Founder | BPI® Energy Auditor Certified Professional
Technical Editor | HVAC Tech at Kearns Heating and Air
Mini-split heat pumps are a popular choice for home heating and cooling. They are highly efficient, easy to install, and convenient for most home setups.
Mini splits should be installed by a trained professional but there are so many options on the market that choosing one can be overwhelming.
Many HVAC companies have preferred brands and one local company may have a different recommendation than another. So let’s take a look at some of the popular mini-split brands so you have an idea of what your options are.
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Top Mini-Split Brands and Manufacturers
We will be looking at the following makes to help you narrow your search for the right brand for your home, including:
What Is a Mini-Split?
A mini-split is a heat pump system that provides your home with both heating and cooling in a single system. The majority of these units are ductless and mount on your wall.
They are ideal for climate control in single rooms and small spaces, but if you need to heat and cool your entire home, you can install multiple air handlers that all utilize the same outdoor unit. This gives you the option of zoning the spaces in your home.
These are fully electric systems but they don’t have the high operation costs associated with electric heat. This is because they do not have to “create” heat but rather transfer existing heat from one area to another.
In cooling mode, the mini-split takes heat from inside your home and releases it into the outside atmosphere. In heating mode, the process is reversed, so heat is absorbed from the outside air and brought inside, where it provides warmth to living areas.
Transferring heat uses significantly less energy than creating it, which is a big reason why mini splits are so efficient.
Their low operation costs and eco-friendly technology contribute to their growing popularity.
We are often asked whether you need a permit to install a mini-split. We’ve written an article to provide the answer and included requirements for five key states.
Popular Mini-Split Brands
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi is a major manufacturer of mini splits and is a popular choice for installs in the United States.
The company is known for its quiet units, some of which operate at noise levels as low as 19 decibels, equivalent to someone whispering.
Mitsubishi continues to innovate by introducing a dual barrier coating in its mini-split units to minimize the buildup of dust, oil, and other airborne particles that would otherwise reduce their efficiency over time.
Another innovation from Mitsubishi is the 3D i-See Sensor, which uses infrared sensors to detect any hot or cold areas in the room and direct air toward them accordingly.
It can even tell if nobody is in the room and shut off the unit to save energy.
One of the criticisms of Mitsubishi, which you can read about on sites like Trustpilot, is the quality of after-sales care, which seems to have some issues.
There are reports of difficulties getting replacement parts and premature breakdowns, and the cost of servicing seems steep.
Some of the reported issues could be due to improper installation. If you have your mini split installed professionally, your HVAC contractor will take care of sourcing replacement parts and completing warranty forms.
Note from an HVAC professional: I have never had a problem finding parts for Mitsubishi mini splits. The majority of customers are overwhelmingly happy with them.
Most reputable HVAC parts dealers do not sell to unlicensed homeowners, so that could be the source of the complaints online. I’ve never not been able to get parts through my dealer.
Mitsubishi offers a five-year parts warranty and a seven-year compressor warranty, the minimum you should expect from one of the big three brands. This increases to ten years with product registration and 12 years if a Diamond Contractor installs the system.
Daikin
Daikin is another Japanese company with an extensive range of air conditioning systems and mini-split heat products.
Daikin has a solid reputation for its technology, having developed its own inverter-driven compressors in the early 2000s.
Inverter-driven compressors are much more efficient because they can operate at variable speeds. This system is an upgrade of simply switching on and off to control the rate at which refrigerant is pumped around the mini split system.
All major mini-split manufacturers use this technology in their systems.
Daikin prides itself on the high quality of its products and the strict quality controls in its manufacturing process.
This is reflected in the warranties it offers on its units. They are some of the most extended warranty periods in the business, with up to 12 years on many components and even lifetime warranties on certain parts, like heat exchangers.
Daikin gets some good reviews online and actively monitors Trustpilot because it has responded to reviews left by customers (both good and bad). So, if there is an issue, it seems to follow up promptly and resolve it.
Fujitsu
Fujitsu is yet another Japanese company.
Its ductless mini-split range builds on 40 years of experience in the HVAC space, and the company prides itself on the reliability of its systems, boasting a 99.99% product performance rate.
The Fujitsu website has quite a bit of information available for you to look at. It has everything from available rebates, an efficiency calculator, case studies, videos, and a simple way to find a local Fujitsu general contractor.
The company offers a full range of air handler options, including wall-mounted, ceiling cassettes, and floor units. There is also a choice of controllers for each air handler, from wireless remotes to wired options.
Surprisingly, Fujitsu only offers a six-year compressor warranty and a two-year parts warranty on some of its current Fujitsu General Halcyon systems.
However, for systems installed after June 2015, a ten-year parts and compressor warranty is available with product registration, which is extended to 12 years if an Elite Contractor does the installation.
Mitsubishi, Daiken, and Fujitsu are the big three contenders for residential mini-splits in the U.S. As an HVAC professional, I recommend choosing one of them.
I install Fujitsu but I have serviced all three brands and have had good experiences with them all. The indoor handlers can be a little tricky to work on due to a lack of space but these three brands have proven to be reliable.
Gree
Gree is a Chinese manufacturer.
The company was established in 1989 but has quickly grown to become one of the largest manufacturers of air conditioners in the world, with its mini-split range growing in popularity every year.
Some people have voiced concerns about going with a Chinese manufacturer because they have heard that units from China are not as reliable as those bought elsewhere. While this can be a concern for unbranded or unheard-of brands, this is definitely not the case with Gree.
Gree is the most reviewed mini-split manufacturer on the Home Depot website and scores on average just over 3 out of 5 stars in those reviews, placing it solidly in the middle of the field regarding customer satisfaction.
Gree is not to be outdone in terms of high efficiency or performance either, offering units with SEER ratings of 38 and HSPF of 15, capable of providing reliable heat down to external temperatures of -22°F.
That puts them in the same league as any of the top manufacturers.
Gree mini-splits are backed by a standard five-year parts warranty and seven years for the compressor. If you use a select dealer, this rises to 10 years. Not bad at all.
Gree also makes quite a few commercial models for specialty areas, like server rooms.
LG
LG is well-positioned as a solid mid-range brand in the mini-split market.
LG has made some exciting innovations. For example, in India, it started selling units that repelled mosquitos using ultrasonic waves that humans can’t hear, but mosquitos cannot stand.
LG’s inverter technology provides an efficient way to apply consistent zoned heating and cooling in your home.
It offers peace and relaxation, with the inverter quietly ramping up or down as required without the compressor’s sudden interruption.
Pairing your system with the LG ThinQ app couldn’t be simpler, and allows you to control your LG mini-split easily from anywhere via your smartphone.
The warranties available on LG units are good, too. It’s possible to get up to a 12-year warranty if your system is from an LG Pro Dealer.
eComfort.com (not an affiliate link) has an easy-to-use and fast website to browse LG mini split systems.
Carrier
Carrier is the first brand on our list to be made in the U.S. Carrier is a common brand for forced-air furnaces and central AC units.
Carrier offers mini-splits in three categories: standard, enhanced, and premium.
The premium units are called “Infinity” and are highly efficient, providing cooling at up to 42 SEER and heating with an HSPF rating of up to 15.
All units operate at a relatively quiet 27 decibels, and the “Infinity” and mid-range “Performance” series both offer a “Follow Me” feature that senses the temperature at the remote control.
Carrier’s warranty period is seven years on all parts and is not transferrable to subsequent owners. You’ll get a ten-year warranty if you are the original owner and register your product within 90 days.
Carrier doesn’t sell really online much (they prefer local dealers and HVAC companies), but their sister brand AirQuest (made by Carrier) is pretty much the same thing at a lower price.
Still, it should be noted that you could void the warranty by doing the install yourself. Most manufacturers require a licensed HVAC installer to do the work.
HVACDirect.com sells the AirQuest brand, and you can check out their full lineup here.
Bosch
The German company Robert Bosch GmbH is more commonly known by the shortened moniker “Bosch” and is a well-known company worldwide.
Bosch is a popular brand of tools in the US, but they also make mini splits.
Bosch benefits from an excellent reputation as a brand, and its mini-split is among the most expensive on the market.
Although it is on the more expensive end of the mini-split market, it gets some of the best reviews from customers online.
Its Ultra-Quiet 12K BTU system gets 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and Bosch has the third-highest review rating on Home Depot’s site across all its units.
Bosch provides a seven-year warranty on its compressors and five-year warranties on all other parts. That’s good but not amazing, especially compared to Daikin and Fujitsu, who both offer up to 12 years.
Pioneer
Pioneer is based in Florida and was founded in 1995. It is one of the US’s largest suppliers of ductless mini-splits and multi-split systems and ships systems to countries worldwide.
Pioneer operates a direct-to-consumer model, selling units made in its factory via its website. As a result, it offers good value on its models, which are at the cheaper end of the price spectrum.
Many of these units come with Energy Star ratings, indicating good energy savings, but you won’t find exceptionally high SEER or HSPF models in their range.
One drawback of many of these heat pump models is that their heating performance falls off at lower temperatures. If you live in the frozen north, you might want to think twice before using a Pioneer.
The biggest downside of Pioneer mini-splits is, however, the warranty. These units only come with a basic one-year warranty, the shortest warranty period we’ve come across.
If properly registered, the warranty period increases to five years, but even that is far from impressive.
Mr. Cool
Mr. Cool is worthy of note because it is the only brand on this list that manufactures a DIY-friendly mini-split. And apparently, it works on Mars!
The Mr. Cool website is very informative, and the YouTube channel is quite entertaining, but how do its mini-splits perform?
According to the user reviews on Home Depot’s website, they perform well. Mr. Cool has a user review rating of over 3 out of 5 stars, which is good.
The Mr. Cool warranty is for five years on all parts and seven years on the compressor, with just one year for the remote-control unit.
The parts warranty is only for the original registered owner and cannot be transferred to subsequent owners.
The DIY mini-split has complete instructions and does not require special installation tools. It also comes with an easy-to-use installation kit.
The 4th Generation E Star DIY model includes all the features you might expect. It has an Energy Star rating for certified efficiency, a “follow-me” function that measures the temperature at the remote, and louver position memory.
All in all, Mr. Cool is a good choice and almost your only DIY installation option (with Klimaire being the only other brand offering a DIY-friendly unit).
Mr. Cool fully embraces the eCommerce model, with many great online retailers selling their line of mini splits.
Other Mini-Split Heat Pump Brands to Consider Include:
Panasonic
Panasonic is widely known for its consumer electronics like phones, printers, and security systems. The company also offers multi-zone ductless and single-split heat pumps.
The difference between these units is that while a multi-zone option allows you to use a single compressor to control more than one indoor unit, its single-split counterpart allows you to operate one outdoor unit for one indoor unit.
Panasonic is highly dedicated to innovation and improvement. Therefore, most of its heat pumps are in line with modern technology.
RUUD
RUUD ductless mini-split heat pumps are incredibly quiet and more efficient. Therefore, you can use them for both small and large rooms.
The company has excellent warranties for parts and compressors, making it an ideal choice for those who want a long-lasting solution.
For an even better experience with the warranty, you should consider hiring a certified agency for installation.