Note: Before you dive into the specific brand review, we highly recommend you to read our elaborate Mini-Split Buying Guide in advance, there are several crucial steps you need to take before you even start to think about the brand.
The Gree Group was founded in 1989 and has experienced explosive growth due to a good mix of quality, energy efficiency and cost. Gree is now one of the largest manufacturers of residential ACs including mini split air conditioners and heat pumps. The Gree Sapphire line with 38 SEER efficiency is one of the most efficient mini-split systems available today.
This Gree mini-split HVAC guide covers all the brand’s ductless AC and heat pump series with Gree mini split cost and features for each. Do your Gree ductless system research here and compare Gree to Samsung, Pioneer and other mini split systems we have reviewed.
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Top Gree Features
The Gree Sapphire mini-split heat pump systems offer tremendous efficiency of 38 SEER cooling and 15 HSPF heating. Very impressively, it will continue to provide reliable heat, though not quite as efficiently, down to outside temperatures of –22 Fahrenheit. This is the equivalent of HVAC giant Trane’s top ductless system. It is one of the most efficient currently available. The compressor, as all top mini split system condensing unit’s use, is an inverter compressor. The Gree Crown+ and Crown will also heat to –22F.
Many Gree ductless systems including Sapphire, Crown+, Crown, Vireo and Vireo+ are WiFi-enabled, so they can be monitored and controlled using the Gree app on any smart device.
Indoor units for the Sapphire, Crown+, Crown, Terra systems are all wall-mount units with 7-speed fans. The unit selects fan speed based on heating and cooling demand to produce optimal indoor comfort and temperature balance. These units have louvers to move air in four directions.
All Gree outdoor units are heat pumps. They supply both heating and air conditioning.
Cons for Gree
Almost all Gree mini split single-zone heating and cooling systems offer only wall mounted indoor units. While wall-mounted indoor air handlers are the most common type, top brands give you additional options including floor, suspended ceiling, concealed ceiling and duct-type indoor units. Only the single-zone U-Match system gives you the choice of wall/floor/ceiling air handlers. The multi-zone systems offer several indoor unit styles for a tailored design your heating and air conditioning.
There is significant efficiency drop-off as the outdoor units for some systems get larger. While this is true for all brands, it is particularly noticeable with Gree condensing units. For example, the Terra 9,000 BTU unit is 27 SEER; the 24,000 unit is just 21 SEER. The Neo system drops from 22 SEER to 16 over its range from 9,000 to 36,000 BTUs.
The best warranties offered by Gree are just 7 years. Most are 5 years. The top brands in the industry offer warranties of 10-12 years.
Models Comparison and Recommendations
Gree makes a full lineup of mini split systems from basic efficiency and performance to better and best lines. The table below lists all Gree single-zone and multi-zone ductless systems, which makes it easy to compare Gree products with one another and with those from other top brands.
| Target Efficiency | Model/Series | SEER | HSPF | Indoor Unit Sizes | Room sq. ft. | Zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest | Sapphire | 38 | 15 | 9-24 MBH | 350-1,000 | 1 |
| Crown, Crown+ | 30.5 | 10.5 | 9-18 MBH | 350-750 | 1 | |
| Terra | 27 | 10 | 9-24 MBH | 350-1000 | 1 | |
| Mid-range | Vireo/Vireo+ | 23 | 10.5 | 9-36 MBH | 350-1,500 | 1 |
| Neo | 22 | 9.8 | 9-36 MBH | 350-1,500 | 1 | |
| U-Match | 20 | 10 | 18-48 MBH | 750-1,750 | 1 | |
| Basic | Livo/Livo+ | 16 | 9 | 9-36 MBH | 350-1,500 | 1 |
| Rio | 16 | 8.6 | 9-24 MBH | 350-1,000 | 1 | |
| Mid-range | Multi 21/21+ | 22 | 10 | 18-42 MBH | 750-1,625 | 5 |
| Basic | Multi/Super+ Multi | 16 | 9 | 48-60 MBH | 1,750-2,000+ | 9 |
Notes:
MBH: Gree uses MBH to designate 1,000 BTU, so a 9 MBH outdoor unit produces a maximum of 9,000 BTUs of heat. This designation is used by some other brands.
Sizing your Heating and Air Conditioning System
We use the square footage in the chart above based on Mitsubishi general recommendations. However, there’s more to properly sizing a mini split system than the number of square feet of space it will serve. For complete information on how to size your HVAC system, or how a pro would do it, see this section of our popular Mini Split AC and Heat Pump Buying Guide.
Gree Mini Split System Prices
|
Models
|
Outdoor Unit Price
|
Indoor Unit Price
|
System Installed Price
|
| Single-Zone Series | |||
| Sapphire | $1,235-$2,165 | $265-$550 |
$2,525-$4,700
|
| Crown, Crown+ | $1,045-$1,575 | $265-$500 |
$2,485-$4,275
|
| Terra | $885-$1,850 | $265-$550 |
$2,140-$4,295
|
| Vireo/Vireo+ | $500-$1,650 | $265-$650 |
$1,600-$3,600
|
| Neo | $485-$1,765 | $265-$650 |
$1,825-$4,365
|
| U-Match | $495-$1,750 | $225-$735 |
$1,875-$4,445
|
| Livo/Livo+ | $300-$695 | $1,190-$4,000 |
$2,000-$6,000
|
| Rio | $565-$825 | $265-$550 |
$1,815-$3,275
|
| Multi-Zone Series | |||
| Multi 21/21+ | $1,500-$2,950 | $200-$735 |
$3,735-$6,755
|
| Multi/Super+ Multi | $2,885-$3,495 | $200-$735 |
$4,900-$7,200
|
| CYB | 350-1,750 | $1,190-$4,000 |
$2,000-$6,000
|
How to Get the Best Gree Mini-Split Prices
- Firstly, keep in mind that installation quality is always the most important thing for residential HVAC project. So never sacrifice contractor quality for lower price.
- Secondly, remember to look up the latest tax credit and rebates.
- Thirdly, ask for at least 3 bids before you make the decision. You can click here to get 3 free estimates for your local contractor, and this estimate already takes rebates and tax credit into consideration and filter unqualified contractors automatically.
At last, once you chose the right contractor, remember to use the tactics from this guide: Homeowners Tactics When Negotiating with HVAC Dealer to get the final best price.
