De’Longhi's new Pinguino air conditioner will keep you cool in any room, and it's launched just in time for the UK's early summer heat

• The Pinguino is up to 50% more efficient than some rival models
• It has a Quiet mode for bedtime cooling
• It's on sale now for £999 direct from De'Longhi

With our weather apps promising a hot Bank Holiday weekend and a hot summer looming, De’Longhi couldn't have chosen a better time to launch a new premium portable air conditioner in its Pinguino range. The Pinguino GentleJet Inverter is a combined portable aircon and dehumidifier, and De’Longhi says it's much more efficient than rival models.

Most UK housing wasn't made with hot weather in mind: the focus has been on keeping heat in, not keeping it out. Portable air conditioners are a good solution to that, because they're generally a lot cheaper than getting aircon installed permanently. They're also better for renters, because unlike fixed installations you can take them with you when you move.

This new De’Longhi Pinguino is one of the more powerful portables you can buy: portables often put out 7,000 to 9,000 BTU, which is fine for small or medium sized rooms. The Pinguino has 13,300 BTU per hour, so it's well suited to larger rooms too.

Key details and pricing

The De’Longhi Pinguino features an inverter that automatically regulates the cooling based not just on the room temperature but humidity levels too. It's designed to cool rooms of up to 54 square metres, putting out 13,000BTU (3.3kW).

Despite its power De’Longhi says the Pinguino is energy efficient: it uses 45% less energy than non-inverter models. It's quiet, too: as little as 43dB(A) in its silent mode.

There are three operating modes here: air conditioning, fan only, and dehumidifying. Automated swing louvres direct the air in Focused and Swing modes, and what De’Longhi calls 180º Arctic Gentle Surround technology wafts cool air without hot spots or freezing draughts.

As a dehumidifier the Pinguino GentleJet Inverter can remove up to 73 litres of moisture every 24 hours.

The Pinguino is Quiet Mark accredited and A+ energy rated. Its Eco Real Feel mode can reduce energy use by up to 30%, while the Quiet Mode cuts the operating noise by up to half.

The Pinguino GentleJet Inverter is available now in the UK with a recommended retail price of £999.99. It's available in two finishes: white and grey.

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