As Europe endured a severe late-June heat wave that pushed temperatures to 42°C and was linked by the World Health Organization to around 1,300 deaths, WIRED has published its pick of the best home cooling devices to buy. The piece matters because health bodies say air conditioning is the safest response to extreme heat: the US CDC's top recommendation is to stay somewhere air-conditioned, and the WHO cautions that electric fans can actually raise body temperature once the air reaches 40°C or more.

The guide recommends four products across different needs. The Midea U-Shaped unit is the top pick for 2026, praised for a design that still lets you open the window, quiet 42-decibel operation and smart-assistant support, with a costly reversible heat-pump sibling also noted. The Zafro Lullaby Duo is chosen as the best portable option thanks to its wheeled, dual-hose design, though it is louder at 60 decibels and tricky to seal fully. The Windmill With WhisperTech is the good-looking, easy-to-install window choice at 50 decibels, while Sony's Reon Pocket Pro Plus is a wearable neck cooler for use outdoors, with a claimed 15-hour battery life.