Rheem Furnace Review

A complete Rheem furnace buying guide, updated with all the latest brand information including top models, AFUE ratings, features, warranty info, and more. Get a free quote quickly & easily!

Article Contents

• At a Glance:
  • Strong Points
  • Room for Improvement
  • Bottom Line
• Price Range
• Model Tiers
  • Basic
  • Better
  • Best
• Model Breakdown and Comparison
• Exclusive Features
  • PlusOne™ Ignition System
  • PlusOne™ Water Management System
  • PlusOne™ Diagnostics
  • EcoNet™
• Warranty
• About the Company
• Rheem Customer Reviews

With Rheem furnaces, it can be a bit of a task to figure out exactly which unit can serve your home well during those harsh Canadian winters. Not only do you have a budget to work with, but you also need to make sure you get the right make, model, and size of furnace.

Something else you'll want to consider is AFUE ratings, because a more efficient furnace could save you a lot more on power bills over the next 15 to 20 years compared to a more affordable and less efficient model.

Similarly, there are lots of nifty furnace features available that can make your life more convenient, and warranty terms to take into account as well. But don’t worry: today we’ll cover all of that and more in this Rheem furnace review.

Consider this your home base for all things relating to Rheem furnaces, with information on features, specs, warranties, and model comparisons to help you make the best decisions in home heating.

Also Read: The Best Furnaces for Canadians

Rheem, at a glance

Strong Points

Rheem furnaces are reasonably priced and provide comprehensive warranty coverage. For consumers looking at competing brands, such as Trane, Bryant, and American Standard, Rheem provides reliable heating solutions that should be strongly considered.

Not only do these products stand firm when it comes to performance, but Rheem’s extended warranty coverage and warranty transfer are unique features that aren’t available from most manufacturers’ warranty plans.

Room For Improvement

Although Rheem furnaces offer excellent energy efficiency, Rheem excludes some products from being sold in Canada, namely its single-stage furnaces. Rheem only offers multi-speed, two-stage, and modulating natural gas furnaces which are more expensive than their single-stage furnaces.

By making single-stage furnaces available to Canadian customers, Rheem could make their heaters more affordable for customers looking for more entry-level options with fewer features. This is more of a nitpick really, and consumers looking for more entry-level models may consider their sister brand, Ruud’s products.

The Bottom Line

Rheem is an excellent choice for Canadian homeowners shopping for mid-tier or premium natural gas furnaces. Rheem furnaces deliver excellent performance, high energy-efficiency and superior warranty coverage.

Like its sister brand Ruud, Rheem furnaces offer outstanding warranty coverage.

Rheem also has some excellent features and technologies that are designed to accomplish tasks like increasing furnace longevity, simplifying maintenance and repairs, and making the systems easier to operate and manage.

➤ Get the BEST Prices on Rheem furnaces: Fill out a free quote request here

Rheem Average Price Range

$3,500 – $6,750 (including installation)

When you're in the market for a new furnace, it’s important to be able to budget for the investment. However, there are lots of things that can impact the final cost, so it’s not really possible to get an accurate idea of pricing until you buy the new furnace.

Where you live, the furnace make and model, installation costs, features and warranties, and the furnace size and output are just a few of the things that can impact the cost.

At the same time, you might be able to save money if you find rebates or promotions from the government, a utility company, an HVAC manufacturer, or a local HVAC distributor.

Although we can't give you an exact estimate for your new furnace, we can provide you with some price ranges based on tier.

In general, more affordable furnaces in a lower tier will have fewer features and a shorter warranty, whereas the top-tier models will offer all the best features and warranty terms. Rheem furnace tiers are broken down into the following price ranges:

• Entry-level models: $3,500 – $4,585
• Mid-range models: $4,585 – $5,670
• Tip-tier models: $5,670 – $6,750

Rheem Furnace Series

Basic – Classic Series

Rheem’s entry-level economy-tier furnaces come in the way of the Classic Series. These are single-stage furnaces, and even though there aren't a lot of models from this series available in Canada, the ones that are available boast excellent efficiency ratings, and at least one is even ENERGY STAR® certified.

A few of the models in this tier even have advanced blower motors, and they all promise reliable and affordable comfort throughout the winter.

Better – Classic Plus®Series

The Classic Plus® Series of Rheem products offer Canadian customers a higher level of efficiency and performance. With two-stage and single-stage operation options, these offerings present homeowners with a significant amount of flexibility.

Best – Prestige™ Series

Rheem Prestige™ Series furnaces are the brand’s premium-tier offerings, achieving the highest AFUE efficiency ratings of any other Rheem products. These EcoNet™-enabled units come with a wide array of additional innovative technologies to promise energy- and cost-effectiveness.

Rheem Top Models Comparison

Prestige™ Series R98V

The Rheem Prestige™ Series R98V is an EcoNet™-enabled furnace that boasts an AFUE rating of up to 98%. With its modulating performance and variable-speed ECM motor, this unit is proven to be more efficient than any other product from Rheem. The modulating gas valve means better temperature consistency with less energy use, even on the coldest winter days, and the special heat exchanger design guarantees quiet comfort. As Rheem’s top-of-the-line furnace, the Prestige R98V also comes fully equipped with all the additional features and technologies that Rheem has to offer.

Furnace Stats

AFUE: 98.7%
Furnace type: Modulating
ENERGY STAR rated? Yes
Tier – Best
Price range: $5,670 – $6,750
What's good: Rheem’s premium furnace comes with all the bells and whistles, the best specifications and features, the highest efficiency rating, and the best warranty.

Prestige™ Series R96V

Offering dependable two-stage operation with its variable-speed ECM motor, the Rheem Prestige™ Series R96V is an excellent premium-tier offering from the brand. This model promises reliable performance through its premium components, guaranteeing maximum comfort for your home. Aside from having two-stage operation as opposed to modulating, the R96V is very similar to the top-of-the-line model in terms of efficiency, specifications, quiet operation, warranty, and features. However, this model isn't equipped with the EcoNet technology, so remote Wi-Fi operation of the system isn't available.

Furnace Stats

AFUE: 96%
Furnace type: Two-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? Yes
Tier – Best
Price range: $5,670 – $6,750
What's good: A slightly more affordable model that’s almost as advanced as Rheem’s premium furnace.

Classic Plus® Series R96P

With an AFUE efficiency rating of up to 96%, the Rheem Classic Plus® Series furnace is a mid-range offering from the brand. Its two-stage operation pairs perfectly with a fixed-speed PSC motor to promise excellent air distribution and warmth throughout your entire home. This model is also equipped with many of Rheem’s great technologies, including the PlusOne Ignition System, Water Management System, and Diagnostics.

Furnace Stats

AFUE: 96%
Furnace type: Two-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? No
Tier – Better
Price range: $4,585 – $5,670
What's good: Promises reliable heating, ensures easy maintenance and service, and protects your home from water damage.

Classic Plus® Series R95T

Similar to the R96P, the Rheem Classic Plus® Series R95T maximizes its mid-tier components to boast an AFUE rating of up to 95%. However, the R95T does so with only a single-stage operation, which when paired with its variable-speed ECM motor is able to guarantee an efficient and cost-effective performance. The ECM motor also delivers better air quality and improved temperature consistency while requiring less maintenance.

Furnace Stats

AFUE: 95%
Furnace type: Single-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? Yes (select models)
Tier – Better
Price range: $4,585 – $5,670
What's good: Four-position design makes the furnace versatile enough to fit in almost any space, and the easy installation design could save you on labour costs.

Classic Series R92P

At the economic-tier, the Rheem Classic Series R92P is an affordable and dependable furnace. Offering up to 92% AFUE, this unit is engineered for reliability, with its undeniably quiet and efficient comfort. Even though this is an entry-level furnace, it still has most of the great features that Rheem offers, has a high AFUE rating that will save you plenty on energy bills, and it’s backed by a great warranty.

Furnace Stats

AFUE: 92%
Furnace type: Single-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? No
Tier – Basic
Price range: $3,500 – $4,585
What's good: Quiet, affordable, and high-efficiency comfort with additional features that promise reliable and consistent heating, as well as easier maintenance.

Other Rheem Furnaces

Prestige™ Series R97V Furnace Stats

AFUE: 97%
Furnace type: Modulating
ENERGY STAR rated? Yes
Tier – Best
Price range: $5,670 – $6,750
What's good: Rheem’s second most advanced furnace, with a modulating gas valve, excellent efficiency rating, and all the additional technologies that come standard with their premium model, including the EcoNet Wi-Fi technology.

Classic Plus® Series R96T Furnace Stats

AFUE: 96%
Furnace type: Two-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? Yes
Tier – Better
Price range: $4,585 – $5,670
What's good: An excellent and dependable high-efficiency furnace that promises quiet and efficient operation thanks to the two-stage design, advanced ECM motor, and additional technologies.

Classic Plus® Series R95P Furnace Stats

AFUE: 95%
Furnace type: Single-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? No
Tier – Better
Price range: $4,585 – $5,670
What's good: A reliable high-efficiency furnace that’s designed for easy installation and maintenance, which could save you plenty on labour and repair costs.

Classic Series R92T Furnace Stats

AFUE: 92%
Furnace type: Single-Stage
ENERGY STAR rated? No
Tier – Basic
Price range: $3,500 – $4,585
What's good: An efficient and ENERGY STAR certified entry-level furnace that delivers quiet and cost-saving performance thanks to the ECM motor, quality design, and additional features.

Rheem Exclusive Features

Feature 1 – PlusOne™ Ignition System

Promising one of the most reliable ignition systems available today, the Rheem PlusOne™ Ignition System is a proven direct spark ignition (DSI) that promises consistent operation for your furnace, so you can always rely on your heating system when you need it most, especially in the middle of those Canadian winter deep freezes.

Feature 2 – PlusOne™ Water Management System

This diagnostic and prevention system by Rheem will shut off your furnace when a drain is blocked, preventing water spillage and potential water damage to your home, thanks to the PlusOne™ Water Management System’s patented blocked drain sensor, self-priming drain trap, and pre-marked condensate hoses.

Feature 3 – PlusOne™ Diagnostics

Rheem’s industry-first seven-segment LED display is designed to make service calls incredibly simple and quick.

Labour can account for a significant portion of HVAC service costs, so this diagnostics system can save you money on maintenance. Furthermore, the technology makes service easier and repairs more accurate, which could also help to increase the longevity of your system.

Feature 4 – EcoNet™

This integrated system allows for remote Wi-Fi operation and control of all of your home’s heating, cooling, and water heating equipment. It’s designed to give you precision accuracy when it comes to maximizing efficiency and potential savings for your home.

What's more, it gives you access to your HVAC system anytime and anywhere, so you never have to worry about whether your furnace is performing the way it should when you're not home.

Warranty

Like most HVAC manufacturers, Rheem offer’s warranties on their furnaces by series or tier, so the specific model you choose will determine the type of warranty coverage you're eligible for.

Note that the warranty terms listed below include standard and conditional warranties. To be eligible for the full conditional warranty terms, you'll have to register your new furnace within 90 days of installation.

Rheem’s Top-Tier Warranty

The Prestige™ R97V and R98V both come with a 10-year limited parts warranty, a limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty, and a limited lifetime unit replacement warranty.

The Prestige™ R96V is backed by a 10-year limited parts warranty, a limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty, and a limited 10-year unit replacement warranty.

Rheem’s Mid-Range Warranty

The Classic Plus® R96T, R96P, R95T, R95P, and R92T all come with a 10-year parts warranty and a limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty.

Rheem’s Entry-Level Warranty

The Classic R92P is backed by a 10-year parts warranty and a 20-year limited heat exchanger warranty.

Be a happy homeowner when you purchase a Rheem gas furnace. Fill out our online form and ask for a free quote.

RHEEM- ABOUT THE COMPANY

Founded by brothers Donald and Richard Rheem in Emeryville, California, the brand has been dedicated to designing top-quality HVAC products since 1925. Rheem has been a pioneer in some of the most innovative advancements in heating and cooling, with a long list of award-winning solutions.

The brand’s craftsmanship and consistency promise an undeniable level of comfort and efficiency for any Canadian home.

Eager to learn more about Carrier’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.

Rheem Customer Reviews