Air Conditioning Brands Sold in the UK

Air conditioning in UK homes is still a small market, but it is growing quickly: an estimated 3% of UK homes currently have air conditioning¹, and the share of homes self-reporting air conditioning use has doubled in three years². In England the figure is around 4% of households³, with ownership in London reported at around three times the level of several other UK regions⁴. The brands a householder actually encounters when shopping are a short list: LG, Samsung and Mitsubishi Electric dominate the fixed split market, alongside Daikin, Fujitsu General, Panasonic and Toshiba, with electriQ, Meaco, De'Longhi and others serving the portable end.

This page sets out what those brands offer for UK homes: the fixed split systems from LG, Samsung and Mitsubishi Electric in detail, the sizes and noise levels in plain figures, the controls and prices as listed, and the VAT position. It is a directory, not a ranking: no brand is "best", because the right choice depends on the room, the budget and how much noise a household will accept.

The brands a UK householder actually meets

The UK air conditioning market is not like the boiler market, where a handful of names cover most installations. It splits into three tiers. At the fixed, installed end, the names are the global split system manufacturers: LG, Samsung, Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Fujitsu General, Panasonic and Toshiba. At the portable end, Meaco, De'Longhi, Duux and electriQ are the names on the shelves. Between them sit the through-wall and monobloc units described on our page on air conditioning without an outdoor unit.

Demand is being driven by heat. Around 22% of the UK's housing stock will likely need active cooling, such as air conditioning, as the climate warms³, and 13% of survey respondents already report higher energy bills associated with efforts to cool their homes, including fans and air conditioning⁴. The market is responding: the share of UK homes self-reporting air conditioning use has doubled in three years². For context, around 1% of UK homes (roughly 250,000) have an air source heat pump of the air-to-water kind⁸, so cooling-specific air conditioning and heating-focused heat pumps are two separate, if related, markets.

Fixed split systems: how LG, Samsung and Mitsubishi Electric compare

The fixed split system is the form most UK installations take: an indoor wall unit connected by refrigerant pipework to an outdoor compressor. All three headline brands sell into this category, and their offerings are closer than their marketing suggests. Each offers high wall units in the standard 2.5 to 5.0 kW outputs, each uses inverter technology, and each offers Wi-Fi control through its own app platform.

Where they differ is in the distinctive features each has built its range around: LG's Artcool Gallery units that double as a picture frame, Samsung's WindFree panels that cool without direct airflow, and Mitsubishi Electric's sensor-driven Premium range. There are also value alternatives: electriQ's iQool multi-split systems are listed at £999.97 for a 2 x 12,000 BTU system and £2,399.98 for a 5 x 12,000 BTU system, both with heat pump heating⁹. At the multi-room end, a Daikin 5-port Class 90 multi air conditioner covers 5.2 to 9.0 kW of cooling capacity across five indoor units¹⁰. Mitsubishi Electric's units are independently certified through Eurovent¹¹, and the maker states its Ecodan range is "Made in Britain, to British Standard, for British Homes."¹²

LG Artcool Gallery: the air conditioner that doubles as framed art

The Artcool Gallery is LG's answer to the commonest objection to air conditioning: that a white plastic box on the wall looks like an appliance. The indoor unit is built as a frame that holds an image, so on the wall it reads as a picture rather than a conditioner. It is also one of the quietest units on the UK market: LG Artcool Gallery models are listed as operating as low as 19 dB, described as suited to bedrooms and meeting rooms⁵.

Availability is the practical catch. The LG Artcool Gallery Premium System is currently listed on pre-order rather than in stock¹³. Published prices for the Artcool Gallery Special System also differ between listings: £360.00 in one and £300.00 in another, with high street prices of £1,619.99 and £1,349.99 for the same system¹³. With the listings differing, confirm the price with the retailer before ordering. LG's wider heat pump products, such as the Therma V R290 monobloc, are available through LG UK's own site¹⁴.

Samsung WindFree: gentle cooling with no draughts

Samsung's signature feature is WindFree: the maker states the technology "delivers cooling without the discomfort of direct airflow, ensuring a gentle breeze"⁵. Instead of blowing cold air directly at the room's occupants, the unit distributes cooled air through thousands of micro-holes in the front panel, which addresses the other common objection to air conditioning: that people dislike sitting in a cold draught.

The WindFree range also heats. The COMFORT S2 system uses inverter technology, which the maker states "provides energy-efficient performance, reducing electricity consumption while maintaining comfort"⁵, and offers Wi-Fi control via the Samsung SmartThings app for remote access and adjustments⁵. Samsung's heat pump credentials run deeper than its air conditioning range: the EHS Mono HT models are described as "capable of reliably providing 100% heating performance* even in extremely cold weather (temperatures as low as -25°C"¹⁵, a claim repeated across the EHS Mono HT product listings.

Mitsubishi Electric: ZEN, Premium and Elegance

Mitsubishi Electric sells its domestic wall units in distinct ranges, and the differences are worth knowing before comparing prices. The Premium range carries the 3D i-see sensor: the maker states "The advanced 3D i-see sensor detects room occupancy, position, and body temperature to deliver precise, energy-efficient comfort."¹³ That means the unit directs its airflow based on where people actually are and how warm they are, rather than simply reading the air temperature at the unit. The ZEN range is the simpler line, and the Elegance range sits between them; the differences across all four ranges, including Classic, are set out on our Mitsubishi Electric ranges page.

On price, the published figures for the ZEN 2.5 kW system differ sharply between listings: £103.33 in one against £1,009.99 in another, with high street prices of £944.99 and £1,133.99¹³. The £103.33 figure is almost certainly a deposit or partial listing rather than a system price, but with the listings differing, both are given here and the true price should be confirmed with the seller. Mitsubishi Electric's products carry independent certification: the MUZ-LN35VG2/MSZ-LN35VG2 system is Eurovent certified under the Mitsubishi Electric brand¹¹, and Quietmark lists the brand's quiet credentials¹².

Understanding the 2.5, 3.5 and 5.0 kW size options

Air conditioning capacity is quoted in kilowatts of cooling output, sometimes alongside the older BTU figure. The two scales map directly onto room size, and published UK sizing guidance gives the following table⁶:

A 3.5 kW system provides around 3.5 kW of cooling output, and is described as often better for "larger bedrooms, larger home offices, garden rooms, small living rooms or spaces with more sunlight and glazing"⁶. That last condition matters: a modest room with a large south-facing window can need the next size up, because glazing adds solar gain that pure floor area does not capture. For most UK bedrooms a 2.5 kW unit is the starting point, and for most living rooms 3.5 kW. Where one outdoor unit serves several rooms, a multi-split system such as the Daikin 5-port unit, with 5.2 to 9.0 kW of cooling capacity, covers the combined load¹⁰. Full sizing guidance, including the kW to BTU conversion, is on our air conditioning sizing page.

Noise levels: from 19 dB to 57 dB in practice

Noise is where the brands genuinely differ, and it is the figure to check before buying for a bedroom. The quietest category of indoor units on the UK market, the ultra-quiet high wall splits, includes LG Artcool Gallery and Samsung WindFree models that "operate as low as 19dB, perfect for bedrooms and meeting rooms"⁵. To put that in context, published decibel examples place a library at 35 dB, a business office at 65 dB and heavy traffic at 90 dB¹⁶. At 19 dB, an indoor unit is quieter than a library and close to a quiet forest at 15 dB¹⁶.

At the other end, portable units are the noisiest: an electriQ portable model is listed with a sound power level of 57 dB(A) in one listing and 59 dB(A) in another, and the two listings differ⁹. That is the practical gap between the categories: a fixed split puts the compressor outdoors and leaves only a fan indoors, while a portable puts everything in the room with you. Outdoor noise is a planning matter as well as a comfort one: permitted development guidance for air source heat pumps requires a noise level equal to or lower than 42 dB¹⁷, and where a unit exceeds the MCS standards and permission is needed, the limit tightens to 37 dB LAeq at any time, measured on the boundary with any neighbouring residential property¹⁸. Noise is also a real-world problem for a minority of owners: a UK study found 9% of private householders with heat pumps reported intrusive noise problems¹⁹. Our air conditioning noise page covers this in full.

How each brand cleans and filters the air

Every fixed split unit moves air through a filter, and filter condition affects both air quality and running cost. Independent guidance is blunt on the maintenance point: "Clean air filters ensure better airflow, improved indoor air quality, and lower energy bills."²⁰ Householders are advised to check and replace dirty or clogged air filters as part of a seasonal home care routine²⁰.

On certification, the clearest UK example of an independent air quality scheme is HETAS's Cleaner Choice, which lists products searchable by "brand, product name, along with a range of search filters, from fuel type, efficiency, air control" and certification status including Defra exemption and MCS²¹. That scheme covers solid fuel appliances rather than air conditioning, but it illustrates the pattern to look for: independent certification of a filtration or emissions claim, rather than a maker's own marketing language. The brands in this directory each fit washable pre-filters and fine mesh filters as standard in their wall units, with filtration claims varying by range and model, so the specific model's specification is the thing to check rather than the brand. Filter cleaning is covered on our maintenance page.

Operating systems, smartphone control and connected functions

Control across the fixed split market now runs through each maker's app. Samsung's WindFree systems offer "Wi-Fi control: allows remote access and adjustments via the Samsung SmartThings app"⁵, and equivalent platforms exist across the LG and Mitsubishi Electric ranges, with the details on our controls and Wi-Fi page.

There are two routes to voice control. The first is the maker's own platform linked to a voice assistant. The second is a smart plug: independent guidance notes "Voice control: use compatible assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, depending on the product."²² A smart plug only switches the unit's power on and off, so it suits a unit set to a fixed mode rather than one needing temperature changes. Some control platforms carry ongoing costs and some do not: the Passiv smart thermostat, supported under the government's Heat Pump Ready programme, is listed "with no service fee"²³. That is worth checking before buying into any ecosystem, because a subscription changes the lifetime cost of a system. The other smart feature worth having is scheduling: the ability to cool a room shortly before it is occupied, which is where most of the running cost savings in our running costs guide come from.

Brand by brand pricing compared with shop prices

Published prices for fixed split systems cluster in a few hundred to around two thousand pounds for the equipment, before installation. The high street figures listed for Samsung's WindFree range give a benchmark: £662.49 for the WindFree COMFORT S2 High Wall system and £919.99 for the WindFree AVANT S2 High Wall system⁵. The AVANT S2 3.5 kW system is itself listed at two different prices, £964.99 in one listing and £804.16 in another, and the listings differ¹³.

Two cautions apply to every figure in that table. First, these are equipment prices: installation by an F-Gas certified engineer is additional, and the full picture is on our cost page. Second, prices for the same system vary between listings, as the conflicts above show, so a listed price is a starting point for a quote rather than a settled fact.

Tax, funding support and available claims for homes

The tax position on installation is favourable but time-limited. Official guidance states that energy-saving materials installed in residential accommodation, a list that includes air source heat pumps, "are subject to VAT relief at 0% until 31 March 2027."⁷ The legislation behind this is explicit about the window: "This rate will apply from 1st February 2024 to 31st March 2027."²⁴ The MCS Foundation campaign on zero-carbon heating confirms the zero-rated VAT on domestic energy efficiency products is "currently in place until March 2027"²⁵.

Three conditions matter. The relief applies to installation in residential accommodation, not to a unit bought for self-installation, so a DIY purchase does not qualify. The equipment must be on the official list, which is where an air-to-air system's status as an air source heat pump does the work. And the window closes on 31 March 2027, so an installation completed after that date loses the relief⁷. On grants, there is no general subsidy for cooling alone: the Heat Pump Ready programme supports heat pump innovation projects, including the Passiv thermostat with no service fee²³, but a household buying air conditioning primarily to cool should not expect a grant. Our grants page sets out what exists.

Energy self sufficiency: what these manufacturers offer households

A fixed split system from any of these brands does two things for a household's independence. It removes dependence on the weather for comfort: a home that can hold 19 dB quiet cooling through a heatwave is not at the mercy of indoor temperatures that, as our overheating pages document, are becoming a health risk. And if the unit is a reverse-cycle model, it also reduces dependence on gas for heating the room it serves, since the same unit heats using electricity at inverter-driven efficiency⁵.

The dependence that remains is real and worth stating. Every unit on this page runs on mains electricity, so a household with air conditioning is more exposed to electricity prices, not less: 13% of surveyed households already report higher bills from cooling⁴. The industry body CIPHE has publicly asked whether the grid can keep up with the growth in air conditioning¹, and with only around 1% of UK homes holding an air source heat pump⁸, the electricity demand from widespread cooling is a genuine open question. A household can cut that dependence by pairing cooling with solar panels, which shifts the running cost from a supplier to the roof, but the grid link remains for the hours the sun does not. The honest summary: air conditioning buys independence from the heat, at the price of deeper dependence on electricity.