Russell Hobbs portable air conditioning
A familiar British home-appliance name, best known for kettles, with competent budget portables rather than specialist cooling kit, from the small RHPAC3001 and RHPAC3002 to the bigger RHPAC11001.
Budget portables from a familiar British name
Russell Hobbs is a British home-appliance brand founded in 1952, best known to UK buyers for kettles, irons and other small kitchen kit. It is now part of the American group Spectrum Brands. Its climate range includes portable air conditioners: budget monobloc units that cool one room and vent hot air through a window hose.
These are value portables that trade on a familiar, trusted name rather than specialist cooling engineering. Expect the essentials, cooling, fan and dehumidifier modes with a remote and timer, at a keen price, rather than the quiet running or efficiency of the dedicated brands. For an inexpensive unit to take the edge off a hot room, from a name you already know, they are a reasonable buy.
The range runs from the small 7,000 BTU RHPAC3001, which has now been discontinued and replaced by the Wi-Fi RHPAC3002, up to the 11,000 BTU RHPAC11001 for living rooms. If you are searching for a Russell Hobbs air conditioner for a box room or small bedroom, the section on the smaller models below covers what you need to know.
Strengths and watch-outs
Strengths
- ✓A trusted, familiar British home-appliance brand
- ✓Affordable 3-in-1 portables that cool, ventilate and dehumidify
- ✓Wide availability and easy to buy on the high street
Watch-outs
- !An appliance brand, not an air-conditioning specialist
- !Single-hose monoblocs with the usual noise and efficiency limits
- !The Russell Hobbs name is now licensed under Spectrum Brands
The smaller models: RHPAC3001 and RHPAC3002
The RHPAC3001 is the Russell Hobbs air conditioner most people have heard of. It is a 7,000 BTU (2.05 kW) single-hose portable that cools, dehumidifies and runs as a fan, with no heating, and it is sized for rooms of about 8 to 14 m². There is a black version too, the RHPAC3001B. It has now been discontinued, and as of October 2026 it is delisted or out of stock at every UK retailer we checked, so any you find are likely to be leftover or repackaged stock.
Our verdict on the 3001 is mixed to fair. It cools a box room or small bedroom adequately for the money, but it has a few habits you should know about. The 0.3 litre water tank does not self-evaporate, so in humid weather the unit stops and shows "Ft" until you empty it, unless you run the 1 m drain hose to a bucket or drain. It is loud for a bedroom, with a 64 dB(A) sound power rating and only two fan speeds, and at 24.5 kg it is heavy for such a small unit. It draws 780 W, which is about 20.5p an hour flat out at 26.32p per kWh (the October to December 2026 price cap), the window kit only suits UPVC windows that open on three or four sides, and the manual gives a 12-month guarantee.
Its replacement is the RHPAC3002 (and the black RHPAC3002B). It keeps the 7,000 BTU class and the 14 m² room size, and adds Wi-Fi control through the SmartLife app with Alexa and Google Home, three fan speeds and a slightly bigger 0.45 litre tank. It is very new, with too few owner reviews for us to review it fairly yet, so we plan to look at it ahead of the 2027 cooling season. If you buy one in the meantime, check it against the 3001's weak spots: noise, how often the tank fills and the weight.
For anything bigger than a small bedroom, the Russell Hobbs RHPAC11001 is the one to look at. It is an 11,000 BTU unit for rooms up to around 21 m², quieter than many single-hose rivals and with a night mode you can sleep with, and we rate it 4.0 out of 5. If you want a well-supported portable for a bedroom or smaller room instead, the MeacoCool Pro 9000 is our pick, and our guide to the quietest portable air conditioners covers more options for bedrooms.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Russell Hobbs RHPAC3001 been discontinued? +
Yes. As of October 2026 the RHPAC3001 and black RHPAC3001B are delisted or out of stock at the UK retailers we checked, and Russell Hobbs has moved on to the RHPAC3002, a 7,000 BTU replacement with Wi-Fi and a slightly bigger water tank. It is too new for us to review yet.
Which Russell Hobbs air conditioner should I buy? +
Size it to the room. For a box room or small bedroom of up to about 14 m², the 7,000 BTU RHPAC3002 is the current small model, though it has no track record yet and the 3001 it replaces was loud and stopped whenever its small tank filled. For living rooms and larger bedrooms up to around 21 m², the 11,000 BTU RHPAC11001 is the better buy and the one we have reviewed in full.
Guides that pair well with Russell Hobbs
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