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As UK rooms brace for another hot weekend, online ads are popping up for portable air conditioners that claim to be “designed by ex-NASA engineers” and “cool a room in 90 seconds”.
The ads appeared on various platforms including Facebook and YouTube, but the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) warned the products were often “too good to be true”.
YouTuber Stuart Matthews told the BBC that despite paying £70 for a machine, it turned out to be “a bit of a simple hobby”.
The BBC has contacted Meta and YouTube for comment.
Asau told the BBC that some of the ads he had seen online in recent weeks made exaggerated claims, including that a small device could cool a house completely in minutes or use less electricity.
In addition, he said, the ads frequently present false customer reviews touting impressive temperature reductions or exceptional performance.
It advertises directly to consumers on websites that sell the device, typically for between £70 and £120.
Many of the ads also appear to be AI-generated, using images like copper coils and metal boxes to make the products look sophisticated.
