Window ACs are great – they’re quick to set up, easy to maintain, and work well enough to cool down a room. That’s why plenty of people still opt for them even though split ACs are far more efficient and make far less noise, apart from not taking up an entire window in the room. The Midea U eliminates that last variable for window-type ACs by keeping the window it’s installed on functional.
That’s right, you no longer have to eliminate a window in the room to install this window-type inverter AC, as it allows you to continue to open and close the window like normal. No need to install a window-type AC in the summer and remove it as soon as the hot weather dies down – you can keep the darn thing in its spot whether you need air-conditioning or not, all while being able to open a window to let the sun and air in at various times.
The Midea U is able to facilitate its unique function courtesy of a U-shape form factor that separates the compressor from the fan, leaving a big dip between them that allows you to continue raising up and lowering a vertical sliding window to get some natural air into the room. Granted, it only works with vertical sliding windows and you will need to install an additional bracket at the bottom of the window, which will serve as a structure to hold the AC in place, all while serving as the window’s new bottom railing.
Will this compromise window security? According to Midea, it won’t, as the AC itself is designed to lock to the window frame using extendable side arms, preventing it from being raised from the outside, all while coming with an extra window sash lock that you can install for added protection. Suffice to say, no one’s coming through the AC window any time soon.
The Midea U boasts a stronger airflow than traditional window-type units (not sure how it achieves it though), which, the outfit claims, you can feel from up to 20 feet away, apart from being operating much more quietly as the compressor sits completely outside, where it’s being blocked by the window the entire time. This is an inverter AC, by the way, so it should use up less energy than traditional window units, all while being the first product in the category to obtain the Energy Star Most Efficient 2020 certification. No, we doubt it will provide better efficiency than a split-type AC, but if you want the convenience of a window type unit for your home cooling, this definitely does the trick.
According to the outfit, it can install on any window up to 36 inches wide, as that’s the maximum length its side arms will be able to extend, so you should be able to set this up in most rooms in any home. As with many modern devices, it comes with onboard Wi-Fi (no need for AC accessories), allowing it to be controlled from both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can have the AC turn on by simply issuing voice commands to your intelligent speaker.
The Midea U is available now.
- ULTRA QUIET - The U-shape design of Midea U Smart Inverter AC uses your window to block noise...
