Panasonic vs Mitsubishi Ducted Air Conditioning Comparison
Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric are two global industry giants, each with immense amounts of experience and innovation under their belts. They offer a wide range of air conditioning products to the Australian market that cater to most people’s needs and budgets. It’s also worth noting that Mitsubishi Electric & Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are totally different brands/companies and are not related at all, to learn more about this have a quick read of the below article.
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES VS MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC AIR CONDITIONERS
If you’re considering a ducted air conditioning system for your home, you might be thinking, “Should I choose Pana or Mitsi?” While both brands offer reliable, high-quality heating & cooling solutions, understanding their key differences in terms of specifications, energy efficiency, upfront cost, features, and customer service can help you make a calculated decision that best suits your home’s requirements.
Both Panasonic and Mitsubishi provide ducted air conditioning systems with similar specifications and warranties, so in this article we will focus on the specifications, unique features, energy efficiency, and after-sales support of each brand.
To help you make the right choice, we’ll compare 2023 model of Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric ducted air conditioners using their popular single-phase 10kW, 12.5kW & 14kW ducted units.
What air con model numbers are we comparing?
The exact AC units we are comparing are listed below. We have taken the liberty of including links to both air conditioner brands ducted brochures so you can verify everything yourself (if you have the time to go down the rabbit hole).
Panasonic (COMPACT INVERTER SERIES)
- 10kW – S-100PE3R/U-100PZ3R5
- 12.5kW – S-125PE3R/U-125PZ3R5
- 14kW – S-140PE3R/U-140PZ3R5
Mitsubishi Electric
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10kW – PEA-M100HAA/PUZ-M 100VKA-A
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12.5kW – PEA-M125HAA/PUZ-M 125VKA-A
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14kW – PEA-M140HAA/PUZ-M 140VKA-A
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Panasonic vs Mitsubishi Ducted Air Conditioning Comparison
Let’s compare both brands specs for each capacity! We’ve also gone ahead and provided comments on each comparison to help you choose the best air conditioner brand for your home.
10kW
| Brand | Panasonic | Mitsubishi Electric | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | S-100PE3R/U-100PZ3R5 | PEA-M100HAA/PUZ-M 100VKA-A | |
| Indoor Unit Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 360 x 1200 x 700 | 380 x 1405 x 900 | Panasonic is better for tight roof spaces |
| Outdoor Unit Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 996 x 980 x 370 | 981 x 1050 x 330 | Both brands are very similar |
| EER | 3.58 | 3.31 | Panasonic is more efficient in cooling |
| COP | 4.25 | 3.85 | Panasonic is more efficient in heating |
| External Static Pressure Pa | 10-150 | 50-150 | Panasonic has a better static pressure range |
| Air Volume (L/M/H) L/s | 484/584/688 | 500/567/633/700 | Both brands are very similar |
| Outdoor Unit Sound Pressure Level (Cooling/Heating) dB(A) | 52(50) / 52(50) | 52(71) / 54(72) | Both brands are very quiet |
| Indoor Unit Sound Pressure Level dB(A) | 44-48 | 29-38 | Mitsubishi has a quieter indoor unit |
| Operating Range (Cooling/Heating) °C | -10 to 46 / -15 to 24 | -15 to 46 /-15 to 21 | Both well suited to QLD conditions |
| Total Power Input (Cooling/Heating) kW | 2.79/2.45 | 3.02/3.24 | Panasonic has lower input power |
| Cooling Capacity Range (Min/Rated/Max) kW | 3/10/11.5 | 4/10/10.6 | Panasonic has a lower min capacity and higher max capacity, clear winner |
| Heating Capacity Range (Min/Rated/Max) kW | 3/10/14 | 2.8/12.5/12.5 | Mitsubishi has a lower min capacity but Panasonic has a higher max capacity |
| Max Pipe Range (Length) m | 50 | 55 | The average pipe run for a residential home in QLD is 20-30m |
| Air Purification | Built-in NanoeX | Optional Plasma Quad Connect | NanoeX is a standard feature on the Panasonic, a great inclusion! |
12.5kW
| Brand | Panasonic | Mitsubishi Electric | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | S-125PE3R/U-125PZ3R5 | PEA-M125HAA/PUZ-M 125VKA-A | |
| Indoor Unit Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 430 x 1200 x 700 | 380 x 1405 x 900 | Panasonic is better for tight roof spaces |
| Outdoor Unit Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 996 x 980 x 370 | 981 x 1050 x 330 (+40) | Both brands are very similar |
| EER | 3.55 | 3.17 | Panasonic is more efficient in cooling |
| COP | 4.03 | 4.06 | Mitsubishi is a touch more efficient in heating |
| External Static Pressure Pa | 100 (10-150) | 50/100/150 | Panasonic has a better static pressure range |
| Air Volume (L/M/H) L/s | 601/768/835 | 700/800/900/1000 | Mitsubishi has a higher airflow volume |
| Outdoor Unit Sound Pressure Level (Cooling/Heating) dB(A) | 55(53)/55(53) | 54(72)/56(74) | Both brands are very quiet |
| Indoor Unit Sound Pressure Level dB(A) | 45/47/49 | 35/38/42/45 | Mitsubishi has a quieter indoor unit |
| Operating Range (Cooling/Heating) °C | -10-46/-15-24 | -15-46/-15-21 | Both well suited to QLD conditions |
| Total Power Input (Cooling/Heating) kW | 3.52/3.1 | 3.78/3.44 | Panasonic has lower input power |
| Cooling Capacity Range (Min/Rated/Max) kW | 3.2/12.5/13.5 | 6/12/13.5 | Panasonic has a lower min capacity |
| Heating Capacity Range (Min/Rated/Max) kW | 3.3/12.5/15 | 4.1/14/15.5 | Panasonic has a lower min capacity but Mitsubishi has 0.5kW more max capacity |
| Max Pipe Range (Length) m | 50 | 55 | The average pipe run for a residential home in QLD is 20-30m |
| Air Purification | Built-in NanoeX | Optional Plasma Quad Connect | NanoeX is a standard feature on the Panasonic, a great inclusion! |
14kW
| Brand | Panasonic | Mitsubishi Electric | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model (indoor/outdoor) | S-140PE3R/U-140PZ3R5 | PEA-M140HAA/PUZ-M 140VKA-A | |
| Indoor Unit Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 430 x 1200 x 700 | 380 x 1405 x 900 | Panasonic is better for tight roof spaces |
| Outdoor Unit Dimensions (HxWxD mm) | 996 x 980 x 370 | 1338 x 1050 x 330 (+40) | Panasonic has a more compact outdoor unit |
| EER | 3.25 | 3.3 | Mitsubishi is more efficient when cooling |
| COP | 3.76 | 4.15 | Mitsubishi is more efficient when heating |
| External Static Pressure Pa | 100 (10-150) | 50/100/150 | Panasonic has a better static pressure range |
| Air Volume (L/M/H) L/s | 701/835/1002 | 700/800/900/1000 | Its a tie! |
| Outdoor Unit Sound Pressure Level (Cooling/Heating) dB(A) | 56(54)/56(54) | 53(71)/54(72) | Both brands are very quiet but Mitsubishi wins |
| Indoor Unit Sound Pressure Level dB(A) | 47/49/51 | 35/38/42/45 | Mitsubishi has a quieter indoor unit |
| Operating Range (Cooling/Heating) °C | -10-46/-15-24 | -15-46/-15-21 | Both well suited to QLD conditions |
| Total Power Input (Cooling/Heating) kW | 4.31/3.72 | 4.24/3.85 | Mitsubishi draws less power in cooling but Panasonic draws less in heating! |
| Cooling Capacity Range (Min/Rated/Max) kW | 3.3/14/15 | 6.2/14/15.3 | Panasonic has a lower min capacity which is important for night cooling |
| Heating Capacity Range (Min/Rated/Max) kW | 3.4/14/16 | 5.7/16/18 | Panasonic has a lower min capacity but Mitsubishi has 2kW more max capacity |
| Max Pipe Range (Length) m | 50 | 55 | The average pipe run for a residential home in QLD is 20-30m |
| Air Purification | Built-in NanoeX | Optional Plasma Quad Connect | NanoeX is a standard feature on the Panasonic, a great inclusion! |
Mitsubishi Electric Vs Panasonic Air Conditioners Summary
Performance and Efficiency
To provide a fair comparison on how each of the air conditioning brands perform in regards to energy consumption we needed to find a metric that was published by both brands
This proved more difficult than we thought, while all models meet are energy efficient & exceed Australian minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) it seems all the major brands have decided to publish slightly different metrics!
TCSPF & HSPF
Our preference would have been to compare the TCSPF & HSPF which takes into account the ambient air temperatures for different location zones (eg HOT – places like Brisbane or Darwin, AVERAGE – places like Perth or Adelaide and COLD – Melbourne & Hobart). Yes! The ambient air temperature of your location affects the performance but unfortunately Mitsubishi Electric doesn’t publish this data so this wasn’t an option here.
AEER & ACOP
Our next option was to compare AEER & ACOP however Panasonic doesn’t publish this data, big sad 🙁 These metrics measure how efficient each system is including annualized standby power, AEER is for cooling performance whilst ACOP is for heating performance.
EER & COP
Finally a measurement of efficiency published by both brands…EER & COP. EER measures energy efficiency in cooling whilst COP measures efficiency in heating mode, the higher the number the more efficient!
Winner
Cooling Efficiency: Panasonic proved to be the most energy efficient in cooling mode for the 10kW & 12.5kW models however Mitsubishi won by a nose hair in the 14kW comparison.
Heating Efficiency: Mitsubishi took the crown for the 12.5k & 14kW but when it came to the 10kW model the Panasonic was more efficient by a considerable amount!
One thing worth mentioning here is that the Panasonic units have a much lower minimum capacity when compared to the Mitsubishi Electric units which can be beneficial when you are trying to cool only a few rooms at night in low load conditions as it helps to ensure a stable temperature and reduce temperature swings as the compressor ramps up and down capacity.
Noise Levels
Panasonic
Panasonic ducted air conditioners are designed to operate quietly, ensuring minimal disturbance both inside & outside your home. From our real world experience installing these units on a daily basis we know they are very quiet & we haven’t had one noise complaint.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Electric AC’s are also very quiet air conditioning systems from our experience. We have never had a noise complaint about these units.
Winner
On paper Mitsubishi takes the prize for the noise category however from our experience it would very difficult to notice the increased sound power level of the Panasonic in a real world installation.
When it comes to ducted AC units most reputable brands are very quiet up to & including the 14kW, the main points worth considering are the placement of the indoor & outdoor unit.
Your aircon installer should aim to install the indoor unit over a living area rather than a bedroom. The return air grille should be placed in a living room or hallway away from bedrooms.
When determining the outdoor unit location we recommend placing the unit on a slab rather than wall brackets to prevent vibration going up through the wall of the home, although a rare occurrence we believe prevention is better than a cure. It’s also important to place the outdoor condenser unit away from bedroom walls, rather aim for a living area or garage.
To help keep your neighbours happy consider where their bedrooms are located & try to position your outdoor unit as far away from their bedrooms as possible. A handy tool you can use to help determine the best location is the Fair Air noise calculator.
One last tip on outdoor unit noise levels! Both Mitsubishi & Panasonic both feature a “low noise level mode” that can be enabled by your installer which essentially lowers the max capacity of your unit at night time to reduce the noise level of the outdoor unit, a very handy feature if your neighbours don’t appreciate your new air conditioner.
Features and Functionality
Panasonic
Panasonic air conditioners come with features like Nanoe-X air purification system, which removes contaminants, airborne particles and allergens, reduces bad smells, delivers cleaner air & improving indoor air quality. Panasonic NanoeX air cons are also approved by the National Asthma Council Australia Sensitive Touch® program.
Panasonic offer smart control options through their Comfort Cloud app, Google Asistant or Amazon Alexa voice control! The smart air con app allows users to control their air conditioning system from anywhere as well as easily monitor energy consumption & visualise nanoeX operation.
The only downside we can see with these ducted air conditioning unit models are that the indoor fan is a AC fan motor which means there is no static pressure adjustment, although this isn’t an issue for most Queensland homes & Panasnic indoor fan motors are also used in many Mitsunishi Heavy Industries ducted reverse system air conditioners.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Electric ducted air conditioners have a range of features such as the 3D i-see Sensor, which detects the room’s occupancy and adjusts the temperature accordingly for optimal comfort.
ME also offer Wi-Fi control through their MELCloud app, enabling remote management of the air conditioning system as well as Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa integration.
One excellent feature of these units is that the ME indoor units split into two pieces allowing your installer to easily get them into the roof space, this is particularly handy if your roof is covered in solar panels preventing your installer from being able to take a sheet off or kick some tiles! The downside to this is that one the two piece fan coil units are bolted together they are physically larger than the Panasonic.
ME indoor units feature a DC indoor fan motor offering great flexibility of airflow volume.
The biggest downside with the Mitsubishi models compare in this article is that the don’t offer any form of air purification as standard which we believe is really important in helping keep your family breathing clean air!
Winner: While both brands offer advanced features and smart control options we have to award this category to the Panasonic thanks to its built-in whole home air purification.
Panasonic
Panasonic has a strong reputation for excellent customer service, offering a 5-year warranty on their ducted air conditioners. From our experience the after-sales support is prompt, reliable and the best in QLD.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Electric is well known for it’s quality & customer support, they offer a 5-year warranty on their ducted air conditioning systems. We have only had good experiences working with ME after sales support!
Winner
It’s a tie, as both brands provide comprehensive warranties and reliable customer support.
So Which Air Conditioner Should You Choose?
When comparing Panasonic and Mitsubishi ducted air conditioners, both brands offer excellent products with high energy efficiency, quiet operation, advanced features, and reliable customer support. Ultimately the decision will come down to which size unit you need for your home plus your specific needs and preferences.
At present 80% of our customers choose Panasonic due to it’s built-in air purification system however we have recently confirmed with Mitsubishi Electric that their Plasma Quad Connect air purification system is compatible with the models compared in this article, the issue is they do not have a factory bracket to mount the device inside the indoor unit. Our team are busy developing a solution for this, so in the near future we will offer Plasma Quad Connect filter as standard on our Mitsubishi Electric ducted air conditioner packages!
Our team are always happy to you determine the brand best option (even if it’s another brand such as Daikin or LG) for your home’s layout and requirements, use the chat widget on the right hand corner of this screen to chat to us now or contact us below!
Contact Us
Get in touch with the Smarter Air & Electrical team today!
We are your ducted air conditioning installation specialists servicing Brisbane South, Redlands, Logan, Gold Coast & Ipswich.
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