36,000 BTU heat pumps
3 ton heat pumps — every certified unit at this capacity, ranked.
Data current as of July 12, 2026 · 973 certified units · source AHRI + ENERGY STAR
The two numbers that decide a heat pump at this size
What it costs to deliver heat. Across these 973 certified units the computed cost runs $13.95 to $26.15 per MMBtu — the least efficient costs 87% more to run than the most, for the same heat. Over a 40 MMBtu heating season — the moderate-climate default our operating-cost calculator uses, and where you can put your own load in — that is $558 against $1,046, a gap of $488 a year.
Whether it still delivers when it is cold. COP at 5°F runs 1.68 to 2.70 here. A COP of 1.0 is a plain electric heater, so a unit near 1.68 has almost stopped being a heat pump on the coldest night — exactly when the bill is largest. 745 of these (77%) carry the cold-climate designation. This is the number to sort on if your winters bite, and it is not the same ranking as HSPF2.
A 3-ton ducted heat pump installs for $9,000 to $16,000, so the premium tier costs about $7,000 more. Against a $488 a year saving that is a 14-year payback — inside the equipment's life, which is the opposite of what the same sum says about central air conditioning, and it is because a heat pump runs all winter as well as all summer.
$/MMBtu is computed from certified HSPF2 and EIA average electricity prices; the formula is in our methodology. Install ranges are US national typical for a like-for-like ducted swap, compiled 2026-07-16, and exclude ductwork, electrical upgrades and backup heat.
Highest HSPF2 in this group
GE Appliances MWHQ036NC2AA*
HSPF2 13.5 · still delivers 39,000 BTU at 5°F · $13.95 per MMBtu to run.
See installed costs →HSPF2 is the seasonal heating efficiency rating — heat delivered per unit of electricity across a whole season. Higher is cheaper to run.
The 20 highest-HSPF2 of 973 certified units · 3 with a verified place to buy
| Brand & model | HSPF2 | Capacity | Heat at 5°F | $/MMBtu | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE Appliances MWHQ036NC2AA* | 13.5 | 3 ton | 39,000 BTU | $13.95 | Get quotes | |
| TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL | 12.2 | 3 ton | 28,200 BTU | $15.43 | Get quotes | |
| Mitsubishi Electric MXZ-SM36NLHZ-** | 12.0 | 3 ton | 42,000 BTU | $15.69 | Get quotes | |
| Mitsubishi Electric PUMY-HL36NKMU*** | 12.0 | 3 ton | 42,000 BTU | $15.69 | Get quotes | |
| Hitachi PAS-36BLFASDQ1 | 11.8 | 3 ton | 39,500 BTU | $15.96 | Get quotes | |
| Hitachi PAS-36BUFASDQ1 | 11.8 | 3 ton | 35,000 BTU | $15.96 | Get quotes | |
| Mitsubishi Electric MXZ-SM36NAMHZ2 | 11.5 | 3 ton | 38,500 BTU | $16.37 | Get quotes | |
| Mitsubishi Electric PUMY-HP36NKMU2 | 11.5 | 3 ton | 38,500 BTU | $16.37 | Get quotes | |
| Trane / Mitsubishi Electric NTXMSH36A142B* | 11.5 | 3 ton | 38,500 BTU | $16.37 | Get quotes | |
| AI AIR CONDITIONING A5MO23-36N2-M1H | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| TOSHIBA CARRIER RAV-BP361AT2P-UL | 11.3 | 3 ton | 28,400 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| KEEN Home KEENHYZHP36AA | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| Multi MFG 36MPC5-HH-B | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| ComfortStar CVH3-36-5SH | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Buy | |
| SLIMAIR SHC5Z36AH2AG | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| DuraSTAR DRA5H36M2A | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Buy | |
| Cadet 500006878 | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| Convectair 500006192 | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| Elios EXHZA3652AV1 | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Get quotes | |
| PerfectAire 4PAMS36-HH-MZO4 | 11.3 | 3 ton | 37,000 BTU | $16.66 | Buy |
Showing the top 20 by HSPF2. All 973 certified units in this group are filterable in the full database — we rank here rather than dump, because a table nobody can read is not a resource.
Capacity and efficiency are AHRI-certified values; $/MMBtu is computed by us from EIA energy prices — see methodology. Heat at 5°F is the number that decides whether a heat pump keeps up in real cold, and most listings omit it.