Lennox Air Conditioners (2023 Reviews and Price Comparison)

Quick Look at Lennox Air Conditioners

Considering all the factors that come into play with Lennox and its competitors, Lennox is a good choice for people who don’t mind spending a little over the top for a quality product.

However, while its efficiency and sleek design are the primary reasons behind its popularity, if you’re looking to buy an air conditioner on a budget, note that you have plenty of other options.

Even the low SEER-rated Lennox units will cost you a lot more than the other products currently available in the market.

That being said, there is no match for Lennox’s efficiency. People living in hotter climates, with more usage, should definitely look at Lennox AC as a reliable and much more economical air conditioner. Running the Lennox XC25 for 9 hours a day is a lot more efficient than any other air conditioner in the market!

Pro’s & Cons Of Buying a Lennox

Established in 1895, Lennox has managed to expand from the local market to state, to the national market, and all the way to becoming an intercontinental provider of climate control products for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).

It has gained a significant share of the market due to its highly reliable products and their cost efficiency.

However, every AC brand has its own pros and cons, and Lennox air conditioners are no exception.

Cost Expectations & Price Comparisons

Lennox AC units are one of the highest quality appliances with a predominant focus on efficiency. And with eleven different types of central air conditioners to choose from, you have extreme flexibility when it comes to operating and purchase costs.

Here’s a table to compare the expected running and installation costs of different Lennox air conditioners currently available in the market.

Model	AC Price* (w/out Installation)	AC Price* (w/ Installation)	Estimated Running Cost**	Government Tax Breaks***
Lennox XC25	$3,775	$7,190	~$441	$300
Lennox XC21	$2,875	$4,780	~$525	$300
Lennox SL18XC1	$2,450	$4,275	~$613	$300
Lennox XC20	$2,690	$4,495	~$551	$300
Lennox XC16	$2,175	$3,880	~$649	$300
Lennox EL16XC1	$2,080	$4,525	~$689	$300
Lennox XC13	$1,795	$3,400	~$848	–
Lennox 16ACX	$1,690	$3,295	~$691	$300
Lennox ML14XC1	$1,700	$3,200	~$788	–
Lennox 14ACX	$1,550	$3,159	~$791	–
Lennox 13ACX	$1,475	$3,090	~$852	–

*based on national average 
*Prices are estimates for the following: 2.5-ton AC condenser, 1300-1400 cfm air handler plus a programmable thermostat.
**Running costs based on 21 cents/kWh and 2000 hours of cooling per year
***other than 9% Solar Tax Credit
Note – Other exterior factors can also influence the price

The running cost of each unit is what matters most, regardless of the initial cost. Spending less now could lead to more expense later, due to lower SEER ratings or inefficient components. Remember, higher the efficiency or the SEER rating, the better off you’d be in the long run!

The running costs of an AC not only depend on the size of your room or the rate of electricity in your local area, but also on how well maintained your unit is. Although Lennox air conditioners are well known for their efficiency and high SEER ratings, a damaged or poorly maintained unit might end up costing you a lot more!

You can estimate how much energy your Lennox air conditioner consumes using a simple formula:

• Check the unit’s tonnage and SEER rating
• Calculate the wattage your unit consumes. It is usually 240 volts
• Multiply the amperes by your wattage
• To find your usage (kWh), divide the answer by 1,000
• To find out how your unit will cost, simply multiply the extracted figure to the number of usage hours.

You can also use the energy savings calculator on Lennox air conditioner’s website to calculate how much you’ll save on each air conditioner unit.

Lennox air conditioners start from 0.5 tons and go all the way up to five tons, while its more efficient unit, the XC25 comes only in 5 tons. However, the Lennox brand boasts itself not on its tonnage, but on its efficacy, with the XC25 being one of the most efficient units in the market with a 26 SEER.

The Importance Of A Quality HVAC Contractor

No matter how good you are at DIY, installing an air conditioner, especially a Lennox (on which you just spent so much money) is not for the untrained hand. Not saying you might not be successful, but the installation process isn’t as easy as it seems from afar. In reality, there are a number of factors that have to be taken into account when installing an air conditioner.

Grabbing your tools and going at a thousand dollar (at least) unit yourself might end up costing you a lot more than what you were trying to save by not hiring a quality HVAC contractor. Additionally, any damage to the ac unit can drastically reduce its life!

While you can hose down your unit’s condenser and its coils, change air filters, and check water drain pipes yourself, it is not advised to open the air conditioner’s body or disturb its connections in any way. There are numerous HVAC contractors that can install your Lennox air conditioner for you quickly and efficiently, all while following your state’s code.

You can find the leading HVAC contractors for your new or old air conditioners at Networx.

Networx screens all the contractors near you, and lists them based on their success and ratings, so that you get the best possible match for all your HVAC installation needs.

The form below will go through some of the initial questions and help put you in touch with quality HVAC contractors in your area.

Energy Efficiency/SEER Rating

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio rating, or SEER rating, is the name given to the measurement of efficiency of air conditioners, heaters, and refrigerators. The SEER rating is a critical factor to consider when purchasing an air conditioner.

The higher the SEER, the more energy efficient the AC unit is.

If you are more familiar with BTU, you can see SEER as the ratio of BTUs to the energy your unit consumes when running.

SEER was introduced in 2008 by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute to give users and suppliers a mode of measuring efficiency. In some states, air conditioners with a SEER below 13 are considered illegal.

Lennox air conditioners are some of the best SEER rated air conditioners in the market with the XC25 being the highest. Lennox has also been listed in the 2018 Most Efficient list by energy star.

Numerous brands including Goodman, Trane, and Daikin, among many others, may be lighter on the wallet initially, but they can’t compare to Lennox air conditioners’ efficiency.

Compressor Options

The compressor is the heart of any air conditioning system, as it is responsible for moving refrigerant throughout the system, putting it under high pressure in the meanwhile.

There are two types of compressors: single stage and two stage.

Single Stage Vs 2-Stage

Single stage compressors have only one phase – full speed. They run on high speed when cooling the room and turn off once the desired temperature is reached. When the room temperature starts rising, the compressor turns on again to resume cooling. Single stage compressors can cool the room quickly, but the constant switching on and off consumes more energy, and results in higher electric bills and fluctuating temperatures.

Two-stage compressors have two phases – high and low speeds. They run on high speed when cooling and slow down once the desired temperature is achieved. Instead of switching off altogether, two-stage compressors keep running at a slower speed to maintain a constant temperature. The fact that two-stage compressors don’t need the initial ‘start up’ push repeatedly is also why they require less electricity.

Lennox AC compressors are available in both types, as mentioned in the table above. However, in order to save more over the long run, it is recommended that you buy air conditioners with two-stage compressors.

Condenser Fan Options

A condenser fan is located in the outdoor unit of your air conditioner along with the compressor and condenser coil. The purpose of a condenser fan is to keep the condenser cool when it is running.

Lennox’s SL18XC1, EL16XC1, XC13, ML14XC1, 14ACX, and 13ACX feature single-speed condenser fan motors that turn off once the desired temperature is achieved, turning on again when the compressor turns on. While Lennox’s XC25, XC21, XC20, XC16, and 16ACX air conditioners feature high-efficiency two-speed condenser fan motors that work continuously and more efficiently. The fan slows down once the desired temperature level is achieved, conserving energy.

Heating Options

Most air conditioners also have the option of heating because of the heat pumps installed in the HVAC unit.

For cooling, the condenser turns the gas into a cold liquid with the help of pressure, while for heating, it does the exact opposite. The gas gets hot when pressure is not applied, acting as a makeshift heat pump. When air passes through coils containing this hot gas, it gets heated, turning your air conditioner into a heater.

Noise Levels

When looking for an HVAC system, noise is another common factor people take into consideration. This is especially the case if the unit is to be installed in a place where silence needs to be observed.

Although impossible to avoid air conditioner noise completely, quality HVACs minimize it with the help of insulators, such as rubber or other noise absorbents. The design of the unit also plays a major role in eliminating the noise an air conditioner makes.

Typically, an air conditioner has a noise range of around 40 dB to 60 dB. Some quieter AC units can go as low as 25 dBs as well, which is slightly louder than a whisper.

Where Lennox’s AC units excel in efficiency, they lack in noise levels. They are known to make noise ranging from 55 dB to 75 dB. This might increase up to 85 dB when under stress! For those of you who aren’t versed in dBs, 85 decibels is like a snowblower in your hand!

The loudest units are the Lennox ML14XC1, 14ACX, and 13ACX, while the XC25 is the quietest model Lennox has to offer.

Warranty & Why It Is Important

Lennox air conditioners offer 10 years of limited warranty on replacement parts and compressor. Considering how competitive the ac market is and with other major brands offering lifetime warranties, this is quite mediocre on the company’s part.

However, in any case, you will have to hire labour for replacement and repair of your parts or compressor, and the number one source for the most trusted HVAC contractors is Networx.

Warranties are important because if a certain component malfunctions, it might end up costing you a lot more in repair, in addition to being an inconvenience in its own. A warranty can save you time and money, and give you peace of mind. You can also purchase extended warranties for your units, but these vary from vendor to vendor.

Tax Breaks Explained

In section 25D, the U.S government offers Solar Tax Credit to homeowners for purchase and installation of equipment that runs on solar energy. This tax credit covers up to 9% of the total cost of Solar-Ready air conditioners. All Lennox’s air conditioners are solar-ready, meaning that you can simply plug in your air conditioner into your solar energy system without the fear of an overload.

Lennox’s air conditioners are also eligible for high-efficiency equipment tax credit. Most states offer tax credits as incentives for buying high-efficiency equipment, allowing users that buy a more efficient air conditioner to save on their taxes as well!

Comparing Lennox With Other Central AC Brands

Category	Bryant	Goodman	Lennox	Amana	American Standard
Efficiency (most efficient model)	21 SEER	18 SEER	26 SEER	22 SEER	21 SEER
Features	Top models contain features such as remote controllability	Top models contain no features such as WiFi.	Top models contain more features such as WiFi, Alexa, etc.	Top models contain more features such as WiFi, Nexia, etc.	Top models contain more technological features such as AccuComfort, Acculink, etc.
Coils	Aluminum Coils	Aluminum (high-end models)	Aluminum (high-end models)	Only post-2014 models have aluminum	Aluminum coils (high-end)
Compressor	2 single-stage compressors	1 two-stage compressor	2 single-stage compressors	1 two-stage compressor	2 single-stage compressors
Running Cost per anum (most efficient)	~$464	~$700	~$441	~$500	~$464
Warranty – Compressor	5-10 years	Lifetime	10 years	10 – 20 years	10 – 12
Warranty – Parts	5-10 years	Lifetime	10 years	12 years – Lifetime	10 – 12
Customer Service	Only occasional complaints	Customers often complain about poor service	Customers often complain about Lennox repairs. Generic parts don’t work.	Costs more in some remote areas but customers are happy with repair work.	Generic parts usually work, offering more versatility to users and better customer support.
Price (Without Installation)	$1,195-$2,080	$1,190-$1,850	$1,400-$3,800	$1,595-$2,880	$2,800-$4,500
Online Reviews	Overall good reviews with complaints only for the installation process and high prices.	Complaints are mostly themed about maintenance cost.	Lennox users sometimes have complaints about repair work, but only when the unit breaks down, which is not that often.	Trane users have very less complains but sometimes complain about the high maintenance and repair cost.	Users are usually dissatisfied with American Standard air conditioners due to poor durability and frequent breakdowns.

Lennox Vs Trane Air Conditioner

Trane is another major air conditioner supplier that dominates the market because of its high-quality products. This often results in customers getting stuck between the two. Here, we discuss which one is better in which regard.

Category	Lennox	Trane
Efficiency (most efficient model)	26 SEER	22 SEER
Features	Top models contain more features such as WiFi, Alexa, etc.	Top models contain more features such as WiFi, Nexia, etc.
Coils	Aluminum (high-end models)	Only post-2014 models have aluminum
Compressor	2 single-stage compressors	1 two-stage compressor
Running Cost per anum	~$441	~$500
Warranty – Compressor	10 years	10 years
Warranty – Parts	12 years	10 years
Customer Service	Customers often complain about Lennox repairs. Generic parts don’t work.	Costs more in some areas but customers are happy with repair work.
Price	$1,400-$3,800	$1,400-$3,550
Online Reviews	Lennox users sometimes have complained about repair work, but only when the unit breaks down, which is not that often.	Trane users sometimes complain about high maintenance and repair cost.

Conclusion

With all that said, Lennox is an excellent choice for people who don’t mind spending some extra cash initially, to save more in the future. If you need to run your air conditioner for the better part of the day, you shouldn’t look any further than Lennox.

However, it is advised that you consider all your options before buying Lennox; especially if you don’t want to spend as much money or live in a place where summer is only short-lived or not that hot.

Lennox offers lengthy warranties to make it units more attractive. Although not the best, Lennox’s warranty is still considered to be among the lengthiest warranties in the market.

Fill in the form below for a quote. Whether you’re looking to upgrade or install a new, more efficient and reliable Lennox air conditioner, or even if you simply want your installed unit maintained or repaired.