You should look for a system with a rating of 20 or higher. A heat pump wont be the perfect system for every home, but the technology is worth considering any time you need to replace or upgrade part of your HVAC system. Even in the perfect location, mini-split indoor units take up a chunk of wall space and theyre not the most attractive things in the world, as we heard separately from two friends who recently installed them. Cool might be the best and most popular mini-split brand youve ever heard of. $7,140 at Wayfair. Ask detailed questionscould you potentially add another indoor unit in the future? Technically you can run a heat pump on a system like this, especially if its a smaller-capacity mini-split. Both the Ambi and Flair had issues with connectivity, especially with dual band WiFi. De Stasio told us a typical single-unit install costs roughly $3,000-$5,000, but if youre looking to create a whole-house systemwhich needs multiple indoor units and a larger outdoor unit to support themit can start getting cost-prohibitive. They also have a variety of installation types for their indoor units, ranging from wall-mounted to ceiling-mounted to floor-mounted. Some compressors have two speeds, which mitigates the swings, but theyre still present. Ground-source systems can cost from $6,000 to $30,000 or more. You could even think of it as a hybrid setup, rather than a system with a backup. Ft. You also have to commit to a location with the indoor units, and theres no moving them around, like with window air conditioners or portable ACs. As with all things in life, your budget will likely play a significant role in your final decision. Reliability is crucial because you also dont want to fix or replace your mini-split every couple of years. CR members can seewhich brands of ducted heat pumpsmake their owners the happiest, based on data weve collected from our member survey. With the system split between an indoor and outdoor unit, the only noise in the room is the fan needed to move air. You can find qualified LG installers in many metropolitan areas. A ductless, mini-split heat pump is an affordable and effective way to add climate control to parts of your house where the main system doesnt quite worklike a finished attic, garage workshop, or home addition. They also have the widest variety of products from any American company that manufactures mini-splits. The Bosch Gen 2 Climate Ductless Mini Split Series provides energy-efficient, on-demand comfort that is flexible, simple to install and easy to maintain. Good insulation and air sealing of your home and duct system are important regardless of how you heat your home, but theyre even more beneficial with heat pumps. Is this person reliable and responsive, or do you have apprehension about having them in and out of your house in the short term and in the future? But in cold climates, keeping a backup system can be the most cost-effective way to keep your home comfortable. We independently review everything we recommend. Heres an overview by brand, in the order in which we would begin our search locally. Mini-splits offer a lot of control, too, beyond their ability to be programmed like a regular thermostat. Among air-to-air heat pumps, two types are most common in residential homes. You live in an extremely cold climate. Other Types of Heat PumpsThere are a few other types of heat pumps that are proved to work well in some situations but are less common than air-source heat pumps. We asked installers, manufacturers, and homeowners who have mini-split systems to tell us what anyone considering one would need to know. More than half of all homes in the U.S. already use ducts to distribute heating and cooling. Free delivery and financing are available. In the U.S., we typically use air-source heat pumps, and most often a subset known as air-to-air heat pumps. The way a mini-split disperses air is better than a window unit or a portable AC. Heat pumps just have a few small differences that allow them to move heat in two directions, in and out. Cool is revolutionizing the world of mini-splits. This is a multi-thousand-dollar job, but wed advise this even for simpler workit really gives you a clear sense of what the market for this work is like and often helps you weed out options youre less comfortable with, giving you the confidence to commit to the best place available. No pressure! We found four leading brands in our research: Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu, LG, Daikin, and Panasonic (and a handful of smaller names, like Mirage). It offers the highest SEER rating of any mini-split made in North America and is one of the highest in the world. There are other manufacturers out there, but we cant really imagine bypassing these four options for a niche brand with weaker availability, selection, and customer support. Which one requires more energy? Mr. To give yourself a good chance at a satisfying mini-split installation, heres how wed approach the contractor hiring process for this job: Ask locals who they used: If a mini-split makes good sense for your house, youre probably not alone in your area. 9 Furnace Brands to Avoid & 5 Best Furnace Brands 2023, 13 Air Conditioner Brands to Avoid & 7 Best Brands 2023, Very high efficiency with SEER ratings between 20 and 30, Right up there with Mitsubishi in terms of technology and innovation, Dont do as well in cold weather climates, Make one of the best and only DIY mini-splits in the world, Very affordable regardless of which product you choose, Offer several products outside of their popular DIY options, They tend to be on the lower end of the efficiency scale, with SEER ratings no higher than 23, Not as reliable or durable as top mini-split brands, Very affordable purchase and installation cost, Easy brand to install, and you can potentially DIY, While theyre affordable, theyre very dependable and long-lasting, Not the most efficient systems with average SEER ratings between 16 and 25, While theyre in the middle of the pack in terms of efficiency, the Gree Saphire has a SEER rating of 38, Offer a wide variety of products ranging from single zone to multi-zone. Living with a heat. Before you can decide which brand is best for you, you should know what your options are and what different brands specialize in. They are highly efficient because they dont have to compensate for big temperature swings the way air-source heat pumps do. Its basically a boxy rectangle, or, as one owner put it, a big stupid plastic giant lunchbox thing on your wall. Some manufacturers offer a variety of colors, at least, and LG seems to be hearing these complaints with models like their Art Cool Mirror line. But modern heat pumps in a properly designed system can provide all the heat a home will need up through zone 6. Mitsubishi offers every type of mini-split system, including single-zone or multi-zone units, the MXZ series. For example, CR members surveyed paid a median price of $7,791 to purchase and install a heat pump, vs. $6,870 for gas furnaces. The calculations should be made after any air-sealing or insulation upgrades are made to your home and should be done whether youre replacing a unit or installing a new system. Switching from a gas furnace to a heat pump will reduce a homes heating-related carbon emissions by an average of 40 percent, according to a 2022 study from the University of California, Davis. The two companies work together to produce their mini-split systems as Fujitsu makes the outdoor units and Rheem makes the indoor units. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. The thermostat in the hallway 30 feet away has no idea that its 85 degrees in the sunroom. A mini-split will allow you to condition that sunroom separately from the rest of the home. It involves electrical work, plumbing, checking for refrigerant leaks, and drilling a 3 -inch hole through the side of your house (and another one for the electrical line). One nuance to consider: If youre planning on keeping a backup heating system alongside your heat pump, you could consider getting an undersized heat pump. A popular compromise: Install a smaller mini-split that can handle most of your heating (and cooling) needs, and keep the old radiator system for the coldest days. Btu/hr. You should expect to pay at least a couple of thousand dollars for that work. Call for Ashburn Virginia HVAC Cooling services 703-521-2226! You need to replace your central AC (or add new built-in air conditioning). We dont recognize that sign in. Lennox is perhaps the top overall American brand for mini-splits and HVAC equipment in terms of popularity. Like other top brands, however, the price tag on Daikin mini-splits reflects their value. Mitsubishi is the dominant ductless brand in the US, and for good reason. 3. Mitsubishi mini-split products have an excellent maintenance track record. A 400 square foot room in New Hampshire requires a different amount of heating and air conditioning than a 400 square foot room in Florida. A good HVAC installer will do a proper heat load calculation, which means, as explained by Todd Washam, director of industry and internal relations at The Air Conditioning Contractors of America, they measure the windows, the tree overhangs for the shading, the pitch of your roof, the square footage, what type of floors, and the insulation in your attic and walls.. How Good is Hisense Air Conditioner - Expert Review & Comparison, Daikin 24,000 BTU 17 SEER Wall-Mounted Ductless Mini-Split A/C Heat Pump System, Daikin Mini Split Error Codes (Troubleshooting Guide), MRCOOL DIY 22 SEER Ductless Heat Pump Split System, PIONEER Air Conditioner WYS009AMFI22RL Wall Mount Ductless Inverter+ Mini Split Heat Pump, 9000 BTU-110/120V, Gree MULTI30CVIR400-30,000 BTU Multi21+ Quad-Zone Wall Mount Mini Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump 208-230V (9-9-9-9), LG LG2ZMSS18 Dual Zone Mini Split System with 18,000 Total BTUs, Best Whole House Humidifier: Portable & Furnace Picks (2023), Wire Size and Breaker for Heat Pumps & AC units (Tonnage Chart). Learn more. Todays cold-climate heat pumps can efficiently collect that free heat and move it into your home. But a ceiling installation will likely be more expensive and invasive. Plus, since they are so pervasive in the market, it's not hard to find parts or service . Bosch: Bosch: MRCOOL: Name: Multi 24000 BTU 2-Ton 21.3 SEER Dual (2) Zone Wall Mount Air Conditioner Heat Pump, 230-Volt 16 ft. Max Performance Pro Pack 24,000 BTU 2-Ton Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heat Pump No Line Set 230V: DIY 36,000 BTU 3-Ton 2-Zone Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump, 25 ft. + 75 ft. Set up a site visit and interview: For no charge, your prospective installer should come over, walk the property, talk about your needs, and discuss the equipment options available. Its one of the most impactful ways to reduce your carbon footprint, and it doesnt require a lifestyle change. LG also puts more stress on aesthetics than other companies and offers a line of sleek and nondescript indoor units. It operates comparatively quietly, producing 26-34 dB indoors, 49-51dB outdoors. Ductless heat pump systems, called mini-splits, can provide heating and cooling in a home without ducts, or add climate control to rooms that the main system doesn't reach. They make more mini-splits than anyone else, and theyve been doing it longer. But the costs add up fast, and it can be tempting to try to get by with the minimum equipment possible. They also produce the smallest indoor unit on the market, which measures just 16 x 16 x 8. Your contractor should also scope out a proper location for the outdoor unit. Gree mini-splits also have a split reputation when operating in cold climates. The pucks can be wall mounted or stand alone and look like miniature Nest units though they arent as substantial. In this week's newsletter: We asked senior staff writer Taylor Tepper for tips on how to make the most of travel rewards cards for the summer. Back then, ductless systems were not as popular as they are today. Our experience with customer support was good but not great. Mitsubishi Mini-Split Models Pros and Cons Pros: Cooling and Heating Option Energy-Saving G10 Inverter technology Dual Filtration System R410A Refrigerants Wi-fi Integration Smartphone Access Quiet Operation Wall-mounted, Floor-Mounted, and Ceiling Cassette Units 10-year Warranty They have a wide ranging network of installers and, like Mitsubishi and LG, a 12-year warranty for many of their products. Ductless heat pump systems, called mini-splits, can provide heating and cooling in a home without ducts, or add climate control to rooms that the main system doesnt reach. So if youre replacing (or adding) an AC anyway, whether its a central system or a room unit, it may make sense to pay a little extra for a heat pump and keep your existing heating system as a backup for the coldest days and reap the rewards of high-efficiency heating on the milder days of the year (more on this kind of hybrid system later). While Gree isnt as well-known as other mini-split brands, its the top air conditioner manufacturer in the world. This system is designed for easy installation and comes with a 10-year parts warranty. This system consists of a wall-mounted indoor unit and an outside condenser, similar to an air conditioner. The 5-zone unit our Hawaii friend installed required a dedicated 40 A breaker for its 230-volt service, and his installation crew used a licensed electrical sub-contractor for the work, adding cost. The Ambi Climate 2 is the most in-depth of the three. Their MLA Cold Climate model maintains 100% efficiency to zero degrees and can produce heat up to -22 degrees. But a well-maintained system should run more efficiently. They arent as high-quality as the top mini-split brands. Its convenient, but it lacks some of the basic mini-split controls, like adjusting air direction, which the Ambi provides. Before you decide which mini-split system to choose, you need to know what to look for. However, you should always strive for a SEER rating of at least 20. Good enough for a small room, but tougher in larger ones. Save products you love, products you own and much more! Air-source heat pump systems are not currently eligible for federal tax rebates, though ground-source heat pumps are. Mitsubishi often gets heralded as the best overall mini-split company in the world. Get specifics. There are companies, like Mr. Consumer Reports members can see the predictedreliability and owner satisfaction ratingsfor 24 brands of heat pumps, based on data that CR members have shared about almost 13,500 heat pumps theyve bought new and installed in their own homes between 2005 and 2021. They're not just for non- HVAC techs. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Were continuing to watch new releases and version upgrades and will test any that we think look good. Heat pumps arent the most practical heating solution for every home. They tend to include noise estimates across a variety of outdoor temperatures and fan speeds, measured in decibels. Federal and local incentives can reduce the cost significantly, and the systems are so energy-efficient that the savings from your utility bills could offset the cost of installation within 10 years, even by conservative estimates. Unlike manufacturer options such as Mitsubishis Kumo Cloud, which do the same thing, these 3rd party options do not require expensive professional installation.