furnace

Payne Gas Furnace Reviews: Cost, Pros & Cons, Buying Guide

Payne gas furnaces are considered among the most reliable in the industry. Details below.

Did you know? Payne gas furnaces are identical to Carrier furnaces – Payne is a Carrier company. And Carrier quality is excellent too, which accounts for Payne’s proven reliability.

*But… Payne doesn’t offer as many models as Carrier. However, there is an identical Carrier counterpart to every Payne model. Make sense?

What’s missing? Payne does not offer a variable capacity furnace and has fewer single stage and two stage units too.

Apart from two low-NOx units sold only in California, you have five models to consider. Here are Payne furnace reviews for each model.

Payne furnace FAQs are sprinkled throughout this guide.

Cost of Payne Furnaces

Right off the bat, furnace size is a major cost factor when considering the range of possible prices.

Furnace replacement often costs less than installation in new construction. This is because when replacing a furnace, it is usually possible to use an existing gas line, electrical circuit and wiring plus the exhaust vent.

Model Efficiency Fully Installed Cost
96 PG96VTA 2-stage 96% $5,800 – $9,150
95 PG95ESA 1-stage 96% $5,375 – $8,625
92 PG92ESA 1-stage 92.10% $4,650 – $7,500
80 PG80VTL 2-stage 80% $4,850 – $7,725
80 PG80ESA 1-stage 80% $4,385 – $6,925
Ultra-low NOx
95 PG95ESUA 1-stage 95% $5,750 – $9,100
80 PG80ESUA 1-stage 80% $4,785 – $7,495

Installation includes:

  • Removal of old equipment (optional)
  • Installation of gas line, wiring and circuit, ventilation (new construction)
  • Setting the furnace, and attaching it to ductwork and the return and supply connections
  • New ductwork transitions (optional)
  • New thermostat (optional)
  • Adjusting the blower speed to fine-tune the system for your specific application.
  • Placement and connection of a new or existing AC coil (coil not included)
  • Starting and testing the furnace

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7 Best Gas Furnaces from Top Brands in 2023: Costs, Pros & Cons

The best gas furnaces are the highest quality models made by Trane, Lennox, Carrier, American Standard, Bryant, Payne, Rheem and Ruud furnaces.

They aren’t always the most efficient gas furnaces, though some of them have high efficiency ratings.

They don’t always have the most “advanced” technology because those units are shown to have higher rates of mechanical failure and worse customer reviews. In short, they aren’t worth the extra cash.

No Goodman. No Heil. No York – definitely no York. That’s the bottom line, and it is fully explained on this page.

Data Analysis – Where Do We Get the Information?

The gas furnaces on this list have a proven track record as quality products. Track record?

Yes – based on statistics compiled from real homeowners and HVAC technicians that work on all brands and see with a trained eye what is a good furnace and what isn’t.

Furnaces, Not Brands

Most brands make basic entry-level (cheap) furnaces, midrange “best sellers” and high-end furnaces that are expensive and not always as reliable.

So, ignore comparisons of the “best furnace brands.” They’re meaningless. Lennox, for example, makes quality Signature Series and decent Elite Series furnaces – and they make Merit Series furnaces which don’t belong anywhere near a Best Furnaces list.

The Best Gas Furnaces

The top-rated furnaces are:

  1. Carrier Infinity 98
  2. Trane S9V2
  3. Payne PG95ESA
  4. Rheem Prestige R96V
  5. Lennox Elite EL296V
  6. Carrier Infinity 80 58TN
  7. Rheem Prestige Series R802V
  8. Trane XV80

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Lennox Furnace vs. Carrier vs. Trane: Costs, Pros & Cons – The Ultimate Guide

Compare Lennox furnaces to Carrier furnaces and Trane furnaces? OK. That’s what we do – evaluating each in key areas and pointing out where one brand is superior – or in some cases inferior – to the others.

The data gathered from technicians that work on all brands and surveys taken by homeowners that own them paints a pretty clear picture.

Carrier, Trane, and Lennox furnaces break down less than most other brands – and that is really what matters to the average homeowner in the middle of February.

Lennox vs Carrier vs Trane Overview

Trane furnaces are the top-rated brand for quality. Lennox and Carrier are slightly behind, essentially tied for second spot. But Lennox quality isn’t as good in its cheapest furnaces, as explained below.

Lennox furnaces are the most efficient furnaces, but the small differences in efficiency aren’t worth considering when making a purchasing decision – about 1% in the most efficient furnaces.

Carrier furnaces could be said to win the “all around” competition by delivering good quality and efficiency levels right up there with the others. A lot of the “quality” part has to do with Carrier’s network of highly trained Authorized Dealers who properly install them most of the time.

What about cost? It depends on where you live. Carrier usually has the highest price followed by Trane and Lennox. But in some markets, like metro Detroit and the Northeast, Trane is the most expensive brand.

More on this below – but the takeaway is that you should get estimates on all three brands because they vary regionally – and even from dealer to dealer within your area.

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