Daikin

Daikin at Night Owl

The Daikin split on the floor is the FTKL60: a 21000BTU inverter unit, listed as 1.8TR with a three-star rating, sized for a living room, an open-plan flat or a bedroom that takes the afternoon sun. Daikin built its name on quiet indoor heads and compressors that hold a set temperature rather than slamming on and off, and this is an inverter machine through and through.

Is 21000BTU the right size?

Capacity is a match, not a maximum. A 1.8TR unit in a small closed bedroom hits the set point in minutes, cycles off and leaves the air cold but damp, because it never runs long enough to pull the moisture out. In a larger room, or one with a west-facing wall, it settles at part load and runs quietly all evening. Measure the room, count the windows and note which way they face before deciding.

• FTKL60: 21000BTU, 1.8TR, three-star inverter split
• Inverter compressor that ramps down instead of stopping and restarting
• Suits living rooms, open-plan flats and sun-facing bedrooms
• Plan the outdoor unit's position and the pipe run to the head before you buy

Related: Air Conditioners · Cooling and Climate