expired
Costway Lithzen 12000 BTU 18.2 SEER2 WiFi Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater
$392
$719
45% off
+ Free S&Hat Walmart
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Update: This popular deal is still available (now w/ a slight price drop).
Costway via Walmart has Costway Lithzen 12000 BTU 18.2 SEER2 WiFi Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater (White-208/230V) on sale for $395.99 -> now $391.49. Shipping is free.
Thanks to SD Skillful_Pickle for finding this deal
Note, product will be sold/shipped by Costway
Costway via Walmart has Costway Lithzen 12000 BTU 18.2 SEER2 WiFi Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater (White-208/230V) on sale for $395.99 -> now $391.49. Shipping is free.
Thanks to SD Skillful_Pickle for finding this deal
Note, product will be sold/shipped by Costway
Editor's Notes
Written by RevOne | Staff- Price Research
- At the time of research, this product is $64 lower (13.91% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices ranging from $459.99
- About the Deal
- This mini split air conditioner offers an impressive 12000 BTU cooling/heading capacity w/ WiFi-enabled convenient smart controller and 18.1 SEER2 F32 refrigerant high efficiency
- Offer valid while promotional price/supplies last
- Additional Details
- Product is eligible for return within 30 days of purchase
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Update: This popular deal is still available (now w/ a slight price drop).
Costway via Walmart has Costway Lithzen 12000 BTU 18.2 SEER2 WiFi Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater (White-208/230V) on sale for $395.99 -> now $391.49. Shipping is free.
Thanks to SD Skillful_Pickle for finding this deal
Note, product will be sold/shipped by Costway
Costway via Walmart has Costway Lithzen 12000 BTU 18.2 SEER2 WiFi Mini Split Air Conditioner/Heater (White-208/230V) on sale for $395.99 -> now $391.49. Shipping is free.
Thanks to SD Skillful_Pickle for finding this deal
Note, product will be sold/shipped by Costway
Editor's Notes
Written by RevOne | Staff- Price Research
- At the time of research, this product is $64 lower (13.91% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices ranging from $459.99
- About the Deal
- This mini split air conditioner offers an impressive 12000 BTU cooling/heading capacity w/ WiFi-enabled convenient smart controller and 18.1 SEER2 F32 refrigerant high efficiency
- Offer valid while promotional price/supplies last
- Additional Details
- Product is eligible for return within 30 days of purchase
Community Voting
Deal
Score
+112
Good Deal
Bad Deal
Price Intelligence
Deal History
Deal History includes data from multiple reputable stores, such as Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. The lowest price among stores for a given day is selected as the "Sale Price".
Sale Price does not include sale prices at Amazon unless a deal was posted by a community member.
Sale Price does not include sale prices at Amazon unless a deal was posted by a community member.
Sale Price
- $NaN
- Today
Current Prices
| Sold by | Sale Price |
|---|---|
 Walmart | $487.50 |
Top Comments
Most companies listed in a phone book or with a website aren't going to install them. The reason is equipment sales is where most of their profit comes from and they don't want to be responsible for chasing down parts that their local supply houses don't stock.
Your best bet for someone who will install it is Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The problem with that is that the installer probably isn't going to do it all properly - and that's what should be your biggest worry or you're going to be paying far more than the system cost periodically just trying to keep it going.
Expect to pay $1500+, with most probably quoting around $3k.
If you do it yourself to ensure it's done correctly and lasts, you need to understand what's involved. Expect to invest 20+ hours of watching YouTube videos of actual pros installing these things. Then you'll understand that you're going to need around $1k in tools, including a two-stage vacuum pump, tank of nitrogen + regulator, micron gauge, core removal tools, adjustable torque wrench, orbital flare kit, Nylog blue sealant, etc and investing more time in how to properly use those tools. One shortcut option to avoid some of the tool set and knowledge cost would be to do the physical install yourself, but then just hire someone to triple evac it and vacuum it did down below 500 microns.
You're going to need to do electrical work as well. And don't forget to add a surge suppressor at the disconnect, due to the way the controller boards try to time the inverter cycles with the power phase, these things are all very sensitive to voltage spikes and dirty power.
You need to flush and pressure test the lineset with nitrogen before vacuuming. It pushes out contaminants and helps remove moisture. I've never seen an inverter install manual that doesn't specifically say to triple evac the lineset and ensure that it passes a pressure drop test. Your cheap installer isn't going to do that.
That being said, once you have all that under your belt you can install these for friends and family and service your own equipment and save thousands down the road. It isn't rocket science and certainly doesn't require a specialist, but it needs to be done properly which anyone willing to invest the time, energy and money into tools and knowledge base can do themselves.
The biggest hurdle on these is getting the flares correct. 99.9% of the problems with these are leaking flares / low refrigerant issues because they weren't flared or torqued properly. A thin coating of Nylog on the faces can help with that, but it has limits. This is where hiring the reputation-less installer is going to bite you, they aren't going to pay attention to any of that and if you stand around telling them how to do the job they're either going to walk off or charge you more.
Also you're going to need to buy replacement black UV-resistant lineset insulation and rip off the white insulation because it's been shown to react with the copper when water is present and creates pinhole leaks over time. Low bid installer isn't going to do anything about that, either.
If you don't want to deal with the tools, flares, installers, corner cutting, etc, you're going to need to spend more and buy one of the MR COOL DIY units with their patented pre-charged no-vac linesets. It's decent equipment with a warranty from a company that's been around for a while now. That's probably going to be the best route for most people.
I have since installed a couple dozen of these for myself, family, and friends. Fairly DIY friendly if you get the right tools.
Community Reviews
This Costway 12,000 BTU mini split stands out as a budget cooling and heating option that can work well for DIY buyers or a pro install. The unit is described as cooling strongly, holding up for years in multiple installs, and being fairly DIY friendly with the right tools and research. Installation is the big catch, since a proper setup can require a dedicated circuit, vacuum pump, torque wrench, gauges, and other materials that quickly add cost. Costway support is also described as difficult when a board fails, so the value depends heavily on how you handle installation and service.
The unit can be worth the purchase when paired with professional installation and responsive workmanship.
DIY installation can be feasible for capable homeowners who invest time in research and proper tools.
The system can provide strong cooling performance in very hot conditions after installation.
The mini split can be used with solar and battery management setups for daily operation without issues.
DIY installation can add significant one-time costs for electrical parts and specialized HVAC tools beyond the unit price.
Installation may require a dedicated circuit with disconnect to meet manufacturer requirements and local town codes.
Improper vacuuming and charging practices can shorten longevity, because deep vacuum levels and measurement tools matter.
Costway support can be difficult during failures, with extensive photo and testing requests that waste time.
Common Questions (5)
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
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47 Comments
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Your worry is correct. Yes, it's going to cost a lot more than the unit itself, if you can even find someone to install it for you.
Most companies listed in a phone book or with a website aren't going to install them. The reason is equipment sales is where most of their profit comes from and they don't want to be responsible for chasing down parts that their local supply houses don't stock.
Your best bet for someone who will install it is Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The problem with that is that the installer probably isn't going to do it all properly - and that's what should be your biggest worry or you're going to be paying far more than the system cost periodically just trying to keep it going.
Expect to pay $1500+, with most probably quoting around $3k.
If you do it yourself to ensure it's done correctly and lasts, you need to understand what's involved. Expect to invest 20+ hours of watching YouTube videos of actual pros installing these things. Then you'll understand that you're going to need around $1k in tools, including a two-stage vacuum pump, tank of nitrogen + regulator, micron gauge, core removal tools, adjustable torque wrench, orbital flare kit, Nylog blue sealant, etc and investing more time in how to properly use those tools. One shortcut option to avoid some of the tool set and knowledge cost would be to do the physical install yourself, but then just hire someone to triple evac it and vacuum it did down below 500 microns.
You're going to need to do electrical work as well. And don't forget to add a surge suppressor at the disconnect, due to the way the controller boards try to time the inverter cycles with the power phase, these things are all very sensitive to voltage spikes and dirty power.
You need to flush and pressure test the lineset with nitrogen before vacuuming. It pushes out contaminants and helps remove moisture. I've never seen an inverter install manual that doesn't specifically say to triple evac the lineset and ensure that it passes a pressure drop test. Your cheap installer isn't going to do that.
That being said, once you have all that under your belt you can install these for friends and family and service your own equipment and save thousands down the road. It isn't rocket science and certainly doesn't require a specialist, but it needs to be done properly which anyone willing to invest the time, energy and money into tools and knowledge base can do themselves.
The biggest hurdle on these is getting the flares correct. 99.9% of the problems with these are leaking flares / low refrigerant issues because they weren't flared or torqued properly. A thin coating of Nylog on the faces can help with that, but it has limits. This is where hiring the reputation-less installer is going to bite you, they aren't going to pay attention to any of that and if you stand around telling them how to do the job they're either going to walk off or charge you more.
Also you're going to need to buy replacement black UV-resistant lineset insulation and rip off the white insulation because it's been shown to react with the copper when water is present and creates pinhole leaks over time. Low bid installer isn't going to do anything about that, either.
If you don't want to deal with the tools, flares, installers, corner cutting, etc, you're going to need to spend more and buy one of the MR COOL DIY units with their patented pre-charged no-vac linesets. It's decent equipment with a warranty from a company that's been around for a while now. That's probably going to be the best route for most people.
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!