About Us
Who we are, what we cover and how we make money.
Heat Pump Reviews Site is an independent publication about heat pumps. We do not manufacture, sell or install them. We research them, score them against a published methodology, compare them against each other, and explain in plain English what the ratings actually mean — so you can work out what to buy for your home, your climate and your budget.
Why heat pumps
Heating and cooling is the single largest energy expense in most American homes. A modern heat pump does both jobs from one system and, because it moves heat rather than generating it, it delivers substantially more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes. For households replacing electric resistance heat, oil or propane, that usually means meaningfully lower running costs. For households on cheap natural gas, the maths is closer and depends on local prices — which is exactly the kind of thing we think a review site should tell you honestly.
At the same time, the category is confusing. Efficiency ratings changed to SEER2 and HSPF2 in 2023, refrigerants changed in 2025, the federal tax credit ended after 2025, and manufacturer marketing quotes best-case numbers that apply to one capacity in one configuration. Somebody has to sort that out. That is the job we took.
What we cover
- Reviews of ducted, ductless and cold-climate heat pumps, plus heat pump water heaters
- Head-to-head comparisons between brands, and between heat pumps and the alternatives
- Buying guides organised around real situations: cold winters, small homes, no ductwork, tight budgets
- Cost and incentive data, including what installation actually involves and what it should cost
- Explainers on efficiency ratings, sizing, noise, refrigerants and maintenance
- News on regulations, rebate programmes and refrigerant changes that affect what you should buy
How we work
Every rating follows our review methodology, which weights heating performance, efficiency, reliability and warranty, value, noise and features. Our sources are manufacturer specification and submittal sheets, the AHRI Directory, ENERGY STAR and NEEP listings, published warranty documents, contractor pricing data and aggregated owner feedback. Each review lists its sources.
We do not lab-test heat pumps, and we never claim to. Independent thermal testing of ducted HVAC equipment requires facilities we do not have. What we can do — and do carefully — is read the data that already exists, normalise it so models can be compared fairly, and tell you where a manufacturer claim is narrower than it appears.
How we make money
Some links on this site are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases on the retail products we cover. We do not accept payment for placement, we do not let commission rates influence scores, and no manufacturer reviews our copy before it publishes. Full details are in our affiliate disclosure.
Corrections
Specifications change, models get replaced, and we get things wrong sometimes. If you spot an error — especially a wrong number — tell us via Contact. We correct errors, mark the correction, and re-date the page.