What each mini split still delivers when it is freezing outside, from its ENERGY STAR certified ratings at 5°F and 17°F, not the "works down to" figure on the box.
The short answer
Yes: a modern mini split keeps heating well below freezing. Of the 31 mini splits we list whose ENERGY STAR certification we matched by model number, the middle one can still deliver 72% of its rated 47°F heat when it is 5°F outside (its maximum output there), and they range from 49% to 110%. At 5°F the middle model still makes 2.0 times as much heat as a space heater from the same electricity (a COP of 2.0). 26 of the 31 carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation, which requires, among other criteria, at least 70% of the rated 47°F heat and a COP of at least 1.75 at 5°F. The makers of 20 of them rate them to keep running down to between 5°F and -22°F, but output falls as it gets colder, so the 5°F figure is the one to size by.
Kept at 5°F (middle model)
72%
of its rated 47°F output, at maximum
Heat per unit of electricity at 5°F
2.0
COP; a space heater is 1.0
ENERGY STAR cold climate
26 of 31
at least 70% and COP 1.75 at 5°F
Each row is the certified pairing of the listing's outdoor and indoor units, matched by model number. The 5°F figure is the pairing's maximum output there, rated with the compressor at full speed; the 47°F and 17°F figures are its rated outputs, which is why a 5°F figure can be higher than the 17°F one, or than the 47°F rating itself (a share above 100%). "Kept at 5°F" is the 5°F maximum as a share of the rated 47°F output, the measure ENERGY STAR's cold-climate criteria use. "Rated to" is the maker's lowest operating temperature where its retailer states it.
| Model | Size | Rated at 47°F | Rated at 17°F | Max at 5°F | Kept at 5°F | COP at 5°F | Cold climate | Rated to | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senville SENA-06HF-NLSenville Aura | 6,000 BTU | 7,000 | 8,700 | 7,700 | 110% | 2.39 | Yes | Not stated | $970 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT009GLSI25RH-16SPioneer Quantum Hyperformance | 9,000 BTU | 9,000 | 10,000 | 9,100 | 101% | 1.80 | Yes | Not stated | $1,312 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENA-18HF-16Senville Aura | 18,000 BTU | 18,000 | 18,000 | 18,000 | 100% | 1.92 | Yes | -22°F | $1,600 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT012GLSI25RH-16SPioneer Quantum Hyperformance | 12,000 BTU | 12,000 | 14,000 | 12,000 | 100% | 1.80 | Yes | Not stated | $1,398 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT018GLSI25RH-16SPioneer Quantum Hyperformance | 18,000 BTU | 18,000 | 15,500 | 17,800 | 99% | 1.80 | Yes | Not stated | $1,858 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENA-09HF-16Senville Aura | 9,000 BTU | 12,000 | 12,000 | 11,500 | 96% | 1.80 | Yes | -22°F | $1,299 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENA-24HF-IFNLSenville Aura | 24,000 BTU | 26,000 | 20,200 | 24,200 | 93% | 2.16 | Yes | -22°F | $1,750 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENA-18HF-IFNLSenville Aura | 18,000 BTU | 19,000 | 14,400 | 17,000 | 89% | 1.86 | Yes | -22°F | $1,570 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENA-24HF-NLSenville Aura | 24,000 BTU | 29,000 | 22,200 | 24,200 | 83% | 2.34 | Yes | -22°F | $1,770 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENA-15HF-NLSenville Aura | 15,000 BTU | 15,000 | 12,000 | 11,500 | 77% | 1.80 | Yes | Not stated | $1,469 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT012GLUI25FV-16SPioneer Quantum Fresh | 12,000 BTU | 13,100 | 8,000 | 10,100 | 77% | 2.00 | Yes | Not stated | $1,468 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT024GLSI24RL-16Pioneer Quantum Ultra | 23,000 BTU | 25,000 | 21,000 | 18,600 | 74% | 1.80 | Yes | -13°F | Search Amazon |
| Pioneer WYT012ALFI22RLPioneer Diamante Ultra | 12,000 BTU | 12,000 | 7,100 | 8,700 | 73% | 1.80 | Yes | Not stated | Search Amazon |
| MRCOOL DIY-09-HP-WM-115D25-OMRCOOL DIY | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 7,500 | 7,300 | 73% | 2.17 | Yes | -13°F | $2,029 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT009ALSI20RLPioneer Diamante Pro | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 8,000 | 7,300 | 73% | 1.90 | Yes | -4°F | $858 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT018GLSI24RL-16Pioneer Quantum Ultra | 18,000 BTU | 19,000 | 15,000 | 13,600 | 72% | 1.80 | Yes | -13°F | $1,553 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT012ALSI24RL-10SPioneer Quantum Ultra | 12,000 BTU | 12,400 | 10,000 | 8,900 | 72% | 2.10 | Yes | Not stated | $1,163 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL A-24-HP-230D-OMRCOOL Advantage | 24,000 BTU | 24,000 | 20,800 | 17,000 | 71% | 2.14 | Yes | -22°F | $1,649 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENL-24CD-16Senville Leto | 24,000 BTU | 24,000 | 20,800 | 17,000 | 71% | 2.14 | Yes | 5°F | $1,259 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL DIY-18-HP-WM-230D25-OMRCOOL DIY | 18,000 BTU | 18,000 | 13,400 | 12,800 | 71% | 2.44 | Yes | -13°F | $2,609 at Sylvane |
| Daikin FTXF09BVJU9/RXF09BVJU9Daikin Oterra | 9,000 BTU | 10,900 | 8,000 | 7,700 | 71% | 2.00 | Yes | 5°F | $1,615 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT009ALSI24RL-10SPioneer Quantum Ultra | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 8,000 | 7,100 | 71% | 1.90 | Yes | Not stated | $1,083 at Sylvane |
| Pioneer WYT009GLSI24RL-10SPioneer Quantum Ultra | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 8,000 | 7,100 | 71% | 1.90 | Yes | Not stated | $1,053 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL DIY-12-HP-WM-115D25-OMRCOOL DIY | 12,000 BTU | 12,000 | 8,500 | 8,400 | 70% | 2.08 | Yes | -13°F | $2,069 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL A-09-HP-230D-OMRCOOL Advantage | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 8,000 | 7,000 | 70% | 2.07 | Yes | -22°F | $829 at Sylvane |
| Senville SENL-09CD/220-16Senville Leto | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 8,000 | 7,000 | 70% | 2.07 | Yes | 5°F | Search Amazon |
| MRCOOL DIY-24-HP-WM-230D25-OMRCOOL DIY | 24,000 BTU | 24,000 | 17,900 | 16,100 | 67% | 2.00 | No | -13°F | $2,929 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL A-09-HP-115D-OMRCOOL Advantage | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 8,000 | 6,500 | 65% | 1.96 | No | Not stated | $899 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL EZPRO-09-HP-11516D-OMRCOOL DIY Easy Pro | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 7,000 | 6,200 | 62% | 2.07 | No | 5°F | $1,388 at Sylvane |
| MRCOOL EZPRO-09-HP-WMAH-115DE-OMRCOOL DIY Easy Pro | 9,000 BTU | 10,000 | 7,000 | 6,200 | 62% | 2.07 | No | -13°F | $1,487 at Sylvane |
| Daikin FTXF12AXVJU/RXF12AXVJUDaikin Oterra | 12,000 BTU | 13,500 | 8,500 | 6,600 | 49% | 2.32 | No | 5°F | No live offer |
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A maker's lowest operating temperature says the unit keeps running, not how much heat it makes there. Output falls as the outdoor air gets colder, at a different rate for each model, so two units sold at the same size can deliver very different heat on a cold night. In this catalog the Senville SENA-06HF-NL can deliver 110% of its rated 47°F heat at 5°F, while the Daikin FTXF12AXVJU/RXF12AXVJU can deliver 49%. Every pairing ENERGY STAR certifies is also rated at 5°F, which is why those figures are the ones on this page.
ENERGY STAR's key product criteria for air-source heat pumps define the cold-climate designation.
The 7 Senville Aura models we list can deliver between 77% and 110% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (SENA-06HF-NL up to 7,700 BTU at 5°F; SENA-18HF-16 up to 18,000 BTU at 5°F; SENA-09HF-16 up to 11,500 BTU at 5°F; SENA-24HF-IFNL up to 24,200 BTU at 5°F; and 3 more in the table below). All of them carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 3 Pioneer Quantum Hyperformance models we list can deliver between 99% and 101% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (WYT009GLSI25RH-16S up to 9,100 BTU at 5°F; WYT012GLSI25RH-16S up to 12,000 BTU at 5°F; WYT018GLSI25RH-16S up to 17,800 BTU at 5°F). All of them carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The Pioneer Quantum Fresh model we list can deliver 77% of its rated 47°F heat at 5°F (WYT012GLUI25FV-16S up to 10,100 BTU at 5°F). It carries ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 5 Pioneer Quantum Ultra models we list can deliver between 71% and 74% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (WYT024GLSI24RL-16 up to 18,600 BTU at 5°F; WYT018GLSI24RL-16 up to 13,600 BTU at 5°F; WYT012ALSI24RL-10S up to 8,900 BTU at 5°F; WYT009ALSI24RL-10S up to 7,100 BTU at 5°F; and 1 more in the table below). All of them carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 4 MRCOOL DIY models we list can deliver between 67% and 73% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (DIY-09-HP-WM-115D25-O up to 7,300 BTU at 5°F; DIY-18-HP-WM-230D25-O up to 12,800 BTU at 5°F; DIY-12-HP-WM-115D25-O up to 8,400 BTU at 5°F; DIY-24-HP-WM-230D25-O up to 16,100 BTU at 5°F). 3 of the 4 carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The Pioneer Diamante Pro model we list can deliver 73% of its rated 47°F heat at 5°F (WYT009ALSI20RL up to 7,300 BTU at 5°F). It carries ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The Pioneer Diamante Ultra model we list can deliver 73% of its rated 47°F heat at 5°F (WYT012ALFI22RL up to 8,700 BTU at 5°F). It carries ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 3 MRCOOL Advantage models we list can deliver between 65% and 71% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (A-24-HP-230D-O up to 17,000 BTU at 5°F; A-09-HP-230D-O up to 7,000 BTU at 5°F; A-09-HP-115D-O up to 6,500 BTU at 5°F). 2 of the 3 carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 2 Daikin Oterra models we list can deliver between 49% and 71% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (FTXF09BVJU9/RXF09BVJU9 up to 7,700 BTU at 5°F; FTXF12AXVJU/RXF12AXVJU up to 6,600 BTU at 5°F). 1 of the 2 carries ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 2 Senville Leto models we list can deliver between 70% and 71% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (SENL-24CD-16 up to 17,000 BTU at 5°F; SENL-09CD/220-16 up to 7,000 BTU at 5°F). All of them carry ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.
The 2 MRCOOL DIY Easy Pro models we list can deliver 62% of their rated 47°F heat at 5°F (EZPRO-09-HP-11516D-O up to 6,200 BTU at 5°F; EZPRO-09-HP-WMAH-115DE-O up to 6,200 BTU at 5°F). None of them carries ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation.