Written October 2026 with this year’s model names, the new refrigerants and our current installed prices.
Our first pick for a heat pump is Trane. If the house has to get through a cold snap on electricity alone, Mitsubishi Electric is right behind it, because its Hyper-Heat outdoor units keep their full heat at 5°F. A new heat pump system runs $8,499 to $21,650 installed from us, by size and efficiency. From about $142 a month at 0% APR for 60 months, the whole price financed, on approved credit.
The ranked list is below, then how each brand holds up at 10 to 20°F, the weather that actually tests a heat pump here. One thing first, because it matters more than the list: a great heat pump sized and charged wrong will lose to a plain one put in right.
The best heat pump brands, ranked
| Brand | Best at | Good fit for | Do we install it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Trane | Holding its heat in the cold on the variable-speed models, and a tier for every budget | Most houses, and dual fuel with a Trane gas furnace | Yes, our first pick |
| 2. Mitsubishi Electric | Cold-climate heat: full output at 5°F on Hyper-Heat models | All-electric houses, no ductwork, or a heat pump added to the furnace you keep | Yes |
| 3. Carrier | Quiet running, humidity control, a cold-climate Infinity model | Almost any budget, Comfort up to Infinity | Yes |
| 4. Rheem | Value, with a variable-speed model at the top | Solid equipment at a sharper price | Yes |
| 5. Lennox | High efficiency ratings | Efficiency-first buyers | We service it |
| 6. American Standard | Trane’s sibling: same parent company, same warranty | Anyone comparing it against a Trane quote | We service it |
| 7. Daikin, Goodman, Amana | Inverter heat pumps (Daikin) and a low price up front (Goodman) | Rentals, short stays, tight budgets | We service it |
| 8. Bosch | Inverter-driven across its IDS line, even the entry model | All-electric houses | We service it |
| 9. Bryant | Carrier’s sibling | Anyone comparing it against a Carrier quote | We service it |
| 10. RunTru | Trane’s budget line, single-stage only | Rentals and short stays | We service it |
How heat pumps hold up at 10 to 20°F
Heating systems here are sized to a design temperature of about 14 to 20°F: 16°F at Dulles, 20°F at Reagan National, 14°F in Sterling. That’s not a freak night. Dulles drops below 16°F about ten nights in an average winter, and last winter it did it 19 times. It gets below 10°F three or four nights a year, and below 5°F less than once.
Every heat pump makes less heat as it gets colder outside. What separates a good one is how much it keeps. Two 3-ton Trane heat pumps from the public test listings:
| Outside | Single-stage (Trane 15) | Variable speed (Trane 20 TruComfort) |
|---|---|---|
| 47°F | 30,600 | 32,400 |
| 17°F | 21,400 (70%) | 30,400 (94%) |
| 5°F | 17,200 (56%) | 23,800 (73%) |
Heat output in Btu per hour, from the ENERGY STAR and NEEP listings. The variable-speed unit is the match with a gas furnace, the dual fuel setup.
At 17°F the single-stage unit has lost almost a third of its heat, right when the house needs the most. The variable-speed one has barely moved. That, more than the efficiency sticker, is why we steer people who heat with a heat pump toward variable speed.
Then there are the cold-climate models. Trane says its new 20 TruComfort Cold Climate keeps 100% of its heat down to 5°F. Mitsubishi Electric’s Hyper-Heat outdoor units do 100% at 5°F and heat down to -13°F, and Bosch rates its IDS Ultra for up to 100% at 5°F. Carrier’s Infinity 21 heats down to -23°F, Lennox’s SL22KLV to -20°F. For scale, ENERGY STAR’s Cold Climate label asks for 70% at 5°F.
Below what the heat pump can carry, something fills in: the electric heat strips in an all-electric house (the “aux heat” on the thermostat, explained here), or the gas furnace in a dual fuel house. More on heat pumps in a Virginia winter.
Variable speed vs two-stage vs single-stage
A single-stage heat pump runs at full blast or not at all. A two-stage one, which Trane calls multi-speed, has a low and a high: Trane’s 17 Multi-Speed runs at 70% or 100%. A variable-speed heat pump slides anywhere in between; Trane’s 20 TruComfort runs 25 to 100% in steps of a tenth of a percent.
Variable speed costs more. It buys steadier temperatures, more moisture pulled out in July, quieter running, and the cold-weather output in the table above. If the heat pump is your only heat, it’s the upgrade we’d make first. If a gas furnace stands behind it, two-stage is often enough.
What HSPF2 means, and the number to look for
HSPF2 is the heating efficiency rating: heat delivered over a season, divided by the electricity used. Higher is better. The federal minimum is 7.5, ENERGY STAR wants 7.8, and the best ducted heat pumps run past 10. SEER2 is the cooling version; the floor is 14.3.
It’s a season average, so it won’t tell you how a unit does on a 15°F night. The heat output at 17°F and 5°F will. Every model’s ENERGY STAR or NEEP listing has it; ask for it with the quote.
1. Trane: our first pick for a heat pump
Ask us what heat pump we’d put in our own house and you’ll hear Trane. Three reasons, and you can check each one.
It keeps its heat when it’s cold. Trane’s 20 TruComfort carries the ENERGY STAR Cold Climate label, and in the 3-ton dual fuel match above it still puts out 94% of its heat at 17°F. For all-electric houses, Trane added the 20 TruComfort Cold Climate this September, rated to hold full heat at 5°F and keep running to -20°F.
There’s a Trane for the house. The line runs from single-stage through multi-speed to variable speed and cold climate, so we can match the house instead of selling everyone the top model. Trane makes the gas furnace half too, so a dual fuel system runs off one Trane thermostat, with the handoff to gas set for your house anywhere from 5 to 70°F. The heat pump and furnace never run at the same time.
We know where the parts come from. We buy our Trane systems and parts through Ferguson, Trane’s distributor for our area, so a failed part comes from a local branch.
Warranty isn’t the reason. Trane gives ten years on parts when it’s registered within 60 days (five if not) and twelve on the compressor of its multi-speed and variable-speed units, but most big brands also give ten years registered. It covers parts, not labor; on the systems we install, two years of our labor is included, and you can take five or ten.
The honest part: a Trane costs more than a builder-grade heat pump. If you’re selling next spring, look at RunTru, Trane’s own budget line, further down.
The Trane heat pump lineup, in plain English
| Trane’s name | What it is | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| 20 TruComfort Variable Speed Cold Climate (new, September 2026) | Variable speed, full heat down to 5°F by Trane’s rating | All-electric houses with no gas to fall back on |
| 20 TruComfort Variable Speed (replaced the XV20i) | 25 to 100% in tenth-of-a-percent steps. Up to 22.4 SEER2 and 10.5 HSPF2 | A heat pump that does most of the heating |
| 18 TruComfort Variable Speed (replaced the XV17) | 25 to 100% in 1% steps. Up to 18.1 SEER2 and 8.5 HSPF2 | Most single-family homes |
| 17 Multi-Speed | Two speeds, 70% and 100%. Up to 18.0 SEER2 with WeatherGuard | Dual fuel, and townhouses |
| 16, 15 and 14 Single-Stage | On or off. The 14 sits at the federal minimum | Tight budgets |
The 20 and 18 require Trane’s Link UX360 thermostat. Ratings are Trane’s “up to” figures for its best match; yours go on your quote. We’re a Trane Comfort Specialist, Trane’s own dealer program, and you can look us up on Trane’s dealer locator. Our heating page goes deeper on Trane heat pumps and furnaces.
2. Mitsubishi Electric: the cold-weather pick
If a house has to heat itself on electricity alone through a hard January, Mitsubishi Electric is where we’d look first. Its Hyper-Heat outdoor units put out 100% of their rated heat at 5°F and keep heating down to -13°F. It’s best known for ductless, but its SVZ air handler can replace a furnace on the ductwork you already have. For gas houses, its intelli-HEAT system adds a Mitsubishi heat pump and coil to the furnace you keep, and switches to the furnace by itself when the heat pump can’t keep up.
We’re a Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Contractor, and on a Mitsubishi that changes the warranty. Out of the box: five years on parts, seven on the compressor. Registered within 90 days, both go to ten. Installed and registered by a Diamond Contractor, both go to twelve. Parts, not labor, for the original owner. In the US, Mitsubishi Electric’s heating and cooling is sold by a 50/50 joint venture with Trane Technologies, Trane’s parent company.
Why second? With ducts and a gas furnace already in the basement, we’d usually pair a Trane heat pump with a Trane furnace. Ductless mini splits are their own topic; for one room or an addition, here’s what one costs.
3. Carrier
Carrier sells heat pumps in three tiers: Comfort, Performance, and the variable-speed Infinity line on top. The Infinity 23 (27VNA3) is its most efficient, up to 23 SEER2 and 10.5 HSPF2. The Infinity 21 (27VNA1) is its cold-climate model, up to 12.5 HSPF2 and rated to heat down to -23°F. New Carriers run Puron Advance, Carrier’s name for R-454B.
Register within 90 days for ten years on parts; miss it and you get five. Carrier also offers five years of parts plus three of labor instead, through dealers who’ve signed up for it. We’re Carrier experts: we install Carrier heat pumps, furnaces and air conditioners, you’ll find us on Carrier’s dealer locator, and we service every Carrier we’re called to.
4. Rheem
The value pick of the big names. Rheem sells its heat pumps as the Endeavor Line: Prestige, then Classic Plus and Classic. The top one, the Prestige RP19AY, has an inverter-driven variable-speed compressor and rates up to 20 SEER2 and 8.5 HSPF2. Parts are easy to get and repairs tend to stay simple, which keeps the cost of owning one down. Register within 90 days for ten years on parts on most models.
Ruud is Rheem’s sister brand. We’re a Rheem Pro Partner, and we install Rheem heat pumps, furnaces and water heaters.
The other heat pump brands you’ll see on quotes
Lennox chases efficiency. Its top heat pump, the SL22KLV, rates up to 21.1 SEER2 and 10.5 HSPF2. The lines run Merit, Elite and the Dave Lennox Signature Collection, and Lennox sells straight to independent dealers through its own stores, not through outside distributors. Register within 60 days.
American Standard is Trane’s sibling: same parent company, Trane Technologies, and the same warranty document, written by Trane U.S. Its heat pumps run Platinum, Gold and Silver, and the lineup mirrors Trane’s, right down to a Platinum 20 Cold Climate.
Daikin, Goodman and Amana are one company; Daikin bought Goodman in 2012. All three run R-32. Daikin’s FIT AURORA is an inverter heat pump, up to 21 SEER2 and 10 HSPF2, that Daikin says met the requirements of the Department of Energy’s cold climate heat pump challenge. Goodman runs from a 15.2 SEER2 entry model to an inverter one rated to 21 SEER2. Register a Goodman within 60 days or its parts coverage drops from ten years to five.
Bosch builds every heat pump in its IDS line around an inverter compressor, even the entry IDS Light. Its IDS Ultra is the cold-climate model, rated for up to 100% of its heat at 5°F.
Bryant is a Carrier company with its own three lines: Evolution, Preferred and Legacy.
RunTru is Trane’s budget line, built and warrantied by Trane U.S. Its heat pumps are single-stage only and top out at 16 SEER2. Registered within 60 days, the compressor and parts get ten years, the same as Trane’s own single-stage units. For a rental, it’s a fair buy.
We service all of them, whoever installed them.
Who makes which heat pump brand
| If the quote says | It comes from |
|---|---|
| Trane, American Standard, RunTru | Trane Technologies |
| Mitsubishi Electric | Mitsubishi Electric, sold in the US by its 50/50 joint venture with Trane Technologies |
| Carrier, Bryant | Carrier |
| Rheem, Ruud | Rheem |
| Daikin, Goodman, Amana | Daikin |
| Lennox | Lennox |
| Bosch | Bosch |
Two quotes on sibling brands are closer than they look. Line up the model, the tier and the warranty side by side, then compare the installers.
Dual fuel: a heat pump with a gas furnace behind it
If your house heats with gas and cools with a central air conditioner, there’s a middle path. Put a heat pump where the air conditioner sits. It cools all summer and heats most of the winter, and on the coldest nights the thermostat hands the job to the gas furnace.
The heat pump never has to carry a 10°F night alone, so a two-stage unit is often plenty. And Washington Gas pays toward it: $2,000 with a new 95% furnace, or $1,400 if you keep a furnace that’s 90% or better. The fine print: the heat pump has to replace a central air conditioner, not another heat pump, a contractor in Washington Gas’s network files it within 30 days, and you have to be a Washington Gas customer. Parts of Chantilly and Herndon are on Columbia Gas instead.
Where the handoff should sit depends on your electric company more than the equipment. We worked out the switch temperature for Dominion and NOVEC houses here. Dual fuel isn’t on our online estimator; we price it at the house, because it depends on the furnace and ducts you already have.
What a heat pump costs installed in Northern Virginia
Straight from our price book, the same one our free estimator runs on. The spread is size and efficiency: a small two-ton system at the bottom, a big high-efficiency one at the top.
| System | Installed, our price book | Monthly, from |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump system (heat pump and air handler) | $8,499 to $21,650 | $142/mo at 0% APR for 60 months |
| Gas furnace on its own (the other half of dual fuel) | $4,285 to $14,040 | $71/mo at 0% APR for 60 months |
Monthly figures: 60mo @ 0% APR on each starting price, the whole price financed, on approved credit. Longer plans lower the payment and cost more in total. The lender sets the final terms.
These ranges cover every brand, size and efficiency we carry, not one model. Your price comes in writing, for your house, before anything is decided. Get a range for your own house in a couple of minutes, or see a heat pump and a gas furnace priced side by side. How financing works. Already holding someone else’s quote? We’ll give you a free second opinion on it.
What matters more than the brand
Here’s what to look for in whoever puts it in:
- A real load calculation, sized to a 14 to 20°F design day, not “whatever was here, plus a little.” Oversized, a heat pump short-cycles and leaves the house clammy in July. Undersized, it leans on the heat strips all winter.
- A matched system. The outdoor unit and the indoor coil or air handler have to be a rated match, with an AHRI number you can ask for.
- Charge and airflow set at your house, measured with gauges once it’s running.
- The thermostat set up for the system: when the heat strips may come on, and on dual fuel, the handoff temperature. The factory setting may not match your utility rates.
- The refrigerant. New heat pumps have run R-454B or R-32 since 2025. Leftover R-410A systems built before 2025 can still go in until the stock runs out, so ask which one a quoted model uses. If the R-410A heat pump you have works, nobody makes you replace it.
- Warranty registration. 60 days at Trane, American Standard, RunTru, Lennox and the Daikin brands; 90 at Carrier, Rheem and Mitsubishi Electric. Inside 60 covers you with any of them. Your installer should do it and hand you the proof.
Heat pump brand questions people ask us
What’s the best heat pump brand in 2026?
For most houses, Trane, which is why it’s our first pick. For an all-electric house that has to hold its heat at 5°F, Mitsubishi Electric’s Hyper-Heat. Carrier for quiet, Rheem for value. Any of the four, sized and installed right, will beat a pricier heat pump put in badly.
What are the most reliable heat pump brands?
Nobody publishes a fair, current failure rate by brand, so be careful with anyone who quotes you one. Trane, Carrier, Rheem, Lennox, Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin all build dependable heat pumps. In our experience, early failures come down to the install more than the badge: wrong size, wrong charge, a coil that doesn’t match.
What’s the best heat pump for a cold climate, or a Virginia winter?
Heating here is sized to a 14 to 20°F design day, so you don’t need a heat pump built for Minnesota. If it’s your only heat, get variable speed or a cold-climate model like Trane’s 20 TruComfort Cold Climate or Mitsubishi Electric’s Hyper-Heat. If you have gas, dual fuel lets a less expensive heat pump handle the mild days.
Trane vs Carrier heat pump: which is better?
They’re the two we’d put at the top, and the gap is smaller than the ads make it sound. Both have variable-speed and cold-climate models. We lean Trane for its range of tiers and how it pairs with a Trane furnace for dual fuel; Carrier’s Infinity line is strong on quiet and humidity control. We install both.
Mitsubishi vs Trane: which heat pump should I get?
It depends on the house. No ducts, or all-electric and worried about 5°F nights: Mitsubishi Electric. Ducts and a gas furnace: Trane, usually as dual fuel. They’re less rivals than you’d think; Mitsubishi Electric’s US heating and cooling business is a joint venture with Trane Technologies.
Lennox vs Trane heat pump?
Lennox chases the top efficiency ratings; its SL22KLV and Trane’s 20 TruComfort both rate up to 10.5 HSPF2. Either will heat a Northern Virginia house. The bigger difference is service: Lennox sells straight to its dealers through its own stores, so ask who will fix it in year eight and how fast they can get the part.
Daikin vs Trane heat pump?
Daikin builds good inverter heat pumps. Its FIT AURORA rates up to 21 SEER2 and 10 HSPF2; Trane’s 20 TruComfort goes to 22.4 and 10.5. On paper they’re close, so the price, how long you’ll stay and who services it decide it. We service both.
Is Goodman a good heat pump brand?
Yes, for the right house. It’s Daikin’s budget brand: solid equipment, a lower price, and ten years on parts if it’s registered within 60 days. For a rental or a house you’re selling soon, it’s a fair buy. If you’re staying, we’d spend more on the heat pump.
Who makes Trane heat pumps, and is American Standard the same?
Trane Technologies, through Trane U.S., makes Trane, American Standard and RunTru. American Standard shares Trane’s warranty document and mirrors its lineup; RunTru is the single-stage budget line. Compare the exact models and the installers, not just the badge.
Is a variable-speed heat pump worth it over a two-stage?
If the heat pump is your only heat, usually yes: in the listings above, the variable-speed Trane kept 94% of its heat at 17°F against 70% for a single-stage. With a gas furnace behind it, two-stage is often enough.
What HSPF2 rating should I look for?
7.5 is the legal minimum, 7.8 the ENERGY STAR floor, and the best ducted heat pumps run past 10. If it will do most of your heating, also ask for its heat output at 17°F and 5°F.
Is there still a tax credit for a heat pump?
No. The federal 25C credit ended for anything installed after December 31, 2025 (what’s left, in more detail). The money now is local, led by Washington Gas’s dual fuel rebate, and whatever we’re running is on our offers page.
Do you service heat pump brands you didn’t install?
Yes, every major brand, whoever put it in. The diagnostic visit is $99, and you get the problem and the price in writing before any work starts. What common heat pump repairs cost.
Holding a heat pump quote, or ready for one?
Pick from the top of the list, then put your real scrutiny on the installer. Did they size it to the house? Is the model’s output at 17°F on the quote? Will they register the warranty? For a second set of eyes on a quote, our free second opinion is built for exactly that.
When you’re ready, call (703) 997-9757 or book online. For furnaces and air conditioners too, see our ranking of the best HVAC brands.
More brand rankings from our installers: the best HVAC brands, furnace brands, mini split brands, water heater brands and tankless water heater brands.
SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing installs Trane, Carrier, Rheem and Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps across Northern Virginia, out of Chantilly and Ashburn. SwiftPro is a Trane Comfort Specialist, a Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Contractor and a Rheem Pro Partner, and we’re Carrier experts. Family owned, with 24/7 emergency service, Virginia Class A contractor license 2705192276, and rated 5.0 stars across 1,131 reviews on Google, Angi, Yelp, the BBB and Facebook. Read the reviews.
