Honeywell portable air conditioners
A household name on simple 3-in-1 portable units. Here is who really makes them, where the range stands in 2026, and what to check before you buy.
A famous name that someone else builds
Honeywell does not make these air conditioners. The American company, founded in 1906, licenses its name by product category, and the portable air conditioners sold in the UK have been built under licence since 2007 by JMATEK, a Hong Kong firm, and manufactured by its subsidiary Airtek. Honeywell fans are a separate licence held by Helen of Troy, so a buyer with a Honeywell fan and a Honeywell portable is dealing with two unrelated companies.
The units themselves are competent mid-market portables. Every current UK model is a single-duct 3-in-1 that cools, dehumidifies and runs as a fan, uses low-GWP R290 refrigerant, and owners rate them well where reviews exist: the 12,000 BTU HT12CESVWK Wi-Fi flagship scores 4.1 out of 5 across 29 reviews at Air Con Centre.
The catch is everything around the product. As of August 2026 the licensee's consumer site states it is "no longer in business" and no longer provides direct customer service, its corporate site is unreachable, and UK retail stock has largely dried up: every model at Air Con Centre is out of stock and B&Q lists none. Whether the licence has ended or only the consumer arm has closed is unclear, so treat support as retailer-only. Your Consumer Rights Act 2015 protections and any retailer-honoured guarantee (Air Con Centre advertises two years on new units) still stand, so buy only at a keen price from a retailer who will back the unit, and keep your proof of purchase.
Which Honeywell are you actually looking for?
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Portable air conditioners
The subject of this page. 3-in-1 units built under licence by JMATEK that cool, dehumidify and run as a fan.
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Honeywell fans
The TurboForce range and other fans are made and supported by Helen of Troy under a separate licence. A different company entirely.
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Air coolers vs air conditioners
Honeywell air coolers
Evaporative coolers, not air conditioners. They cool with water and airflow, and suit different rooms.
The UK range
The current line is small and portable-only, with no heating mode:
HT series: the mainstream pick. The HT09CESAWK offers 9,000 BTU; the HT12CESVWK adds 12,000 BTU, Wi-Fi, Alexa and Google voice control, energy class A and up to 95 litres a day of dehumidification.
HX series: simpler units at 7,000, 9,000 and 12,000 BTU (HX07CESAWG, HX09CESAWG, HX12CESAWG).
HB16CESVWK: the 16,000 BTU Wi-Fi flagship for rooms up to 50 m².
Older codes (HG, HC, HF, HJ, HL, MN) still circulate on Amazon and as retailer return units, which makes like-for-like comparison and manual-finding harder than it should be. US-market Honeywell models with heating do not exist in the UK line, so ignore American reviews of heat-pump variants.
On price, the HT12CESVWK listed at £479.99 new before stocks ran out, and return units across the range run from about £203 to £344. On running costs, the HT12CESVWK draws up to 1,300 W, which works out at roughly 34p per hour flat out at the current electricity price cap rate of 26.11p per kWh. See what air conditioning costs to run for the full picture.
Prices and rates correct as of August 2026. The energy price cap changes quarterly, so check current rates before budgeting.
Strengths and watch-outs
Strengths
- ✓A familiar name on simple, well-liked 3-in-1 portables with no installation needed
- ✓Modern low-GWP R290 refrigerant across the current models
- ✓Wi-Fi, app and Alexa or Google voice control on the smart models at mid-market prices
- ✓Strong dehumidification, up to 95 litres a day on the 12,000 BTU flagship
Watch-outs
- !Honeywell only licenses the name, and the licensee has wound down consumer support, so warranty rests with the retailer in practice
- !UK stock has largely dried up; much of what remains is return or refurbished units
- !Honeywell fans and Honeywell air coolers are different products from different companies
- !Single-duct portables only: up to 65 dB(A) on full power and no heating mode
The Honeywell model worth a look
The Wi-Fi flagship is the one UK buyers ask about most; here is our full review.
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