Most Reliable Central Air-Conditioning Systems – Consumer Reports

We dug deeper into what our members consider when they say they are extremely likely to recommend their central AC systems to friends and family. How quietly it runs is first on the list, followed by how quickly the AC cools and how reliable it is. Comfort level, ease of use, and cooling evenly also contribute to satisfaction, but not as heavily.

At the brand level, Mitsubishi stands out for comfort, quietness and keeping each room consistently at the same temperature. Fujitsu owners also were happy about the low level of noise. Trane also stands out for quietness, while members also gave props to American Standard for even cooling.

Owners of Payne systems, however, weren’t particularly impressed, saying they were too noisy and failed to provide the level of comfort and quick cooling they expected. Members also commented on energy use, with Mitsubishi and Trane owners relatively satisfied, and Goodman and York owners not so enthralled.

The next AC: When we asked our members to rate the importance of certain features when considering the next system they’ll buy, almost all (97 percent) said reliability was very important. Performance was also very important for 88 percent of members, along with efficiency (for 3 out of 4 respondents). Price was not quite as important, but was still a factor, with 43 percent saying it was an important consideration.

Brand loyalty: Only 15 percent of our members said that buying an AC system of the same brand is very important to them, but 27 percent of Trane owners and 23 percent of Mitsubishi ductless mini-split owners indicated that it was key for them.