You have a partner who thinks you shouldn't DIY your comfort. A licensed tech making sure you did it right, and starting up the system, changes that conversation completely.
The Honest Comparison
GWIN™ vs MRCOOL — Which Is Better For You?
Both brands sell DIY mini splits. We reach two different kinds of homeowners — so honestly, we don't see MRCOOL as our competitor. MRCOOL is the OG of DIY HVAC. They originated the category and paved the way for homeowners to install their own systems, and they deserve respect for that. This page is a straight-up honest look at both — with a checklist, pros and cons, and a clear path forward whichever brand ends up being the right fit for you.
Licensed tech included
Full bumper-to-bumper warranty
No precharged linesets
Commercial pro-grade equipment
Watch the full GWIN™ vs MRCOOL walkthrough — the install difference, the linesets, the tech, and the warranty, side by side.
The Short Answer
GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ is the upgraded alternative for homeowners who want DIY savings with Pro assurance, Pro Equipment, and a Pro Install.
MRCOOL is the originator of DIY HVAC and a great fit for the unassisted, all-the-way-DIY homeowner. Two different homeowners. Two different paths. If MRCOOL ends up being the better fit for your situation, we'll point you to the place we believe is the best to make your purchase — for the cleanest buying experience and the best ongoing support. No hard feelings, no pressure. For most of the homeowners we talk to, though, GWIN™ is the right call. Here's why.
The Quick Checklist
GWIN™ is the better choice if any of this sounds like you
A homeowner-honest checklist. Read the list. If two or more boxes describe you, GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ is almost certainly the right call.
Pick GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ if…
Check anything that sounds like your situation.
This is your first mini split install. You want the assurance that you did a great job — and a tech to back it up.
You want an install that's indistinguishable from a pro install. No coiled-up extra lineset behind the unit. No factory-fixed length. Clean connections, cut to the run.
You want DIY — but you do not want precharged linesets. With precharged, you live with the various premade factory lengths. If it's too long, you coil the excess. If it's too short, you have to buy an expensive coupler — or a whole new lineset.
You want to buy factory direct. GWIN™ sells direct, so you deal with us for delivery, damages, parts, and support.
You're a non-licensed homeowner and you want a real long-term warranty. GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ activates a full bumper-to-bumper warranty on a homeowner install because a licensed tech commissions the system.
You don't want to worry about parts availability years from now. GWIN™ has a partnership with a national parts supplier that ships parts free, directly to your door, for 10 years.
You want more than a mid-level system. You want commercial pro-grade performance — quieter, more efficient, colder rated, better-built.
You want to install your system once. Because your time is valuable, and the second install is always more expensive than doing it right the first time.
Checked 2 or more? GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ is the right choice for your home.
Pros & Cons
What each brand actually does well — and where each one falls short
No spin. The honest version a homeowner deserves before spending thousands of dollars on a system that's going to live on their wall for the next decade.
GWIN™ Assisted DIY™
Recommended
What's Great
- Full bumper-to-bumper warranty on a non-licensed install
- Licensed tech pressure-tests, vacuums, charges, and certifies the system
- Easy-connect flareless linesets that you cut to your exact run length — clean, pro-looking install
- Installs nearly the same way as MRCOOL — just cleaner linesets and a tech at the end
- Priced nearly the same as MRCOOL DIY single-zone and multi-zone systems
- Commercial pro-grade equipment, not mid-level DIY
- Cold-climate performance down to -22°F on supported models
- R-32 single-component refrigerant — simpler servicing, more efficient
- Factory direct — you buy from us, you deal with us for everything
- 10-year parts and compressor coverage shipped free direct to your door
- 1-year bumper-to-bumper labor and refrigerant warranty covering you and the tech
- Free shipping, free liftgate, free sizing help
- The tech you meet on commissioning is the tech you can call for the life of the system
- Tech guaranteed in all 48 contiguous states — or get the system free
Honest Trade-offs
- Newer brand — fewer install videos on YouTube than MRCOOL, though our in-house techs are available by phone for help anytime you need it
- You schedule a tech visit through GWIN™ to finish the install — adds a step to your timeline
- Not available through large retailers — factory direct only, ordered through us
MRCOOL DIY
The OG
What's Great
- The originator of DIY HVAC — they paved the way for homeowner installation
- Massive brand recognition in DIY mini split — easy to research
- Widely available through Home Depot, Lowe's, Amazon, and authorized dealers
- Genuinely full unassisted do-it-yourself — no tech visit required
- Lots of YouTube tutorials and a strong community of installers
Honest Trade-offs
- Precharged linesets are fixed-length — excess line has to remain coiled for the life of the install
- Coiled linesets pool oil, risk kinking, and reduce efficiency over time
- If issues come up, you self-diagnose with MRCOOL phone tech support — and sometimes have to hire a local tech for diagnosis at your own cost
- Techs can often be difficult to dispatch to service your system since they didn't install it
- Parts and compressor warranty is covered, but you pay shipping on warranty parts
- Sold only through authorized dealers — for delivery issues, damages, parts, and support, you deal with whoever you purchased from
- R-454B is a two-part blend — different handling and servicing characteristics than a single-component refrigerant
The One Real Difference
How the refrigerant charge is delivered — the only real apples-to-apples difference
Both brands sell genuine DIY mini splits and the install is nearly identical from the homeowner's side. The single technical difference that actually matters is how the refrigerant charge gets into your system. MRCOOL delivers it pre-charged in the lineset. GWIN™ delivers it through the included licensed tech — who also inspects for leaks and lets you cut your linesets to your exact run length.
GWIN™ — Tech-Delivered Charge
Recommended
How GWIN™ Delivers It
- Licensed tech delivers the refrigerant charge on the commissioning visit — you never handle refrigerant
- Tech inspects the system for leaks before charging — leaks get found and fixed, not discovered later
- Pressure-test + vacuum + charge + commission — the full pro-install workflow
- Easy Connect flare-less metal-to-metal fittings — no flaring tool, no flare nuts, no learning curve
- You cut copper linesets to your exact run length on the job — no coiled excess behind the condenser
- Tech-delivered charge is what activates your full bumper-to-bumper warranty
MRCOOL — Pre-Charged Linesets
The OG
The Trade-offs
- Charge is sealed inside the pre-charged Quick-Connect lineset at the factory
- Lineset is a fixed factory length — excess copper must remain coiled behind the condenser for the life of the install
- No on-site leak inspection — you find out about a leak when the system stops cooling
- No commissioning step — startup is on the homeowner
Feature By Feature
The side-by-side spec breakdown
The factors that actually matter once the box arrives and you start the install.
Feature
GWIN™ Assisted DIY™
MRCOOL DIY
Install model
You install, licensed tech commissions
Fully unassisted DIY
Install process
Nearly the same install — tech is the difference
Nearly the same install — no tech is the difference
Linesets
Easy-connect flareless, cut to your run length
Precharged, factory-fixed length, excess remains coiled
Refrigerant handling
You never touch refrigerant — tech handles it
Homeowner manages the lineset connections
Pressure test & vacuum
Pro checks for leaks before they happen
No leak test performed — you find out when it stops cooling
Refrigerant type
R-32 — single-component, consistent composition
R-454B — newer two-part blend
Cold-climate rating
Heats down to -22°F on supported models
Heats down to roughly -13°F
Equipment tier
Commercial pro-grade
Mid-level DIY
Warranty terms
10-yr parts & compressor (free shipping) + 1-yr bumper-to-bumper labor & refrigerant
5-yr parts / 7-yr compressor (homeowner pays parts shipping)
Diagnosis if there's a problem
Same GWIN™ tech who commissioned your system
Self-diagnose with phone tech support — may need to hire a local tech
Buying model
Factory direct — one company, one point of contact
Through authorized dealers — you go back to whoever you bought from
Pricing
Nearly identical to MRCOOL — closest priced brand
Nearly identical to GWIN™
Availability
All 48 contiguous states, guaranteed
All 50 states through authorized dealers
The GWIN™ Tech Guarantee
A licensed tech in all 48 contiguous states — or your system is free.
Most of the value of GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ comes from the licensed tech who finishes your install. So we put our money where our mouth is: if we can't get a qualified GWIN™ tech to your home in the 48 contiguous states to commission your system, the system is yours — free.
1
You order. We pair you with a tech.
Once your order is placed, GWIN™ assigns a licensed tech in your area. You'll know who's coming before your system even ships.
2
You install on your schedule.
Mount the units, run the lineset, and handle the electrical at your own pace. The tech is on standby for any questions along the way.
3
Your tech commissions the system.
You schedule the visit when you're ready. The tech pressure-tests, vacuums, charges, certifies the install, and activates your full warranty.
★
If we can't deliver — it's on us.
If GWIN™ can't dispatch a qualified tech to your address in the 48 contiguous states, you keep the system at no cost. That's the guarantee.
The GWIN™ DIY Warranty
The only true bumper-to-bumper warranty — on a homeowner-installed system.
Most DIY warranties make you pick: parts, OR labor — never both. The GWIN™ warranty covers both, because a licensed tech commissions your install. Year 1 is bumper-to-bumper — parts, labor, refrigerant, install labor if defects are found, shipping damage. Plus 10 years of parts and compressor coverage, parts shipped free to your door. And the whole thing transfers automatically when you sell the house.
Manufacturer-Direct Financing
Finance through the manufacturer — not a third-party checkout lender.
Most DIY mini split sellers hand you off to a third-party checkout lender at the cart. GWIN™ is different — we're the manufacturer, and we accept your application directly. We partner with our lender to absorb the fees, all credit is welcome, and financing is available in all 50 states. One company, one application, one point of contact.
Go Deeper
The pieces that matter most, explained
Five areas where GWIN™ and MRCOOL diverge in ways that actually change what your install looks like — and what happens five years from now.
Why precharged linesets are the biggest layout limitation of DIY
MRCOOL's signature feature — the precharged Quick-Connect lineset — is what made DIY HVAC possible in the first place. It's a clever engineering achievement, and it's the reason an everyday homeowner can install a mini split without ever touching refrigerant. That's a real innovation, and they deserve credit for it.
The trade-off is what comes after: the lineset is a fixed length, sealed at the factory with refrigerant already in it. If your actual run is shorter than the line (which is almost always the case), the excess has to be coiled and left behind the condenser for the life of the install.
Coiled linesets cause three real problems: oil pools in the low spots of the coil and struggles to return to the compressor, kinking risk in tight bends, and efficiency loss from extra refrigerant volume sitting in copper that doesn't need to be there.
GWIN™ ships easy-connect flareless linesets. You cut the copper to your exact run length with an inexpensive copper cutting tool, then connect using the easy-connect flareless fittings — no flaring required. Your tech then pressure-tests the system for leaks, vacuums it, and charges it properly.
R-32 vs R-454B — single-component vs two-part blend
Both brands have moved away from older R-410A. The question is what they moved to. GWIN™ uses R-32, a single-component refrigerant. MRCOOL uses R-454B, a newer two-part blend of R-32 and HFO-1234yf.
Both are legitimate next-generation refrigerants with low global warming potential. The practical difference for a homeowner is in how the refrigerant behaves over time and during service. Because R-32 is a single component, its composition stays consistent — what's in the system at year one is what's in the system at year ten. Blends like R-454B can experience composition shift if there's ever a leak, because the two components can leak out at different rates.
Neither refrigerant is wrong. R-32 is just simpler — simpler to charge, simpler to service, more forgiving over the long life of the system.
The warranty & support difference — what happens when something goes wrong
Warranties only matter when you need them. The real question isn't 'is there coverage?' — it's 'what is it actually like to use it?'
GWIN™ provides 10 years parts & compressor coverage shipped free, plus 1 year bumper-to-bumper labor & refrigerant coverage. MRCOOL provides 5 years parts and 7 years compressor, with the homeowner paying shipping on warranty parts.
That extra 1-year bumper-to-bumper labor and refrigerant coverage is the part most homeowners miss when comparing specs. It covers your install and the tech's work — meaning if something goes wrong in that first year, the labor to fix it is covered, the refrigerant to recharge it is covered, and you're not paying out of pocket.
Beyond the terms themselves, there's the experience of using the warranty. With MRCOOL DIY, you typically work through phone tech support to self-diagnose. With GWIN™, the same licensed tech who commissioned your system is your point of contact for diagnosis.
Commercial pro-grade vs mid-level DIY
MRCOOL's DIY line is built for the mid-level homeowner price point. That's perfectly fine for a garage, a workshop, or a space where you just need solid comfort without going all the way to pro-grade.
GWIN™ systems are spec'd as commercial pro-grade — quieter operation, higher SEER2 efficiency, and cold-climate heating down to -22°F on supported models versus roughly -13°F on MRCOOL's comparable units. That's not a marketing number — it's the difference between full heat in February and a system that's coasting on emergency electric strips.
If you're conditioning a primary living space, a finished basement, an addition, or anything that has to perform year-round in real weather, pro-grade is the right call.
Factory direct vs the authorized dealer model
This is the part that doesn't show up in the spec sheet — but it changes everything about your experience after the box hits your driveway.
MRCOOL is sold through authorized dealers — Home Depot, Lowe's, Amazon, and a network of independent online retailers. That gives MRCOOL massive reach, which is a real strength. The trade-off is what happens after the sale. If your system arrives damaged, a part is missing, you need warranty parts, or you need ongoing support — you have to deal with whoever you purchased from.
GWIN™ is factory direct only. There's no dealer in between. When you order, the order is with us. If something arrives damaged, we handle it. If you need parts, you call us. If you need a tech, you call us. One company, one point of contact, for the life of the system.
Who GWIN™ Is Built For
If any of these are you, GWIN™ is your system
The profiles where GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ consistently wins.
The homeowner with a skeptical partner
A licensed tech finishing the install ends the 'you shouldn't be doing this yourself' conversation. Both of you sleep easier.
The first-timer
You've never installed a mini split. You want the assurance that you did it right — and someone qualified to confirm it.
The pro-install perfectionist
You want a finished install that's indistinguishable from a contractor's work. No coiled excess, copper cut to your exact run.
The DIYer who hates precharged linesets
You want to DIY but you don't want fixed-length factory copper coiled behind your condenser. You want it cut to your run.
The non-licensed homeowner who wants a real warranty
You don't have an HVAC license, and you still want full bumper-to-bumper coverage. That's exactly what Assisted DIY™ was built for.
The 'install it once' person
Your time is valuable. You don't want to redo this in three years because you bought mid-level equipment the first time.
The homeowner worried about parts in year seven
You want long-term parts availability and a system backed by a company that'll still be standing when something needs replacing.
The performance buyer
You want pro-grade specs, install, and performance — R-32 single-component refrigerant, true cold-climate heat — not mid-level DIY components.
An Honest Position
We don't see MRCOOL as our competitor. They're the OG — and they paved the way.
DIY HVAC exists because MRCOOL built it. Before they created the precharged Quick-Connect category, homeowners had no real path to installing their own systems. That's a genuine contribution to this industry, and respect is owed for it.
We built GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ for a different kind of homeowner — the one who wants a pro-grade install with a licensed tech and a full homeowner warranty. Two paths. Two different homeowners.
At the end of the day, what's right for you is what matters most to us. If that isn't GWIN™, we understand and we respect it.
FAQ
The questions homeowners ask before deciding
If your question isn't here, give us a call — we'll give you the honest answer either way.
What is the real difference between GWIN™ and MRCOOL?
MRCOOL is the OG of DIY HVAC — they paved the way for homeowner installation with their precharged Quick-Connect lineset model, and they deserve real credit for that. GWIN™ Assisted DIY™ is a different category: you do the install on your own time with easy-connect flareless linesets that you cut to your exact run length, and a licensed GWIN™ tech finishes the job by pressure testing, vacuuming, charging, and certifying the system — which is what activates a full bumper-to-bumper warranty on a non-licensed install. We reach two different homeowners.
Does MRCOOL have a warranty if a homeowner installs it?
Yes, MRCOOL provides warranty coverage on DIY installs. The difference is in the support experience: if a problem comes up later you typically self-diagnose with MRCOOL phone tech support, and sometimes have to hire a local HVAC tech for diagnosis at your own cost. With GWIN™ Assisted DIY™, the same licensed tech who commissioned your system is your point of contact for diagnosis if anything ever needs attention.
Why do precharged linesets matter so much?
MRCOOL's precharged linesets are their signature feature and the reason DIY HVAC works at all — they let a homeowner connect a system without ever touching refrigerant. The trade-off is that the line is a fixed factory length; if your run is shorter, the excess has to remain coiled for the life of the install. Coiled linesets pool oil, risk kinking, reduce efficiency over time, and lock you into the layout the factory chose. GWIN™ ships easy-connect flareless linesets you cut to your run length on site, so the install looks and performs like a pro install.
Is GWIN™ more expensive than MRCOOL?
No — MRCOOL is actually GWIN™'s closest priced brand. The two systems are priced nearly the same. The difference isn't cost; it's what you get for it: pro-grade equipment, a licensed tech included with the system, full homeowner warranty, and the factory-direct buying model.
What refrigerant does each brand use?
GWIN™ uses R-32, a single-component refrigerant — its composition stays consistent over time, which simplifies long-term servicing. MRCOOL has moved to R-454B, a newer two-part refrigerant blend (R-32 plus HFO-1234yf). Both are legitimate next-generation refrigerants. The practical advantage of a single-component refrigerant is that it can't experience composition shift if there's ever a leak, since there's no second component to leak out separately.
Is GWIN™ available in my state?
Yes — GWIN™ is available in all 48 contiguous states, guaranteed. We ship factory direct nationwide with free shipping and free liftgate service.
What if I read this whole page and still want MRCOOL?
Totally fine. We don't even see MRCOOL as our competitor — we serve two different kinds of homeowners. If MRCOOL is the right fit for you, we'll point you to the place we believe is the best to make your purchase and get the best ongoing support. What matters most to us is that you end up with the right system for your home.
Can the GWIN™ tech do my entire install if I don't want to DIY?
In some areas, yes — certain techs will do a complete install. It's case-by-case, tech-dependent, and comes with an additional charge. Some homeowners also have the tech handle just the lineset connections while they do everything else.
Who should pick GWIN™ Assisted DIY™?
GWIN™ is the better choice for first-time installers, homeowners whose partner is skeptical of pure DIY, anyone who wants an install indistinguishable from a pro install, anyone who does not want precharged linesets that must remain coiled, non-licensed homeowners who want a real long-term warranty with a tech to call, anyone worried about parts availability years down the road, and anyone who wants to install their system once and never think about it again.
How does scheduling the tech work?
Once your system is installed (or as soon as you're close), you schedule the tech online or by phone. The tech inspects your wiring, communication connections, and condensate drain, performs a pressure test, vacuums the system, charges the refrigerant, and certifies the install. That commissioning visit is what activates your warranty.
Ready to build the right system for your home?
If you've gotten this far, you probably know which way you're leaning. Build your GWIN™ system in a few minutes, schedule a call at a time that works for you, or give us a ring directly.
At the end of the day, what's right for you is what matters most to us. If that isn't GWIN™, we understand and respect that — and we don't even mind guiding you in the right direction.
