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verylazyturtle

Ductless Split - LG Art Cool or Mitsubishi Mr. Slim?

VeryLazyTurtle
10 years ago

I need some advice. We're getting an additional ductless split unit for our house for an area where we need some additional cooling. We've got a number of estimates and all have been for units in the 15,000 btu range.

We're down to choosing between an LG Art Cool (LGLAU126) and Mitsubishi Mr. Slim (MSY-GE15NA). They have pretty similar specs as far as I can tell... 11,900 btu vs. 15,000 btu and 18 seer vs 21 seer. The Mitsubishi has a better warranty.

The big difference is price. The LG unit is over $1000 cheaper installed here in Toronto ($3200 vs $4300).

I haven't had a lot of luck finding good unbiased reviews online. There seem to be people who love and hate both units.

Any advice?

Comments (4)

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    I was told that in 2010 LG got a black eye for overstating their efficiency to the Energy Star program.

  • pkguy
    10 years ago

    We replaced our near 18 y.o. Mitsubishi in 2010 with a new Mr. Slim. Haven't got the model # handy but it's the one that runs from about 4400 btu up to 22,000 btu as required. (it's a cooling only model) . It works really well and is very quiet inside. The outside unit is virtually silent making no noise whatsoever so putting it on or near a patio is no problem whatsoever. You can't hear the fan and you can't hear the compressor at all. How they do it I don't know.
    However there are two things I don't like about it and you may want to consider depending on where you place the indoor unit. To clean the filters the front opens upwards like a hatchback and you may need a ladder to get them out and replace. They slide in on a curved rail.. Our old Mitsubishi I could just reach up and they slid straight down . Now it's a chore because our unit is located above the stairwell going upstairs and a ladder is a necessity and a bugger to position in front of the stairway

    It's also needed the blower fan in the indoor unit cleaned each summer because so much dust and dirt accumulated on the vanes that it couldn't get up to top speed.. For some reason the filters just don't filter even though they're installed correctly. Air just seems to get around them from the sides or something.. It costs about $150 to have the tech come and clean that out.
    If I'd known about this at the start I probably would have bought another brand. It cost about $1000 more than the other brands but had a better warranty and that sort of sold me plus the fact that the previous one had lasted so long.. but those filters are a downfall.

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    pkguy, if the filter is letting by dust to the blower, don't the fins get dirty too?

  • pkguy
    10 years ago

    The vanes that sweep up and down and side to side do get somewhat dirty as well. Our house is no more dusty than anyone elses house either.. The last time the guy cleaned the fan off I had him tape (with electrical tape) all around the filters to hold them down tight, it helped a little but I don't know.. dust/dirt still seems to accumulate on the blower wheel .. This never happened on the previous model.