Review Methodology
Exactly how we evaluate and score every heat pump: the six criteria, their weights, our sources, and what we deliberately do not do.
Every heat pump we review is scored the same way, from the same kinds of sources, using the same weights. We publish the method so our conclusions are reproducible and so you can disagree with them on specific grounds.
The six criteria
| Criterion | Weight | What earns a high score |
|---|---|---|
| Heating performance | 25% | High capacity retention at 5°F, a low minimum operating temperature, sensible defrost behaviour, and honest published low-temperature data rather than a single 47°F rating. |
| Efficiency | 20% | Strong SEER2, HSPF2 and EER2 across the capacity range, not only in the one size that rates highest. We note when a headline figure applies to a single matched combination. |
| Reliability and warranty | 20% | Ten years or more on parts and compressor, clear registration terms, unit-replacement cover where offered, wide parts availability, and a dealer network deep enough that service is realistic. |
| Value | 15% | Delivered performance per dollar installed. Premium pricing must buy proportionate capability; it does not earn points on its own. |
| Noise | 10% | Low published outdoor and indoor sound ratings, with the operating condition stated. A “quiet mode” figure that only applies at minimum compressor speed scores lower than a low full-load figure. |
| Features and controls | 10% | True inverter modulation, useful zoning, open thermostat compatibility, meaningful diagnostics, and a current-generation refrigerant. |
Our sources
- Manufacturer specification sheets, submittal data and installation manuals
- The AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance for matched-system ratings
- ENERGY STAR product listings, including the Most Efficient designation
- NEEP’s cold-climate air-source heat pump list for low-temperature capacity and COP data
- Published warranty documents and registration terms
- Contractor and distributor pricing data, and reported installed prices
- Aggregated owner feedback and documented failure patterns
What we do not do
We do not perform hands-on or laboratory testing. No review on this site claims that we installed, ran or measured a unit. Where a claim about performance appears, it is sourced to published data.
We do not score on promotional pricing or limited-time rebates, because they change faster than a review can. We report incentive eligibility where it is stable, but it does not move a score.
We do not accept payment for inclusion, position or score. We do not send drafts to manufacturers for approval.
How scores are expressed
Each review carries an overall rating out of five, plus sub-scores for the criteria above. A 4.5 is a genuinely strong system with a specific weakness; a 5.0 sub-score means best-in-class for that criterion, not merely good. We deliberately spread ratings rather than clustering everything near the top — if every product scored 4.8, the rating would carry no information.
Updates and corrections
Product lines change annually, refrigerants and standards change on regulatory timelines, and prices move constantly. We re-check reviews against current data and re-date pages when we update them. Errors are corrected, marked and re-dated. Report one via Contact.