Why We Finally Caved: Choosing Klarstein Portable AC Units in Germany
By our second summer in Stuttgart, fans and shutters weren’t cutting it. We researched every option — from extra fans to Dyson towers to split units — and finally chose Klarstein portable ACs. Here’s how we made the decision, what factors mattered most, and why we ended up buying not one, but two.
What We Tried Before AC
At first, we stuck with our small Amazon Basics fan we had brought from the U.S., running it through a step-down converter meant for our Christmas lights. We didn’t want to clutter our small keller with more fans, especially knowing they weren’t a long-term solution.
We considered a Dyson cooling system, but the price was nearly the same as a portable AC unit — without the actual cooling power. Split units were tempting, but they required drilling into concrete walls, which wasn’t allowed in our rental apartment.
That left one real option: portable AC units. The challenge? Figuring out how to make a bulky machine with a giant exhaust tube work in a German apartment with floor-to-ceiling doors instead of windows.
Our Research Process
We started with parallel research. I asked my brothers in Canada what they had used in the past. They had LG portable units that worked well but came with a warning: they were loud. Meanwhile, Duygu searched Amazon.de, MediaMarkt, and brand websites, comparing models and reviews.
Of course, we asked ChatGPT too — to help us sift through reviews and complaints. We benchmarked against units rated at 10,000 BTU (2.9 kW), which cools up to ~60 square meters. Since our apartment is ~130 square meters, we realized we’d probably need two.
What Mattered Most in Our Choice
Noise: Most units were rated between 48–65 dB. At the low end, it’s like a fridge humming; at the high end, like a car idling in your living room. Not silent, but manageable.
Smart features: As two people working in automotive speech AI, it mattered that our ACs “worked with Google Home.” We wanted to control them by voice, by phone, and even remotely while commuting.
Design: We didn’t want our home looking like it had a restaurant fridge in the corner. Sleek and modern design was a must.
Why Klarstein Over De’Longhi or Dyson
After two days of intense research, we narrowed it down to De’Longhi and Klarstein. Both were available in Germany and priced around €400–500 per unit. Dyson was out — essentially an expensive fan with no cooling power. No-name generics were also ruled out for reliability.
In the end, Klarstein won for three reasons:
Design: sleek and modern, blending into our home.
Smart home features: integration with Google Home and a simple mobile app.
Availability: we could actually find two units (even if we had to order from different sources to get them in time).
Why Two Units Instead of One
With an L-shaped 130 m² apartment, one unit wasn’t enough. Cold air doesn’t bend around walls. We prioritized the living room with its open kitchen and our master bedroom near the entrance.
Placing one Klarstein at each end of the L-shape created a balance — not every room gets direct airflow, but the entire apartment feels cooler.
Are Klarstein portable ACs worth buying in Germany?
Yes — for us, absolutely. At around €450 each, buying two units was nearly a €1,000 investment, but it transformed our summers. The Klarstein models delivered on design, smart features, and availability when we needed them most.
They’re not silent and they take up space, but compared to sticky nights, lost sleep, and sweaty workdays, they were worth every euro. If you’re a North American moving to Germany, don’t underestimate the heat — fans and shutters may get you through, but a portable AC is what makes summer livable.
Choosing Klarstein felt like a win, but bringing them home opened up a new set of challenges: noise, bulky hoses, and figuring out how to cool an L-shaped apartment.
