The window is air conditioned in my apartment sound. The drone hum is speckled with the petting of vibrating plastic components, such as teeth on an icy cold day. The baffles – those plastic wings that extend to the window frame to close the holes – are smooth. I have covered them with duct tape, but no amount of tape can withstand the sounds of the endless sirens and loud motorcycles of New York City. The window should hold on to it, keep it stiff as the dust collects in the colder months of the year, because my little house has no space to store the AC unit during the winter months.
That raw old AC still cools my room well, but I have tested the Midea U-Shaped Air Conditioner, a new unit that promises to solve all the problems I have with almost any traditional window AC, while using the same offering (as brisker!) temperatures. It has made this hot summer so more bearable.
Born out of an Indiegogo campaign, the Midea has an unusual shape that allows you to open and close your window, even when the unit is still in the frame. You do not have to worry about opening your window during the cool months of the year, and it does a great job of keeping the streets open.
Confusing Easy Setup
Whatever you do, do not use the setup manual that comes with the Midea U-Shaped AC. The steps are vague and make the whole installation process confusing and overwhelming. In fact, it is not too difficult. It takes much more time than normal AC units of windows, allowing you to simply plop down and plug in within a few minutes of unboxing. I highly recommend watching this YouTube video from Midea. It is more detailed and easier to follow than the booklet. I was able to install the unit myself as well, but it is heavy, so having someone to help mount it is a good idea.
You want to check if your window is compatible first. Midea says it will work for windows between 22 and 36 inches wide, and the minimum opening height of window is about 14 inches. Next you need to use the included bracket to install this window AC, so do not think you can throw it on page; and you’ll need a screwdriver to secure some components in place, but that’s over. The company says to screw the bracket into your window frame, but my apartment is a rental, and the frame is made of plastic, so I … did not. It still feels very safe, but you should turn it on for peace of mind (if possible).
What makes this air conditioner special is its U-shape. By that I mean there is a large notch between the front and back. It lets you slide your window into the unit – not all the way – but enough to greatly minimize the gap around the edges. There is less open space for your cool air to leak out (than hot air to soak in), and that also means better sound insulation than traditional window ACs.
Remember, there is still a small hole, because the window does not slide down much. Fortunately, Midea includes a good deal of foam food in the box. You need to measure and cut the foam pieces (a kitchen knife will do it) and push into the side holes. There are also many other sanding foams included, so look around the unit for small holes, use a pair of scissors to cut the lining, and force it into one of these spaces for an improved seal.
You will not get the kind of seal you previously had with the window completely closed; I can still hear some ambient noises coming from under the street. But it’s much better at emitting noise outside than any other unit I’ve tried. The AC mechanism itself also does not make much noise – most loud components are housed in the back. My apartment normally sits at around 38 decibels (equivalent to a library), and with the Midea AC on, it jumps to around 48 decibels. That’s a lot quieter than my older window AC, which blew 68 decibels (similar to a noisy restaurant or a vacuum).
You can also slide your window open without worrying about the AC unit falling out of your window and crushing some poor soul on the street. This is thanks to the bracket, which manages the charge of the AC by lying against the outer wall. I open my window regularly on cooler summer days when I do not have to run the AC. Window access is especially handy if you do not plan to remove and store the unit somewhere during the colder months, either because you have too little space or if you are too lazy. I’m both.
It has built-in window locks, which also save potential burglars. It is easy to put these locks together if you want to open the window yourself – just remember to pull them out when you close the window again. If you are paranoid, there is a separate window lock that you can enable for more security, but then you can not open your window at all.
Slick Looks, cool room
The Midea U-Shaped AC comes in three different sizes: 8,000 Btu (British thermal units), 10,000 Btu, and 12,000 Btu. Midea sent me the 8000-Btu model, which is actually not the model I should use for my 450 square meter room. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program has a handy guide on measuring your room to find out what size AC you should get. Ideally I should use the 10,000 Btu model.
Although intended for a room of about 300 to 350 square feet, the 8,000-Btu version manages to keep things cool (about 77 degrees), even on sweltering hot, 98-degree days (it also cools fairly quickly) . I said most of the room, because the areas furthest from the AC are, of course, a few degrees warmer.
You get the usual assortment of controls on the unit itself above the perforated grille, as well as various options of fan speed, a timer, sleep, and eco mode. The temperature buttons flank a smooth LED display, which shows the degree you have set in large numbers that are easy to read from across the room. Above these buttons is a single diaper, which you can choose to swing up and down or keep quiet.
You can connect the AC to Amazon’s Alexa as Google Assistant (I did it with the last pard), and you can use your voice to control the temperature or set different modes. This smart functionality is great for connecting with your other smart home routines. For example, I added Midea to my “Good night” routine where Google Assistant turned off all my smart lights, the TV, and now, the AC. But maybe even better, I like that I can turn on the AC before I go from a walk to home, so I don’t get damp and hot clutter. Unfortunately, there is no Apple HomeKit support for your Siri users.
If you do not want to deal with an assistant, you can use the recorded distance to control almost all the same functions from across the room. You can also install Midea’s Android or iOS app. It is well-designed and lets you set schedules, share access with other family members, and enroll in a feature called Sleep Curve, which will adjust the temperature over the course of eight hours while you sleep. The app will even tell you when you need to clean the filter, which is also an easy process. The app did not give me any issues, but it does not have high ratings in the App Store or the Google Play Store, so you may encounter bugs.
A word of warning when using the app: Midea does not offer two-factor authentication. You can use Twitter or Facebook to sign in, but then you will not be able to connect the AC to Alexa or Google, and not pass two-factor authentication of those social media services (I have tried). The only information the app requires is an email and password, so you may want to use a secondary email account and a strong password that you would not otherwise use. We’ve seen countless smart-home devices fall for heels, so it’s better to be safe. Neither do you need to use the app completely.
Beyond that, and the longer than normal installation process, the Midea U-Shaped Air Conditioner is an excellent way to cool your home while avoiding the usual pitfalls of traditional window ACs. The price is also reasonable – check with a store like Home Depot for other 8000-Btu AC windows and you will see prices ranging from $ 275 to $ 400, if not more. If your house is hot and you have a compatible window, then this is the AC to get.
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