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American Standard vs Carrier: Which is best in 2021?

You want to buy a new air conditioner (AC) for your home. This means you need to compare different brand options to decide what to get.

We are going to review two of the most popular U.S. AC manufacturers, American Standard vs Carrier ACs, and compare the features of each brand.

Both these companies manufacture top-quality AC unit types, and both are global leaders in the HVAC industry.

When you compare American Standard vs Carrier, there are features to look out for.

These include comfort, humidity control, sound performance, energy control, and other more technical factors we will dive into later on.

American Standard vs Carrier Brands

We will discuss American Standard vs Carrier new AC units for the home. Because American Standard has older roots, we’ll start with their air conditioner products. Then we will discuss these vs Carrier products.

The pictures included below are either copyright of one of these two companies. This depends on whose product is in the picture. All rights reserved.

American Standard

Founded as the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company in 1875, it became American Standard in 1967. In 2008 the company became American Standard Brands.

Ingersoll-Rand owns this company and Trane, another top producer of air conditioning units for the home. If you review American Standard vs Trane, you won’t find many differences relating to what you will get.

We discovered that both companies make seven identical models. Trane makes a couple that its sister company doesn’t make.

American Standard has an excellent selection of central air conditioners. These include energy-efficient, variable speed, and two-stage units that are Energy Star qualified. https://www.energystar.gov

Their AccuLink range has a communicating control board. This communicates between all components in the HVAC system, which is amazing!

Their most efficient air conditioner for the home has a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of up to 22. Remember, the higher the better! It also has variable cooling stages and a quiet operation. It was the Most Efficient of Energy Star in 2019.

american standard ac

The AccuComfort Variable Speed Platinum 20 Air Conditioner

The company produces three different AC unit series for the home, Platinum, Gold, and Silver. These names speak for themselves, with the Silver Series offering the most affordable air conditioner units for the home.

American standard pros
Known for its advanced technology and reliability.
Energy efficient with 14.75 up to 22 SEER.
Up to 10 or 12-year warranties.
All units provide consistent comfort.
American standard cons
The best systems are very expensive.
On average, they are not the quietest home air cons on the market.

Carrier

Willis Carrier invented modern air conditioning in 1902. The company was formed in 1915 and sold to United Technologies in 1979. Since 2020 it has been an independent business.

They specialize in residential (home) and commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).

The highest SEER Carrier home air conditioners offer is up to 26. But the company also manufactures top-quality units with a 21 and 20 SEER rating and energy-efficient ratio (EER) of up to 16.5.

Greenspeed Intelligence is a feature of their top-of-the-range AC units. Benefits of this system include major energy savings and great comfort features. They are also ultra-quiet. These are all advantages any homeowner will appreciate.

Both top ACs are Energy Star certified (or qualified), like most of their other central air conditioners.

carrier infinity 26 airconditioner with greenspeed

The Carrier Infinity 26 with Greenspeed Intelligence.

There are also three Carrier AC unit series, the Infinity, the middle-range Performance, and the cheaper Comfort Series. All are ideal for your home.

Carrier Pros
Known for its advanced technology and innovation including Greenspeed Intelligence.
Energy-efficient units with a SEER up to 26 and EER up to 16.5.
Ultra-quiet AC unit choices
Carrier Cons
Limited parts warranties.
Their top-of-the-range systems are very expensive.

Features Face-to-Face

In this American Standard vs Carrier review, we have chosen several different features and elements to compare.

SEER Rating

The most energy-efficient air conditioner from American Standard has a SEER of up to 22.

Their quietest AC unit has a SEER rating up to 18. The air conditioner that offers the best value only has a SEER of up to 16. But it provides consistent comfort.

Carrier’s Infinity Series has SEER ratings up to 26. This puts them in the lead. But their Performance and Comfort Series have SEER ratings from up to 17 and 16, which are on a par.

Sound Performance

We rate any system that falls into the 50 to 60 decibel (dB) range as incredible! That’s no more than the level of sound we hear when we have a normal conversation at home.

The top products from both manufacturers rank within this range. But it will pay you to check individual products before you buy. Also, check with your contractor.

Coil Materials

Carrier evaporator coils vary depending on the unit type and AC model. They use traditional copper tubing joined to aluminum fins or newer aluminum coils.

We love how Carrier calls its coils the unsung heroes of their air conditioner units. They play such an important role in any HVAC system by transferring heat to increase comfort levels.

American Standard coils are made with refrigeration-grade copper tubes and/or aluminum variations.

On its website, the company points out that all-aluminum coil design is a lot more durable and resistant to corrosion. So, their most efficient ACs have 100% aluminum coils.

Installation

When we researched American Standard vs Carrier air conditioners, we realized installation can be a problem. A bad installer can mess up even the most outstanding home HVAC equipment.

American Standard certifies its Customer Care Dealers that sell and install their aircon systems. They also recommend that customers use North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certified dealers.

Carrier has the same policy.

So, make certain you use a certified contractor.

Warranties

Something that air conditioner manufacturers agree on is that they won’t offer a warranty on labor. This stands to reason since it won’t be the manufacturer that installs your new AC, it will be a supplier.

When it comes to American Standard vs Carrier and warranties, both have similar offerings for parts. It does, though depend on the model of the unit you decide to buy. It’s good to bear this in mind when you consider cost factors.

American Standard offers up to 10 or 12 year limited warranties.

Carrier ACs come with a warranty that parts will last for 10 years.

Standout Features

The features of American Standard vs Carrier air conditioning units for the home are very similar. But there are some standout features. Here are a couple of examples:

American Standard AC

The AccuComfort Variable Speed Platinum 20 Air Conditioner comes with technology that allows the system to consistently adjust itself to run at the best speed for your personal comfort.

Carrier AC

The sound performance is fantastic. The best ACs incorporate special sound blankets and the company’s Silencer System II™ design that reduces noise levels even more.

Our Conclusion

Both the Carrier and American Standard air conditioners we reviewed are high-quality products you can trust. Both have similar qualities and both are reliable. But you might like one range of products more than the other.

We did identify a potential problem. If you don’t choose a contractor or installer approved by the manufacturer, you might compromise your investment.

Both makes have three environmentally-friendly series that vary in function and price.

Get an American Standard if:

  • You want a top-quality AC that lets you make precise adjustments to keep your environment cool.
  • You want an air conditioner ranked number one in durability.
  • You value energy efficiency and want an AC that offers up to 16 SEER with 2 cooling stages.

Get a Carrier if:

  • You want a machine that is as silent as any machine can be.
  • You want the highest possible SEER for cooling comfort.
  • You want a budget-friendly aircon with a SEER of up to 16 and up to 13 EER.