Best Gas Furnace for 2023
One of the most common questions I get as an HVAC contractor in Sacramento is,
“Which gas furnace systems are the best?”
I see a ton of articles online about this topic. These bloggers are telling people that nationally
recognized economy line systems are better than those that will truly last you a long time.
Just like my summer post in 2022 on Which AC Systems are the Best,
I have always felt like three manufacturers have had the best reputation for the last few decades.
And in no particular order, they are:
Trane/American Standard
Carrier/Bryant Lennox
Before I list the rest of the systems, I want to mention furnace systems come fully assembled at
the factory and are ready to work. However, it takes experienced technicians to modify
the unit per the manufacturer’s instructions to conform to your specific home’s demands.
If it’s not set up correctly you’ll find your new system not lasting nearly as long as it
could have. It can be the difference between your system lasting ten years or 20 years.
So, Consumer Reports asked over 36,000 gas furnace owners who had their system installed
between 2005 and 2021. Their owner satisfaction ratings are based on the percentage of members
who are extremely likely to recommend their gas furnace brand to friends and family.
The manufacturers of today’s residential heating and cooling systems are:
Rheem, who also makes: Ruud.
Daiken, who makes:
Goodman Amana
Daiken Janitrol
Bosch recently started making their own systems. Pretty good
ones too. We sell their inverter split systems and package units.
Nortek, who makes:
Intertherm Maytag
Frigidaire Nordyne
Johnson Controls, who makes: York
Coleman Luxaire
International Comfort Products (ICP) who makes several brands. The most prominent are:
Day & Night Tempstar
Comfortmaker
Heil Keeprite
Lennox also makes:
Armstrong Ducane
Aire-Flo Concord
Carrier also makes:
Payne Weathermaker
Trane also makes: Ameristar
RunTru Oxbox
Isn’t it crazy the limited number of true manufacturers but the 30+ brands
we have to choose from? No wonder it’s hard to determine the best gas furnace for 2023!
Here is where they fell as far as owner satisfaction. And keep in mind that some
of these brands like Bosch, Daiken and others didn’t make the Consumer Reports
survey due to their obscurity and low number of installations during that 2005 to 2021 timeframe.
Highest Rated for Owner Satisfaction:
Trane American Standard
Which is till just that one manufacturer, Trane and American Standard. They’re both
made in America. It’s just that they have different stickers on them.
Second Place for Owner Satisfaction:
Carrier
Bryant Lennox
Then you’ve got your mid-tier systems, who honestly, I just feel break down a little bit
more than, say, your higher tier systems. And the same goes for the lower tier systems that
we’ll go over in a minute compared to the mid-tier systems. So with a 3 out of 5 rating, you get:
Mid-Tier HVAC Systems
Rheem Ruud
Armstrong Concord
Ducane Amana
Comfortmaker Day & Night
Heil Keeprite
Tempstar Payne
Goodman Coleman
Luxaire York
And then your true lower-tier systems and furnaces are going to be:
Frigidaire Maytag
Westinghouse
When you start looking for a vehicle, you pretty much have a brand name in mind.
You might get a higher or lower-end model with fewer bells and whistles,
but maybe you’ve always felt comfortable driving a GMC truck over a Toyota truck.
And that’s very similar to what you’re going to experience when it comes to buying
furnaces. A lot of people just like these certain manufacturers and brand names.
And some of them don’t mind really what the brand names are because,
maybe it’s for a property rental or something like that, and they are just looking for
something very economy. And that’s fine, you know. You sort of get what you pay for.
Let me know what you think about this in the comments below. I see a ton of
articles online about this topic - many that someone who isn’t even in
the HVAC industry wrote. Some paid blog writers have no clue! You’ve got to take
it from someone who actually installs them and services the equipment out in the field.
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