Samsung WindFree vs Mitsubishi Electric: which is right for you?

This guide compares the Samsung WindFree Comfort, which is our Bronze package, with the Mitsubishi Electric Zen, which is one of the other systems on our full price list rather than one of our six packages. Both heat and cool. Here is what tells them apart.

Mitsubishi Electric is not the same company as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which makes the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Premium ZS White on our recommended Gold package. Our MHI vs Mitsubishi Electric guide explains the difference.

Samsung WindFree Comfort (Bronze package). Built around WindFree mode, which spreads air out through a panel of small vents instead of blowing it directly at you. The idea is a room that feels cool without a direct draught on your skin, which suits anyone who finds a strong fan feed uncomfortable. It comes with a 7-year parts warranty.

Mitsubishi Electric Zen (full price list). The higher cooling efficiency (SEER) figure in the table below, and a choice of finishes: black, white or silver.

The figures below come from each manufacturer's UK product data sheet, for the 3.5kW size, which suits a large bedroom or a standard living room. See the Samsung WindFree Comfort UK product sheet (opens in a new tab) and the Mitsubishi Electric Zen series UK product information sheet (opens in a new tab) for the full specifications.

A higher SCOP or SEER figure means the system turns electricity into heating or cooling more efficiently, which is relevant to running cost; see our guide to heating with air conditioning for how SCOP feeds into a real running-cost comparison.

Numbers on a data sheet only tell you so much. In general, both systems are designed for bedrooms and living rooms rather than noisy commercial spaces, and the outdoor unit, not the indoor one, is usually what you notice from a garden or a neighbour's window. Our guide to how noisy wall-mounted air conditioning is covers the published indoor and outdoor figures in one place.

The Samsung WindFree Comfort includes WiFi control through Samsung SmartThings, and the Zen uses Mitsubishi Electric's MELCloud app, so you can check and adjust the temperature away from home.

WindFree is the feature that most clearly sets our Bronze package apart. Instead of blowing cooled air directly into the room through a single louvre, the indoor unit can switch to a mode that releases air gently through a wide panel of small vents. The room still cools, but without a strong stream of air hitting you directly, which is why it suits a spot close to a sofa, a desk chair or a bed where the airflow would otherwise be the main thing you notice.

The Zen comes in a choice of finish: black, white or silver. This matters most in a room where the indoor unit is clearly visible, such as a living room or a home office, where matching the unit to the wall colour or the rest of the room's fittings makes it look more like part of the room and less like an add-on.

Because the WindFree Comfort and the Zen both post a heating SCOP of 4.6 at 3.5kW, the choice between them has little effect on heating running cost. The bigger factor is the fixed price and the room you are fitting into. Our guide to heating with air conditioning shows the full working behind this, using current Ofgem rates.

• Choose the Samsung WindFree Comfort (our Bronze package) if you or anyone in the room dislikes a direct blast of cold air, for example in a bedroom where the unit sits close to the bed.
• Choose the Mitsubishi Electric Zen from our full price list if you want the widest finish choice and the higher cooling efficiency figure in the table above, for example in a visible room like a living room or home office.
• If you want the longest parts warranty we offer, look at our recommended Gold package, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Premium ZS White with a 10-year parts warranty.

Every figure above is for the 3.5kW size. Use our full price list and price tool to see 2.5kW and 5kW prices for all six packages, and read more about what is included in an air conditioning installation.

If you are fitting air conditioning in a room you work from, our home office air conditioning guide covers sizing and noise considerations specific to video calls and concentration.