If you’re in the process of adding or upgrading your HVAC system at home, it’s beneficial to consider all relevant information to know which air conditioners will suit your preference and needs best.
In this article, we’ve narrowed it down to two brands—Bryant® and Trane to help you decide. Both Bryant® and Trane are durable and high-performing air conditioner brands that enhance your house’s energy efficiency while maintaining your comfortable quality of life.
You might be wondering which of the two, Bryant® and Trane, is the ideal air conditioner brand for you. Below is the breakdown of everything you need to consider—SEER rating, communicating technology, variable speed, sound rating, cost, warranty, and model options.
Bryant® Air Conditioners Overview
Bryant® was founded in 1904 by Charles Bryant in Cleveland, Ohio, and was previously named Natural Gas Regulator Company, which manufactures gas-fired water heaters. In 1908, the company was renamed Bryant Heater & Manufacturing and was sold to Dresser Industries in 1934. Carrier then bought Bryant in 1955.
Today, Bryant® is one of the leading pioneers of providers of airconditioning and refrigeration solutions.
The company offers heating and cooling products, including air conditioners, boilers, ductless systems, heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, gas furnaces, oil furnaces, evaporator coils, and fan coils. They also market indoor air quality products, including humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air purifiers, CO alarms, UV lamps, and ventilators.
To learn more about Bryant products, take a look at our Bryant Air Conditioner Review.
Bryant® provides high-quality air conditioners, which are divided into three series: Evolution™ System Air Conditioners, Preferred™ Series Air Conditioners, and Legacy™ Line Central Air Conditioners.
- High SEER Rating
- Product Variety
- Smart Compatibility
- Quiet Performance
Trane Air Conditioners Overview
James Trane founded Trane in 1885 as a plumbing shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and introduced his newly-invented Trane Vapor Heating System, a low-pressure heating system. In 1913, it was then incorporated as The Trane Company. American Standard Companies acquired the Trane in 1984 and became a subsidiary of Ingersoll Rand in 2008.
Today, Trane is a leading manufacturer of HVAC or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems, services, and solutions.
The company offers heating and cooling products, including air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, air handlers, and coils. They also have various systems available, including Packaged Systems, Ductless Systems, and Zoning Systems. For the thermostat products, Trane offers Smart Thermostats and Traditional Thermostats.
To see how our experts rated Trane’s units, check out our Trane Air Conditioner Review.
- High SEER Rating
- Multi-stage Cooling system
- Energy Efficient
- Quiet Performance
Bryant vs Trane: Comparison
Both Bryant® and Trane provide a wide selection of Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings, offering high-quality energy efficiency performance that brings indoor comfort to the house while reducing fuel and energy costs down, limiting temperature spikes, and lowering carbon footprint.
Both companies offer the SEER rating of 13 for their air conditioners as their lowest range. However, Bryant® provides higher overall SEER ratings with higher energy efficiency as it offers its highest rating, 26, compared to Trane’s 22 SEER rating. In addition, Bryant® was also recognized as the Most Efficient air conditioner of ENERGY STAR® in 2022.
Both Both Bryant® and Trane have a communication technology that allows their air conditioner models to be controlled in terms of temperature, fan speeds, and indoor air quality.
However, Bryant® offers a more efficient and high-quality communication technology than Trane. Bryant® has an Evolution™ Connex® control that manages temperature, ventilation, humidity, fan speed, and indoor air quality from almost anywhere in your home. It also has Bluetooth® connectivity for diagnostics and enhanced service, detecting the air filter’s conditions and notifying if it needs replacing. Moreover, the Evolution Connex control provides maintenance updates, reminders, and service notices. Other Bryant® products can also have remote access when paired with the Bryant Housewise™ Wi-Fi® thermostat.
Trane can also communicate for optimal efficiency, but it needs to be paired with the Trane communicating thermostat, which allows control over temperature and other diagnostics.
Both Bryant® and Trane air conditioners offer high-quality noise-reducing technology for optimal quiet performance. Both brands also have a wide selection of noise level range choices.
The sound level in decibels of Bryant® air conditioners ranges from 76 dB (highest) to 51 dB (lowest), while Trane ranges from 75 dB (highest) to 55 dB (lowest).
Bryant® air conditioners offer a much quieter performance with a sound as low as 51 decibels compared to Trane’s average decibel sound level of 55. Moreover, Bryant® provides an AeroQuiet™ System II design Compressor sound blanket with a forward swept fan blade and quiet mount split post compressor grommets that enhance the noise-reducing technology of their air conditioners.
Bryant® provides high-quality air conditioners, which are divided into three series: Evolution™ System Air Conditioners, Preferred™ Series Air Conditioners, and Legacy™ Line Central Air Conditioners.
The Evolution™ System Air Conditioners Series is Bryant’s premium air conditioner and offers the highest efficiency and performance quality. It has two models available, namely Evolution™ Extreme 26 Variable-Speed Air Conditioner and Evolution™ Variable-Speed Air Conditioner.
The Preferred™ Series, Air Conditioners Series is Bryant’s mid-tier air conditioners. It has four models available, namely Preferred™ 2-Stage Air Conditioner, Preferred™ Single-Stage Air Conditioner 126CNA, Preferred™ Single-Stage Air Conditioner 126B, and Preferred™ Compact Air Conditioner.
The Legacy™ Line Central Air Conditioners Series is Bryant’s lower-tier air conditioner. It has five models available, namely Legacy™ Line Single-Stage Air Conditioner 116B, Legacy™ Line Single-Stage Air Conditioner 105A, Legacy™ Line Single-Stage Air Conditioner 114C, Legacy™ Line Single-Stage Air Conditioner 113A, and Legacy™ Line Single-Stage Coastal Air Conditioner 114CNC.
Bryant® provides product variety with a wide selection of specifications, including SEER ranges, compressor types, noise level ranges, and ENERGY STAR® qualified.
Bryant’s available SEER ranges for air conditioners are 20+ (highest), 19.9, 17, 16, 14, and 13 SEER (lowest). The available choices for the compressor type options are Variable-Speed, Two-Stage, and Single-Stage. In addition, the available noise level ranges are 70+ Decibels, 60 to 69 Decibels, and 50 to 59 Decibels.
Trane offers top air conditioners with different product specifications, including the cost ranges, unit types, nominal sound ratings, and SEER ratings.
Trane’s available SEER ratings include SEER 13-15, SEER 16-20, and SEER 21-25. In addition, they offer Variable Speed, Two Stage, One stage, Accessories & Ductless AC for the unit types. The nominal sound ratings range from 75 (highest) to 55 (lowest).
Overall, Trane offers ten air conditioner models, namely: XV20i TruComfort Variable Speed Air Conditioner, XV18 TruComfort™ Variable Speed Air Conditioner, XR14 Air Conditioner, XL18i Air Conditioner, XL16i Air Conditioner, XR16 Air Conditioner, XR16 Low Profile Air Conditioner, XR17 Air Conditioner, XR13 Air Conditioner, ST Series Wall-Mounted Air Conditioner.
Overall, Bryant® Air conditioners have more product flexibility than Trane.
Bryant® offers three options for air conditioner costs: premium, mid-range, and the most affordable models.
Bryant®’s Evolution™ Series AC unit is their top-tier or premium air conditioner with a price ranging from $1,682 to $2,499 for the unit alone, while the total installation cost ranges from $2,895 to $4225.
The Preferred™ Series AC unit is their mid-range model with a price ranging from $1,388 to $1,787 for the unit alone, while the total installation cost ranges from $2,525 to $3,114.
The Legacy™ Series AC unit is their most affordable model, with a price ranging from $1,277 to $1,485 for the unit alone, while the total installation cost ranges from $2,289 to $2,575.
It’s also important to note that the total installation cost of air conditioners may vary depending on several factors like SEER rating, home’s sq. ft, the capacity of AC units, and locations of the house. It’s best to connect with their local contractors to get the exact total local costs.
Trane air conditioners’ price ranges from $2,250 to $3,550 for AC units alone, while the total installation costs range from $5,800 to $ 14,000. The total Trane AC installation costs may vary depending on factors like the type of system, unit size, efficiency rating, heating or cooling stages, and the difficulty of the installation. For an accurate cost, it’s best to contact the local Trane Specialist™.
Overall, Bryant® offers a much more affordable AC unit and total installation costs.
Bryant® offers a limited warranty period for their air conditioners, with a 10-year parts limited warranty if registered within 90 days and a 5-year part limited warranty if not registered within 90 days. Additionally, you may need to pay a repair labor bill ranging from $100 to $1000 or more if needed.
On the other hand, Trane offers a Base Limited Warranty and Registered Limited Warranty for their air conditioners. The Base Limited Warranty goes into effect when registered more than 60 days after installation and lasts five years. The Registered Limited Warranty takes effect if registered within 60 days of installation and lasts about ten years. Both warranties cover the part costs but not the repair labor bill.
Overall, both Bryant® and Trane offer the exact length of warranty periods.
Bryant vs Trane: Final Showdown
Bryant® air conditioners have an Attractive DuraGuard™ Plus system that provides durability with a wire coil guard and a galvanized steel cabinet. It also enhances the model aesthetically with a powder paint baked-on that completes the outer coverage for protection against weather-based threats, dings, and dents.
On the other hand, Trane air conditioners have a WeatherGuard™ III Top that provides lasting protection with a durable polycarbonate material. It also has a powder-paint finish that protects the product against rust and corrosion. It also uses DuraTuff™ Rustproof Basepan that protects the product against cracks, corroding, rust, or warping.
If you want an air conditioner unit with a higher energy efficiency rating, quieter performance, and product flexibility at a more affordable price that you can control anywhere, then Bryant® air conditioners suit you best.
On the other hand, suppose you prefer an air conditioner with good warranty offers and uses more technology for durability and protection against cracks, dents, rust, and warping. In that case, Trane air conditioners are ideal for you. If you want to see how Trane stacks up against another top brand, check out our Trane vs. Rheem AC comparison.
