Air-source heat pumps
Bryant Evolution Extreme 284ANV Variable-Speed Heat Pump
Installed price varies more between contractors than between brands. Get three quotes.
Bryant's variable-speed cold-climate heat pump (Carrier Infinity's sibling), with a deep 4:1 turndown — the class's best published modulation.
Our take
This is the Carrier Infinity platform under the Bryant name, usually at a lower price for the same engineering. The 4:1 turndown (down to 25% of capacity) is the deepest we found published and is exactly what keeps a variable-speed system from short-cycling on mild days. It is a communicating system, so you are on the Evolution control and its dealer network — and it is still R-410A.
Best for
Buyers who want Infinity engineering at Bryant pricing and value quiet, deep-modulating comfort.
Watch out for
Communicating-only (Evolution control), and R-410A in phase-down.
Model number check: no_public_price
SKU confirmed real and current, but Bryant is dealer-distributed and no retailer found publishes a price for it — every listing checked (WalkAir Direct, Carrier Enterprise, regional distributors) shows 'Call for Price' or requires a dealer login. This is a market fact, not a research gap: Bryant does not make this number public.
Compare against
Mitsubishi P-series PUZ-AK48NLHZ Hyper-Heat Ducted System
Mitsubishi's 4-ton ducted Hyper-Heat system on R-454B — the best-documented cold-climate performer in this set, NEEP-listed with a full 5°F dataset.
Carrier Infinity 24 Heat Pump with Greenspeed Intelligence (25VNA4)
Carrier's flagship variable-speed ducted heat pump, and one of very few conventional split systems that holds full heating capacity down to 0°F.
Mitsubishi M-Series SUZ-AK36NLHZ Hyper-Heating
Mitsubishi's ducted Hyper-Heating outdoor unit, pairable with a conventional air handler for whole-house ducted retrofit.
Bosch IDS Ultra Inverter Ducted Split
Variable-speed ducted heat pump that undercuts the premium American brands on price while matching most of their cold-weather capability.
Before you buy this
Ask the contractor for the AHRI certificate number for the specific indoor/outdoor combination being installed — ratings apply to matched pairs, not to the outdoor unit alone. Ask whether they will perform a Manual J load calculation rather than sizing off the equipment being replaced. And check your state and utility incentive programmes: there is no federal tax credit for a 2026 installation, so those programmes are now the only incentive money available, and many require approval before installation.