DIY Mini-Splits on Amazon by Refrigerant: R-454B, R-32 or R-410A

Under the federal rule, yes, if the unit was made or imported before 2025. New York's own rule says no. The date the unit was made matters, not the date you buy it. Some states write their own refrigerant rules; we checked New York's only.

• Federal rule

  EPA published a final rule on May 26, 2026, effective July 27, 2026. It "removes the installation deadline" for home and light commercial AC and heat pump systems "where all specified components of such systems were domestically manufactured or imported before January 1, 2025." EPA names ducted and ductless mini-splits and multi-splits as part of this group. ^[1]

• What it means

  An R-410A mini-split made or imported in 2024 or earlier can still be installed, with no end date. One made or imported in 2025 or later cannot. EPA says the change lets "the remaining inventory of R-410A equipment" be installed, which "could be a lower cost option for consumers." ^[1]

• New York

  New York has its own rule, 6 NYCRR Part 494. The state's FAQ says Part 494 uses January 1, 2026 as the cutoff for home AC and heat pump systems and lists R-410A among refrigerants "prohibited in most new products and systems." The National Association of Home Builders reads this as: "no R-410A systems can be installed in New York." ^[2]

• What we found on Amazon

  2 of the 33 DIY listings name R-410A (MRCOOL 12,000 BTU; TURBRO 18,000 BTU). Neither listing says when the unit you would receive was made. Ask the seller for the date on the outdoor unit's nameplate before you buy one. ^[7]

1. Read the listing, not the brand page. The refrigerant is in the title on 15 of 161 listings. On 76 it is only in the spec table lower on the page, under "Refrigerant."
2. Match the model number to its certificate. Search the outdoor model number in the AHRI Directory. The certificate lists the refrigerant and the certified SEER2 and HSPF2.
3. If it says R-410A, ask for the manufacture date. It must be on the outdoor unit's nameplate and be before January 1, 2025. In New York, skip it.
4. If the listing names two refrigerants, ask the seller. 2 listings we read name two different refrigerants in different places.

We read every mini-split system listing from 23 Amazon searches, plus the listings our older data had linked. For each we recorded the refrigerant the listing itself names and where it says so. Across all 161: 68 say R-454B, 63 say R-32, 5 say R-410A, 2 name two, and 23 say nothing.

DIY listings

33of 161 mini-split listings call themselves DIY

Name a refrigerant

29 of 334 DIY listings do not say

R-454B or R-32

2621 R-454B, 5 R-32

Say R-410A

2plus 1 that names R-410A and R-454B

The 33 DIY listings, by refrigerant

Grouped by the refrigerant each listing names. Prices are Amazon's on 2026-10-17.

"Listing" means one Amazon product page. The same unit can appear under more than one seller. DIY listings come first. The refrigerant is only what the listing states; we did not fill blanks from a model database.

For listings we could tie to one AHRI certificate by the model number they print, these name a refrigerant the certificate does not.

• Perfect Aire 9,000 BTU (B0FJB5L8TL): the listing names R-454B and R-410A; AHRI lists the 4PAMSHQCO09 it prints as R-454B (ref. 218072565).

Can I still install an R-410A mini-split in 2026?

Under the federal rule, yes, if the whole system was made or imported before January 1, 2025. EPA's final rule, effective July 27, 2026, removed the install deadline for that stock. A unit made in 2025 or later cannot be installed. New York's own rule says no; elsewhere, check your state too. Check the nameplate date. ^[1]

Can I install an R-410A mini-split in New York?

No. New York's own rule, 6 NYCRR Part 494, keeps a January 1, 2026 cutoff for new home AC and heat pump systems that use refrigerants like R-410A. The federal change does not undo it. ^[2][4]

Should I buy R-410A on clearance or pay more for R-454B or R-32?

On Amazon the choice mostly is not there: 2 of 33 DIY listings name R-410A. EPA says legacy R-410A stock "could be a lower cost option." If you buy one, get the manufacture date first. ^[7][1]

Is R-454B or R-32 better?

Neither refrigerant decides how well a unit heats or cools; the certified SEER2 and HSPF2 do. Both are under the global-warming limit of 700 that EPA set for new systems: ENERGY STAR lists R-454B at 470 and R-32 at 675. Pick on the certified numbers and the price. ^[1][6]

Which DIY mini-splits on Amazon use R-454B?

21 of the 33 DIY listings we read name R-454B, including MRCOOL DIY Select, Klimaire DIY and most Perfect Aire quick-connect kits. The full list is in the table on this page and in the CSV. ^[7]

Why doesn't my listing say which refrigerant it uses?

23 of 161 listings we read do not name one anywhere. Look up the outdoor model number in the AHRI Directory. The certificate lists the refrigerant. ^[7][5]

• MRCOOL DIY vs Pioneer, 12,000 BTU 115 V — certified numbers and price per BTU
• MRCOOL DIY vs Senville LETO, 12,000 BTU — plus 18,000 and 24,000 BTU pairs
• Cooper & Hunter vs MRCOOL DIY, matched by size — 12,000, 18,000 and 24,000 BTU pairs; Cooper & Hunter needs a pro install
• All certified R-454B heat pumps
• All certified R-32 heat pumps
• Best mini-splits by SEER2
• What SEER2, HSPF2 and COP mean

1. 1

   EPA final rule: Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons, Technology Transitions reconsideration (91 FR 31284, Doc. 2026-10387)

   Federal Register · published May 26, 2026 · effective July 27, 2026 · read 2026-09-29

2. 2

   New York DEC, 6 NYCRR Part 494 Frequently Asked Questions (revised May 2026)

   NY Department of Environmental Conservation · read 2026-09-29

3. 3

   New York DEC, Part 494 Hydrofluorocarbon Standards and Reporting (regulation, enforcement letters)

   NY Department of Environmental Conservation · read 2026-09-29

4. 4

   NAHB: EPA finalizes rule allowing continued installation of R-410A HVAC equipment

   National Association of Home Builders blog · May 26, 2026 · secondary summary · read 2026-09-29

5. 5

   AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance, air-source heat pumps (program 99), active ratings

   queried by model number · 2026-09-29 · reference numbers shown beside each unit

6. 6

   ENERGY STAR certified heat pumps (data.energystar.gov, dataset w7cv-9xjt)

   queried by AHRI reference number · 2026-09-29

7. 7

   Amazon listings: 161 mini-split system listings read on 2026-09-29

   title, bullet points and spec table of each listing · Creators API + the listing page · 2026-09-29