As as an Australian the most interesting thing here is how unfamiliar the US market is with split systems. Here they are absolutely standard, except for older homes that use gas ducted heating, and fancy new homes that use underfloor hydronic heating.
We just had some installed. Sure would be nice if we had pretty options like Quilt but...no.
Split systems are extremely standard in Asian countries, even in high rise buildings where each family gets their own mini split. Modern mini splits are just about as efficient as central AC, not to mention the energy savings from only having to cool individual rooms where the humans are, instead of the whole living area.
Also, both Japanese brands like Daikin and Chinese brands like Mijia (Xiaomi) and Colmo (Midea) have pretty-looking air conditioners. [1] [2]
> is how unfamiliar the US market is with split systems
This was completely true 10 years ago. These days though mini split is the standard in the US for remodeling. If you go to a slightly wealthier part of an urban city almost every house has them.
Used to be you would put in high-velocity central during a remodel (instead of ducts, it uses smaller pipes, with the air moving relatively fast since the pipe is much smaller). Total it's exclusively mini split.
New construction hasn't fully switched over yet though. Partly because mini splits can't provide enough heating for a northern climate, and since you need a fire someplace, you use that same ducting for the A/C.
Ah interesting. I heard a podcast interview with the CEO of Quilt and it really seemed he didn't expect the audience to even know what a split system was or how it worked.
It also confused me for a long time that they are called "heat pumps". I'm used to that term describing the technology more broadly, as in heat pump hot water systems, etc.
I'm surprised that lack of installers is even a pain point though. Here, I had dozens, perhaps hundreds of choices. And once we decided what we were getting it was done within a week.
Australia is more regulated than the US when it comes to plumbing and electrical, but it's still no problem getting an installer. Anyone who can install an air conditioner can install a heat pump, it's literally an identical job.
No airflow is a bummer. My boring ducted AC brings fresh air to each room. Optionally mixed with fresh air from outside. Minisplit guarantees you are just circulating the same air around the room.
Having ducted AC that brings fresh air to each room has the obvious drawback that you're wasting energy to cool down (or heat up) rooms that do not contain any humans. Like when you are sleeping in your bedroom, there's no point in cooling your living room and kitchen as well in most cases. A split system that only circulates air within one room would use a fraction of the energy in that case.
I know smart duct vents exist, but I am hesitant to dramatically change the pressure the ducts operate under since it might blow out the circulation fan.
Daikin has a range which pulls air from the outside. I'm using it in the room I am in now. Here in Sendai the nights are cold enough that my house is coasting still. Thus the mini split is acting only as a fan and pulling in fresh air. This house is old, 30+ years, so it's nice as a retrofit to improve air quality.
Opening a window would be an obvious alternative but then sound would mix.
The true benefit of mini splits is the hyper competitive market. There is a mini split for all desires and the prices to install are reasonable here in Japan.
We just had some installed. Sure would be nice if we had pretty options like Quilt but...no.
The integrated light seems very sensible.