Can a “quiet” air conditioner keep a room cool and comfortable? To find out, I put Midea’s U-shaped air conditioner to the test.
The main disadvantages of window air conditioners are their noise level, unsafe installation and the inability to open the window to breathe fresh air until the unit has been removed. Traditionally designed window air conditioners sacrifice functionality and drastically increase noise for the sake of keeping a room cool. What if there was an air conditioner designed to eliminate these problems, minimizing noise, maintaining safety and even allowing the window to be opened?
Midea’s U-shaped air conditioner aims to be that air conditioner.
Midea is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of home appliances. Its products are sold in more than 195 countries and include options for kitchen, laundry and whole-home applications. Midea’s U.S. operations are headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, with research and development and emerging technology centers in Kentucky and California, respectively. Midea’s mission is “to deliver amazing, easy-to-use solutions to those who cherish the little moments in the home.”
Has Midea achieved this mission with its U-shaped air conditioner?
With a unique design, special brackets and plenty of power, it seems like an ideal solution for homeowners who don’t have central air. But how good is this window air conditioner? I’ve put this 12,000 BTU unit to the test, installing, programming and using it for several weeks to find out. Read on to find out if the Midea U-shaped air conditioner is as easy to use as Midea claims.
Midea U-Shaped Air Conditioner: At a Glance
Rating: 9.4/10
PROS
- Split design keeps the unit’s noisiest part outside the window while keeping the space inside cool
- Versatile control options, including a touch panel, remote, app, and voice assistant
- Brackets and design make for the most secure window AC unit installation I’ve seen
CONS
- The brackets and heft of this AC unit do make installation a bit of a chore
What is Midea U-shaped air conditioner?
The Midea U-shaped air conditioner is a window air conditioner specially designed to keep the unit’s noisy components outside and the cool air inside. When installed, its U-shaped body allows the window to close almost completely, placing the noisy part of the compressor outside and the fan and controls inside. This design significantly reduces the operating noise of U-shaped air conditioners, and this is the main difference between the Midea and traditional window air conditioners.
The Midea is a 12,000 BTU model designed for rooms up to 550 square feet. It features remote control, Wi-Fi connectivity and voice assistant compatibility. Its window bracket enhances security and makes it easy to install this large window unit. It also comes with a variety of foam pieces of different densities designed to further block noise while preventing the elements from entering through gaps around the window.
Once installed, the Midea 12,000 BTU unit is capable of operating at noise levels as low as 42 decibels. According to Midea, this is only 2 decibels more than the noise level of an average library.
How easy is it to install the Midea U-shaped air conditioner?
The catch is that installing this Midea air conditioner takes a bit of time. It’s quite large and quite heavy, weighing in at just under 59 pounds. But it’s the bracket installation process that takes the most time. First, you have to match the bracket to the width of the window (the kit comes with two different arm lengths for different window sizes). Next, you need to place the bracket legs against the house and make sure they are properly aligned before screwing the bracket to the window jamb.
Once the bracket is installed, it is time to position the unit and secure it using two offset brackets. Next, slide two retaining arms into the slots in the window jamb. This creates a very secure installation that cannot be easily pushed or removed. The retaining bracket, combined with an almost completely closed window, makes this the most secure window air conditioner installation I have ever done.
The final step is to cut pieces of foam to size and place them under the window frame on both sides of the air conditioner. Fortunately, there is plenty of foam in the kit for this step, so all it takes is a little time and patience.
How easy is it to use the air conditioner in U Midea?
There are four main methods for operating and adjusting the air conditioner in U Midea: the control panel, the remote control, the app, and voice control. Each method is easy to set up and use.
Using the control panel is very simple. It has rubber buttons that produce a soft tactile “click” when pressed. Unlike other models whose plastic buttons break or have no buttons at all (and therefore no “click”), this device is easy to set up and adjust.
The remote control is just as easy to use. It has a digital display that mimics the display on the unit itself, which means you don’t even need to see the air conditioner to make adjustments. Most other units have remote controls with simple buttons, which means you have to be able to see the air conditioner’s display to know what it’s doing.
The app is perhaps the easiest control method to use. Compatible with iOS or Android, it allows you to create different programs and timers, adjust the temperature, regulate speeds, and much more. You can also connect the Midea to a digital voice assistant through the app. It is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, and making adjustments with these assistants is simple.
Is the Midea U air conditioner well designed?
I have found that, hands down, the Midea is the best designed window air conditioner I have ever installed or used. True, it is heavy and the bracket takes a little while to install, but once done, it eliminates any safety concerns the user might have. Since parts of the unit extend on both sides of the partially closed window, it cannot be extended or retracted as easily as standard window air conditioners.
As for the split design, this U-shaped model does a great job of keeping noise out while pumping cool air in. I usually leave it on automatic and can’t hear when it turns on or off unless I’m right next to it. When on the highest setting, I have measured a sound output of about 63 decibels, and on the lowest setting it is quieter than the rest of my house (three dogs and four kids make it hard to measure anything below 50 decibels).
Also, I have tried other window air conditioners in my small office, but they were always too noisy. I now use a Midea 10,000 BTU U-shaped air conditioner because it is the only model quiet enough to run while I am on a conference call.
How does the Midea air conditioner work?
The Midea air conditioner is designed for a 550 square foot room, so it is important to install it in an appropriately sized room. I installed mine in an L-shaped space of about 500 square feet, and this unit had no problem quietly cooling the entire space, even on our hottest 90+ degree Fahrenheit days. It takes about 15 minutes to bring the space temperature down from 75 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but its efficiency fluctuates a bit depending on humidity (it takes a bit longer on especially humid days). It also turns on and off efficiently once the space has reached the set temperature, which helps reduce energy consumption.
The app and voice control of this air conditioner are seamless. The settings are easy to adjust and there is no problem maintaining a Wi-Fi connection. Overall, this air conditioner works incredibly well and is a great solution for a room or space in the 500 square foot range. Unfortunately, the 12,000 BTU unit is the largest U-shaped unit offered by Midea, making it likely to underperform in larger spaces, and there are no larger units using this design yet.
Is the U-shaped Midea air conditioner worth the price?
The Midea’s price is higher than many other 12,000-BTU air conditioners. The question is, is it worth the extra $100 to $200?
I believe this unit is absolutely worth the money for those with the room in their budgets. It’s easily the quietest air conditioner I’ve ever used, and the design is more secure than that of any standard window unit. For me, these things are big deals and worth the upgrade in price.
It’s also hard to overstate how much value the app and voice-control features add. I love being able to adjust the unit with my digital assistant from across the room, but I also appreciate controlling it from my truck or wherever else I may be. With dogs at home, I don’t want the house getting too warm, but I can also remotely turn the unit down since they don’t need temperatures below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Programming and adjusting these settings from anywhere lets me keep my pets safe and comfortable without unnecessarily driving up the energy bill.
Is Midea U-shaped air conditioner right for you?
In my opinion, this unit from Midea is right for almost anyone. It’s powerful, quiet, secure, and easy to use. Unlike many other window air conditioners, it won’t drown out the sound of a TV or make living room conversations impossible. It’s also suitable for a large office where phone and conference calls are the norm.
However, for some people, there are better options than the Midea. Anyone expecting to use this air conditioner as white noise in their bedroom would do better with a louder machine, such as this Hisense 8,000-BTU window air conditioner I reviewed previously. Also, anyone who doesn’t have the physical strength to lift and install a model this big will want to look elsewhere. It is an armful, and lifting the unit into a window takes some strength. For those folks, a rolling portable air conditioner might be a better fit.
For those who want a powerful yet quiet air conditioner with all the technology and frills, the Midea U-shaped air conditioner is a great choice and warrants serious consideration. It’s the quietest and most secure air conditioner I’ve tested, and the technology works seamlessly with my phone and Google Assistant. Sure, it’s a bit heavy, and the brackets take some figuring out, but the result is well worth the effort.
Meet the Tester
Tom Scalisi is a full-time DIY and construction writer for several of the industry’s top websites, including BobVila.com, This Old House, Family Handyman and Forbes. He has extensive experience installing, using and maintaining window air conditioners to cool his 70-year-old home without central air.
