EmailBest Reviewed
Furnaces
- High-efficiency gas furnace 90 percent AFUE gas furnace *Est. $3000
- Gas furnace for the most comfortable home environment Multi-stage modulating gas furnace 92 percent to 97 percent AFUE *Est. $3500
- Budget gas furnace 80 percent AFUE gas furnace *Est. $2000
- Oil furnace Sealed-vent oil furnace *Est. $2000
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High-efficiency gas furnace
- High efficiency
- Lower long-term energy costs
- High initial costs
- Installation may require new venting
We find the best reviews and advice on 90 percent AFUE gas furnaces from two sources: Consumer Reports, which conducts surveys of installed furnaces as well as interviews with contractors, and James Dulley, a mechanical engineer and newspaper columnist who regularly writes about home energy-use issues.
Experts say a gas furnace with an annual fuel utilization efficiency rating of 90 percent or 92 percent is efficient enough for owners to receive energy conservation rebates in many states. Reviewers recommend these types of furnaces most often, even though their initial costs can be at least $1,000 more than their less efficient 80 percent AFUE counterparts (*est. installed cost $2,000 and up). A 90 percent furnace wastes less fuel than an 80 percent furnace, so fuel savings offsets its higher upfront cost over the unit's lifetime. (That said, HVAC experts say the difference between an 80 percent furnace and a 90 percent furnace is greater than the difference between a 90 percent furnace and an ultra-high-efficiency 92 percent to 97 percent furnace.) According to surveys and experts' recommendations, American Standard/Trane and Rheem/Ruud are the most reliable brands, but contractor choice is a more important consideration overall.
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports' survey covers 36,181 furnaces installed in homes between 1997 and 2004. The Consumer Reports staff rates 12 brands here but recommends no particular models. The staff also tests none of the furnaces. You can get a general sense of brand reliability here, but some experts say this survey is too old to be relevant.
Review: Furnace Picks and Pans, Editors of Consumer Reports, Feb. 2005
2. Sensible HomeDetails/Subscribe
Dulley says gas boilers are the most efficient overall, but some oil boilers may be more efficient. He recommends sealed-vent furnaces, listing and briefly describing specific brands and models. All are equally recommended. Dulley also provides a chart of the cost savings one can expect after installing a new unit.
Review: New 2008 Gas and Oil Boilers for Efficient, Comfortable Heat, James Dulley, 2008
3. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
This informative article on selecting a furnace incorporates interviews with 500 contractors. Editors don't compare or recommend specific models; instead, they emphasize the importance of selecting both an appropriate size of furnace and a reliable contractor. Information is provided about choosing the right efficiency level for your climate, selecting a contractor and soliciting bids.
Review: Heating with Gas, Editors of Consumer Reports, July 2003