Best Furnace Brands 2026

This paper will discuss the top brands of residential gas furnaces in the American market. Energy efficiency (AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency), cost, and warranty coverage are the main factors to consider when selecting a furnace by homeowners.

The United States has already set the current standards, according to which new furnaces must have at least 80 percent AFUE, but the most popular brands have models that exceed this minimum by far. The best manufacturers like Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, American Standard, Bryant, Rheem, Ruud, and York provide high AFUE-rated furnaces, many of which are above 95 percent and up to 9899 percent in premium models, wide price ranges, including low-end and high-end models, and different warranty conditions.

These manufacturers are always on the top in terms of reliability and performance in the industry.

A comparison of these top brands is given below, and the efficiency, the average price range, and warranty support of each brand are described in detail.

Brand	Max AFUE	Typical Installed Cost	Warranty (Parts/Heat Exchanger)
Trane	97%	$3,500–$7,500	10 yr / Lifetime
American Standard	97%	$3,500–$7,000	10 yr / Lifetime
Carrier	98.5%	$3,000–$7,000	10 yr / Lifetime
Bryant	98.5%	$2,800–$6,500	10 yr / Lifetime
Lennox	99%	$3,500–$8,000	5–10 yr / 20 yr–Lifetime
Goodman	98%	$2,500–$5,500	10 yr / Lifetime
Amana	98%	$3,000–$6,000	10 yr / Lifetime
Rheem	98%	$3,000–$6,500	10 yr / Lifetime
Ruud	98%	$3,000–$6,500	10 yr / Lifetime
York	98%	$2,800–$6,000	10 yr / Lifetime

Trane

Efficiency: Trane has the most efficient furnaces that have a rating of approximately 97.3% AFUE (the Trane XC95m modulating furnace is one of the best furnaces with a rating of 97.3% AFUE). Even the common two-stage models are well into the 90%+ AFUE category. This implies that a larger percentage of the fuel is used to generate heat in the home and this saves the homeowner on gas bills and they are still comfortable.

Pricing: Trane is a high-end brand and the prices of the furnace units are on the expensive side. The average cost of a Trane gas furnace installation is about $3,500-7,500 based on efficiency and size. This increased initial expense is matched with the reputation of Trane as being a quality and reliable product.

Warranty: Trane has a strong warranty: 10-year limited coverage on parts (with registration) and a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty on most top-end models. The lower-tier models have a 20-year heat exchanger term. This is a high warranty cover that indicates the brand confidence in the life of its products and assures the buyer of long-term satisfaction.

Trane also focuses on the professional installation by the certified dealers. A large number of Trane dealers are Trane Comfort Specialist certified, which implies that they are factory trained. This attention to detail in installation is one of the reasons why Trane furnaces are one of the most reliable furnaces because the units will tend to work at their best when they are properly installed. Trane is a good investment to homeowners who want to get the best performance and durability.

American Standard

Efficiency: The sister brand of Trane is American Standard, which has the same furnace designs. Its premium furnaces also have up to 97 percent AFUE, which is very energy efficient just like the Trane furnaces. American Standard has the basic 80 percent models to the advanced modulating units to save more fuel.

Price Range: The cost of American Standard furnaces is comparable to that of Trane as they are basically the same product line. The cost of installation of an American Standard system will be in the range of $3,500 to 7,000, which is in the high-end price range of homeowners. Customers get the advantage of the brand due to its good performance and high build quality even though it is more expensive.

Warranty: The warranty of American Standard is the same as Trane: a registered 10-year limited parts warranty and a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty on the highest-level furnaces. Like Trane, this also has good coverage of the heat exchanger (the heart of the furnace) so that long term coverage of critical parts is provided.

American Standard has been at the top in terms of furnace reliability and this is no exception since it is in the same position as Trane. The two brands are produced by the same parent company (Ingersoll Rand) and are frequently installed by the same dealer networks. Practically, the decision between Trane and American Standard can be made based on the availability of dealers or the personal taste, since the performance and warranties are practically the same.

Carrier

Efficiency: Carrier flagship Infinity series has modulating furnaces with up to 98.5% AFUE, which makes Carrier one of the efficiency leaders (the Infinity 98 furnace is the top model of Carrier, with 98.5% AFUE). The mid-range Performance series even provides high efficiencies (e.g. 96% AFUE two-stage models). This variety of effective solutions contributes to the minimization of energy consumption and heating costs of the house owners.

Price Range: Carrier furnaces are priced in the high end to upper-middle end. Average installation prices are approximately $3,000 to 7,000 on a Carrier unit with the top-of-the-line Infinity units on the high end. The wide dealer network and brand name of Carrier may increase the price, but the consumers receive the tested performance and wide support as a reward.

Warranty: Carrier offers a good warranty: usually 10-year parts and a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty on its gas furnaces (with registration). This compares with other leading brands. Also, the Carrier dealers usually provide one year of labor coverage on installations, which provides homeowners with an added protection during the first year.

Carrier is among the largest HVAC manufacturers (UTC) and it has a long history in the industry. Carrier has a reputation of quality consistency in the product lines in furnaces. Its best models are equipped with high-tech solutions such as GreenspeedTM intelligence that allows controlling the comfort with precision, whereas even the low-end models are reliable. Carrier furnaces have parts and service that is readily available and this can be an advantage when maintenance is required.

Bryant

Efficiency: Bryant furnaces are basically Carrier units with a different label, and are available with the same high efficiencies. The Bryant Evolution line is a reflection of the Infinity line, going as high as 98%+ AFUE on its highest modulating model. The product line of Bryant includes low-cost 80 percent AFUE single-stage furnaces to high-efficiency models, which satisfy all requirements.

Price Range: Bryant tends to be a bit more value-based than Carrier, but the price is still in the mid-to-upper range. A Bryant furnace installed may range between $2,800 and 6,500 depending on the model and efficiency. Since Bryant does not spend as much on marketing its brand to consumers, homeowners might occasionally receive a similar system at slightly lower price than a Carrier-branded one.

Warranty: Bryant has the same warranty as Carrier: 10-year limited parts and Lifetime heat exchanger coverage on the original owner (registration required). Bryant, just like Carrier, also usually has a one-year labor warranty offered by the installer or dealer. Essentially, a buyer of a Bryant furnace will have the same protection as a customer of Carrier since they are manufactured in the same way.

Since Bryant is a sister brand of Carrier, Bryant is serviced and sold by many Carrier dealers. One of these is that Carrier dealers must be factory-authorized, but Bryant dealers may or may not be factory-trained. To the homeowner, this implies that it is prudent to select a skilled installer of a Bryant furnace to facilitate appropriate installation. A Bryant system will work as good as its Carrier counterpart with a good installer.

Lennox

Efficiency: Lennox is the most efficient brand in the industry, and its high-end Signature series furnace has an AFUE of approximately 98.7 percent (almost 99 percent AFUE). A lot of Lennox furnaces are ENERGY STAR 1782 registered and designed to operate silently. The mid-range two-stage Lennox furnaces are above 95 percent AFUE, which means that a lot of energy can be saved in different kinds of homes.

In perspective, a 98%+ AFUE furnace will lose 2 percent or less of the energy in the fuel to exhaust, but a 20-year-old 80 percent unit will waste 20 percent. During a long winter, that fuel efficiency gap can save hundreds of dollars in fuel costs on a large house.

Price Range: Lennox is a high-end brand and it has one of the most expensive equipment. A Lennox furnace that is installed may cost between about $3,500 and $8,000 (top-of-the-line Signature Collection systems at the higher end). Lennox charges a premium on its advanced efficiency and technology and its dealer network.

Warranty: Lennox has a good warranty coverage on its high end but less on lower lines. The top-of-the-line Dave Lennox Signature Collection furnaces have a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty and a 10-year parts warranty. The mid-range Lennox Elite series however only comes with a 5-year parts and 20-year heat exchanger warranty (the worst standard warranty in its class).

To get the best coverage, homeowners are advised to ensure that they register their Lennox products and take into consideration extended warranties.

A factor that can be considered with Lennox is proprietary parts. Although a brand such as Trane and Carrier may be able to use generic replacement parts, Lennox furnaces may need Lennox-specific parts to repair them. This implies that in case a Lennox part requires replacement, it may have to be ordered through a Lennox supplier, which may delay repair.

Nevertheless, Lennox is not left behind in terms of innovation and performance, and its efficiency and comfort are top of the list, and most homeowners are ready to spend more to get the best technology.

Goodman

Efficiency: Goodman is famous in offering high efficiency at a reduced cost. Its high-efficiency furnaces are up to 98% AFUE (such as GMVM97 model) and are as effective as the brands that cost much more. Goodman offers numerous furnaces with the 90-96 percent AFUE rating and standard 80 percent ones, so energy savings are available even at a low price.

Price Range: Goodman furnaces are one of the cheapest in the market. The average price of a Goodman furnace that is installed is approximately 2,500-5,500 dollars, depending on the size and efficiency. This low cost pricing and good performance has made Goodman a favorite of the budget conscious homeowner.

Warranty: Goodman provides one of the most excellent warranties in the market. Almost all models are provided with a 10-year limited parts warranty (when product is registered). Besides, the best furnaces produced by Goodman have a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty and even a Unit Replacement warranty: in case the heat exchanger breaks down within the first 10 years, Goodman will replace the whole furnace.

This wide coverage is a big selling point and it is an indication of how Goodman is confident with its equipment.

Goodman has been known in previous decades as a low end brand but most of this was because of the installation problems and not the equipment. Any licensed contractor (and even consumers themselves) can buy Goodman furnaces, so in the past there were some that were improperly installed, causing problems.

Goodman is now owned by Daikin and today Goodman is more quality controlled and when properly installed their furnaces can last as long as any brand. Maintenance and repairs are also relatively cheap as Goodman parts are freely available as compared to some high-end brands.

Amana

Efficiency: Amana is the sister brand of Goodman (both are owned by Daikin) that is a more premium brand. Amana furnaces use the same technology as Goodman with the best models reaching up to 98 percent AFUE to offer the best efficiency. The consumers will be able to have the same performance and energy saving with the same Amana and Goodman units.

Price Range: The Amana units tend to be a little more expensive than those of Goodman, which is an indication of the premium positioning of the brand. The average price of an Amana furnace is about 3000-6000 dollars. The Amana brand is a little more expensive to the buyer (and includes such features as additional insulation or extended standard labor warranties), but the core parts and performance are identical to the Goodman line.

Warranty: The warranty of Amana is basically the same as that of Goodman and this is not surprising because the products are the same. Registered units are covered by a 10-year limited parts warranty and high-efficiency models are covered by a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty to the homeowner. Similar to Goodman, some Amana furnaces have a unit replacement warranty in the event of a heat exchanger failure (usually the furnace is warrantied to the original owner).

This provides Amana customers with the same security and long-term security that Goodman is famous with.

As a high-end brand of the same product, Amana is sometimes chosen by people who desire a more perceived quality of a product or by people who are loyal to the brand name of Amana (which has decades of history in home appliances and HVAC). Practically, an Amana furnace will be the same as a Goodman one. Daikin, the parent company also sells furnaces under the Daikin brand, which are basically the same units, but aimed at the high end market. Customers get comparable efficiency and warranty with any of the badges (Goodman, Amana, or Daikin), so they can make their choice depending on price and dealer offerings.

Rheem

Efficiency: Rheem (and its sister brand Ruud) has made great strides in the past few years in its furnace line. The best models of Rheem now have up to 98% AFUE (such as Rheem Prestige R98V), which is on the same level with other major brands in terms of efficiency. Rheem provides an 80 percent AFUE single-stage furnace to high efficiency two stage and modulating furnaces with sophisticated controls.

Price Range: Rheem furnaces are relatively mid-priced, and they are good value. A Rheem furnace installed usually has a price of about $3,000-$6,500, which is between low-end brands and the most expensive brands. This is a good cost-to-performance ratio that makes Rheem a favorite among homeowners who want good performance but not the most expensive one.

Warranty: Rheem has recently upgraded its warranty as one of the best in the market. New gas furnaces by Rheem are covered by a 10-year parts warranty and a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty (to the original owner). Interestingly, Rheem also provides a lifetime unit replacement of a failed heat exchanger: in case the heat exchanger breaks, Rheem will replace the whole furnace.

This is a full warranty that highlights the confidence of Rheem in their furnace quality and provides the purchasers with outstanding peace of mind.

Rheem is also easily accessible in HVAC contractors and does not limit sales to special dealers, and this allows homeowners to have freedom in the choice of the person they want to install it. Another feature that the brand is famous to incorporate is the innovative features, including the EcoNet smart thermostat system that can control and monitor HVAC equipment to enhance efficiency.

Having a long history in heating (Rheem dates back to the 1920s), the experience of the company is reflected in well-engineered products. The new improvement in warranty and quality has cemented the status of Rheem as a high-end brand.

Ruud

Efficiency: Ruud furnaces are the same as Rheem (they are manufactured by the same parent company) and have the same performance specifications. The high-end models of Ruud also go as high as 98 percent AFUE, which is very efficient. Ruud will offer efficiency choices that should be similar to those of Rheem, with simple 80 percent models to high-tech 95 percent+ two-stage and modulating furnaces.

Price Range: Ruud is equally priced as Rheem, as the products are identical. Average cost of installing a Ruud furnace is approximately 3000-6500 dollars, just like Rheem. Frequently, the choice of a Rheem or Ruud system is made by local availability or dealer preference, but they are identical in cost and performance.

Warranty: Ruud has an identical powerful warranty as Rheem. The homeowners receive 10-year parts coverage and a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty with unit replacement in case of heat exchanger failures. That is, Ruud will also offer a new furnace in case the heat exchanger fails in the original owner. This Rheem/Ruud combined warranty policy places their warranties in the top of the industry and gives the purchasers assurance of a long service life.

The contractors who carry Rheem usually sell and service Ruud furnaces. In other areas, contractors might prefer one brand name to the other, but because the equipment is identical on the inside, consumers can concentrate on getting a quality installer and a good price. By selecting Rheem or Ruud, the homeowner will receive the advantage of the recent quality enhancement of the company and the best warranty policy.

York

Efficiency: York (a Johnson Controls brand) has furnaces up to 98% AFUE in its highest end Affinity series (e.g. the York YP9C modulating furnace at 98% AFUE). To increase efficiency, York has added the latest features such as modulating gas valve and variable-speed blower in the recent models. The York LX series is the more affordable of the York lines, but even that line has models in the 95% AFUE range, so York can go head to head with any major brand on efficiency.

Price Range: York is mostly priced at the middle of the market. The cost of installation of a York furnace is approximately 2,800-6,000 dollars depending on the size and efficiency. York tends to market itself as a value brand to the premium brands, with comparable features at a slightly reduced price. Over the past few years, York has been able to improve its quality and warranty in a way that is noticeable to the consumers, making it more valuable to the consumers in general.

Warranty: York has come up with a very competitive warranty. The warranty on most York furnaces is a 10 year limited parts warranty and a Lifetime heat exchanger warranty to the original owner, which is the same as other leading brands. Also, York furnaces are equipped with 1-year labor warranty by the manufacturer by default- an advantage that many of the competitors lack. This robust warranty package shows that York stands behind its products and this has enhanced consumer confidence in the brand.

York is the most well-known of a number of identical brands produced by Johnson Controls; others are Coleman, Luxaire, and Champion, with identical furnace designs but different brand names. York models in the past had reliability problems, but the company has resolved those problems with design changes and the extended warranties. This has led to the re-emergence of trust in York (and its sister brands). Selecting either of the Johnson Controls furnace brands will bring about the same results and therefore homeowners can take into consideration dealer service and price when selecting between York and its counterparts.

Other Notable Brands

Besides the above discussed major manufacturers, there are other brands of furnaces in the market. Most of them are even made by the same parent companies (or share designs and parts with the large brands) but are marketed under different names. Other well-known brands of residential gas furnaces and their features are listed below:

• Heil, Tempstar and other ICP brands: These brands are under International Comfort Products (owned by Carrier) and have almost the same designs as Carrier/Bryant furnaces. They are usually cheaper and still provide 10-year parts warranties and strong heat exchanger coverage, which makes them good value alternatives. Even some ICP lines have a No Hassle unit replacement warranties (a free replacement in case of a major component failure during the first few years), like the best warranties of Carrier.
• Armstrong Air (and AirEase): Lennox (Allied Air) subsidiaries, which provide similar technology to Lennox furnaces. They are aimed at the middle-range market and are characterized by a stable performance; they usually have 10-year parts and Lifetime heat exchanger warranties. Armstrong and AirEase models tend to be a little cheaper and provide similar comfort to their Lennox counterparts. Allied Air also sells low-cost furnaces as the Ducane and Concord lines, which use Lennox engineering but are restricted to the entry-level product lines.
• Payne: Carrier brand that targets basic no-frills furnaces. Payne provides the bare minimum (a small line of models, typically no more than 95 percent AFUE) with the support of the manufacturing quality of Carrier. It has shorter warranties (typically 10-year parts and 20-year heat exchanger on original owners). Payne units are generally applied to new construction or as entry level replacement furnaces where cost is a major factor.
• Daikin: The parent company of Goodman/Amana is a Japanese HVAC giant which also sells furnaces under its own name in North America. Daikin-brand gas furnaces are literally the same as Goodman/Amana ones, with high efficiencies and the same or similar 10-year parts and Lifetime heat exchanger warranties. Daikin uses its international experience and can add some more tech integration, yet, in general, it provides a similar product with a different badge. The fact that Daikin is a global company (the largest HVAC manufacturer in the world) implies that its furnaces can be the result of a large research and development.
• Nortek Global brands: Other residential furnace brands include Maytag, Frigidaire and NuTone (Nortek Global). As an example, the Maytag top 1200 Series furnaces have a long 12 years parts warranty and a 12 years unit replacement warranty of the heat exchanger which is one of the longest in the industry. These are less popular brands with competitive products and warranty conditions to the customers who want to have alternatives to the major brands.

All these brands of furnaces are strong in their own way. Lennox goes to the extreme in terms of efficiency, Goodman/Amana and Rheem/Ruud provide the best warranties. The full warranty coverage is only available when all the manufacturers are registered, and the guarantees of the heat exchangers being lifetime are usually limited to the first homeowner. Trane/American Standard and Carrier/Bryant have long reputations of quality.

The most suitable one will be determined by your priorities: initial price, efficiency, reliability, the service offered in your location, and even your climate (high-AFUE models will save you the most in cold climates). It is prudent to get quotes of several brands and take into consideration the experience of the installer as a good installation can significantly influence the performance and the life of the furnace.

It is important to note that a lot of furnaces with 95 percent AFUE and higher are ENERGY STAR © qualified or eligible to receive tax credits, which can help cover the increased price of a high-efficiency unit. And furnaces usually have a life span of 15-20 years or more when well maintained, therefore, it is important to select a reliable brand and installer to guarantee future comfort.

You can choose a gas furnace that will offer the best value and comfort to your home by comparing the energy ratings, prices and warranties.