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'Cool in 90 seconds' - the fake portable air conditioners sweeping the internet
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As parts of the UK brace for another hot weekend, online adverts have been appearing for portable air conditioners claiming to be "designed by former Nasa engineers" and able to "cool a room in 90 seconds".
Key facts
- The adverts direct shoppers to websites selling the devices, typically for between £70 and £120
- YouTuber Stuart Matthews, who bought several devices to test on his Proper DIY channel, told the BBC that despite paying £70 for one machine, it turned out to be "a small, simple fan worth only a few
- As parts of the UK brace for another hot weekend, online adverts have been appearing for portable air conditioners claiming to be "designed by former Nasa engineers" and able to "cool a room in 90
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Summary
The adverts have emerged on platforms including Facebook and YouTube, but the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has now warned the products are often "too good to be true". YouTuber Stuart Matthews, who bought several devices to test on his Proper DIY channel, told the BBC that despite paying £70 for one machine, it turned out to be "a small, simple fan worth only a few pounds". The ASA told the BBC that some of the adverts it had seen online in recent weeks made exaggerated claims, including that a small device could cool an entire home within minutes or used little electricity. It also said the adverts frequently featured fake customer reviews describing dramatic temperature drops or exceptional performance.