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Top cold-climate picks by size

Heat pumps that keep most of their heat when it is 5°F outside, ranked on three ratings at once against units their size: how much heat they keep, how efficient they are at 5°F, and how efficient they are over a whole winter (HSPF2).

Covers older R-410A heat pumps, no longer installed new. See models sold today · Updated

Top cold-climate picks, ducted 2 tons

Only units that keep at least 70% of their heat at 5°F, ranked on heat kept, efficiency at 5°F and seasonal efficiency (HSPF2), against units their size.

499 of 940 models in this size class qualify. 302 keep less than 70% of their heat at 5°F and 136 have no 5°F heat output rating, so they cannot show it.

  1. 138MURAQ24AB3*with indoor coil H,PG7J936 and furnace 927TA48060V17Carrier (sold as Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems)2 tons · 25,200 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 147% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP
    Heat kept at 5°F
    147% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.72 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    95.9score / 100
  2. 2ARUN024GSS4LG2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 104% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    104% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    3.59 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.2 (HSPF2)
    Great
    92.9score / 100
  3. 3DLCURAH24ABKwith indoor coil EA*4X24L14A and furnace *80VSL0451412BCarrier (sold as Airquest)2 tons · 23,200 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 101% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    101% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.32 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    9.5 (HSPF2)
    Great
    83.1score / 100
  4. 4AOD32-24HFN1-MT0Wwith ducted air handler ATIU-24HWFN1-MGree (sold as Ac Pro.Com)2 tons · 23,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 81% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    81% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Good
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.30 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.2 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    82.4score / 100
  5. 5BMS500-AAS024-1CSXHBwith ducted air handler BMS500-AAU024-1AHDXBBosch2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 105% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    105% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.07 (COP at 5°F)
    Good
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    82.3score / 100
  6. 6MPC024S4S-1Pwith ducted air handler MMDB024S4-*PLennoxAlso sold as AirEase 4DHP2S24S-1P2 tons · 23,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 83% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    83% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Good
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.28 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.0 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    81.1score / 100
  7. 7MLB024S4S-1Pwith ducted air handler MMDB024S4-*PLennox2 tons · 23,800 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 110% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    110% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.00 (COP at 5°F)
    Good
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    80.7score / 100
  8. 8BOVA-36HDN1-M20Gwith ducted air handler AE(D,N,U)+CM24C34+TDRBosch2 tons · 22,200 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 93% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    93% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.55 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    9.3 (HSPF2)
    Good
    80.7score / 100
  9. 9MOD33-24HFN1-MT0Wwith ducted air handler MTIU-24HWFN1-MMidea (sold as MDV)2 tons · 23,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 80% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    80% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Good
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.30 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.2 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    80.3score / 100
  10. 10CH-ES24-230VOwith ducted air handler CH-M24DTUICooper&Hunter (sold as C&H)2 tons · 23,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 80% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    80% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Good
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.30 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.2 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    80.3score / 100

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

Want every qualifier’s peer percentiles and the all-sizes board? Switch to Advanced

What good looks like: ducted, 2 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
    75%+
    Great
    92%+
    Top 10%
    105%+
  • 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
    2.22+
    Top 10%
    2.55+
  • HSPF2

    Winter-long heating efficiency

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

    Good
    8.1+
    Great
    9.4+
    Top 10%
    10.5+

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.

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