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

Showing Ducted, 2 tons (21,000–26,999 Btu/h cooling). What size is my system?

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.

760 of 1,168 models in this size class qualify. 346 keep less than 70% of their heat at 5°F and 62 have no 5°F heat output rating, so they cannot show it.

  1. 1HH824E2S11with ducted air handler D(A,C,E)36A4K+JMC12B2SN1+TDRYork (sold as Coleman)2 tons · 21,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 111% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    111% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    3.03 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    9.5 (HSPF2)
    Good
    90.2score / 100
  2. 25TCV0X36A1with ducted air handler 5TEMCD04AV31+TDRTraneAlso sold as American Standard 5A5V0X36A12 tons · 26,200 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 107% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    107% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.27 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.3 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    90.0score / 100
  3. 3DH9VSA241CA*with ducted air handler CAHEA3630C3A*+MBVK16CH*X00ADaikinAlso sold as Amana AZV9SA241CA, Goodman GZV9SA241CA2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 100% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    100% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.0 (HSPF2)
    Great
    89.2score / 100
  4. 4NS21H24MA5-**Awith indoor coil D(A,C,E)24C3Z+TXV+TDR and furnace NF96U070S3BGE Appliances (sold as GE)2 tons · 21,400 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 109% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    109% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.73 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    9.5 (HSPF2)
    Good
    89.1score / 100
  5. 5SL22KLV-024-230A**with ducted air handler CBK48MVT-042-230-Lennox2 tons · 22,600 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 96% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    96% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.30 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    88.5score / 100
  6. 6NS18H24HA5***with indoor coil D(A,C,E)36C3Z+TXV+TDR and furnace NF80U045S3AGE Appliances2 tons · 23,200 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 94% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    94% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.87 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    9.5 (HSPF2)
    Good
    86.5score / 100
  7. 7MOU-B24H-2with ducted air handler MIU-B24D-2Midea (sold as CTMorley)2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 92% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    92% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.18 (COP at 5°F)
    Good
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.7 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    86.4score / 100
  8. 8O-ES-24-HP-C-230C-O1with ducted air handler O-18-HP-WMAH-235C-OMRCOOL2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 92% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    92% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.18 (COP at 5°F)
    Good
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.7 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    86.4score / 100
  9. 9BMS500-AAS024-1CSXHDwith ducted air handler BMS500-AAU024-1AHDXDBosch2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 92% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    92% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.18 (COP at 5°F)
    Good
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.7 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    85.7score / 100
  10. 1037MAHAQ24AA3with ducted air handler 45MBDAQ24XH3CarrierAlso sold as Midea 37MAHAQ24AA3, Midea D5CSHAH24AAK, MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X, Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK2 tons · 24,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 92% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    92% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.18 (COP at 5°F)
    Good
    Seasonal efficiency
    11.7 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    85.7score / 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
    86%+
    Top 10%
    96%+

  • 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
    2.18+
    Top 10%
    2.43+

  • HSPF2

    Winter-long heating efficiency

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

    Good
    8.8+
    Great
    9.5+
    Top 10%
    10.2+

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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