Chinese-made Inverter Aircons in the PHL..

Chinese-made products have a bad reputation that precedes them. For years they've been known to be poor-quality knock-offs of top-end products. Nowadays though, many of us are surprised to learn that many of our Superbrands actually have Chinese OEM's making most of their products. So who are the big China aircon brands and what are they officially selling locally at the 1HP capacity?

I. Window Type Inverter

1. Gree <click here for link> This is currently the most widely rebadged window-type inverter aircon in the local market. Slide-out chasis, R32 refrigerant, Panasonic compressor, and 5-year compressor warranty are standard.
2. Midea <click here for link> Midea is locally distributed by Concepcion Industries and this unit has been updated to compete with the Gree units. Slide-out chassis, R32 refrigerant, and 5-year compressor warranty are standard. Price is similarly around 23k to directly compete with the Gree units.
3. Haier - they're currently NOT selling a window-type inverter, but they do have some distinct conventional units thanks to their "whirlpool" grille design.
4. Chigo - similar to Haier, Chigo is NOT selling a window-type inverter unit. They do have very competitive conventional units though.
5. TCL <click here for link> They're currently selling the cheapest 1HP window-type inverter in the market. Slide-out chassis, R32 refrigerant, Anodized fins, 5-in-1 filter, and 5-year compressor warranty are standard. It's hard not to take it seriously.
6. HiSense - they're NOT yet selling any window-type aircons at all.

The Chinese aren't lagging behind in their Window-type inverter offerings. These units are easy to clean, full-sized, and built like an Isuzu truck. They don't boast of new technology like dual rotary compressors, Wi-Fi connectivity, and dual fan motors. But they bolster their efficiency by using the latest R32 refrigerant and are able to get the job done with little fanfare. If you just need your room to be cooled quietly and efficiently, it might be worth your time to take a look at their units.

II. Split-Type Inverter

1. Gree <click here for link> Gree split-type units are also some of the most commonly-rebadged units on the local market. Gree-branded units don't come cheap as these are the current-generation units while rebadged units are 1 generation older. 2-color variants, R410 refrigerant, i-feel function, Smart Shutdown, 4-fan speeds, Low-power startup, and 5-year compressor warranty come standard.
2. Midea <click here for link> Midea has some very attractive units aside from the generic white boxes from everybody else. R410 refrigerant, Auto-clean function, Premium filter, and 5-year compressor warranty come standard.
3. Haier <click here for link> These units are a bit hard to come by as there aren't that many appliance stores that sell this brand. Expect parts to be equally hard to come by if you're from outside Metro Manila. R410 refrigerant, Hyper PCB, Silver Nano Coating, Self-cleaning function, Anodized fins, and 5-year compressor warranty come standard.
4. Chigo <click here for link> Instead of the standard white boxes, Chigo sells some rather curvy evaporator units. R410 refrigerant, Anodized condenser fins, Premium filter, and 5-year compressor warranty come standard.
5. TCL <click here for link> They're not selling the cheapest in this segment, but they do have a good contender nonetheless. R410 refrigerant, Autovolt PCB, Low-power startup, Anti-mildew coating, and 5-year compressor warranty come standard.
6. HiSense <click here for link> R410 refrigerant, Smart mode, i-feel function, 4-in-1 filter, and 5-year compressor warranty come standard. Hisense has limited items on offer but it can change once their brand gains traction and a strong local marketing partner.

So many local brands like American Home, Everest, Fujidenzo, Sharp, Mabe, Kolin, Carrier, Hanabishi, etc. all sell rebadged units in one form or another. If you know what to look for, it's often easy to find out the OEM of your home aircon. Many of the features of the established Japanese and American brands are slowly being offered by the Chinese makes in their premium lines (R32 refrigerant, Wi-Fi, dual-rotary compressors, ionizers, etc.). It's a red ocean market after all.. For now, the Japanese brands Panasonic, Daikin, and Mitsubishi are still tops when it comes to their split-type units. So they can't rest on their laurels as the Chinese makes are slowly catching up.

Disclaimer: I am NOT in love with China-made products and I definitely have very little love for the Chinese Communist Party who are making things annoying in our part of the globe. Neither am I connected to any of the above brands in any way. Nagkataon lang na they present a very solid alternative to the big brands that have come to be entrenched in the local market kaya gusto ko silang mabigyan ng exposure.