4 Heat Pump Brands With Better Ratings Than Daikin

Daikin Industries, Ltd. got its start producing radiator tubes used in airplanes under the Osaka Kinzoku Kogyosho Limited Partnership banner. Akira Yamada formed that initial partnership in Japan in 1924, although the company name and its products have evolved over the years. Today, Daikin primarily produces products for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) sector, including a line of heat pumps.

While the company's head office is still located in Osaka, Japan, it lists several locations in the United States on its website. Many of Daikin's air conditioners are made in the United States, with the company reporting manufacturing bases in Plymouth, Minnesota and Waller, Texas.

With R-410A refrigerant being phased out for new HVAC units in the United States under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020, Daikin began using R-32 refrigerant in many of its new air conditioners and heat pumps. The company offers a variety of traditional and mini split heat pump systems with SEER2 ratings up to 21, and HSPF2 ratings up to 10, to fit different needs and budgets.

In general, Daikin heat pumps fall into the middle of the pack when compared to other heat pump brands. While one of the Daikin brand heat pump models may be the best fit for your particular circumstance when considering the size of the space to be heated, the climate, installation needs, and budget, there are a few heat pump brands that consistently have better ratings.

While Consumer Reports rates Goodman brand heat pumps above those from Daikin, you should know that Goodman is actually among the brands owned by Daikin Industries. Harold Goodman expanded the scope of Goodman Manufacturing Company, L.P. to include the manufacture of central air conditioners and heat pumps in 1982. Daikin Industries acquired Goodman Global in 2012 to create the largest HVAC manufacturing enterprise of its time.

Today, in addition to its line of heat pumps Goodman Air Conditioning and Heating provides air conditioners, gas furnaces, and ductless mini split systems to its residential customers as well as systems for commercial installations.

The featured products listed on Goodman's webpage include a variety of high-efficiency heat pump systems. The available options allow homeowners the choice between traditional units featuring two-stage scroll compressors with up to 17.5 SEER2 and 8.2 HSPF2 ratings, and mini split inverter driven heat pumps with variable-speed swing compressors and ratings up to 16.5 SEER2 and 8.5 HSPF2.

Goodman heat pumps carry Energy Star's Most Efficient 2025 rating. In addition, the units are covered by a 5-year unit replacement limited warranty and a 10-year limited warranty on parts.

Willis Carrier was an American air conditioning pioneer credited with many firsts in the HVAC field. While Carrier's first air conditioner design served to control heat and humidity inside a printing plant in 1902, it led to the founding of the Carrier Engineering Corporation in 1915.

Over the last century the company has evolved into the Carrier Global Corporation which oversees production of Carrier air conditioners and the other brands it owns. While there are several heat pump brands under the Carrier Global umbrella, Carrier continues to serve as the flagship brand, consistently rating higher than Daikin.

Carrier offers several heat pump variations ranging from air to water units that provide hot water for washing or indoor and outdoor heating needs. The Carrier heat pump with the highest energy efficiency, according to Carrier, is the Infinity 23 Heat Pump (model 27VNA3). The Infinity 23 features intelligent controls, an adaptable variable-speed compressor, and achieves a SEER2 energy efficiency rating of up to 23 and HSPF2 rating up to 10.5. In cold climates, the unit continues to provide heat when external temperatures fall to -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25C).

Lennox International got its start in 1895 when Dave Lennox introduced the first riveted-steel furnace. Multiple advancements and industry firsts ultimately landed Lennox the top spot of SlashGear's major air conditioner brand rankings and to its full lineup of Energy Star Qualified heat pumps.

The Lennox website lists the SL22KLV Cold Climate Heat Pump from the Dave Lennox Signature Collection as its most energy efficient option with a SEER2 rating of up to 21.1 and up to 10.5 HSPF2. It's also capable of operating in external temperatures down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29C), a figure that should dispel an extremely common myth about heat pumps. Lennox uses a variable-speed compressor and electronic refrigerant injection to extract usable heat from outside air in frigid temperatures.

In addition to traditional residential heat pumps, Lennox also offers cold climate heat pumps in a mini split design. The Energy Star Qualified Lennox Elite Series EL18KSLV heat pump features a SEER2 rating up to 19 and HSPF2 rating up to 10. As an Elite model, it comes with a 10-year limited warranty covering the compressor, a 5-year limited warranty on other covered components, and product registration allows access to extend that coverage to 10 years.

Trane is another company with deep roots in America, dating back to 1885 when James Trane started a plumbing shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Trane used his knowledge of plumbing to invent the "Trane Vapor Heating System" designed to combat brutal northern winter temperatures.

Trane Technologies boasts a history of innovation with numerous advancements in HVAC systems implemented before and after the company was officially incorporated in 1913. Today, Trane Technologies owns a number of air conditioner brands, like Thermo King, RunTru, Ameristar, and American Standard. Like the other heat pump systems on our list, Trane models consistently rate higher than Daikin heat pumps on lists published by multiple sources, including Consumer Reports.

Trane's 17 Multi-Speed Heat Pump with WeatherGuard features technology that adjusts compressor speed to deliver 100% heating efficiency down to 27 degrees Fahrenheit (-2.8C) and 70% at temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15C). The unit has a SEER2 rating of up to 18, and a HSPF2 rating up to 11.