Floor and ceiling console air conditioners

Why choose a floor console air conditioner?

Heating. Warm air rises, so a unit that puts it out at floor level warms the part of the room you sit in. That makes floor consoles popular in Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and the tablelands, and in rooms with high ceilings where a wall head would heat the cornices.

They also solve awkward rooms: a wall of windows with only a low sill, a heritage room where nobody wants a box above the picture rail, or a fireplace that is never lit. The catch is that they take floor space, and furniture can't sit in front of them.

On the label, floor consoles rate about the same as wall splits for cold-zone heating and lower for cooling. Daikin makes 12 of the 36 and Mitsubishi Electric 11, with Fujitsu, Toshiba, Hitachi, Haier and Rinnai making the rest.

How much does a floor console cost installed?

A floor console usually costs $2,800 to $4,800 installed in 2026. That is at or above the price of a wall split of the same size, because the units cost more and the pipe route from floor level can be fiddly, especially when the unit is recessed into a fireplace or a wall. Under-ceiling units in larger sizes are often three phase and are usually quoted on site.

Our cassette and floor unit guide compares these with ceiling cassettes and bulkhead units. When you've settled on a type, get up to three local quotes so an installer can check the pipe route.

What to check before you buy a console

• The heating output in kW as well as the cooling. For a cold room, size on the heating number.
• Where the pipes and drain go. Out through the wall behind is easiest; under a timber floor adds labour.
• Clearance in front. A couch against the grille strangles the airflow.
• For under-ceiling units, whether the model is single or three phase.

Then compare quotes from up to three licensed installers on the same model.