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Ranked by heating power kept at 5°f only

How much of its mild-weather heating power the unit still delivers at 5°F. At 100% the unit puts out as much heat at 5°F as at 47°F in the test. Lower means less heating output in deep cold. This list ranks by that one rating. For the units that hold up best in the cold overall, see the cold-climate picks.

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

Showing Ducted, 2.5–3 tons (27,000–38,999 Btu/h cooling), the most-listed ducted size. Pick yours above. What size is my system?

Top 10 by heating power kept at 5°f only: ducted, 2.5–3 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. 1THE2B30T21with ducted air handler AE(D,N,U)+CM36A34+TDRYork (sold as Coleman)2.5 tons · 28,400 Btu/h · DuctedGood139%
  2. 2(C,H,T)VH837GKA2*with indoor coil EHD4X60AAL+WALLCON and furnace *80CTL0901716ACarrier (sold as Kenmore)3 tons · 33,000 Btu/h · DuctedGreat137%
  3. 3TVH837GKA2*with indoor coil EHD4X60AAL+WALLCON and furnace *80CTL0701412ACarrier (sold as Tempstar)2.5 tons · 32,800 Btu/h · DuctedGreat137%
  4. 438MURAQ30AB3*with indoor coil H,PG7J936 and furnace 927TA48060V17Carrier (sold as Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems)2.5 tons · 32,800 Btu/h · DuctedGood130%
  5. 5UP18AZ36AJVCwith indoor coil RCFZ6021SEAAM and furnace R802V0754A17DZRheem (sold as RUUD)3 tons · 34,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%127%
  6. 6BOVD-36HDN1-M20Gwith indoor coil D(A,C,E)36A34+TDR and furnace BGH96M100C5BBosch2.5 tons · 29,800 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%126%
  7. 7RP18AZ36AJVCwith indoor coil RCFZ6021SEAAM and furnace R98VB085M521URheem3 tons · 34,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%126%
  8. 8FOP1836MJAZCAwith indoor coil FCCA6021SZEA and furnace FF98MV510021UPS*AFujitsu3 tons · 34,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%121%
  9. 9SP18AZ36AJVCwith ducted air handler SHMVZ6021SEACARheem (sold as SURE)Also sold as Mainline MLP18AZ36AJVC3 tons · 34,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%121%
  10. 10FRP18AZ36AJVCwith indoor coil TCFZ3621MEAAM and furnace FR801V0504A17UHUFriedrich3 tons · 34,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%121%

Every ducted, 2.5–3 tons model, highest first

Top cold-climate picks, ducted 2.5–3 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, 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
    65%+
    Great
    82%+
    Top 10%
    90%+

  • 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
    1.90+
    Great
    2.05+
    Top 10%
    2.34+

  • HSPF2

    Winter-long heating efficiency

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

    Good
    8.1+
    Great
    9.2+
    Top 10%
    10.0+

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