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Ranked by efficiency on a 5°f day only

How much heat the unit makes from each unit of electricity when it is 5°F outside. An electric baseboard heater has a COP of 1, so a COP of 2 means twice the heat from the same electricity in the 5°F test. 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 efficiency on a 5°f day 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. 1THE2B42T21with ducted air handler AE(D,N,U)+CM48D34+TDRYork (sold as Luxaire)3 tons · 37,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.44
  2. 2RHP14342B21with ducted air handler AE(D,N,U)+CM48E44+TDRYork (sold as Guardian)3 tons · 36,800 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.40
  3. 3YH2E42TB21with ducted air handler AEL+D(A,C,E)48B44+TDRYork3 tons · 37,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.40
  4. 4NTXSKS30A112**with ducted air handler PEAD-A30AAMitsubishi Electric (sold as Trane / Mitsubishi Electric)Also listed as SUZ-KA30NA22.5 tons · 27,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.24
  5. 5HMH72B341with indoor coil D(A,C,E)36A34+TDR and furnace LP9C120D20MP13York (sold as Luxaire)2.5 tons · 31,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.21
  6. 6ARUN038GSS4LG3 tons · 38,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.19
  7. 7HMH72B361with indoor coil D(A,C,E)36A34+TDR and furnace LPLC080C16MP13York (sold as Luxaire)3 tons · 33,400 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.19
  8. 8YH2F30TB21with ducted air handler LEM324YorkAlso sold as Luxaire THF2B30T212.5 tons · 28,000 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.16
  9. 9THF2B36T21with ducted air handler AE(D,N,U)+CM48C34+TDRYork (sold as Luxaire)3 tons · 34,200 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.16
  10. 10RHP15030B21with ducted air handler AEL+D(A,C,E)36A44+TDRYork (sold as Guardian)2.5 tons · 27,600 Btu/h · DuctedTop 10%3.13

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