Why is a Chinese-made portable AC selling out across heat-stricken Europe?
Popularity of Midea’s PortaSplit fuels resale mark-ups and expedited shipping as renters favour plug-and-play cooling amid installation barriers
Amid weeks of intense heat across Europe, a niche Chinese air conditioner has become one of the hardest-to-buy products in the region this summer, selling out within just a few weeks.
A type of portable air conditioner (AC) made by Chinese home appliance giant Midea – the PortaSplit – has sold out across multiple e-commerce platforms as temperatures in parts of Europe have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
The unit has gained traction in the region, in part, because it appears to sidestep some regulatory and structural constraints, including strict historic-preservation rules in many cities that restrict exterior-wall modifications such as drilling for external AC units.
Unlike conventional split-system ACs, the Chinese model requires no permanent installation or wall penetration, using a window bracket to suspend the outdoor unit externally.
In southern France, Christopher De Bruyn installed three air-conditioning units at his home in Ceret in 2024, describing the process as “quite painful”.
He said that the initial quotes from a local installer reached about €8,000 (US$9,160), with long delivery and installation delays. Having previously lived in Spain, he returned to check the prices and found that “the models were only half the price”, adding that French installers effectively charged double.