Mitsubishi Electric stands out in this field, for starters, by being among the most common and popular options available in North American markets. That translates to a larger pool of service technicians to choose from, better availability of more models, higher likelihood you’ll be able to design a system to fit your needs exactly, and potentially faster service for troubleshooting or repairs. They also have a reputation for durability. “I can count on one hand how many replacement parts I’ve had to put on a Mitsubishi mini-split system,” De Stasio said. “There are other brands where I can’t say that.” If something does go wrong, Mitsubishi Electric’s limited 12-year parts warranty is among the best, and the brand’s popularity means lots of local utilities offer rebates. In Mitsubishi Electric’s brochure (PDF), you’ll find fairly limited aesthetic options for wall units, although matte silver and black wall unit finishes are available, and you can also consider ceiling mounts, floor mounts, or other special configurations. Mitsubishi Electric runs its smart features off a proprietary app, Kumo Cloud, which controls multiple zones via a clean-looking interface. The app initially picked up a lot of negative reviews when it launched in 2017. Several years later, it works mostly as expected, though it still suffers from the occasional glitching (like a lot of smart home tech). We also didn’t like the fact that you can’t install the software yourself, and need to bring in a licensed Mitsubishi tech to set up the remote. But if that’s all part of your new installation process, it could be all right.