If you’ve ever engaged in a casual conversation about air conditioners, you may have heard statements like these:
“Trane makes the best air conditioners.”
“Goodman systems are cheap. I wouldn’t get one of those.”
“We had a Carrier air conditioner that was great, but the Lennox unit at our condo is awful.”
And so on.
Is there wisdom in these statements? Or are these just anecdotes we can safely ignore?
Most important of all: Are there any air conditioner brands to avoid?
On this blog, we opine frequently about numerous factors that impact the performance and longevity of a residential air conditioning system. However, we rarely discuss AC brand as one of those factors.
Here’s why:
Air conditioner brand doesn’t matter very much
Seriously. It doesn’t.
While there are lots of things that do matter when it comes to choosing an air conditioner for your home, the company that manufactured the unit is very very low on the list of stuff you should care about.
You might decide not to care about it at all.
Here are the factors that matter a whole lot more:
- Air conditioner size: The contractor who installs your new air conditioner absolutely must perform a Manual J load calculation before selecting an AC. Otherwise, they might install an air conditioner that’s the wrong size (too large, typically) and leave you with all sorts of problems. It won’t matter if you have the most expensive, feature-rich Trane AC on the market. It will cost a lot to run, fail to keep you comfortable, and break down sooner than a properly sized unit.
- Installation quality: The air conditioner needs to be properly installed and commissioned. This includes having obstruction-free ductwork and ducts that are the right size and routed correctly. The installers should audit their work when finished to ensure they provided an error-free installation.
- Type of AC: There are three primary types of air conditioning systems: single-speed, two-speed, and variable speed. Single-speed systems are standard “on/off” air conditioners. Two-speed systems run at a lower speed most of the time and at full capacity when there’s a greater need for cooling. Variable speed systems are the most efficient systems of all, ramping up and down to meet your home’s precise cooling needs. For the best comfort and energy efficiency, variable speed provides the best experience.
All the air conditioner brands have options for single-speed, two-speed and variable speed systems. Also, a premium brand AC still won’t perform well if it’s not sized or installed correctly.
So does brand really matter at all? Let’s keep exploring.
There aren’t actually very many AC brands
It’s true.
Many air conditioner brands are just separate makes that are owned by another company. Here are some examples:
- Carrier makes Bryant, Comfortmaker, Heil, Payne, Day & Night, Arcoaire, and Tempstar
- Trane makes American Standard, RunTru, and Oxbox
- Rheem makes Ruud
- Daikin makes Goodman and Amana
- York makes Coleman and Luxaire
There are a few other brands out there, but these are the most common ones. It’s really just five companies that own 20 different brand names. Only Lennox, Nortek Global, and Electrolux don’t own separate HVAC brands (yet).
So, does that mean that when you buy an Amana air conditioner you’re really getting a Daikin? Yes.
It also means that when you get an American Standard unit, you’re really getting a Trane. And that when you get a Comfortmaker AC, you’re really getting a Carrier.
You might already own a “premium brand” air conditioner and not know it!
Why are some air conditioner brands cheaper than others?
Having different brands under the same corporate umbrella allows manufacturers to market and sell different air conditioners to different market segments. In other cases, keeping a separate brand name is just the legacy of brand acquisition.
Manufacturers also offer economy brands with limited features and efficiency options. Carrier, for example, offers fewer features and efficiencies in its economy brand, Bryant.
None of this changes the fact that your Ruud air conditioner is fundamentally the same product as your neighbor’s Rheem unit.
Why do some brands have a bad reputation?
Many HVAC contractors sell economy brand systems. Think Goodman, Comfortmaker, RunTru, etc.
Many (not all, but many) of those same contractors are the same ones who:
- Don’t do load calculations
- Don’t pay attention to ductwork or install ducts incorrectly
- Hire cheap subcontractors
- Fail to adequately train their installers
- Leave their customers with oversized, poorly installed systems that don’t keep them comfortable and that break down all the time
This outcome isn’t the result of, say, RunTru being a bad brand. It happens because the HVAC contractor didn’t do their job correctly.
If an HVAC contractor sizes, selects, and installs a RunTru air conditioner properly, it will perform just as well as any Trane, Carrier, or Lennox AC for which the same care was applied.
So, are there any air conditioner brands to avoid completely?
No, there really aren’t.
The presence of so many brands with so many warranty options and feature sets means there’s an air conditioner brand for every budget.
If your contractor installs Goodman equipment and does a great job, that’s perfectly fine. Likewise, if your contractor installs Trane, but doesn’t size the system properly, get ready for lots of problems!
Many excellent HVAC contractors sell a certain brand because they prefer to work with the manufacturer and/or they receive special perks from the company for agreeing to sell that brand. For example, PV Heating, Cooling & Plumbing sells Carrier, Daikin and other brands depending on budget, application and our client’s needs.
Plus, Carrier and Daikin are great brands! So are all the others.
Conclusion: Air conditioner brand isn’t all that important
There are many things that are important when getting a new air conditioner, but we don’t think the AC brand matters much at all.
If you live in Metro Atlanta and are considering replacing your home’s air conditioner, PV Heating, Cooling & Plumbing can help! We’ll listen to your concerns, discuss your options, and do all the pre and post-installation legwork needed to ensure a great installation that maximizes AC performance.
We can even help you choose among the different brands.
To learn more or schedule an appointment, call us today at (404) 798-9672 or schedule a consultation online!
