When it comes to Rheem vs Amana air conditioners, the deciding factor may be the warranty.
Adding central air to your home can help you feel nice and cool from the moment warm weather arrives in your city. Rheem and Amana are two well-established and highly regarded manufacturers of home AC units. Chances are good that if you have been shopping for a new air conditioner for your home (or if you are in the market to replace or upgrade an older one) you’ve run across these two brands. Comparing Rheem vs Amana air conditioners is one simple step you can take to be sure that you choose the AC system and unit that is right for your home.
Rheem air conditioners
Rheem has established itself as a leading supplier of residential and commercial HVAC systems since brothers Richard and Donald Rheem acquired a galvanizing plant and started making and selling water heaters in San Francisco in the mid-1920s. The company continued to branch out and expand and in the 1960s, they started manufacturing, selling and servicing air conditioning systems for residential and commercial applications.
Today, consumers can choose from three lines of residential air conditioning systems from Rheem:
- The Value Series
- The Classic Series
- The Prestige Series.
You can inquire to a cooling contractor what is an ideal SEER for the size of your home.
The Value Series (as the name implies) is the lower-end series when it comes to cost. That doesn’t translate to lower performance standards, however. There are three models in the series, two of which are single-stage units and one of which is a two-stage unit. The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating for units in this series range from 16 to 17 (the federal government requires that any residential air conditioner sold today meet a minimum SEER rating of 13.)
The Classic Series is the mid-range line of units. There are two single-stage units in this series and they deliver efficiency ratings upwards of 16 on the SEER scale.
The Prestige Series features one single-stage unit, two separate 2-stage units and two, 2-stage units with Rheem’s Comfort Control2 System with serial communication. This system allows you to auto-configure your AC to pre-set times and temperatures. Units in this series have SEER ratings ranging from 16 to 19.5. This series also comes with a two-stage scroll compressor to increase your energy efficiency and reduce the humidity in your home.
All Rheem units carry with them the ENERGY STAR rating. ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program established and monitored by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that grants ENERGY STAR status on consumer products meeting high standards for energy efficiency and lower carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.
Amana air conditioners
The Amana Corporation was founded in 1934 as the Electrical Equipment Company. George Foerstner created and set the company in Middle Amana, Iowa and it was a vital part of the Amana colony of German-born true believers who established a community there. The company was responsible for a number of consumer innovations, including its first product line of walk-in coolers. The company began making air conditioners in 1954. It was also responsible for the first home-use microwave oven sold in the U.S. Today, the Amana brand lives on as a subsidiary of another American appliance juggernaut, Whirlpool. Amana sells a variety of durable AC units tailored to your home-cooling needs, and they come in two general series of options: the Distinctions Series and the Premium Series.
Find out more on Rheem vs Amana air conditioners from a qualified cooling contractor!
Units in Amana's Premium Series feature a two-stage scroll compressor and condenser to control the temperature in your home. The ComfortNet communication feature on these units provides you with precision control and in-depth information for easy use. There are six unique units in the Premium Series:
- The Premium ANX13
- The Premium ASX13
- The Premium ASX14
- The Premium ASX16
- The Premium ASXC 16
- The Premium ASXC18
What essentially distinguishes these models is the efficiency at which they operate, as measured by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings of each unit. The federal government requires that residential air conditioners sold today meet a minimum SEER rating of 13 (the higher the rating, the more efficient a unit.) One other distinction with some of these models is that four of them (ASX13, ASX14, ASXC116 and ASXC18) have also earned the ENERGY STAR designation as determined by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Units in this series run from $2,400 to $7,250 (not including installation.)
If you cannot afford the upper-tier models in the Premium Series, units in Amana's Distinctions Series are a bit more affordable, falling in the $2,000 to $6,500 range (not including installation.) These units feature a single scroll compressor to keep your home consistently cool. There are four distinct units to be found in this series:
- Distinctions GSX13
- Distinctions GSX16
- Distinctions DSXC16
- Distinctions DSXC18
As with the units in the Premium Series, these air conditioners distinguish themselves by the SEER ratings they deliver.
Warranty info
A Rheem vs Amana air conditioner comparison will also tell you what the warranty of your product covers.
Rheem offers a conditional 10-year warranty on the compressors for all of these units. There is also a 10-year limited warranty on all other parts, except for the Classic Series. The Classic Series carries a 5-year limited parts warranty. The Prestige Series features a 5-year conditional total unit replacement warranty for the single-stage model and a 10-year conditional total unit replacement warranty for its 2-stage models.
Units in both the Distinctions and Premium series from Amana come with some impressive warranties. The Distinction GSX13 units carry a limited 10-year warranty on all parts. The GSX16 adds limited 10-year unit replacement coverage to that parts warranty. The DSX16 and DSX18 offer a lifetime replacement warranty on the compressor to the 10-year warranties on parts and replacement.
In the Premium Series, the ASX13 and the AMX 13 come with limited 10-year warranties on all parts and components as well as a limited 10-year total replacement warranty. All other units in the Premium Series add a lifetime unit replacement option on the compressor to the 10-year limited warranties.
There is no reason to feel uncomfortable in your own house just because the temperature outside rises. With an Amana or Rheem air conditioner, you'll feel as cool as a cucumber. Find more about the products sold by these companies at Reply!, including in-depth resources such as "Rheem Air Conditioner Prices: Costs, Pros, Cons, and More" and "Amana Air Conditioner Prices: Quotes, Pros, and Cons."
Comparing Rheem vs Amana products is something that you can easily do after talking about prices with a cooling contractor or before cost even crosses your mind.
First photo credit: Cia de Foto via Compfight CC. Second photo: Rheem Prestige Series: 2-Stage Serial Communicating air conditioner. Third photo: Amana Premium Series ASXC18 Air Conditioner.