Mitsubishi Electric air conditioning

About Mitsubishi Electric air conditioning

Mitsubishi Electric is one of the best-known names in UK air conditioning. Its Living Environment Systems division supplies everything from small wall-mounted units for homes to large VRF systems for offices, hotels and shops. It also makes the Ecodan air-to-water heat pump, which has its own page.

One point causes a lot of confusion. Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are separate companies with separate product ranges, parts and controls. If you already have a system, check the label on the indoor or outdoor unit before you order anything or book a repair.

The M Series range for homes

Mitsubishi Electric sells its domestic units as the M Series. Its UK wall-mounted range page currently lists these families:

• MSZ-LN: the premium R32 range, offered in 1.8 kW to 6.1 kW sizes.
• MSZ-RZ: a newer range using R290, a natural refrigerant, in 2.5 kW and 3.5 kW sizes.
• MSZ-AY / MSZ-AP: the mainstream R32 range, from 1.5 kW to 7.1 kW, with Wi-Fi control as standard on some models.
• MSZ-EF (Zen): a flat-fronted design range in 1.8 kW to 5.0 kW sizes.
• MSZ-HR (Classic): the cost-conscious R32 range, from 2.5 kW to 7.1 kW.

There are also floor-mounted M Series units, which suit rooms where there isn’t a sensible wall position high up, such as under a sloping ceiling or a window. Several indoor units can run from one outdoor unit as a multi-split, which keeps the outside of the house tidier when you want two or more rooms done.

Mr Slim and City Multi for commercial buildings

For shops, offices, restaurants and other business premises, Mitsubishi Electric offers Mr Slim split air conditioning. These are larger single systems that pair an outdoor unit with ceiling cassettes, ducted units or wall units, and they suit a single open-plan area or a small suite of rooms.

For bigger buildings there is City Multi, Mitsubishi Electric’s VRF range, which runs many indoor units from shared outdoor units, with central controls. The range includes Hybrid VRF, which uses water rather than refrigerant in the pipework that runs into occupied rooms, and a newer City Multi R32 YXM range. Which one is right depends on the building, the number of zones and whether rooms need heating and cooling at the same time. Our VRF page explains how these systems work.

Refrigerants, controls and apps

Most current Mitsubishi Electric split units use R32, which has a global warming potential (GWP) of 675, much lower than the 2,088 of the older R410A. The MSZ-RZ uses R290, which has a very low GWP but is flammable, so siting and charge rules matter even more. Our guide to R32 and R410A covers what this means for running and servicing a system.

Every unit comes with a handset. Wi-Fi control uses Mitsubishi Electric’s MELCloud platform, which lets you switch the system on, change modes and set schedules from your phone. On commercial systems, centralised and wired controllers are more common, so staff can’t change settings by accident.

Where Mitsubishi Electric fits best

• Bedrooms and home offices: the MSZ-LN and MSZ-AY ranges are popular where low noise and a neat finish matter.
• Living rooms and open-plan spaces: larger wall units, or a multi-split serving several rooms.
• Shops, offices and restaurants: Mr Slim cassettes or ducted units.
• Multi-storey offices and hotels: City Multi VRF, often with central controls.

We size every system from a site survey, looking at the room, the windows, the insulation and where the outdoor unit can sensibly go. Picking a brand comes after that.

Warranty

Warranty on Mitsubishi Electric air conditioning comes from Mitsubishi Electric, not from us. The cover and its conditions can depend on the product and on how the system is registered, and Mitsubishi Electric says its installer partners can offer longer warranties. We don’t claim a partner status, so we explain the manufacturer’s warranty that applies to your system on your quote, and we keep the commissioning and service records that a warranty claim needs. Our warranty guide explains how manufacturer cover works in general.

Strengths and things to consider

Strengths: a very wide range, from a 1.5 kW unit for a box room to building-wide VRF; good availability of parts and technical support in the UK; and a choice of finishes and price points within one brand.

Things to consider: the premium ranges usually cost more than comparable units from some other brands; the large number of similar model codes can be confusing; and features such as Wi-Fi vary between ranges, so check what’s included before comparing quotes. If you’re weighing up the two most-asked-about brands, read Mitsubishi Electric vs Daikin.

Installation, servicing and repairs

A single-room split system costs £1,200–£2,200 + VAT, a 2-room multi-split £2,800–£4,500 + VAT and a 3–5 room multi-split £4,500–£8,500 + VAT, including supply, installation, commissioning and F-Gas documentation. Commercial and VRF systems are priced after a survey. An annual service costs £95–£150 + VAT, and a repair call-out starts from £75 + VAT for diagnosis.

If your unit is showing a fault, our list of Mitsubishi Electric error codes explains what the common codes mean and which ones need an engineer. We reply to enquiries the same working day.