What is the best air conditioner that also heats?

A reverse-cycle unit is an air conditioner in summer and a heat pump in winter, so one box cools and heats a room year round. Mini-splits do this most efficiently, while some window and portable units add electric heat. These are the real heat-capable units we list.

The short answer

The best air conditioner that also heats we list is the Pioneer Diamante Essenza 11,500 BTU Ductless Mini Split 230V, a single split that heats as a heat pump, rated 11,500 BTU of heat, covering up to 500 sq ft, in stock at Sylvane for $664. A heat pump moves several times more heat per watt than the electric coil most window and portable units sold with heat use, so the same warmth costs a fraction as much to run. A mini-split has an outdoor unit, and connecting its refrigerant lines is certified-technician work under EPA Section 608. Of the 117 heat-capable units we list in stock, 75 are heat pumps: 68 mini-splits and 7 window, wall or portable units whose listings prove it.

Prices last refreshed Oct 8, 2026Independent, nobody pays for placement.

Our top 6 picks

  1. 1Pioneer Diamante Essenza 11,500 BTU Ductless Mini Split 230V
    SplitSEER2 17 In stock
    PioneerDiamante Essenza 11,500 BTU Ductless Mini Split 230V

    heat pump, 11,500 BTU of heat · covers up to 500 sq ft · 11,500 BTU

    $664
    View & buy
  2. 2Senville Leto 9,000 BTU Mini Split Heat Pump 230V
    SplitSEER2 21.2 In stock
    SenvilleLeto 9,000 BTU Mini Split Heat Pump 230V

    heat pump, 10,000 BTU of heat · covers up to 400 sq ft · 9,000 BTU

    $729Package: 16 ft line set
    View & buy
  3. 3Pioneer Diamante Pro 9,000 BTU High-Wall Ductless Mini Split 115V
    SplitSEER2 19 In stock
    PioneerDiamante Pro 9,000 BTU High-Wall Ductless Mini Split 115V

    heat pump · covers up to 350 sq ft · 9,000 BTU

    $858
    View & buy
  4. 4MRCOOL Advantage 9,000 BTU 5th Gen Mini Split - 115V
    Split In stock
    MRCOOLAdvantage 9,000 BTU 5th Gen Mini Split - 115V

    heat pump · covers up to 400 sq ft · 9,000 BTU

    $899
    View & buy
  5. 5Friedrich 7,200 BTU ZoneAire Select PTAC w/ Heat Pump
    PTAC In stock
    Friedrich7,200 BTU ZoneAire Select PTAC w/ Heat Pump

    wall-sleeve unit, fits a standard 42 x 16 in. PTAC sleeve · heat pump, 6,000 BTU of heat at about 3.5x the heat per watt of a coil · covers up to 300 sq ft

    $1,049
    View & buy
  6. 6MRCOOL DIY Select 9,000 BTU Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump 115V
    SplitSEER2 17.5 In stock
    MRCOOLDIY Select 9,000 BTU Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump 115V

    heat pump · covers up to 400 sq ft · 9,000 BTU

    $1,249
    View & buy

How we chose

We include only units that also heat. Units you can buy in stock rank first, and among them heat pumps lead, because a heat pump moves several times the heat per watt of the electric coil most units sold 'with heat' use: every mini-split that heats is a heat pump by design, while a window, wall or portable unit counts as one only when its retailer's heater type or its title says so and its stated output and draw do not contradict it. Then the most fully specced, then the lowest live price, with one pick per product line. Where a unit publishes a heating output or an HSPF2 rating we show it. Nobody can pay for placement.

Read our full methodology
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Frequently asked

What is the difference between a monobloc, a single split, and a multi-split?
A portable monobloc keeps the whole machine in one box in the room and vents hot air through a hose to a window. It needs no installation but is louder (typically 52 to 58 dB(A)) and less efficient. A single split has a quiet indoor unit and a separate outdoor unit connected by pipes, so it is much quieter (indoor unit often around 19 to 35 dB(A)) and far more efficient, but it must be professionally installed. A multi-split is one outdoor unit feeding several indoor units, which is the right choice when you want to cool two or more rooms without a separate outdoor box for each.
Do I need a professional installer?
For a split or multi-split, yes. There is no US law banning DIY installation as such, but under EPA Section 608 only a certified technician may open the refrigerant circuit, and the EPA states plainly that this includes connecting or disconnecting the pre-charged line sets sold with “DIY” mini-split kits. That is worth knowing, because it is the opposite of how those kits are usually marketed. Doing the refrigerant work yourself voids the manufacturer warranty and risks a dangerous, illegal release. A portable monobloc, and most window units, need no installer at all: they are factory-sealed, so you set the unit down or fit it in the window and run the exhaust yourself.
What refrigerant should the unit use, and does R-32 matter?
Most current home AC uses R-32 (GWP 675) or R-454B (GWP 466), both far lower in global warming potential than the R-410A (GWP 2,088) they replaced. Under the AIM Act, the EPA has prohibited manufacturing or importing residential AC and heat pumps that use refrigerant at or above 700 GWP since January 1, 2025, which is why new equipment ships with R-32 or R-454B. Equipment built or imported before that date may still legally be installed: the EPA removed the install-by deadline it had originally set, so remaining R-410A stock is not stranded. Either way, an R-32 or R-454B unit bought today is on the right side of the transition. compare.ac lists the refrigerant for every unit.
Is this a real air conditioner or just a fan or air cooler?
A real air conditioner has a refrigerant compressor and can lower a closed room below the outdoor temperature, and it is rated in kW or BTU of cooling power. A fan only moves air and removes no heat. An evaporative 'air cooler' blows air over water, adds humidity, needs a window open, and cannot reach a set temperature. compare.ac lists only units with a genuine refrigeration cycle, so everything you see here is a real AC.

More buying guides

What is the quietest air conditioner for a bedroom?What is the most energy-efficient air conditioner?What is the best air conditioner for renters?What is the best mini-split for a cold climate?What is the best window air conditioner with heat?What is the best through-the-wall air conditioner with heat?