Best Split AC Reviews 2018

Hot weather outside but a cool atmosphere indoors is the perfect ambience you need to take a nap, watch a movie, or even get on with work. We understand that it’s such a task choosing the best split AC for your home and space, so we took the time to research some of the best split ACs and have narrowed them down to these five, which we believe have a good number of features and specifications you may find important. Other options are available from these brands which you can also check out.

Overview

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Coverage

BTU rating

SEER rating

Capacity

Size/Weight

Our Top Choice

Senville Leto Series Mini Split AC

For more than twenty years, Senville has been manufacturing and distributing high-quality and reliable air conditioners, worldwide.

This split air conditioner is very quiet which is why it can be used in any room you desire. It’s also reliable and cools a room within a short time.

However, there have been reports of the instructions being hard to understand.

Up to 400 square feet

24000

15 SEER

2 ton

33.3 x 12.6 x 27.6 inches; 28 lbs

Best Value

Pioneer Air Conditioner Mini Split AC

Pioneer Air Conditioner manufactures and markets one of the best-selling lines of different types of air conditioners.

This air conditioning unit is easy to install and its inverter technology is quite efficient.

However, its heating system is not very effective.

Up to 650 square feet

12000

15 SEER

1 ton

31.5 x 7.4 x 11.6 inches; 19 lbs

MRCOOL 2nd Gen DIY Split AC

MRCOOL is a company that combines style and quality in all its products. Its machines are all highly reliable and unique.

This unit is easy to install, cools very quickly at any room temperature, and has an automatic restart setting which enables the air conditioner to continue working after a power failure.

Fortunately, there are no cons reported yet.

Up to 1500 square feet

36000

16 SEER

1 ton

37.2 x 16.5 x 31.9 inches

KINGSFIN 15 SEER Split AC

KINGSFIN is well-known for producing highly innovative air conditioners and home appliances that are known to be durable and reliable.

This unit is quiet and reliable. It cools a room fast and keeps you dry even in humid temperatures.

There are no cons reported yet.

Up to 400 square feet

12000

15 SEER

1 ton

Info not provided

Innova Mini Split AC System

For many years, Innova has been selling top-class mini split ACs made by highly skilled engineers.

This air conditioning unit is quiet and works quite well. It cools a room in a very short amount of time and keeps you dry at any temperature.

There has been no con reported yet.

Up to 300 square feet

9000

15 SEER

1 ton

26.7 x 10 x 7 inches

(Updated April 24, 2017)

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How Do I Choose the Best Split AC?

Every year comes with its hottest seasons, and in these seasons one is faced with the decision of how best to cool his/her home. Apparently, having air conditioners in your home is usually the best option for doing this. The challenge always lies in deciding what kind of air conditioner to go for; whether portable air conditioners, spilt unit air conditioners, window unit air conditioners, or even central air conditioning systems. Your choice is largely dependent on the size of your home or office space. However, for the sake of this review, we will concentrate on the split air conditioners.

First thing to note is that there are four types of split AC units, namely:

Wall mounted: These are the most common types of units. The indoor unit is hung on a wall inside the room, while a duct is passed out to the outdoor unit. It serves to cool small rooms easily and evenly.
Floor mounted: These are also known as vertical or tower AC units. These units stand alone and are not hung on the wall. They are usually higher in efficiency to cool larger rooms, and are not so popularly used in homes.
Ceiling mounted: Also known as concealed AC or cassette-type split AC. They are mounted on the ceiling or other parts, except the vents are covered with a false ceiling. They are good for aesthetics, giving your home a beautiful look.
Multi split AC: These are multiple indoor units connected to one outdoor unit. You have the option of using the indoor units separately or using them all at the same time. Only bear in mind that the number of indoor units used impacts on the efficiency of the air conditioner.

There are different factors to put into consideration before choosing the best split air conditioner for your home and space. You may need to consider whether you need to get a humidifier along with your air conditioner since the hot seasons are usually dry. We’ll be looking at these different factors in the next sections, and we believe that at the end of this review you’ll know what to look out for while choosing your split AC.

Price

Oftentimes, you find that people place price as the chief determining factor for choosing a product. When they get to online shops, they usually filter their search with prices ranging from low to high. They would go for the cheapest product on the list. The problem with this is that most times, they end up with a low-quality product that doesn’t last, making them spend more money on repairs or replacement. With this, it’s certain that price should not be the only determinant for your product choice.

When considering your choice of a split AC, there are different factors that affect the pricing, ranging from efficiency to tonnage and type. For instance, if you see a floor-mounted split AC that’s cheaper than its wall-mounted counterpart, it’s a red flag that something had to give for you to get it at that cheaper price.

While conducting our research for this review, we discovered a wide price range of split ACs from as low as $132 to as high as $3500; that’s a big margin in-between. We have selected the not-too-expensive but feature-laden split ACs for this review; those we know will deliver real value for every dollar spent.

Features

The convenience and functionality of your split AC is dependent on the features the AC presents. Good knowledge of the features will save you a lot of time, energy, and resources because you won’t need to try your luck on units that will fail or break down quickly. Here are some of the major features to look out for before making your choice:

Energy efficiency: You need to look out for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating
Capacity: The floor size of your room determines the capacity of the split AC you should go for
Cooling speed: You need to know how long it will take for the AC to cool your space
Multifunctionality: Does your split AC perform other functions such as dehumidifying and heating?
BTU: This helps to determine whether an AC can cool your coverage area
Condensing coil material: Is it aluminum or copper?
Weather resistance: You don’t need to cover your units during rain or snow, so you should ensure your outdoor unit is weather-resistant
Zones: This is dependent on how many rooms you want your AC to cool
Noise: For your convenience, you need to know the noise level of your AC. Most split ACs are considerably quiet, though
Automatic modes: In case of power failure, does your AC power on by itself and operate on the same settings before the power cut?
Compressor types: There are two types of compressors; the inverter and the rotary types

Keep these features in mind while we consider details of what makes a split AC a perfect buy for you.

Construction and Design

There are some factors to consider in the way a split AC has been designed. One of such factors is the material of the condensing coil in the outdoor unit. These coils are either made of aluminum or copper. The aluminum variants are cheaper, but may give you issues in the future since it cannot be repaired if it leaks. But the copper variant is lasts longer and easy to maintain, and it also has good heat transfer features.

Another factor is the type of compressor your AC has. The rotary compressors turn on and off during operation in order not to exceed or go below the temperature you want it. The inverter compressors expend enough power to attain the set temperature and just idle on till more power is required. Having this in mind helps you determine how best to conserve energy.

If you want your AC to cool multiple rooms, you need to go for a multi-zoned split AC. A single-zone split AC will cool 1 room while a double-zone split AC will cool 2 rooms. You can have as many as 4 zones with 4 different indoor units to cool 4 different rooms.

Performance and Ease of Use

What is the use of a split AC that doesn’t perform at its maximum, because the AC has been bought to cool a room with a floor size higher than its power? This is where your BTU rating and capacity come into play. BTU is the measure of the amount of heat an air conditioner can extract from a room over a period, which is dependent on the floor size of the space the AC is to cover. A room of about 150 to 250 square feet will require an AC of about 6000 BTUs while a room of 350 to 400 square feet will need an AC with about 9000 BTUs.

Split ACs are efficient for cooling your home, but this efficiency is dependent on the Seasonal Energy Efficient Ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER of your unit, the more efficient it will be. Energy-star rated split ACs will reduce your energy bill, so it’s preferable to go for products that are already Energy-star rated. They may come off as more expensive when buying them, but eventually they save you cost by lowering your electricity bill.

A multifunctional split AC unit saves you space and cost. Many ACs now have other functions such as dehumidification, a sleep mode function (which adjusts temperatures at night), and heating. Check what you have and need to decide if you need these extras.

What is the Best Split AC?

Have you checked all your features boxes yet? Have you noted the features that are priority for you, which you can’t compromise? Armed with that information, let us now look at these split ACs and see if you find one or two that match your checked boxes.

Our Top Choice

The Senville Leto Series Mini Split AC is an advanced split air conditioner. It has a built-in dehumidifier which monitors humidity levels without changing the room temperature, and a low noise airflow system. For another equally good and efficient split air conditioner, check out the Senville SENA-24HF-Z 24000 BTU 20 SEER Split Air Conditioner with DC Inverter Technology.

Senville Leto Series 15-SEER Mini Split Ductless Air Conditioner & Heat Pump – Available in 4 Styles

Senville Split AC SENL-18CD – 18000 BTU

Features

Senville has twenty years’ industry experience with a lot of confidence in its products, and this confidence is matched by its ever-growing positive customer reviews. Senville machines are machines that simply get the job done. They are reliable and efficient, and are made with highly creative and distinguished designs. All its machines have a 7-year warranty.

The Senville Leto Series Mini Split AC (Selling for $1049.99 - Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is an air conditioner that’s twenty percent more efficient than conventional air conditioners. It’s an affordable solution for quality air conditioning and heating, and is a low ambient air conditioning kit which means that it can heat or cool your room at temperatures as low as -5F. It’s easy to install and comes with an installation kit.

Its whisper technology makes hardly any noise, making it perfect for use just about anywhere. It also has built-in dehumidification which helps to reduce humidity levels without changing the room temperature. This Split AC is available in four sizes, so you can choose which is best for you from 9,000, 12,000, 18,000 or 24,000 BTU’s. If you’ve only got a small space to cool, then perhaps a smaller unit will suffice, if you’re planning to cool down a large, open room, then you might want to opt for the 24,000 BTU option. The choice is yours!

Here are some more split air conditioners by Senville:

Senville SENA 36-MO-218 Dual Zone Split Air Conditioner and Heat Pump- It’s made with DC Inverter Technology
Senville 27000 BTU Multi Zone Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner- It has inverter technology which saves energy
18000 Ductless Split Air Conditioner- Variable speed compressor that saves electricity and produces less sound

Senville still has many other split air conditioners you can check out if you don’t like this one.

Best Value

The Pioneer Air Conditioner Mini Split AC has a large operating power system, a voltage of 110-120 VAC, and a frequency of 60 Hertz. It also comes with an auto reset function in case there is temporary power failure. If you would like an older model of the one featured, check out the Pioneer Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner, Heat Pump, 12000 BTU which includes an easy installation kit.

Pioneer Air Conditioner Inverter+ Ductless Wall Mount Mini Split Air Conditioner & Heat Pump Full Set – Available in 8 Sizes

Pioneer Air Conditioner Split AC WYS012AMFI17RL - 12000 BTU 115V

Features

For many years, Pioneer Air Conditioner has been making top-quality air conditioners which we use every day in our homes and offices. Its team is comprised of the most professional engineers who work hard each day to make all its products as effective and efficient as possible. Customer satisfaction is so important to this company that it’s no surprise they’re growing quickly.

The Pioneer Air Conditioner Mini Split AC (Selling for $715.00 - Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is a split air conditioner that has an ultra-high efficiency inverter. It also has a ductless mini split heat pump system which is why it’s so efficient. The particular featured product has a cooling and heating capacity of 12,000 BTU/H and a voltage of 110-120 VAC. However, there are a huge seven other sizes/power options available, so whatever your requirements, Pioneer will probably have the Split AC for you.

This air conditioner has a night mode function which automatically adjusts temperature settings to the level the body temperature changes to at night. An automatic switchover function allows the machine to be automatically operated, and the auto reset function allows the AC to keep running the same when a power failure occurs.

Here are more split air conditioners from Pioneer Air Conditioner you may want to see:

Pioneer Ductless Wall Mount Multi Split Invertir Air Conditioner with Heat Pump- It has a cooling and heating capacity of 30,000 BTU/H
Pioneer Air Conditioner Inverter++ Ductless Wall Mount Multi Split System Air Conditioner & Heat Pump Full Set- It’s an ultra-high efficiency inverter
Pioneer Concealed Duct Mini Split Inverter Air Conditioner with Heat Pump- It uses 208-230 VAC power and has a 16-foot line set

Pioneer Air Conditioner has many other split AC’s that you may want to see.

The MRCOOL 2nd Gen DIY Split AC is an advanced AC with a variable speed compressor. It comes with precharged line sets which makes it very easy to set up, unlike other conventional air conditioners. If you want a more affordable and less powerful split air conditioner, we recommend MRCOOL DIY 12K BTU 17.5 SEER Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump w\/ WiFi.

MRCOOL 16-SEER Ductless Mini Split AC Heat Pump with WiFi

MRCOOL Split AC DIY-36-C-HP-230A, DIY-36-WMAH-HP-230A

Features

For many years, MRCOOL has been creating a wide range of air conditioners, all of them having different features to meet the different needs of people. Its products are unique and modern with innovative features that make them reliable, effective, and easy to use. If you’re looking for quality, MRCOOL is your go-to brand.

The MRCOOL 2nd Gen DIY Split AC (Selling for $2389.00 - Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is an efficient split air conditioner with a lot of special features. It automatically restarts in case you have a temporary power outage. For precaution purposes, it has a leakage detection sensor and alarm which prevents any damage to your compressor and maintains comfort. It also has a louver position memory which means that the louvers will move back to the position it was set on the last time the AC was turned off. This unit can be controlled from anywhere if you have Wi-Fi connection on your gadgets and it has easy DIY installation with no special tools or equipment required.

Here are other split air conditioners from MRCOOL:

MRCOOL Avantage 18k BTU 17.7 SEER Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump with 16-foot Install Kit- It has gold fin anticorrosion and louvre position memory
MRCOOL Olympus 27K BTU 2-zone Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump 9K+ 12K with 25inch linesets- It has a sleep-mode and louver position memory
MRCOOL Olympus 36K BTU 3-Zone Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump 9K+9K+12KWITH 25 inch linesets- It has a 7-year compressor warranty

MRCOOL has many other split air conditioners you can check out if this isn’t what you were looking for.

The KINGSFIN 15 SEER Split AC is a durable AC that’s made with ECO energy-saving technology. Its noise level can be reduced up to 21db and has an auto-protection LED display. If you want a split AC for a room that’s not so large, we recommend the KINGSFIN 9000BTU Mini Split Ductless AC Air Conditioner with advanced, full 55D DC Inverter Technology.

KINGSFIN 12000 BTU Complete System Mini Split Ductless Air Conditioner and Heat Pump

KINGSFIN Split AC 12000 BTU,115V/ 50 Hz

Features

KINGSFIN is a company that’s passionate about providing the best quality environment-friendly solutions to your heating, cooling, and other home appliance needs. It takes special care of both its customers and employees and strives to raise the bar by providing highly efficient products that are also affordable.

The KINGSFIN 15 SEER Split AC (Selling for $669.99 - Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is an advanced unit with an elegant and clean design. It has a built-in dehumidifier which monitors humidity levels and helps keep you dry even in humid weather. It also has a timer mode which equips it with the 24/12h timing on or off function. It has an automatic restart setting which means when there is a temporary power failure, the air conditioner is restarted to run the same way it was before the power failure. Here are some of its other features:

It has a LED display light
Its noise level can be reduced up to 21db which makes it very quiet
It has an auto-protection function which means when errors are detected, it’s displayed by the LED
It has chord music as an on/off sound which is very pleasant
When it’s in heating mode, the fan-speed is controlled by the evaporator temperature which helps prevent cold backing
12,000 BTU’s should be sufficient for cooling the average sized room
It has a 10-hour automatic power-off which is set up to save power and protect the environment

KINGSFIN has some other split air conditioners you can check out if you want more options.

The Innova Mini Split AC System is an ultra-quiet energy-efficient air conditioner that can be installed very easily. It comes with a built-in dehumidifier and pre-charged with eco-friendly refrigerant. If you want something even more powerful, see the 12,000 BTU Innova Ductless Mini-split Air Conditioner which includes a 16-foot copper line set and installation manual.

Innova 9000 BTU Inverter Ductless Ultra Quiet Mini Split Air Conditioner with Refrigerant & Installation Accessories Included

Innova Split AC MS11D-09HRDN1-BN10W

Features

For many years, Innova has been making the good quality split air conditioners which we use in our homes and offices to greatly improve the quality of life. Its team is made up of very professional engineers who do all they can to ensure a great cooling or heating experience. Its products are simply well-crafted and this accounts for their durability. Innova’s major goal is to achieve maximum customer satisfaction.

The Innova Mini Split AC System (Selling for $570.00 - Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is an effective air conditioning unit with a lot of great features. It’s quiet, efficient, and has a built-in dehumidifier. It’s pre-charged with eco-friendly refrigerant, and is made to save power in many ways. With 9,000 BTU’s, it is a small unit, however it should be sufficient for a small space. If you’re looking for quality, then check this out.

For an efficient and eco-friendly split air conditioner, check out the Innova Mini Split AC System.

Get the Best Split AC of 2018!

Finally, you’ve gone through this review and have come to this point; the decision point. We trust that you now have all the information you need to make your split AC choice. Now is the time to make your purchase decision and choose the one that caught your attention the most.

Our Top Choice

Senville Leto Series Mini Split AC

Best Value

Pioneer Air Conditioner Mini Split AC

MRCOOL 2nd Gen DIY Split AC

KINGSFIN 15 SEER Split AC

Innova Mini Split AC System