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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

Top cold-climate picks, ductless up to 1.5 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.

2,672 of 3,568 models in this size class qualify. 716 keep less than 70% of their heat at 5°F and 158 have no 5°F heat output rating, so they cannot show it.

  1. 1AOUH09KTAP1with ductless indoor unit ASUH09KTASFujitsu1 ton · 9,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 142% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    142% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.48 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    14.0 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    98.5score / 100
  2. 2MUZ-FX06NLHZ***with ductless indoor unit MSZ-FX06NLMitsubishi ElectricAlso listed as MUZ-FX06NLHZ20.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 140% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    140% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.38 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    13.0 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    97.5score / 100
  3. 3MOX230-06HFN10-M1with ductless indoor unit MSEPB-06HRFN10-M1Midea (sold as MDV)0.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 138% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    138% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.41 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    12.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    97.5score / 100
  4. 4BMS500-AAS009-1CSXRDwith ductless indoor unit BMS500-AAU006-1AHWXDBosch0.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 138% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    138% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.41 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    12.5 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    97.5score / 100
  5. 5D5CPRAH18AAwith ductless indoor unit D5FPHAH18XAKMideaAlso sold as MDV MOD30-18HFN10-M1H, Arcoaire D5CPRAH18AA1.5 tons · 18,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 113% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    113% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.34 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    15.2 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    96.8score / 100
  6. 637MAHAQ06AA3with ductless indoor unit 45MAHAQ06XA3CarrierAlso sold as Midea 37MAHAQ06AA3, Midea D5CSHAH06AAK, MDV MOX230-06HFN10-M1X, Arcoaire D5CSHAH06AAK0.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 110% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    110% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    14.8 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    96.7score / 100
  7. 7BZ33-HYP06OUT2-454-G3-Pwith ductless indoor unit BZ33-HYP06WALL2-454-G3-PBreeze330.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 110% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    110% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    14.8 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    96.7score / 100
  8. 8MO1HS-H06B-2Awith ductless indoor unit MSEHU-H06B-2AMidea0.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 110% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    110% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    14.8 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    96.7score / 100
  9. 9MOS06H2BH0Awith ductless indoor unit MHW06H2BHRBInnovair0.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 110% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    110% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    14.8 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    96.7score / 100
  10. 10SENA-06HF-OGwith ductless indoor unit SENA-06HF-IGGSenville0.5 tons · 6,000 Btu/h · DuctlessKeeps 110% of its heat at 5°FMeets CEE 2025, CEE 2026, CEE Advanced, Xcel CC, DOE CCHP, ENERGY STAR CC
    Heat kept at 5°F
    110% (Capacity at 5°F vs 47°F)
    Top 10%
    Efficiency at 5°F
    2.40 (COP at 5°F)
    Top 10%
    Seasonal efficiency
    14.8 (HSPF2)
    Top 10%
    96.7score / 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: ductless, up to 1.5 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
    76%+
    Great
    91%+
    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
    1.95+
    Great
    2.10+
    Top 10%
    2.25+
  • HSPF2

    Winter-long heating efficiency

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

    Good
    9.5+
    Great
    10.2+
    Top 10%
    11.4+

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.

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