Midea 12,000 BTU Smart Inverter Air Conditioner Window Unit with Heat and Dehumidifier – Cools up to 550 Sq. Ft., Energy Star Rated, Quiet Operation, Electronic Controls, Remote Control, White

This is not the top-rated U-shaped Midea model, which is in low supply, one of which I bought in 2023. (So I now have both the U-shaped and the traditionally shaped 12,000 BTU Midea AC window units.) Background: 2 years ago I installed the U-shaped model in the kitchen of our 1910 Sears & Roebuck kit house, a fixer upper, while we lived on just the first floor (600 sqft), and it kept the entire first floor ~72 or cooler (depending on setting) nearly all the time. May have been a day or two it struggled to keep up, but we felt no need for a second unit for the 1st floor. It was SUPER quiet; as quiet as the fridge or ceiling fan, unless cranked up, and most of the sound was the fan. So the U-shaped model was what I wanted for the second floor, but couldn't find it anywhere (within $300 of what I paid before). We finally moved into the second floor bedrooms (last fall), so (mid May) we bought this traditional window box unit (not U-shape), but same capacity hoping to similarly service the 600 sqft second floor. (Yes the second floor was carefully reinsulated during the re-do, and it has efficient vinyl clad windows and thermal blinds. Only about 16' of insulation above ceiling, will see if we need more for summer, but it was fine for winter.) This unit included the heat inverter for heating at temps >41 degrees. It WAS significantly simpler & easier to install than the U-shape as there was no need for an external bracket and bracing, and less complex weather stripping. In retrospect, this model may have been better for the second floor since we could easily do the entire installation from the inside of the house. Took a second pair of hands for the 30 seconds of setting the unit in place in the opening (I'm 71). While this 12,000 BTU unit is perhaps not quite as quiet as the U-shaped 12,000 unit, it is comfortably quiet. We still haven't hit the peak heat of summer, but it seems as though it will keep the entire upstairs sleep-ably cool at night at least so long as the doors are left open. For now it cools fine in the heat of the day up to mid 80's and perhaps more (it hasn't yet exceeded 86 outside). We installed the unit in the SSE facing largest room, and it kicks on about when I wake and morning sun starts to warm my room, and during the day is keeping the upstairs from ever getting within 15 degrees of the daytime summer temps upstairs the past two summers. The heat inverter was nice to use without turning on the furnace for a few nights this past week where it dropped from 80's back to 40's in Madison WI. You many want to supplement the adhesive weather stripping for the two slide out panels, where they abut the inside of the window opening and leave a fine crack (I haven't yet sealed it; the crack is too fine for insects so far), and at a couple places under the unit that did need the provided weather-stripping. I think this is a good buy, assuming it endures. These two units (<$1000 total, 2 hours installation total) appear to suffice in place of the 3 quotes of $10,000 - $15,000 for contractor installed central air in this old radiant hot water heated house with no prior air duct engineering. (Can send my kid to school another year instead!)

After central heating and air went completely out of service last summer, I have been forced to look for alternatives because replacing the outrageously expensive central A/C is financially impossible at the moment. So, I have bought Frigidaire, Soleus and now Midea window heat pumps/AC to match or exceed BTU rating of broken central unit. The Frigidaire is the normal (non-inverter) style compressor heat pump. Works FANTASTIC even in sub-zero temps with defrost cycles but is really loud. The Soleus is an inverter heat pump and VERY quiet. It also works extremely well in very cold temps with excellent defrost function. The Midea is extremely quiet would be easily the best of all three but for one fatal flaw. No defrost cycle. It will not work below 41 degrees F outside. If your outside temps never go below 41 degrees overnight in the winter, you may not need a heater at all. This unit would be perfect and by FAR the best window heater/AC on the market if it could only defrost. What were they thinking? They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory here. Update: Sometime this winter Midea did a software update on this unit over WiFi since I have connected to the internet. They MUST have installed a defrost cycle. Because one day it just started defrosting when it was FAR below 40 degrees F. It formerly would give a low temp error code. This means it was software limited to not operate below 40. But now, it worked great even in the mid 20 degree F nights I had this winter. So, I bought another one while I could. Update#2. I did get another one as stated above. The newer one has different firmware, that I cannot update/change from the app for some reason, than the other one and DOES NOT work as well when it goes below 40 degrees F. So it is definitely something about the firmware involved. I have two identical units in the same house with different firmware and one continues working and defrosting LONG after the other shuts down and shows "Lo" error code.