electriQ air conditioning
Buy It Direct's own budget brand, and the cheapest route into home air conditioning most UK buyers meet. Here is what electriQ really is, what you can still buy in 2026, and where to look now the portables have gone.
A retailer's own label, at a turning point
electriQ is not a manufacturer. It is the house brand of Buy It Direct Ltd of Huddersfield, the group behind Appliances Direct, Aircon Direct and electriq.co.uk, and it is sold almost exclusively through the group's own sites. The units are built by large OEM factories and rebadged; the clearest example is the PortaSplit12k, a rebadged Midea PortaSplit. The pitch is "built in the same facilities as the major brands, just a much fairer price tag", and on price it delivers.
The big change for 2026: the electriQ portable range has gone. As of August 2026 every electriQ portable air conditioner, from the big-selling P12C to the EcoSilent and AirFlex models, shows "no longer available" across the group's sites, and the portable shelves now carry Woods, Morris, Vox and AKAI instead. There has been no announcement, so expect only refurbished or outlet stock on marketplaces. If you came here for a portable, start with our best portable air conditioners guide for units you can actually buy.
What remains is the wall-split line-up, and it is genuinely cheap for the specification: A+++ rated, Wi-Fi controlled splits at prices no mainstream brand matches. For a budget buyer who goes in with eyes open on warranty and support, that is a fair deal rather than a false economy.
What you can still buy in 2026
Easy-Fit wall splits (eiQ-9WMINV, £629.98; eiQ-12WMINV, £699.98). A+++ cooling, Wi-Fi, sold as Panasonic-powered. These run on R290, arrive pre-gassed and sealed, and the retailer states they do not need an F-Gas engineer for a typical install, though a qualified electrician should make the electrical connection. See can I install air conditioning myself? before you decide.
iQool wall splits (iQool12Plus, £649.98). A+++ smart splits on R32 refrigerant, so they must be installed and commissioned by an F-Gas qualified engineer.
iQool multi-splits from £999 for a 2x9K up to £2,399.98 for a 5x12K, with a ceiling-cassette combination at £1,399.98.
iQool all-in-one monobloc: a through-wall unit with no outdoor unit, well reviewed by owners but out of stock as of August 2026. Our guide to air conditioning without an outdoor unit covers the alternatives.
Running costs are a strong suit: the eiQ-12WMINV draws a rated 870W in cooling, which works out at about 23p an hour flat out at 26.11p per kWh, the July 2026 price cap unit rate. More in our guide to whether air conditioners are expensive to run.
Warranty is the trade-off. Cover varies by listing: much of the range carries only 12 months, though the current Easy-Fit splits list two years parts and labour plus three further years of parts cover. Either way it is well short of the 5 to 10 year conditional cover from Midea, LG or the Japanese brands, so check the listing before you buy.
Prices, availability and the electricity rate correct as of August 2026. The energy price cap changes quarterly, so check current rates before budgeting.
Strengths and watch-outs
Strengths
- ✓A 12,000 BTU A+++ Wi-Fi wall split for around £700 undercuts every mainstream brand
- ✓Thousands of genuine UK owner reviews across the air conditioning range
- ✓Owners repeatedly report units still working after 6 to 10 years
- ✓Low-impact refrigerants throughout: R290 in the Easy-Fit splits, R32 in the iQool splits
Watch-outs
- !The entire portable range was delisted from Buy It Direct sites in 2026
- !A retailer own label, not a manufacturer: models are OEM-built and lines churn quickly
- !Warranty cover varies by listing and is short next to mainstream rivals
- !Owner reviews of the portables report noise at full power and occasional early failures
Frequently asked questions
Who makes electriQ air conditioners? +
electriQ is the own brand of Buy It Direct Ltd, the Huddersfield group behind Appliances Direct and Aircon Direct. The units themselves are built by third-party OEM factories and rebadged; the PortaSplit12k, for example, is a rebadged Midea PortaSplit.
Have electriQ portable air conditioners been discontinued? +
In practice, yes. As of August 2026 every electriQ portable listed on the group's own sites shows "no longer available", and the portable category now carries other brands instead. There has been no formal announcement, so refurbished and outlet stock may still appear on marketplaces.
Are electriQ air conditioners any good? +
For the money, yes, with caveats. Owner feedback across thousands of UK reviews is broadly positive, with durability a recurring theme, but the portables drew complaints about noise at full power and a minority of early failures, and warranty cover is shorter than mainstream rivals offer. We score the brand 3.5 out of 5.
Can I fit an electriQ air conditioner myself? +
Only the Easy-Fit models. They use R290, arrive pre-gassed and sealed, and the retailer states a typical install does not need an F-Gas engineer, though a qualified electrician should handle the wiring. The iQool splits use R32 and must be installed and commissioned by an F-Gas qualified engineer.
What to read next
Live alternatives to the delisted portables, plus honest running-cost advice.
Best portable air conditioners UK 2026
Our ranked picks of the portable air conditioners actually sold in the UK, by use case and budget, with honest noise figures, prices and the no-hose myth busted.
26 Jun 2026
Air conditioning without an outdoor unit: your options
How to cool a home with no outdoor condenser, using a monobloc wall unit or a portable, plus the honest trade-offs in efficiency, output and noise.
20 Jul 2026
Is air conditioning expensive to run? UK running costs explained
Honest, dated running costs for home air conditioning, from pence per hour to a full summer. See the maths, the by-size table, and why AC heating can beat gas.
20 Jun 2026We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. This never affects our ratings or which products we recommend. How we make money.
Wanted an electriQ portable?
The range has gone from first-party retail. Our tested picks cover portables you can buy today, and local F-Gas installers can quote for a fitted split.