South Africa
Midea’s PortaSplit has been named as one of TIME's "Best Inventions of 2025" — celebrating products that are changing the world. This marks the first time Midea has received this prestigious honor.
PortaSplit is redefining the residential air conditioning experience with its tool free installation, offering comfort that is both simple and accessible, perfectly compatible with most European window types.
Being able to enjoy the cooling performance of a split air conditioner, but not having to rely on a professional installer, was a welcome innovation for many end users, as they could either not afford a split air conditioning system or were not permitted to do so. Many Europeans sought relief during the increasingly hot summers with portable air conditioners, but by comparison, PortaSplit is more powerful, more efficient and quieter, solving previous pain points in this category.
PortaSplit is also a very efficient air-to-air heat pump, meaning that end users are utilising Midea’s new product, as a very cost-efficient alternative for their primary heating instead of fossil fuels or electrical heating devices. This additional feature is why PortaSplit is referred to as the first DIY-heat pump in the market.
After a very successful launch in Germany, selling out for two summers in a row, PortaSplit was introduced into other European markets including France, Italy, Hungary, as well as Northern Europe and the Baltic states. Rollout will continue across Europe, bringing this solution to more households and further extending its market presence.
PortaSplit is the result of in-depth local research, including home visits and surveys, leading to rapid iterative prototyping. Combining German engineering from Midea’s Stuttgart based R&D Center with Italian design from the Milan Design Center, PortaSplit is a prime example for Midea’s “local for local” strategy.
Being named as one of the “Best Inventions of 2025” proves that Midea is on the right track with its strong focus on local research and development, with many more innovations from Europe in the pipeline.