Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Let me start by saying we purchased two of these units (12k and 8k BTU) as a temporary AC solution while we get ready to upgrade our furnace and install a heat pump, so I’m a little more forgiving of the flaws here. The Bad - Other reviewers mentioned the installation process; it’s not as easy as the videos make it look. Budget an hour at least to get everything right. - The bracket which holds the unit is resting on the edge of my screen frame rather than across the top of the track. NBD but it will leave a mark. - The front of the bracket leaves a gap where air can get in. I covered it with the included insulation tape. - The front of the bracket is full of adjustment holes and is ugly compared to an other sleek unit. - The anti-tip L-shaped arms and the extendable window track arms did not fit my window; my units sit slightly forward because I had to leave clearance for the lift bar on the bottom edge of the window. As a result, both units are resting on their brackets and held in place by the window resting in the U. - WiFi setup with the Midea Air app was easy enough, but I still can’t get it to work with Alexa. Given that the Alexa app is pretty awful (c’mon Amazon invest more here) I can’t tell whose fault it is. - Styrofoam. It’s 2020 and the world is burning. Find a different packing material. What’s Good - It’s gorgeous. Probably the reason you’re looking at it. I’ve never had an AC unit that looked like an Apple product. - The U design does what it promises: it keeps the noisy part outside and the stylish part inside. - The included foam can be configured in a million ways; 100x better than the accordion flaps that come with any other window AC unit. If you spend some time playing with the foam and cutting it to fit your windows, it really does block out air & heat. - It blows cold air (duh). Two units effectively cool the main floor of our home (750ft). - The louver moves up and down to circulate said cold air. - The inverter spools the compressor up and down vs off/on which cuts down on noise & energy use. - The app works pretty well; one less remote lying around! - The design lets in a lot more light than normal units - and yes, you can open the window easily. - Tabs inside the U extend to keep people from opening your window; clever girl. - It’s quiet! Oh my god is it quiet!!!!! About as loud as the cylindrical tower fan you probably have in your home right now. Other Notes - The cord is on the right side of the unit when you’re looking at it from inside. Plan accordingly. - Upon first startup, both of our units rattled for 5-10 minutes. I thought I’d installed it incorrectly, but it went away as the machine warmed up. - Weight is distributed towards the rear of the unit so when you pick it up, it wants to fall away from you. Save your back; have a friend/partner help you. Vs Competition - LG has a handful of high end ($600+) window AC units that have inverters, smart features, and sharp design. They’re fantastic, but for the price & design innovation, the Mideas can’t be beat. Some of the LGs were also too large for our windows (we live in an old home). - Soleus makes a saddle AC unit which is basically the Midea upside down. This was really compelling because it lets in more light and installation would have been easier (there’s no bracket). However, it’s more expensive, has less BTUs, no inverter, no app/Alexa integration, and the industrial design is... severe. If I’m going to be staring at the thing it might as well look like it wasn’t manufactured in 1986. - GE/Frigidaire/Toshiba make great units that we considered, but all were noisier and did not include smart features or inverters. - Portable R2D2 style units are noisier, less efficient, and the exhaust hose gets warm *inside* your home. I’ve had two of these; never again. - Mini splits are a viable alternative, but in my area (Seattle) start at $3000+ for professional installation and $1200+ for DIY kits. And then I have a white box permanently hanging off my wall. - Heat pumps/central air will run $7000-15000 to remove the old furnace & air handler, update some of the ducting to lower profile ducts, install a concrete pad, install a new air handler, and install the heat pump itself. Gotta save up for something that major! Bottom Line This should probably be a 4 star review because the bracket installation was a royal pain and didn’t match the rest of the AC unit’s sleek appearance. But I’m letting it slide because for $800, we got two AC units that cool the entire floor, look great, let in more light than normal, can be controlled from our phones, and are whisper quiet.