Lennox Furnace Review

Our updated comprehensive Lennox furnace review buying guide is complete with the latest information for 2024, including a comparison of top Lennox furnace models, energy efficiency ratings, top features, warranty info, and more. Get a free quote quickly & easily!

In the market for a new Lennox furnace? You’ve come to the right place! If you’re interested in purchasing a new Lennox furnace, then this brand review will help you make smarter decisions when you’re weighing your options.

The review will cover average Lennox furnace prices in Canada and the U.S. and showcase and critically examine some of the brand’s key features. It will also provide warranty information, compare all the Lennox furnaces, and even talk about what real HVAC contractors and real homeowners think of Lennox products.

Our guide will help you on your journey to a new high-efficiency heating system and help you make an informed decision about a furnace upgrade that matches your budget, your needs, and your comfort specifications.

Also Read: The Best Furnaces for Canadians

The Bottom Line

Lennox sets themselves apart from the competition by delivering high-end heating solutions. They make reliable and well-designed gas furnaces at different price points, and they have a decent selection of entry-level, mid-range, and premium-tier models.

Lennox markets themselves as the top-tier, brand name company in heating and cooling, and they have an excellent reputation. Their main focus is quality furnaces that are efficient and quiet.

Alternatively, if you're interested in things like economy, better warranties, and cool features, then you might want to look at some competitors instead.

While it’s certainly debatable whether paying a premium price for a top-tier furnace is worth it, homeowners generally won’t be disappointed as long as they can afford the relatively high price point.

Lennox Customer Reviews

Most homeowners agree that Lennox furnaces are quiet and that they run well. What's more, they're efficient and help to save on energy bills for people who have upgraded from an older and less efficient furnace. People in smaller homes also agree that the units are compact, so they help save space. Finally, homeowners say that Lennox furnaces can be pricey, but for the money, you get a long-lasting furnace from an established brand.

 
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Lennox Furnace Model Series Overview

The grades are based on our proprietary algorithm which compares a variety of criteria to make it easy to compare models across brands. Note that models with lower grades aren’t necessarily a bad choice, as lower cost models tend to have more basic features, warranty coverage, or efficiency ratings, which lowers the grade relative to more expensive models.

With optional extended warranty coverage.

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Lennox Furnace Models and Prices

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Merit Series Furnaces

Average price for an entry-level Merit furnace: $5,250 to $6,250

Models

ML196E: Single-stage, constant torque furnace with an AFUE of 96%. This furnace is dual fuel compatible, meaning you can install it with a heat pump. The system will automatically switch between the two fuels depending on the temperature to save you even more money.

ML296V: Two-stage, variable-speed furnace with an AFUE of 96%. This furnace offers good humidity and temperature control thanks to the two-stage burner and variable-speed blower, both of which also offer quieter and more efficient operation. The unit also has a sealed burner box to further reduce noise.

Ideal For

Lennox’s entry-level Merit furnaces are good for homeowners looking for the prestige of an established name, but who don’t want to spend a ton of money for a top unit. One of these furnaces could be ideal for a small or medium home, as long as you don’t care about special features or a great warranty.

Elite Series Furnaces

Average price for a mid-range Elite furnace: $5,750 to $6,750

Models

EL195NE: Single-stage, constant torque furnace with an AFUE of 95%. This is an ultra-low NOx furnace that produces 65% fewer emissions than standard low-NOx furnaces, and it has Green Seal certification.

EL196E: Single-stage, constant torque furnace with an AFUE of 96%. Has Lennox’s proprietary Power Saver constant torque motor that’s 33% more efficient than standard motors, so the furnace will cost less to operate.

EL296E: Two-stage, constant torque furnace with an AFUE of 96%. Made with Lennox’s proprietary Duralok Plus heat exchanger made with patented steel and a clamshell design to increase efficiency and reliability.

EL296V: Two-stage, variable-speed furnace with an AFUE of 96%. This furnace can be paired with a compatible air conditioner or heat pump, and the variable-speed motor will use 2/3 less energy than a standard motor.

EL297V: Two-stage, variable-speed furnace with an AFUE of 97%. This model is compatible with the Lennox S40 smart thermostat, a communicating system that uses sensors in the furnace to run diagnostics and make automatic adjustments to the heating output and airflow for improved efficiency and temperature & humidity control.

Ideal For

These furnaces range from single-stage to two-stage and variable-speed, so they can quietly and efficiently heat small, medium, or large homes, as long as you choose the right model and have it sized properly by an HVAC technician. They also have a slightly longer warranty than the entry-level models, so your investment is backed for a bit longer.

Dave Lennox Signature Collection Series Furnaces

Average price for a top-tier Dave Lennox Signature Collection furnace: $6,250 to $7,250

Models:

SL297NV: Two-stage, variable-speed furnace with an AFUE of 97.5% that delivers consistent temperatures around the house. This is an ultra-low NOx furnace that produces 65% lower emissions than standard low-NOx furnaces, so it’s among the lowest emissions furnaces on the market.

SLP99V: Modulating, variable-speed furnace with an AFUE of 99%, making it the most efficient gas furnace on the market. This model is part of the Ultimate Comfort System, is compatible with Lennox’s top-of-the-line smart thermostat, and has SilentComfort Technology for quiet operation.

Ideal For

Homeowners with healthy budgets and large homes in cold climates that need reliable heating through long winters. These furnaces are built to deliver quiet and efficient heat for many years, but they require a large initial investment. These models are also great for eco-conscious homeowners who want to reduce their home’s environmental impact.

Recently Discontinued Lennox Furnaces

• Elite EL195E
• Merit ML195
• Merit ML193
• Dave Lennox Signature Collection SLP98V

Exclusive Features from Lennox

Feature 1 – Power Saver™

How Lennox describes it: A constant torque motor that uses less energy to heat and cool your home, thereby reducing your utility bills.

What it is in plain language: The blower motor in a furnace refers to the motor that powers the blower that actually blows air into the ductwork to circulate heat around your house. A constant torque blower motor is a type of motor that has more than one air speed, typically five, so it can adjust the airflow depending on the conditions and your heat settings.

Is it more than just hype? The name Power Saver isn't quite deceptive, but it is an example of Lennox just giving a fancy name to a proprietary component. At the same time, constant torque blowers are superior to single-speed ones, and they can in fact reduce energy bills while improving humidity management, lowering operational noise, and providing more even heat throughout your house.

Lennox seems to be doing away with single-speed blowers and moving toward ones with multiple and variable speeds, and this is good for your home comfort and your energy bills. But it should be noted that a lot of HVAC brands are making this move, so Lennox isn't exclusive in this.

Feature 2 – iComfort Smart Thermostat

How Lennox describes it: A smart thermostat that will help you maximize the performance of your heating and cooling systems. These products are flexible, adaptable, and can save you money on energy bills.

What it is in plain language: iComfort is actually a collection of proprietary smart thermostats from Lennox. The iComfort S30 is compatible with Dave Lennox Signature series heating systems, the iComfort E30 is compatible with Elite furnaces and some non-Lennox furnaces, and the iComfort M30 is for Merit and some other non-Lennox furnaces.

As a smart thermostat, the iComfort products are Wi-Fi enabled thermostats that can learn your behaviours, create heating schedules based on your routines, and give you remote access to your heat settings and other data.

Is it more than just hype? Lennox isn't the only HVAC company that makes their own smart thermostats, and here's a list of some others: Carrier Armstrong, Heil, KeepRite, Comfortmaker, Tempstar, Rheem, Ruud, Trane, York, Coleman, Luxaire, and Daikin.

There's good reason that so many HVAC manufacturers make their own smart thermostats, and one is the fact that these devices can in fact save a great deal on energy bills.

Furthermore, the iComfort smart thermostats do have some really cool features that not all HVAC controls have. The specific features available depend on whether it’s the S30, E30, or M30, but here are a few of the capabilities you might like:

• When paired with technologies like Alexa, IFTTT, and HomeKit, you can get voice control access to your thermostat
• The thermostat can monitor outdoor air quality and make automatic adjustments to preserve your indoor air quality
• The device actively monitors your furnace and can send automatic updates to your HVAC technician
• It has a geofencing feature that can automatically put your furnace into an energy-saving away mode or your programmed comfort mode depending on whether you're home or away.

Feature 3 – Duralok Plus

How Lennox describes it: A heat exchanger that’s used in Lennox’s high-efficiency condensing furnaces. It’s superior to standard heat exchangers because it has a clamshell design, has a condenser coil assembly, and is made from patented ArmorTuf steel.

What it is in plain language: The heat exchanger is the heart of a furnace, and the Duralok Plus heat exchanger is special for two reasons: the design and the material. Clamshell heat exchangers don’t rely on welding to keep joints together, and ArmorTuf steel is a patented metal, so the Duralok Plus design is exclusive to Lennox.  

Is it more than just hype? Clamshell heat exchangers tend to have a longer life because they're less likely to crack or separate, and ArmorTuf steel has a special corrosion-resistant finish that can give it a longer life than regular steel. In other words, there's a good chance that a Duralok Plus heat exchanger could last longer than a standard one.

While the Duralok Plus design is exclusive to Lennox, they aren't the only company that has their own proprietary heat exchanger. Other examples include Armstrong’s EHX Technology, Napoleon’s Vortex Turbulator, and Heil’s, Tempstar’s, and Comfortmaker’s RPJ heat exchangers.

Feature 4 – Ultimate Comfort System

How Lennox describes it: A whole-home comfort system unlike any other that’s finely tuned to your home to provide clean indoor air.

What it is in plain language: The Ultimate Comfort System isn't so much a special feature as it is a collection of different technologies that can be paired with Lennox’s premium Dave Lennox Signature Collection models.

The system combines their iComfort S30 thermostat, PureAir S air purification technology, iHarmony zoning capabilities, and other devices to optimize home comfort and indoor air quality.

Is it more than just hype? The Ultimate Comfort System has the potential to improve your indoor air quality because it uses things like the iComfort S30, which tracks outdoor air quality and adjusts the fan settings to maintain good indoor air quality.

At the same time, achieving the Ultimate Comfort System requires purchasing quite a few additional technologies, including the iComfort S30 and the PureAir S system. Similar results could be achieved with just about any whole-home air purification system or air cleaner.  

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Warranty Analysis

The warranty terms

Lennox’s warranty covers parts and the heat exchanger. They have a base warranty and an extended warranty when you register. Their Warranty Your Way program allows you to choose how you want to apply the extended warranty.

Merit and Elite Series:

• Base warranty: A five-year parts warranty and a 20-year or lifetime heat exchanger warranty
• Registered warranty option A: An additional five-year parts warranty (10 total)
• Registered warranty option B: An additional two-year parts warranty (7 total) plus a three-year labor warranty

Dave Lennox Signature Collection Series:

• Base warranty: A 10-year parts warranty and a 20-year or lifetime heat exchanger warranty
• Registered warranty option A: An additional two-year parts warranty (12 total)
• Registered warranty option B: A three-year labor warranty

Registration is required

For Elite and Merit furnaces, you must register the furnace after installation, and there's a 60-day deadline if you want to be eligible for the full warranty terms. Should you fail to register, then the parts warranty will only be valid for five years.

Fortunately, the registration process is quite simple, and you can do it online through the Lennox website. Here's what you'll need:

• The serial and model numbers
• The date of installation
• The name and address of the installer
• The brand, serial number, and model number of your other HVAC components
• Your email address

Registration is a very common requirement among HVAC manufacturers, and most have unregistered warranty terms and extended terms for registered units. However, Lennox is unique in asking for details about your other HVAC system components.

Conditions and restrictions

Beyond having to register your new furnace to take advantage of the full warranty terms, there are also other conditions you'll have to abide by to keep the warranty valid.

One of the most common conditions is requiring that the furnace be installed by a licensed HVAC professional. In other words, if you try to install the furnace yourself, then you risk voiding the warranty. That’s why you have to budget for the installation cost. 

Another common warranty obligation is that you take care of regular annual maintenance. If you're not sure what type of maintenance is required, then check the owner’s manual or the warranty conditions for details. And be sure to keep records and receipts for all service!

How the Lennox warranty measures up to the competition

While you might expect Lennox to offer better warranty terms than other brands, the truth is they don’t. Even though they charge more for their furnaces than most other manufacturers, they still have one of the most basic warranties in the industry.

One area where Lennox is lacking is the unit replacement warranty. A number of economy and mid-range brands have started offering these, which means the manufacturer will provide a brand new furnace if the heat exchanger fails during the coverage period. Here are some examples of brands that offer this type of protection: Comfortmaker, American Standard, York, Trane, Tempstar, Ruud, Rheem, Coleman, Napoleon, Luxaire, Amana KeepRite, Heil, Goodman, and Daikin.

Moreover, several brands offer lifetime heat exchanger warranties on all their high-efficiency furnaces, including their entry-level models. Brands that offer this level of coverage include Luxaire, Goodman, Daikin, Coleman, American Standard, and Amana (either through their unit replacement or heat exchanger warranty).

In fact, Armstrong Air, which is owned by the same parent company as Lennox, Lennox International, even offers a lifetime heat exchanger warranty on all their high-efficiency models.

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Lennox’s Add-ons, Extras, and Thermostats

Programmable Thermostats

On top of their iComfort smart thermostats, Lennox also makes more basic programmable thermostats called ComfortSense. These devices allow you to program different temperature settings for various times of day and days of the week depending on whether you're home, away, or asleep.

Depending on the specific model, ComfortSense thermostats have capabilities like energy-saving away modes, filter maintenance reminders, dual fuel operation, and energy reports.

Programmable thermostats can indeed save you money, but they lack the benefit of remote operation because they aren't Wi-Fi compatible. They also rely on your programmed schedules, meaning they don’t learn your habits and adapt the way some smart thermostats can.

Zoning Systems

For homes that have different temperature needs in various parts of the house, you can consider a Lennox Harmony zoning system that works in conjunction with a smart or programmable thermostat.

Lennox has two- and four-zones systems that can monitor and maintain different temperature settings in two or four separate parts of the house.

These can be great for large homes, tall homes where lots of heat rises quickly, homes with rooms over cold garages, homes with sunrooms, or families who have different ideas of what a comfortable temperature is.

Air Purifiers

Lennox has a number of products that improve indoor air quality, including air purifiers, media air cleaners, HEPA filters, and UV germicidal lights. Products like this can be beneficial if you deal with a lot of wood smoke or pollution, have family members with allergies or lung disease, or are just concerned with indoor air quality.

Lennox air purification systems include the PureAir and PureAir S systems, which can clean the air of viruses, bacteria, fungi, ozone, odours, smoke, mold, pollen, dust, volatile organic compounds, and more.

They also have media air cleaners with MERV 11, 13, and 16, and these remove allergens, dust, pollen, and up to 95 percent of germs. Their hospital-grade HEPA filter is even more powerful, capable of eliminating up to 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns.  

Finally, their UV germicidal light can clean the air in your home and keep your ductwork and HVAC systems cleaner by killing germs, fungi, and mold. As such, UV lights can potentially help to preserve the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioner and possibly extend their life expectancies.

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

Too little moisture in the air in your home can dry out wood and cause cracking, but it can also lead to dry skin, sore throats and noses, and static electricity that leads to shocks.

When you have problems with low humidity, a humidifier can add moisture to the air and eliminate the problems associated with dry air. Furthermore, air with some moisture in it can also feel warmer, so a humidifier could take some of the burden off your furnace in winter.

On the other end of the spectrum, air that has too much moisture can lead to mold growth, and it can also cause moisture damage to wood, walls, floors, ceilings, and paint. Plus, humid air can force your air conditioner to work harder in summer.

Lennox has a number of whole-home humidification and dehumidification systems that can solve your humidity problems by removing or adding moisture to the air.

Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilators

Heat recovery ventilators and energy recovery ventilators increase the amount of fresh air in your home, keep air circulating, eliminate stale air, and prevent contaminants from the outdoor air from entering, all without impacting the temperature of your home.

HRVs get rid of stale air from inside and bring in fresh air from outside, but while they do this, they also exchange heat. This way, the temperature of your home stays the same without any additional burden on your furnace or air conditioner. ERVs function the same way, but they exchange both heat and moisture from the air.

HRVs are great for ventilating your home in winter if you live in a cold climate, while ERVs are ideal if you live in a milder climate with more humid winters.  

About the Company

David Lennox, an American businessman, founded the furnace manufacturing business now known as “Lennox International” in 1895.

Lennox has consistently pushed technological boundaries, and year after year they’ve produced furnaces with consumers’ top priorities in mind.

With various options that are tiered to appeal to as many people as possible, chances are there’s a Lennox furnace that could suit your needs and home.

Lennox has moved from strength to strength since 1895, and with their loyal fanbase following their newest technology and products with passionate interest, making Lennox a safe bet if you’re looking for a brand-new high-efficiency furnace.

Eager to learn more about Lennox’s high-efficiency natural gas furnace line up? Fill out our online form, and one of our representatives will be happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote.

Frequently Asked Questions