Maytag Vs Rheem | HVAC Buyers Advice

Maytag Vs Rheem - To Richard

Subject: highperformancehvac.com: Maytag vs. Rheem gas-electric packaged heater AC

From: Steve

This is an inquiry e-mail via https://highperformancehvac.com

Hi, We’re trying to compare Maytag and Rheem gas/electric heating/AC packaged units to replace our old ones. The Maytag (15 SEER, 4 ton; PPG1GFX048120) has 2-stage heating and cooling and a variable-speed blower, and 12 years of parts and labor. The Rheem (14SEER, 4 ton; RRPL-B) has a single stage and variable speed blower, 10 yr parts and we can purchase a 10 yr labor warranty.

The Maytag has seemingly better features, but we’re not familiar with Maytag heater/AC units, but know the Rheem name, and have been told it’s highly rated. One heating and air conditioning company quoted the Maytag at more than $2500 less than two other companies quoted the Rheem.

Are you familiar with the Maytag, and do you know if it’s as reliable and as highly rated as the Rheem? Also, whether the wholesale price of the Maytag is that much less than the Rheem, or is the price difference more likely to different labor costs and profit margins of the installation companies?

Maytag Vs Rheem | HVAC Buyers Advice - Answer

Thanks for any information, Steve

Steve,

It looks fishy to me for the second quote for the Maytag system. Yes, I have heard of Maytag and they do have a reputation for quality.  The most important part of getting a new air conditioner installed is the contractor and not the type or brand of air conditioner you get. Check with Angie’s List to make sure you can find the contractor doing the work for you. Also, you can check the Better Business Bureau and other sources to find out if the contractor is reputable.

I have written a lot about this subject if you look around the site. You can also check out my HVAC Equipment Buyers Guide which pretty much sums up how to deal with the contractor.

Good Luck

Maytag Vs Rheem

Steve

Steve,

Except for the “High Performance HVAC” reviews site and a few other knock-offs, HVAC reviews site the only other site I can tell you about is the Maytag HVAC site. I emailed my friend about this and he tells me Maytag is fairly new to the HVAC market. I have worked on older Maytag equipment (more than 10 years old) so I know Maytag is available they just don’t have the market penetration or dealer network other major brands have.

Everything Maytag is marketing on the Maytag website seems to lead me to believe it is quality equipment made in the USA. Never heard of serious faults with Maytag and while I have no major issues with Rheem I would not use Rheem HVAC equipment in my own house because they do a few things backward from what others do it including with heat pumps and the design of the equipment. They make their condenser fan motors where you have to buy from the Rheem dealer whereas 99% of all others you can buy the replacement motor off the shelf cheaper.

That is proprietary and with things like that if you have to replace a part in the future you have to pay their price. If you have confidence in the company that is recommending Maytag I would go with them although I am curious about why such a big difference in the estimate from the different companies. I would love to see the written estimates to see what the difference is.

Okay, thanks. Hope this helps.

Richard

Maytag Vs Rheem

Steve

 Maytag Vs Rheem | HVAC Buyers Advice

Steve,

Unless you are going to super efficiency most of the parts can be purchased off the shelf for the Maytag. Maytag has been around for a long time for appliances and I cannot answer your question about Maytag being around in 10 years or not except as noted above about the parts. Most HVAC manufacturers use compressors and major components manufactured by other companies including Rheem who uses Copeland scroll compressors manufactures by Emerson Electric.

When you go super efficient the controls go high-tech with control boards and variable speed motors but these also are from other manufacturers like General Electric who manufactures the ECM variable-speed motors for all the big-name HVAC manufacturers including Trane, Lennox, Rheem, York, and Carrier.

Trane is one of the few residential and commercial manufactures that build their own compressors for both commercial and residential equipment but most of the other parts including fan motors come from other manufacturers and they simply engineer and assemble the parts to make their latest and greatest offering.

With 14 SEER I don’t think you will have to worry about the manufacture being around in 5 or 10 or 20 years. 20 years is a long time for the average system anyhow as the average systems get replaced every 13 years according to Money Magazine and it is correct from my experience in the field except I add a couple more years if proper upkeep and maintenance is done.

Maytag Vs Rheem | HVAC Buyers Advice

If you go through the reviews on my site you will see mostly negative reviews and I would bet my house that 90% of those people are unhappy because they hired a bad contractor to install the system with the other ten percent either doing the work themselves and incorrectly installing the system and/or they got a Lemon. A good contractor will make things right even if they have to eat the equipment and replace the system.

To me it is not the name because by and large you will get good equipment but installing the systems are not for amateurs and all too often people go for the lowest bidder or the bid that is low because the contractor is not licensed. I have personally seen this so I believe my advice is solid. From reviewing everything you are telling me I would go with the Maytag and put the 2g’s in the bank for a rainy day.

Whatever your decision please make a review of your current equipment and then when you get the new system wait a few months and then make a review of the new system and let others know what you think about it whether it is Rheem or Maytag.

Thanks and Good Luck,

Richard

Maytag Vs Rheem

Steve

Maytag Vs Rheem | HVAC Buyers Advice

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