Lidl’s Tronic 3-in-1 portable air conditioner sold out in minutes during the UK heatwave – here’s what shoppers who got their hands on the £149 device really think
Lidl has been hailed as the saviour during the recent heatwave across the UK, after launching a budget-friendly air conditioning unit when stock had sold out or was running low nationwide. Lidl shoppers were able to get their hands on the “powerful” gadget for under £150, with the discount supermarket claiming that the “powerful” device “will bring a breath of fresh air to any room”.
The unit arrived in stores on Thursday, June 25, with numerous shoppers reporting their local branches ran out of the air conditioners in merely five minutes, as queues formed hours before opening time. According to Lidl, the Tronic 3-in-1 Air Conditioner is “a cost effective addition to any home” wanting greater relief than a fan can provide.
They offered the product for £149, while many comparable items of similar capability were being sold for over £200 elsewhere.
The retailer said: “Featuring three operating modes – air conditioning, fan cooling and dehumidifying – it delivers powerful performance to suit a range of needs. Complete with two fan speeds and transport wheels, the air conditioner will bring a breath of fresh air to any room.”
Is the £149 Lidl Tronic 3-in-1 Air Conditioner worth it?
Shoppers who succeeded in securing the air conditioner, or already possessed the same brand and model, offered their frank assessment of the unit. One buyer described it as their “best Lidl purchase ever”.
One satisfied customer said: “I bought that exact model three years ago, and it can get a medium sized room cool within about 10 minutes. Currently maintaining my sanity in the living room, and arguably one of the best Lidl purchases I’ve ever made.
“Just make sure nobody disconnects the vent hose by accident, or your room will become an oven almost as quickly! We’re lucky in that we have a circular hole leading outside, and duct tape ftw.”
A new mum with a four-month-old baby hailed the unit as being “worth its weight in gold”. She said: “I bought one a couple of weeks ago.. as I don’t handle heat well plus got a Rottweiler and a 4 month old baby.. and this machine has saved us this week with the mid 30s.. worth its weight in gold..”
A third delighted shopper commented: “I bought this exact unit in Lidl last year in Germany. So far it’s been working well enough for us this summer. It really can only keep one room mostly cool which is to be expected.
“However if lowers the humidity in the whole apartment which helps a lot. It is pretty loud, even on the sleep mode, which I would say is the main drawback to it. It’s a blowing hum like a large fan and we have gotten used to it. Otherwise, the way you vent it is key, it needs to be as airtight as possible to the outside.”
Pros and cons of the budget Lidl portable air conditioner
A fourth added: “Amazing for a small room we bought something similar, little hassle setting up window vent but once done it’s worth it’s money makes the room freezing in the summer.”
Others, though, weren’t convinced by the unit. One person said: “I bought the exact same unit from Kaufland (Germany) a week ago for €129. The device is okay overall and is sufficient to keep a room at an acceptable temperature range (~25°C in my case).”
The main issue with these single-hose portable air conditioners is that they create negative pressure inside the room, which constantly draws warm air in from outside. I converted mine to a dual-hose setup, and it performs noticeably better now because the negative pressure is eliminated.”
