Air-source heat pumps
Carrier Performance 19 3-ton Variable-Speed Heat Pump (27VPA936A003)
Installed price varies more between contractors than between brands. Get three quotes.
Carrier's 2026 variable-speed Performance-series ducted heat pump, rated up to 19 SEER2 and 10 HSPF2 with InteliSense connectivity.
Our take
A major-brand 2026 launch now verified as an orderable 3-ton outdoor unit through multiple Carrier distributors.
Best for
Buyers comparing a current-generation mid-premium Carrier inverter system.
Watch out for
Family maximums are not the rating of every indoor/outdoor match; verify the quoted AHRI combination.
How it performs by climate zone
Heating capability against each zone's 99% winter design temperature.
| Zone | Design temp | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 3C — Warm – Marine | 36°F | Strong fit Rated to -10°F, comfortably below this zone's 36°F design temperature. |
| 4A — Mixed – Humid | 14°F | Strong fit Rated to -10°F, comfortably below this zone's 14°F design temperature. |
| 4B — Mixed – Dry | 18°F | Strong fit Rated to -10°F, comfortably below this zone's 18°F design temperature. |
| 4C — Mixed – Marine | 27°F | Strong fit Rated to -10°F, comfortably below this zone's 27°F design temperature. |
| 5A — Cool – Humid | 2°F | Strong fit Rated to -10°F, comfortably below this zone's 2°F design temperature. |
| 5B — Cool – Dry | 3°F | Strong fit Rated to -10°F, comfortably below this zone's 3°F design temperature. |
| 6A — Cold – Humid | -8°F | Marginal Rated to -10°F with a -8°F design temperature leaves almost no margin. Expect backup heat to carry a meaningful share of the load. |
| 6B — Cold – Dry | -10°F | Marginal Rated to -10°F with a -10°F design temperature leaves almost no margin. Expect backup heat to carry a meaningful share of the load. |
| 7 — Very Cold | -20°F | Not suitable Rated only to -10°F, but this zone's design temperature is -20°F. |
| 8 — Subarctic | -40°F | Not suitable Rated only to -10°F, but this zone's design temperature is -40°F. |
Model number check: no_public_price
Exact 3-ton SKU is listed by Ferguson, Minnesota Air, DCNE and Sigler. Those distributors hide price behind an account. WalkAirDirect's public $24,350 listing is outside the catalog's heat-pump plausibility band and was not accepted as a usable market price.
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.
Daikin Fit Aurora DH9VS
Side-discharge variable-speed heat pump with a small footprint, rated for cold-climate operation to -13°F.
Mitsubishi M-Series SUZ-NLHZ Hyper-Heating
Mitsubishi's ducted Hyper-Heating outdoor unit, pairable with a conventional air handler for whole-house ducted retrofit.
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.