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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, 2.5–3 tons (27,000–38,999 Btu/h cooling). What size is my system?

Top cold-climate picks, ducted 2.5–3 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.

1,053 of 2,190 models in this size class qualify. 850 keep less than 70% of their heat at 5°F and 287 have no 5°F heat output rating, so they cannot show it.

  1. 1RD18AY36AJVCwith ducted air handler L(E,G)M36FJRheem2.5 tons · 30,800 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
    2.86 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.0 (HSPF2)
    Great
    94.4score / 100
  2. 2SL22KLV-036-230A**with ducted air handler CBK48MVT-060-230-Lennox3 tons · 35,200 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 102% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    102% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.42 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    93.4score / 100
  3. 3HH836E2S11with indoor coil D(A,C,E)36A4K+TDR and furnace Z9ET080C16SMPS1York (sold as Coleman)2.5 tons · 30,800 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 106% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    106% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.93 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    9.5 (HSPF2)
    Great
    92.3score / 100
  4. 4MOE30-36HFN10-M3Xwith ducted air handler MVBDM-36HWFN10-WC3Midea (sold as MDV)3 tons · 36,000 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)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.46 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.0 (HSPF2)
    Great
    88.8score / 100
  5. 5PUZ-AK30NLHZ2***with ducted air handler PVA-AA30NLMitsubishi Electric2.5 tons · 30,000 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)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.30 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.1 (HSPF2)
    Great
    88.7score / 100
  6. 6DH9VSA361CA*with ducted air handler CAHEA3630C3A*+MBVK16CH*X00ADaikinAlso sold as Amana AZV9SA361CA, Goodman GZV9SA361CA3 tons · 34,200 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)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.0 (HSPF2)
    Great
    88.5score / 100
  7. 7NS21H36MA5-**Awith indoor coil D(A,C,E)36C3Z+TXV+TDR and furnace NF80U045S3AGE Appliances (sold as GE)2.5 tons · 31,400 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 93% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    93% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    4.00 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.0 (HSPF2)
    Great
    88.0score / 100
  8. 8AUWR-36U3TW5with ducted air handler AUH-36UX3TDH3HisenseAlso listed as AUWR-3624P, AOH-36U3T24P2.5 tons · 32,000 Btu/h · DuctedKeeps 97% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, Xcel CC, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    97% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.15 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    87.9score / 100
  9. 9ZRUM036GSS0LG3 tons · 36,000 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)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.20 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.1 (HSPF2)
    Great
    87.4score / 100
  10. 10KUMXA361ALG3 tons · 36,000 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)
    Great
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.25 (COP at 5°F)
    Great
    Seasonal efficiency
    10.0 (HSPF2)
    Great
    87.1score / 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, 2.5–3 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
    70%+
    Great
    90%+
    Top 10%
    100%+

  • 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
    8.3+
    Great
    9.2+
    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.

Open the advanced view