and disruption will likely outweigh the benefit.
4. Cassette Air Conditioning
Cassette air conditioning units sit flush into the ceiling, distributing cooled air in four directions across the room, making them well suited to larger open plan spaces or rooms with high ceilings.
This type of air conditioning unit is less common in standard UK homes but increasingly popular in larger extensions, converted barns and open plan kitchen diners across the North West where a wall mounted unit wouldn’t distribute air evenly across the whole space.
Costs: A single cassette unit typically costs between £2,500 and £4,500 fully installed, with running costs ranging from 25p to 40p per hour depending on room size and how hard the unit is working.
Best brands: Daikin’s Round Flow cassette range and Mitsubishi Electric’s PLA series are the most established options here, while Panasonic also offers well regarded cassette units for larger open plan spaces.
Pros & Cons Of Cassette Air Conditioning
Pros:
- Even air distribution across large or awkwardly shaped rooms
- Discreet ceiling mounted design, less visually obtrusive than wall units
- Well suited to open plan living spaces and high ceilings
Cons:
- Requires suitable ceiling void space for installation
- More expensive than a standard single split wall mounted unit
- Installation is more involved, often requiring ceiling alterations
Is Cassette Air Conditioning Right For You?
Choose cassette air conditioning if you have a large open plan room or high ceiling where a wall mounted unit wouldn’t cool the space evenly.
Do not choose cassette air conditioning if your property lacks suitable ceiling void space, or if you’re cooling a standard sized bedroom where a wall mounted unit would work just as well for less money.
5. Console Air Conditioning
Console air conditioning units sit at floor level rather than mounting on a wall or ceiling, making them a useful alternative for rooms where wall space is limited or structurally unsuitable.
These units work similarly to a single split system in terms of running costs and efficiency, but the floor standing design suits period properties across Yorkshire with solid stone walls that aren’t ideal for wall mounted brackets.
Costs: Expect installed costs of roughly £1,800 to £3,000, with running costs comparable to a standard wall mounted unit at around 20p to 30p per hour.
Best brands: Mitsubishi Electric and Fujitsu are generally considered the strongest brands for console units, both offering reliable floor standing models that suit period properties without compromising on efficiency.
Pros & Cons Of Console Air Conditioning
Pros:
- Doesn’t require wall mounting, useful for stone or solid wall properties
- Comparable running costs and efficiency to wall mounted split systems
- Can double as effective heating in colder months
Cons:
- Takes up floor space rather than being tucked out of the way
- Fewer model choices available compared to wall mounted units
- May not suit smaller rooms where floor space is already limited
Is Console Air Conditioning Right For You?
Choose console air conditioning if your walls aren’t suitable for mounting brackets or you prefer a floor level unit for practical or aesthetic reasons.
Do not choose console air conditioning if floor space is tight, as a wall mounted or ceiling unit will free up more usable room.
6. Portable Air Conditioning
Portable air conditioning units are standalone, freestanding machines that require no permanent installation, typically venting warm air through a hose fed out of a window.
They’re the easiest type of air con to set up, since there’s no outdoor condenser or professional installation required, but that convenience comes with a genuine trade off in noise levels and efficiency, which we’ve covered in detail elsewhere on our site.
Costs: Units themselves typically cost between £300 and £900 to buy outright, though running costs are noticeably higher than fixed systems, often working out at 30p to 55p per hour due to their lower energy efficiency.
Best brands: Meaco, De’Longhi and Russell Hobbs are among the more reliable names in this space, with Meaco in particular well regarded for its quieter running portable models compared to typical budget alternatives.
Pros & Cons Of Portable Air Conditioning
Pros:
- No professional installation required, genuinely plug in and go
- Can be moved between rooms as needed
- Lower upfront cost than any fixed system
Cons:
- Noticeably noisier than fixed split systems, typically 48dB to 60dB
- Less energy efficient, leading to higher running costs over time
- Requires a window or vent for the exhaust hose, which isn’t always practical
Is Portable Air Conditioning Right For You?
Choose portable air conditioning if you need temporary cooling, live in rented accommodation where fixed installation isn’t possible, or only need occasional use during short heatwaves.
Do not choose portable air conditioning if you want genuinely quiet, efficient cooling for regular use, as a fixed split system will outperform it on nearly every measure.
Get A Free Air Conditioning Installation Quote Today
Not sure which type of air conditioning unit suits your property? Clever Energy Boilers provides expert air conditioning installation throughout the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands, and our certified engineers can talk you through the right option for your home.
Get in touch today to request your free, no obligation air conditioning installation quote.
FAQs
Can different types of air conditioning units be combined in the same property?
Yes, some homeowners fit a ducted system for main living areas and a single split unit for a separate extension or loft conversion, depending on structural layout and budget.
Do all types of air conditioning units require planning permission?
Most domestic installations fall under permitted development rights, though ducted systems involving structural alterations may require building regulations approval, which your installer can advise on.
How long does installation typically take for each type of air conditioning?
Single split units usually take a day, multi split systems one to two days, while ducted air conditioning can take several days to a week depending on the extent of building work involved.
Does the type of air conditioning affect my home’s energy performance certificate?
Fixed air conditioning systems can influence your EPC rating, generally positively when combined with efficient heat pump functionality, though the effect varies depending on the wider property assessment.
Can I upgrade from a single split to a multi split system later on?
It’s possible, though it usually means replacing the outdoor condenser entirely rather than simply adding units, so it’s often more cost effective to plan for future rooms at the initial installation stage.
