Brands to avoid?
In the major survey cited above, feedback shows that most brands are about equally reliable. Between 10 and 13 percent of homeowners reported that their air conditioners broke down during a five-year period for most brands. However, three brands -- Goodman, Amana and York -- had significantly worse ratings, with 17 to 19 percent needing repairs.
Goodman and York also get poor overall ratings at FurnaceCompare.com, an independent site for user reviews of central air conditioners. Interestingly, however, Amana is actually one of the highest-rated brands on the site. In a review of the Goodman DSXC18 central air system, the editors of FurnaceCompare.com suggest that Goodman's low ratings have less to do with the company's products than with the quality of the contractors who install them. As the editors explain, "Despite the negative reviews around the Goodman name, contractors note that with quality installation this unit should provide consistent performance." That meshes well with some user feedback and with opinions of some experts, such as Angie's List's Brown. Notably, the Goodman DSXC18 carries the same lifetime warranty on the compressor as the Amana ASXC18.