Best Heat Pumps

If you’re considering purchasing or upgrading your heat pump, you’ll need to know exactly what to look for in terms of features and operating capacity. Finding the best heat pump brand for you and your family can save you money and energy all year long. Use this information as a guide as you shop for the brand and model that best suits your needs.

Once you decide on the right heat pump for your home, HVAC.com can deliver a comprehensive HVAC quote within 24 hours, giving you peace of mind to move forward with confidence.

What Is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is an all-in-one heating and cooling system. In the summer, it operates similarly to a central air conditioning system by using a refrigerant to pull heat from inside the home and transfer it outside through the system’s compressor.

During the colder months, heat pumps operate in reverse. They use a reversing valve to seamlessly switch from cooling to heating mode. During the winter, heat pumps use refrigerant to extract heat from the outdoors and transfer it indoors. Even when it’s cold outside, there’s enough heat in the outside air to provide adequate heating. Since heat pumps simply move heat in and out of the home depending on the season, they don’t require fossil fuels such as natural gas to create heat. This makes them energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

In the past, heat pumps didn’t operate as efficiently once the temperature dropped below freezing. However, with new technology, heat pumps are incredibly efficient; many upgraded models can still operate efficiently in temperatures below zero.

Homeowners who live in far northern states such as Minnesota, North Dakota, and Alaska often pair their air-source heat pump with a dual-fuel system that consists of a heat pump and gas furnace. The gas furnace takes over when the temperature drops below what the heat pump can efficiently handle.

Different Types of Heat Pumps

Air-source heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump, with an estimated 17 million American homes operating them. However, there are two other heat pump types to consider – geothermal heat pumps and ductless mini-split heat pumps.

Geothermal Heat Pumps

Geothermal heat pumps are the most efficient HVAC systems on the market. Like air-source heat pumps, they operate by moving heat in and out of the home. But instead of exchanging heat with the outside air, geothermal heat pumps, also referred to as ground-source heat pumps, utilize the constant temperature 6 feet underground, where it’s typically 55 degrees on average.

During the warmer months, the geothermal heat pump’s heat exchanger extracts indoor heat and transfers it underground to cool a home. During the colder season, geothermal HVAC systems work in reverse, by taking heat from underground and moving it indoors.

Geothermal heat pump systems use a ground loop, which is a series of pipes buried underground. The ground loop serves as a heat source during the winter months and a heat sink during the warmer months.

Geothermal heat pumps are more expensive than other HVAC systems, costing an average of $13,781, according to Angi. That price is just an average, as factors such as the size of your home and the need for ductwork affect the price. You can recoup the higher costs over time through significantly lower energy bills, as heat pumps are 300-600% efficient on cold winter nights.

Meanwhile, a heat pump water heater, also referred to as an air-to-water heat pump, extracts warmth from the outside to heat water that is then used to heat your home during the colder months. In the summer, the heat from the water is transferred outside to cool a home.

Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pumps

Ductless mini-split heat pumps are also a popular alternative to forced-air heating and cooling systems. As their name suggests, they don’t require the use of ductwork to distribute conditioned air to your home’s living areas.

Ductless mini-splits consist of an outdoor compressor/condenser unit and one or more indoor air handling units that are installed on ceilings or walls across the home. They are connected by a conduit that contains the refrigerant and power lines.

Each indoor unit provides heating and cooling to just the room or area of the house it’s installed in. Ductless systems are most commonly used to provide supplemental heating or cooling to areas that are difficult to keep comfortable such as bonus rooms over garages and sunrooms. They can also be used to convert garages, attics, and basements without ductwork into workable or livable areas. Some homeowners install mini-splits throughout their entire home to create temperature zones, as each unit can be controlled separately with a remote control.

Without the use of ductwork, ductless mini-split heat pumps are highly efficient. Ductwork can lose 20% or more of conditioned air through leaks and poor insulation.

How Long Do Heat Pumps Last?

Air-source heat pumps last about 15 years on average, although some heat pumps can stop working efficiently after 10 years while others run efficiently for 20 years. Some of the most significant factors that affect a heat pump’s longevity include the climate, usage, make and model, and maintenance history. If your heat pump is used as a heating and cooling system, heat pump maintenance should be performed twice a year; once before the heating season and again before the cooling season.

Aside from being incredibly energy efficient, another advantage of geothermal heat pump systems is their longevity. Regular maintenance can help a ground-source heat pump last 20-25 years.

Are Incentives Available for Heat Pumps?

As the federal government looks to promote the use of more eco-friendly HVAC equipment, heat pumps have been pushed to the forefront, causing their popularity to skyrocket. To increase ownership of heat pumps, significant heat pump rebates and heat pump tax credits are available as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

As part of the federal program, homeowners are eligible for a 30% tax credit on the purchase and installation of a qualified heat pump, up to a maximum credit of $2,000. But depending on your household income, you could be eligible for even higher savings.

Through the IRA’s heat pump incentive program, called the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA), you can receive a rebate of 50% of the cost of a heat pump, up to $8,000, if your household income is 81 to 150% of your area’s median income. If your income is 80% or below your area’s median income, your heat pump will be covered at 100%, up to $8,000.

If you're considering buying a heat pump, HVAC.com's customer concierge team can connect you with a local HVAC dealer who can identify potential tax credits and rebates for heat pumps and install the system for you.

Best Heat Pumps

• Goodman
• Carrier
• Ruud
• Trane
• Rheem
• Lennox
• Bryant
• American Standard
• Coleman
• York
• Amana

How Do You Find the Best Home Heat Pumps?

To determine the best heat pumps in the industry, we looked at several factors and features of each brand to help you make an informed purchasing decision. The primary things to look for when comparing heat pump options are named below. The criteria you should consider include the following:

Features

• Output capacity: Measures how many BTUs the heat pump has the capacity to produce (or how big of a room it can efficiently heat up).
• Physical unit size: Provides exact measurements of the unit listed.
• Efficiency ratings: Measures how efficiently the unit uses energy to heat and cool a home, which is measured in SEER (in cooling mode) and AFUE (in heating mode). Many of the top brands offer high-efficiency heat pumps.
• Average running decibels: Measures how quietly each unit runs.
• Specialized features: Details the specific features of each unit.

Cost

• Unit price: The average price for the unit listed.
• Parts/repair cost: Details the average cost of parts and repairs for each unit.
• Maintenance needs: Provides an overview of basic maintenance needs for each unit.
• Availability: Where you can buy the unit listed.

Best Heat Pumps

1. Goodman

Goodman is a well-known brand in the HVAC industry and provides great energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions for homes large and small. They also have a strong heat pump rating and a decent warranty program to protect your system in case anything happens.

2. Carrier

Carrier is a top brand in the HVAC industry and provides versatile heating and cooling solutions that improve energy consumption and save you money in the long run. The brand is known for its next-level high-efficiency heat pumps.

3. Ruud

Ruud is a respected brand that can provide you with a high-efficient heat pump for reliable heating all winter long. Ruud heat pumps are made with high-quality materials and parts.

4. Trane

Trane offers flexible heating and cooling solutions that save you money and energy. This unit offers more than 750 stages of comfort for increased comfort and maximum efficiency.

5. Rheem

Rheem manufactures quality heating and cooling products designed for year-round comfort and increased energy efficiency. The brand has been trusted in both residential and commercial settings for years, and offers efficient units with an array of features.

6. Lennox

Lennox is one of the most widely-known brands in the industry and is known for its innovative heating and cooling solutions that provide energy-efficient comfort all season long. The brand provides quiet heating coupled with robust performance.

7. Bryant

Bryant products provide economical and energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions that help you save money all year round. The brand produces heat pumps that give you better control of your indoor climate all throughout the winter and summer months.

8. American Standard

American Standard is another top brand that offers energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions for maximum comfort through the harshest winters and the muggiest summers.

9. Coleman

Coleman offers award-winning heating and cooling solutions in both split system and packaged heat pump units for a variety of circumstances.

10. York

York can help you save money and energy by providing a high-efficiency heat pump to raise your comfort level.

11. Amana

Amana provides premium heating and cooling products that provide increased energy efficiency at a fraction of the traditional cost. The brand offers quality and performance and has distinguished itself with some of the best warranties in the HVAC industry.

Frequently asked questions