Polycrystalline samples of potassium doped lanthanum manganites having nanometric crystallite size have been synthesized by pyrophoric method. The Curie temperature (T C ) of the prepared samples is found to be strongly dependent on K content and spans between 260 and 309K. Close to T C , large change in magnetic entropy has been observed in all the samples. The maximum magnetic entropy change observed for samples with different concentration of K, exhibits a linear dependence with the applied magnetic field. Adiabatic temperature change at T C at 1T also increases with K doping and attains a maximum of 2.1K for La 0.85 K 0.15 MnO 3 . Estimated relative cooling power of La 1−x K x MnO 3 compounds is nearly one-third of pure Gd. In addition to the tuneability of T C between 260 and 310K, higher chemical stability, lower eddy current heating and inexpensive preparation technique; the magnetic entropy change in La 0.85 K 0.15 MnO 3 compound at 1T magnetic field is found to be 3.00J/kgK and is ∼89% to that known for the prototype magnetic refrigerant (pure Gd). Our result on magnetocaloric properties suggests that La 1−x K x MnO 3 compounds are attractive as a possible refrigerant for near room temperature magnetic refrigeration.