I realize that in Greenwich, window a/c units are as rare as a conservative Belle Haven housewife*, but this looks pretty cool — maybe you could put one in the maid’s room above the garage?

The WSJ ran a rave view of a new, innovative “U-shaped” window air conditioner from Midea last week (my subscription expires at the end of the month, so after that, you’re on your own) and I was impressed by what the author says about the product. Midea air conditioners have been on the market for a couple of years now and have become huge bestsellers, but I hadn’t heard of them before. With so little sales activity to report on currently, and because air conditions are at least real estate related, I thought I’d put up a post on the subject.

There is nothing cool about window air conditioners. 

They’re clunky, ugly and tend to be way too loud. Most of them are more or less identical and have been for a long time: same temperature, same efficiency, same fear of falling out the window during installation. 

“There was no meaningful performance difference from unit to unit,” said Liam McCabe, a seasoned window-AC product reviewer. “Everything was a rectangular heavy box.” 

At least until a sleeker, quieter, U-shaped AC came along that looked and sounded unlike any that had ever been made. It also produced less noise and required less energy, which solved the biggest problems of window air conditioners. These machines work if you turn them on and never have to think about them again. This one worked so well that it had the opposite effect. It made people completely obsessed with their air conditioning.

I’m hesitant to call any home appliance the result of outside-the-box thinking. But in the case of this unlikely hit, it happens to be true. 

There’s much more at the link, and the article is so enthusiastic about the product that I was inspired to look for more information, and found this:

Tom’s Guide seems to offer an objective report on what he likes about the product and what he doesn’t (ultimately, he loves it) and the pictures he supplies show what the U shape looks like for those of us with limited imagination (that would include me). After complaining about conventional designs, he continues:

So we were both pretty eager to try out the Midea U, an innovative new take on the window air conditioner design. It has a large cutout in the middle (hence the “U”), which lets you slide your window down, making for a much better seal on the outside. And, it’s quiet and efficient, too, as I discovered during my review. For these reasons alone, it’s one of the best smart air conditioners you can buy. 

One caveat, which the Journal article also mentions, is installation:

Installing the Midea U is a bit more involved than your standard window unit. For starters, the Midea U comes with a window bracket, which supports the air conditioner more securely. It took me about 20 minutes to get the bracket installed, but I appreciated its two “feet,” which pressed against the outside of my house. It’s far more secure than relying on just your window to hold an air conditioner in place.

It took me between 30 and 45 minutes to get everything installed, which is longer than your typical window air conditioner, but there are a few more steps involved here.

The most notable aspect of the Midea U is its U-shaped design. A large indentation separates two-thirds of the air conditioner from the rest. The bulk of the unit sits outside your window, while the remaining section is inside. It’s a strange design, and you may wonder how the two pieces don’t rip apart, but it works.

Bottom Line:

Even without its smart features, the Midea U window air conditioner is a great, quiet way to keep your room cool. Its unique design provides better insulation while letting more light into your house, and the included bracket makes for a much more secure installation. The fact that you can control it from your phone and with a smart assistant just makes the Midea even better. 

*Yes, I do try to offend — it’s fun.