These reviews of some of Mitsubishi’s most popular mini-splits in 2021 will help you decide if this air conditioning system is the right investment for you and your home. 

During my decade working in the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact the best air conditioners can have on the lives of whole families. I know exactly what makes a quality air conditioning system.

The ductless mini-split is an innovative and affordable air conditioner that can provide heat during the freezing winters and refreshingly cool air during the scorching summers. 

Unlike central air conditioning, ductless mini-splits give you the flexibility to provide heating and air conditioning only to rooms that are in use.
Since ductless mini-split technology is constantly evolving, it can be tough to keep up with which models offer the best cost-effective solution to your needs and those of your home. Keep reading, and we’ll learn the answer together!

Understanding the Mitsubishi Brand

Mitsubishi is a globally recognized brand that has achieved innovation and success in a wide variety of industries. As one of its subsidiaries, Mitsubishi Electric has been manufacturing electronics and electrical equipment from Tokyo, Japan since 1921. 

In 1959, Mitsubishi revolutionized residential air conditioning– it developed and sold the world’s first truly ductless mini-split system, providing efficient heating and air conditioning for millions of families across Japan.

The system was an instant hit, and its popularity led to ductless acceptance in Europe and eventually, decades later, the US and beyond.

Mitsubishi Mini Split Buying Guide

There are some common factors to be aware of when choosing a ductless mini-split for your home. The following should be thought of as the absolute essentials to consider when considering which ductless unit is right for you.

Energy Efficiency

The impact our everyday energy consumption has on the environment is something of a hot topic right now, and the energy efficiency of a product is an important consideration for many before purchasing. Of course, an energy-efficient mini-split system isn’t just environmentally friendly. It’s also one that ensures your seasonal bills don’t surge in summer or climb when it’s cold. 

Conventional central air conditioning requires intrusive ductwork that many homes, especially older ones, don’t have, and installing this necessity can involve costly digging into your walls, floors, and ceilings. 

Even if you do have this ductwork installed, energy losses through insufficiently sealed ductwork in your walls, attics, or crawlspace, can actually account for as much as 30% of the total energy used in your home. Yes, that’s a massive 30% of your energy bills being spent needlessly on waste energy!

As the name suggests, a ductless mini-split system requires no ductwork, so these losses are eliminated and you’ll make more energy savings by paying for the energy you actually use.

Mitsubishi ductless mini-split systems are also fitted with an inverter-driven compressor, a much more energy-efficient way of providing heating and air conditioning than traditional systems. The compressor controls the flow of refrigerant, and a quicker flow will transfer more heat outside from inside in the summer, and vice versa in the winter. 

Most mini-split systems use a single-stage or two-stage compressor, which essentially means that the unit runs at either 100% capacity all the time or switches between 100% and 65% capacity. These both use lots of electricity and neither are very energy efficient. 

A Mitsubishi ductless system using an inverter technology-driven compressor can run as low as 35% and as high as 120% of its ductless heating and air conditioning capacity. Depending on the demand, an inverter-driven compressor can adjust its cycle in increments as accurately as 1% and limits the system’s energy consumption. You’ll save money by not consuming energy you don’t need.

In fact, ductless technology is so energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, they’ve been recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency and caused major utility companies to incentivize their purchase with generous rebates at the point of sale!

Checking the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating of a ductless system is an accurate way to judge how energy efficient it is. The higher its SEER rating, the more effective the unit is at using less energy to provide adequate heating and air conditioning. 

Zoned Heating And Air Conditioning

Whereas traditional systems distribute heating and cooling throughout a home from a centralized point of origin, a ductless unit instead utilizes a multi-zone system consisting of a single outdoor condenser unit, and between 1 and 4 indoor units that act as an air handler. 

Ductless systems work by having the indoor air handler pull in warm air from your home and blowing it over cold evaporator coils. The heat from that air is absorbed by a refrigerant and then transported through discreet refrigerant lines to the single outdoor unit, usually mounted to an outer wall. This outdoor condenser ejects the heat outside and blows cold air back into the room it came from.

A single-zone system deploys a single air handler indoor unit in the room that you want to provide with cooling and heating, targeting only single-zone and avoiding needless energy consumption. A multi-zone system can deploy multiple air handlers across multiple zones, and link them to one outdoor unit. 

The indoor units acting as air handlers can be distributed throughout your home according to the preferences of the inhabitants, and since each has its own thermostat, you can control each room’s temperature independently from the rest of your home. Got a room that’s been too hot or cold to use for years? Now you could have a bonus room! Single zone and multi-zone system installation are easy. If you need to provide cooling and heating for more rooms you can simply add indoor units!

Heating And Cooling Capability

A Mitsubishi ductless mini-split air conditioner can also be used as a ductless heat pump when you need to warm up a room, and not just cool it. This convenient heating solution means you don’t have to separately purchase an air conditioner and traditional heating separately, then end up not using one or the other for 6 months of the year when it’s too hot or too cold!

A ductless heat pump works by reversing the cooling process, absorbing heat from the outdoor air, and distributing it through your home- even when it’s as low as -4℉ outside!

Like a SEER rating tells us how energy efficient a single ductless unit is at cooling the air, a higher Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating means the heat pump uses less energy to provide efficient ductless heating to your home. And since a heat pump doesn’t need a gas furnace supply to operate, you’ll be reducing your energy bills even further.

Mitsubishi Mini Split Reviews

Mitsubishi MUZ-FH High-Efficiency AC Heat Pump

This Mitsubishi wall unit is an industry leader when it comes to energy efficiency, with an extremely impressive 33.1 SEER rating. It may not have the cheapest upfront cost, but just think of all the money that SEER could save you off your bills in the long run!

This powerful Mitsubishi ductless system is available in multiple sizes, so you’ll be able to find the right one for whatever sized space you have. With wireless control through the Mitsubishi Kumo Cloud, you’ll be able to adjust any settings you like without even having to move from the sofa!

The auto-restart is a great feature that maintains the temperature at a comfortable level by automatically restarting the unit with its previous settings when it’s turned off and back on during use. The 3D i-see Sensor™ is an advanced sensor that uses infrared technology to scan the room and detect where people are by their heat signatures. It can even sense how hot or cold that person is, and adjust the airflow output accordingly. 

Mitsubishi MXZ-F R32 Inverter Heat Pump

The Mitsubishi MXZ series offers complete design flexibility that suits the needs and layout of your home. 10 different design choices for the outdoor cooling unit can be connected to up to 6 different styles of indoor air handlers. And the best part is, these can be an indoor wall unit, cassette, floor-mounted, or ceiling suspended– you could even have a different style in each room! This makes it the perfect solution if you’re looking to integrate a multi-zone air conditioning system into your home. 

With Mitsubishi’s Hyper Heat technology, which uses an inverter-driven compressor, this unit can maintain impressive heat pump efficiency when it’s right down to a seriously chilly -13℉! Running at 50 decibels, the MXZ-F series is around 4 or 5 decibels louder than other Mitsubishi mini-splits, which is important to consider if you plan to install in an apartment or have very close neighbors. 

Mitsubishi PLA-ZM-R32 Ceiling Cassette 

This Mitsubishi Electric ceiling cassette-type unit, affectionately branded as ‘Mr.Slim’, allows for discreet ductless air conditioning thanks to its streamlined design. But don’t be fooled into thinking that means it’s less powerful or efficient than other models- it’s not. That’s the beauty of its simple design.

4 customizable air ducts can blow airflow whichever way you need- including horizontally- covering especially hot or cold spots in the room, and ensuring maximum comfort. It’s also a very impressive heater, maintaining effective heating down as low as 26℉. Of course, being mounted in the ceiling, this model isn’t as easy to install as one wall unit mini-splits, and you’ll have to carefully evaluate whether your room can accommodate such a feature. Once it’s installed though, you’ll have discreet heating and cooling at the touch of a button.

Mitsubishi Mini Split Prices

Who Can Install My Mitsubishi Mini Split

One of the best things about a ductless heating and cooling system is that there’s no need for complex installation since there’s no intrusive ductwork. They can be installed by anybody without a professional license or training. 

Even so, I always recommend using a licensed HVAC professional to install your indoor and outdoor units, so you know that your mini-split air conditioning is installed properly and safely. Otherwise, you’re putting your safety and that of your family at risk for the sake of a few hundred bucks!

Mitsubishi Diamond Contractors are the company’s extensively trained and highly skilled experts who have earned exceptional customer service ratings. Having your Mitsubishi ductless system installed by one of these will also extend the unit’s warranty from 7-years to 12-years! You can find the one nearest to you on the Mitsubishi official website.

Mitsubishi Mini Split: Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does It Cost To Buy And Install A Mini Split?

Depending on the required size, extra features, and energy efficiency, a Mitsubishi can cost between $1840 and $3390, or between $3800 and $5890 when installation by a licensed professional is included. 

Is Mitsubishi Mini Split Worth The Money?

Considering all of the advantages of Mitsubishi ductless mini-splits, compared against a mini-split system cost, they’re definitely worth the investment. With a lower upfront expenditure than regular central AC and the certainty of reducing your long-term energy costs, a mini-split unit could be your perfect air conditioning solution. 

How Long Does Mitsubishi Mini Splits Last?

Mitsubishi systems have long been hailed for their quality and durability. Since ductless air conditioning is proven to last around 8 to 10 years longer than central AC, you can expect both the indoor and outdoor units to last around 20 years. 

Is Mitsubishi Or Daikin Better?

Mitsubishi and their Japanese rivals Daikin are both internationally recognized HVAC technology brands who were pioneers of ductless technology, and the difference in quality, efficiency, and environmental sustainability between their products is negligible.

That being said, Mitsubishi Electric has produced some of the best ductless systems I’ve worked with over the years. I can confidently recommend a Mitsubishi ductless mini-split as your potential air conditioning solution.