Much like solar panels on the roof (which I have also heard Americans describe as an eyesore), once they are common enough your eyes just slide over them and you don’t notice.

I don’t see rooftop solar panels unless I go outside and intentionally look for them.

A mini-split system puts an ugly, cheap, plastic wall-cyst within your field of view in every room they’re installed.

Why are they plastic wall-cystst though? Wouldn't a manufacturer offering a less obtrusive look (I'm not thinking of fancy boutique, just Ikea grade surfaces) alongside a standard interface for third party options get a huge market advantage?

> your eyes just slide over them and you don’t notice.

Nah.

There have been minisplits in the US for years, they are just not very common. Moreover they have been commonplace in Asia for decades now. They are noticeable. I personally think they look like ass. They are huge and you are blind if you don't notice them. There is a reason why ducted or recessed models are available internationally for luxury homes. It has nothing to do with Americans.

They're noisy too. Not loud, it's a quiet hum, but it's annoying if that annoys you, some people are sensitive to noise. The system I have doesn't seem to have a variable-output control, so it uses an on/off hysteresis that drives me up the wall. I could deal with a constant hum, but the stop start every minute or two is annoying. A previous house I lived in the ducts were absolutely silent unless it was on high you could hear some airflow noise. They can be placed anywhere wall floor ceiling (depending on construction of course), and have a wide range of styles.

Ducts are a superior look and experience IMO, just slightly less efficient. Nothing wrong with preferring them.

They’re not even less efficient if installed correctly, it just takes some thought and some insulation. And you get really good filtering with very low likelihood of mold in the bargain.