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Ranked by efficiency on a 5°f day only

How much heat the unit makes from each unit of electricity when it is 5°F outside. An electric baseboard heater has a COP of 1, so a COP of 2 means twice the heat from the same electricity in the 5°F test. This list ranks by that one rating. For the units that hold up best in the cold overall, see the cold-climate picks.

Covers heat pumps sold new today (R-454B and R-32 refrigerant). See older R-410A models · Updated

Top 10 by efficiency on a 5°f day only: ducted, 3.5–4.5 tons

Ranked by this one rating, not an overall verdict. Every model here is the same size and type, so the numbers compare directly. Higher is better. One certified pairing per model.
  1. 1KUSXA482Awith ducted air handler D(A,C,E)49C3D+TDRLG3.5 tons · 42,500 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.17
  2. 25TWR4060A1with indoor coil DH60T4J and furnace S8X1D120M5PSCTrane4.5 tons · 52,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.09
  3. 3SL22KLV-060-230A**with indoor coil D(A,C,E)60D3J+TDR and furnace SLP99UH110XV60CLennox4.5 tons · 52,500 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.09
  4. 4RP15AY48AJ2Nwith ducted air handler AE*L+CM59A4J+TDRRheem (sold as RUUD)3.5 tons · 43,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.08
  5. 55A6H4060A1with indoor coil DH60T4J and furnace S8X1D120M5PSCTrane (sold as American Standard)4.5 tons · 52,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.08
  6. 65TWR5060A1with indoor coil DH60T4J and furnace L8V1C100U5VSBTrane4.5 tons · 52,500 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.06
  7. 7RP15AY60AJ2Nwith indoor coil D(A,C,E)60D4J+TDR and furnace R801V1005A21UHNRheem (sold as RUUD)4.5 tons · 53,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.05
  8. 85A6H5060A1with indoor coil DH60T4J and furnace L8V1C100U5VSBTrane (sold as American Standard)4.5 tons · 52,500 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.05
  9. 9XH548E2S11with indoor coil D(A,C,E)48D4K+TDR and furnace Z8ET080C16LMPS1York (sold as Champion Heating and Cooling)4 tons · 45,500 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.04
  10. 10HH860E2S12with indoor coil D(A,C,E)61B4K+TDR and furnace Z8ES130D20LMPS1York (sold as Coleman)4 tons · 50,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.03

Every ducted, 3.5–4.5 tons model, highest first

Top cold-climate picks, ducted 3.5–4.5 tons

These are certified test ratings, not a recommendation for your home. The right size comes from a load calculation by a contractor.

Want this size class’s full distribution and peer percentiles? Switch to Advanced

What good looks like: ducted, 3.5–4.5 tons

Good is better than half of this size class, great is the top quarter, top is the top 10%. The scale comes from the class’s own ratings.
  • Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F

    Heating power kept at 5°F

    How much of its mild-weather heating power the unit still delivers at 5°F.

    Good
    71%+
    Great
    84%+
    Top 10%
    98%+
  • COP at 5°F

    Efficiency on a 5°F day

    How much heat the unit makes from each unit of electricity when it is 5°F outside.

    Good
    2.00+
    Great
    2.10+
    Top 10%
    2.36+
  • HSPF2

    Winter-long heating efficiency

    Heating efficiency over a whole winter, measured with a federal test.

    Good
    8.1+
    Great
    9.0+
    Top 10%
    10.4+

Next steps

The advanced view adds the all-sizes boards, each qualifier’s peer percentiles, charts of every model in each size class, and the EER2 and heat output boards.

Open the advanced view