Coming from North America, we underestimated how hard German summers would be without central AC. After two heatwaves in Stuttgart, we bought Klarstein portable AC units. This is what living with them is really like — the good, the bad, and the hacks that made them work.

After two summers in Stuttgart, fans and shutters weren’t enough. We break down how we evaluated portable AC options in Germany, what mattered most to us, and why we ultimately chose two Klarstein units instead of one.

Coming from North America, we underestimated how hard German summers would be without air conditioning. From sleepless nights to shutter-dark workdays, here’s what surprised us most — and why fans and rolladen weren’t enough.