Which MRCOOL DIY line should you buy: Select, EasyPro or 5th Gen?
Short answer: Buy the DIY Select if you want the lowest price for a garage, rental or mild-climate room and can accept a 1-year parts warranty. Pick the DIY EasyPro for a single room with real winters, since it adds leak detection, a coated outdoor coil and 3 years on parts. Choose the DIY 5th Gen when you need several rooms on one outdoor unit, a 36K size, a 25 ft line set in the box or the longest warranty.
Which MRCOOL DIY line should I buy? It's the question we hear most on the phone, and the answer depends on three things: your budget, your coldest night and how many rooms you want to heat and cool.
We sell all three lines, so we have no reason to push one. This guide puts the DIY Select, DIY EasyPro and DIY 5th Gen side by side, then sends you to the deeper article on each.
What do all three MRCOOL DIY lines have in common?
More than most people expect. Every system in all three lines uses pre-charged Quick Connect line sets, so you need no vacuum pump, no gauges and no HVAC tech for the refrigerant side.
Each one is an inverter heat pump that cools, heats and dehumidifies, is charged with R-454B and keeps heating down to at least −13°F outside. All of them connect to the MRCOOL app over Wi-Fi, work with Alexa and Google Assistant, and drop to 18 dB(A) indoors in silent mode.
So the choice comes down to what differs: efficiency, warranty, line set length, a few safety and comfort features, and whether you can run more than one room.
What's different between Select, EasyPro and 5th Gen?
Here is the short version. Our full comparison chart adds outdoor noise and power for every size.
| Feature | DIY Select | DIY EasyPro | DIY 5th Gen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single zone sizes | 9K, 12K, 18K, 24K | 9K, 12K, 18K, 24K | 9K, 12K, 18K, 24K, 36K |
| SEER2 (cooling) | 16.5 to 17.5 | 18.9 to 20.2 | 18.0 to 23.6 |
| HSPF2 Region 4 (heating) | 8.3 to 9.0 | 8.5 to 9.3 | 8.5 to 11.5 |
| Heats down to | −13°F | −13°F | −13°F |
| Line set in the box | 11.5 ft | 11.5 ft | 25 ft |
| Leak detection | No | Yes | Yes |
| Follow Me | No | Yes | Yes |
| Gold Fin coil coating | No | Yes | Yes |
| ENERGY STAR | No | 12K, 18K, 24K (incl. Cold Climate) | Check the listing for your size |
| Multi-zone and ceiling cassettes | No | No | Yes |
| Indoor unit color | White or black | White | White |
| Warranty, parts / compressor | 1 yr / 2 yr | 3 yr / 5 yr, lifetime option | 5 yr / 7 yr, lifetime option |
Two rows matter more than the rest for most buyers: the line set length and the warranty. We come back to both below.
How much does each line cost at each size?
These are single zone complete systems (prices as of November 2026). In every line the 9K and 12K run on 115V, while 18K and up need a 230V circuit.
| Size | DIY Select, from | DIY EasyPro, from | DIY 5th Gen, from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9K (115V) | $1,249 | $1,487 | $2,329 |
| 12K (115V) | $1,399 | $1,599 | $2,359 |
| 18K (230V) | $1,690 | $1,806 | $2,909 |
| 24K (230V) | $1,899 | $2,109 | $3,329 |
| 36K (230V) | Not made | Not made | $3,769 |
Stepping up from Select to EasyPro adds $116 to $238, depending on size. Going from Select to 5th Gen adds $960 to $1,430 at the same size, and part of that gap is the longer line set: 25 ft in the 5th Gen box against 11.5 ft.
Why does the line matter if they all heat and cool?
Three things decide how you'll feel about the system in year five: how long the warranty runs, where the outdoor unit can sit, and how the system copes with your weather.
Warranty years
The Select covers parts for 1 year and the compressor for 2. EasyPro raises that to 3 and 5, and the 5th Gen to 5 and 7. EasyPro and 5th Gen also offer a lifetime compressor option, which needs registration and MRCOOL's paid Care program.
If you plan to stay in the house ten years, those extra years count for more than a few SEER2 points.
Line set length
An 11.5 ft line set keeps the outdoor unit close, usually right behind the indoor unit on the other side of the wall. With 25 ft in the 5th Gen box, you can move the outdoor unit around a corner, away from a bedroom window or out from under a low deck without buying anything extra. Going that far with a Select or EasyPro means adding a longer pre-charged line set.
Your weather
Near the coast, the Gold Fin coating on the EasyPro and 5th Gen outdoor coil helps it stand up to salt air. Where the mini split carries the heating, the 5th Gen's higher HSPF2 (up to 11.5) means fewer kilowatt-hours for the same heat.
Next: Is the 5th Gen worth the extra money over the Select?
How do you pick the right line for your home?
Go through these five checks in order. Most people have their answer by the third one.
- Rooms. Want two to six rooms on one outdoor unit? Only the 5th Gen multi-zone does that. A 2-room wall system starts from $2,923 and a 3-room from $3,607 in our multi-zone systems.
- Coldest night. If your winter lows stay above −13°F, any line keeps heating. Regular nights colder than that mean a backup heat source with any line, and a call to us for cold-climate sizing.
- Distance to the outdoor spot. Measure along the wall from where the indoor unit will hang to where the outdoor unit will sit. Over 11.5 ft, a Select or EasyPro needs a longer line set bought separately, while the 5th Gen covers up to 25 ft in the box.
- Room size. A single open space that needs more than 24K leaves one choice: the 5th Gen 36K, rated for up to 1,550 sq ft.
- Years of ownership. A rental, a shop or a house you'll sell in a few years suits the Select. Ten years or more, lean to EasyPro or 5th Gen for the coverage.
All three lines connect the refrigerant side this way, so watch it before you decide the DIY part is beyond you.
Four homes, four picks
- Weekend garage in Tennessee: DIY Select 12K or 18K, depending on insulation. Go black if the unit hangs on a dark wall.
- Bonus room over the garage in Ohio that bakes in July and chills in January: DIY EasyPro 12K. Follow Me reads the temperature at the remote, where you sit, and the 12K is ENERGY STAR certified.
- Three-bedroom ranch in Michigan with an old furnace kept as backup: DIY 5th Gen 3-room multi-zone, one outdoor unit and three wall units.
- Cabin in northern Minnesota that sees −20°F most Januaries: DIY 5th Gen, sized up, with the wood stove kept for the nights below −13°F.
Next: Single zone or multi-zone, which fits your home?
What if your home doesn't fit the usual picks?
What if the outdoor unit has to sit more than 11.5 ft away?
You can still use a Select or EasyPro. MRCOOL's separate pre-charged line sets, in the matching pipe size, and its coupler kits extend them the same way as the 5th Gen; check the line set chart in your system's manual for the exact part.
The difference is cost. A run of 12 to 25 ft adds a line set purchase on the Select or EasyPro and nothing on the 5th Gen, which ships with 25 ft. Past 25 ft, every line needs a longer set, up to 75 ft with a coupler kit. Our line set length guide shows how to measure the run.
What if I want to add rooms later?
Each Select or EasyPro is its own system with its own outdoor unit. Two of them on the side of the house is fine. If you can see three or more rooms coming, plan a multi-zone now so you don't end up with a row of outdoor units.
What if I live near salt water?
Skip the Select. Its outdoor coil has no Gold Fin coating, and its 1-year parts warranty gives you little cover if salt air gets to it early.
What if I want a black indoor unit?
Only the Select comes in black, at the same price as white. The EasyPro and 5th Gen indoor units are white.
What if I'm not sure about the electrical work?
The refrigerant side is DIY on all three lines. The dedicated circuit, breaker and disconnect are a different story, and many towns require a licensed electrician for them. Our article on installing a mini split yourself covers what's involved.
What should you do next?
Start with the size. Our sizing guide gets you from square feet to BTU in a few minutes. Then measure the run from the indoor spot to the outdoor spot, so you know whether the 11.5 ft set is enough or you'll add a longer one.
Still stuck between two lines? Call us at +1 (844) 999-9725, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM EST, with the room size, your town and the run length, and we'll tell you which system fits. Every system ships free to the 48 contiguous states from our Kentucky warehouse.
