Specs:
- 3.3kW cooling power
- 3.3kW heating power
- Inverter technology
- Stylish backlit hidden display
- Split system
- 5 year in home warranty
- Model number: STR-TCLAC12
More info - http://www.stirlingappliances.com.au/product-categories/air/…
Previous deal model I suppose - http://www.productreview.com.au/p/stirling-aldi-str-23rsjaif…
Kudos for posting the deal but my own experience with Aldi's electrical gear would dissuade me from spending good money installing, in my walls, a product such as this. It might be alright - but equally likely, it might not be. Bit hard to return something within the 60 day period if its been installed by your plumber.
My Panasonic air-con unit has been in our lounge room for 20 years, working faultlessly.
valid point :). But they have 5 years in home warranty from what I can see in the description.
Purchase price $699
Install price - about the same
Why not apply the install price against a better and well regarded brand with a genuine commitment to customer satisfaction?
The lazy Aldi 60 day money back return is useless if
Because Aldi use a range of suppliers (see all the discussions around their TVs about panel source, quality etc) any previous reviews about similar products are useless.
Caveat Emptor, lads…
That's because it is compulsory by law, if I recall correctly. Not because they have confidence in their product.
Considering the cost of installation of one of these (~$800?), requiring a line directly to the meter box because it's >2.4kW, I would not cut cost on the appliance.
It actually only draws 730 Watts or 3.2 Amps, you could run this from an existing power circuit with out any issues.
How is Panasonic? Yours is an inverter? I am planning ducted reverse cycle and there's a few main brands: Panasonic, Fujitsu, Daikin, LG and Samsung for example.
My air cond technician mate says to stick with Panasonic or Daikin as LG, Fujitsu etc have more problems with parts - so I am curious what you reckon? Should I stick with Panasonic? I can get a more powerful Fujitsu unit for example by paying $800 more for a 15.8KW unit for example, than the 14kW Panasonic.
Heard TOshiba is made in Japan (the only one) though ….
"Inverter" wasn't a term bandied around when my Panasonic Air-con was installed. Still works perfectly.
We paid $2,400 (yep) for a 2.5HP 'split system' air-con, and about $800 to install. In 1996, too.
Poor man pays twice. Spend a couple hundred more and get something decent.
yeah when i got air cons for our house i did some research and when with mitsubishi.. i was tempted to go with el cheapo but i dont know if this is something u want to skimp on
edit: El Cheapo should legit be a brand name that someone should create for dodgy products lol
Trump wouldn't let you import this brand he'd think Mexicans be stealing jobs.
…El Cheapo! The cheapskates preferred choice!
-Our Products fail after one/zero uses!
-Our products are likely to cause personal injury!
-Guaranteed 0% satisfaction or your money back!
-You will curse the day you ever encountered our range!
….El Cheapo! The brand you can't trust!
I reckon Changhong is pretty close (it's a bit too close to ChingChong). Didn't anyone tell them?
Panasonic ones are around this price with their regular cash backs, eBay 10-20% sales and Amex cash back.
Got a 2.5kw system for $505 from Harvey Norman recently with all the above. Got one last year for ~$560 with good guys ebay 20%.
The larger systems weren't that much more.
True, I got a panasonic last time around and the unit is pretty solid. I guess the price isn't that bad for a 3.3kw unit.
How is Panasonic? Yours is an inverter? I am planning ducted reverse cycle and there's a few main brands: Panasonic, Fujitsu, Daikin, LG and Samsung for example.
My air cond technician mate says to stick with Panasonic or Daikin as LG, Fujitsu etc have more problems with parts - so I am curious what you reckon? Should I stick with Panasonic? I can get a more powerful Fujitsu unit for example by paying $800 more for a 15.8KW unit for example, than the 14kW Panasonic.
Heard TOshiba is made in Japan (the only one) though ….
They're both pretty new. No issues so far. Went with Panasonic over Fujitsu also on the recommendation of my installer. Fujitsu uses a new compressor gas which apparently makes it hard to service.
ahhh ok, so Panasonic for ease of servicing? So far is it pretty quiet and pretty sturdy?
I assume it is doing a pretty good job and looks the part? SO you'd recommend I focus on Panasonic?
@SaberX:
I have no complaints but I'm just one relatively new user.
Not sure if the same translates to the large ducted units you're referring to. I would do more research and make an informed decision.
No worries - thanks.
The hardest part is that It seems like such a model specific and changing environment that unlike your everyday goods I don't think finding a general 'product or tech review' will be easy. I'll do some research on brands but it's quite confusing - there's hepas of major brands such as panasonic, fujitsu, daikin, samsung, and LG as the main ones… but then you get some who say some are not that flash, and others are great but costly or hard to maintain or repair if the thing breaks down.
So far Panasonic related threads seem to be getting the thumbs up however, with no further complaints or anything as far as the maintenace or reliability go though? Which may be a good sign?!
For a mere $116 more you can get one of the best brands (this is just one. I'm sure a better deal could easily be found).
https://www.bunnings.com.au/mitsubishi-heavy-industries-2-5k…
$769 plus delivery here:
https://www.sparkydirect.com.au/p/SRK25ZMA-S/mitsubishi-heav…
i think i remember hearing how mitsu electric and mitsu heavy industries were two totally different kettle of fish, and that u wanted mitsu electric (the superior product), but i could be wrong and perhaps someone can fill in on that
http://www.canstarblue.com.au/appliances/cooling-heating/air…
Seems you're right about separate companies. Don't know about end user reviews but according to canstar they are both well made, electric being more asthetically pleasing, heavy industries being cheaper
Yeah i see that:
Luckily, both Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries offer competitively priced products and are considered at the top of the industry in terms of quality and reliability. It’s hard to go wrong with either.
We did some research when we bought our aircons earlier this year and the general consesus (including the feedback from the independent installer) seemed to be that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is better in terms of reliability (but as cantanga said above, they are less pleasing on the eye, being somewhat boxier).
MHI is better, but it's not like ME are bad.
Can definitely vouch for mitshi. We have 3 split systems. One mitshi and two Samsung's. Last heat wave we had temps approaching 50 degrees. The two Samsung's shut down due to over temp on the outdoor inverter (they're on the north facing wall and unfortunately direct sunlight to add to the already hot day). The mitshi powered through. Just meant we all moved into the one room.
You can also currently get cashback on MHI models, this one gets you $100 dropping the cost to only $16 more.
Promotion runs until 31 January 2017.
As coley mentions below.
there is no exact match for this range as mitsubishi does not have same heat/cool kw
since most people would install air-con for cooling purposes the 3.3kw cooling version is $989
https://www.bunnings.com.au/mitsubishi-heavy-industries-3-3-…
Or get Bunnings to Pricebeat SparkyDirect @ $935 = $841.50
https://www.sparkydirect.com.au/p/SRK35ZMA-S/mitsubishi-heav…
Then get $100 cashback from MHI = $741.50
https://mhiaapromotion.com/
Then live in QLD and get $100 rebate from Energex for using Peaksmart = $641.50
https://www.energex.com.au/home/control-your-energy/positive…
Or each to their own.
Cool deal
We were also tempted by this Aldi offer but then did some searching and found that Panasonic was allegedly the pick of the bunch according to the guys at Canstar Blue
http://www.canstarblue.com.au/appliances/cooling-heating/air…
Found HN had a deal on a similar model (3.5kw) for $944 with $100 EFTPOS card and a $60 HN card. So for $84 more we got, what I felt, was a better product.
The $60 HN gift card is no longer available but the $100 EFPOS card still is which takes the price to $844 – comparable to the Bunning’s offer.
http://www.harveynorman.com.au/heating-cooling-air-treatment…
A few years ago i went through installing large 7kw splits and my house, my grandma's house and my great aunt's house. mine and grandma's first got Mits Heavy Industries and the other one got a Panasonic, some time later I installed another smaller MHI and an LG for bedrooms. I'd never install anything but MHI's again, the LG compressor is just noisy and the Panasonic is friggin Huge compared to their equivalent sized MHI units. The Panasonic broke twice already, the others are going strong. My MHI runs almost 24/7 in the winter as it's now my primary heating source in the Adelaide Hills, much cheaper by 3x than if I had the wood heater going 24/7, plus no more collecting and chopping wood with my stuffed back.
MHI FTW! :-)
Been told that Daikin is like the top brand for air cond? How are they compared to Mitsubishi Electric or Mitsubishi HI?
My advice is to buy the aldi. Don't spend extra on Daikin or the like. Theyre not like they used to be. All Chinese crap now. Service just as crap. Took them 2 years and threat of court to get my a/c replaced.
Very hard to get unbiased or knowledgeable info on which brands are best. Consumers only know how the ones they have had went. Retailers (who aren't installers too) at best wouldn't know because once it's out the door they don't have anything more to do with them. At worst they'll just lie and sell the one that gives biggest profit.
Installers/service people only know about the ones they deal with. The likes of Choice are really only looking at features, star ratings & warranties.
How can you tell? I have a 5.2/6Kw Panasonic. which has been fine for 4-ish years and a $500 3.3/4Kw Mistral which has been fantastic for a few years longer than that (is cheaper to run in the same room as the Panasonic!).
One weird thing about the Aldi is why the heat & cool rating is the same. Usually they differ.
The problem is that the state of things changes over time, too. The brands which used to be known as "the best" may no longer be so.
But if it helps anything, a friend of mine is an aircon specialist (mostly commercial), and he swears by Panasonic and Mitsubishi.
I have two 2.4kW LG split systems, one a few years older than the other. The older one is a bit noisy, but both work fine.
When buying, check whether the unit needs to be hardwired or whether it has a plug. The latter type saves a few hundred dollars in installation. Wish I had known that for my second LG.
Check running cost at http://www.energyrating.gov.au/calculator
One important feature never mentioned is how low you can turn the heating down (in winter of course). My Mistral only goes down to 18, the Panasonic to 16, but I know Daikin go to at least 14 (possibly more I'm not sure). As I'm in Tas you really only want something like 10-12 overnight (when it can be single figures if not below freezing outside) otherwise it's too hot to sleep.
I wonder if the inverse is true say in Marble Bar - would you want the cooling to be able to be set something like 30 or more overnight in summer?
Anyone had experience with in home warranty service for Aldi / Stirling appliances? These would be great to chuck in an investment property.