Most and Least Reliable Heat Pumps
The brands that will keep you warm—and cool—all year long
Heat pumps can be one of the most efficient ways to heat—and cool—your home. That’s because rather than generating hot or cold air, they move it from one place to another, depending on the season: During the heating season, a heat pump pulls heat from the outdoor air into your home. And during hot weather, it pulls hot air from your home and expels it outdoors.
Check out the reasons to consider a heat pump for your home, and find out if heat pumps actually work in cold climates.
Repair or Replace
When you compare the cost of repairing a heat pump to the cost of replacing one, there’s little doubt that repairing it (if possible) is the way to go.
In our 2021 survey, most members (89 percent) who owned a heat pump that broke reported having it repaired. The median cost for those who paid completely out of pocket—meaning the heat pump wasn’t covered by a service plan—was $293. Compare that with the median cost of $7,691 that our members spent to buy and install a new heat pump over the past five years.
In our most recent survey, almost three-fourths (74 percent) of our members who had their heat pump repaired were left without heat for at least a day and 46 percent for at least two days.
For more information on heat pumps, including how they work and how to make them more energy-efficient, see our heat pump buying guide.
CR explains how buying a heat pump for your home could get you thousands of dollars in federal tax credits and state rebates.
Most and Least Reliable Heat Pumps
We analyzed data from our members on 24 brands of heat pumps from well-known companies such as Trane and Carrier and also from some smaller, lesser-known companies such as Heil and Payne.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the winners and losers among heat pump brands. Eight brands earned favorable marks for predicted reliability, and two brands got our top marks for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.