Trane vs Bosch Heat Pumps
As Magic Touch Mechanical sells both brands, we compare Trane vs Bosch heat pumps every day with Phoenix, AZ homeowners. I don’t own stock in either company, so my philosophy is; may the best brand win at the kitchen table. As we recommend, sell & install both brands and all models discussed in this article, I’m completely unbiased.
We just want people to choose us as their installing contractor and the brand that best fits their needs & budget. Frankly that’s why we sell many brands including; Lennox, Trane, Bosch, Goodman, Amana/Franklin, Mitsubishi and a few others. Quite simply, whichever brand they choose, we promise the best possible installation money can buy for optimal results!
If you live outside of the Phoenix Metro area and are comparing Trane vs Bosch for your own home, remember the following. The most important step is choosing the right contractor, first and foremost! You’re better served having even base-level equipment installed by the best contractor, than buying the best equipment if it’s installed poorly. That said, the Trane & Bosch models I discuss in this article are amongst the best heat pumps money can buy today. Installed properly, they all offer precise temperature control, low noise levels, and excellent efficiency. You will not be disappointed with any of them, however this is a comparison so let’s put them in the ring and see who comes out victorious!
What is Variable Speed Cooling & Heating?
In this article, we’re only going to compare Trane vs Bosch Variable Speed Heat Pumps. Reason being; all Bosch Heat Pumps are variable speed, they do not manufacturer 1 or 2 stage units. Trane manufacturers variable speed, two stage, and single stage heat pumps, many of which I review in other articles on this site.
If you’re not already aware, there are 3 types of heat pumps on the market today. This Infographic explains the difference between the 3 types in further detail.
- Single Stage (Good)
Old-school on/off compressor. Least efficient. Least comfort. Lowest price.
- Two Stage (Better)
Improved 2-Speed (high/low) compressor. Better efficiency. Better comfort. mid to high price.
- Variable Speed (Best)
Best variable (many speed) compressor. Highest efficiency. Precise comfort. Highest price (with the exception of one discussed in this article).
Trane vs Bosch – Efficiency Comparison
Both Bosch & Trane manufacture 2 different variable speed heat pump models. Each manufacture a “premium” model, as well as a “lower price” model.
Reminder: All 4 models we’re discussing today (2 Trane/2 Bosch) are “variable speed” a.k.a. “variable capacity” heat pump systems.
| Premium Models | Lower Price Models |
| Trane XV20 | Trane XV18 |
| Bosch 2.0 | Bosch 1.0 |
The most common efficiency comparison when discussing air conditioners and heat pumps is SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating). Think of SEER like you would MPG (Miles Per Gallon) when comparing automobile efficiency. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit is. SEER has nothing to do with how powerful a unit is, only how efficient it is.
Trane vs Bosch Premium Models
| Capacity (Tons) | Trane XV20 (SEER) | Bosch 2.0 (SEER) |
| 2 Ton | 18.75 – 19.25* | 20.50 |
| 3 Ton | 19.75 – 20* | 20 |
| 4 Ton | 18 – 19.25* | 20 |
| 5 Ton | 18.25 – 19* | 19 |
*Trane’s XV20 can be connected to 3 or more different air handlers/indoor coil units each of which will result in a different SEER rating. Shown lowest to highest of all 3 matchups.
PRO TIP: Know Before You Buy! There are a few very important differences in Trane air handlers. This can also significantly impact the price. The only way to compare apples to apples is to make sure the AHRI# (certified system match ID#) is listed on the proposal/contract.
Trane vs. Bosch Lower Price Models
| Capacity (Tons) | Trane XV18 | Bosch 1.0 |
| 2 Ton | 18 | 18.50 |
| 3 Ton | 18 | 17.50 |
| 4 Ton | 18 | 18.50 |
| 5 Ton | 18 | 17.50 |
Trane vs Bosch Efficiency Winner…
Premium Model Winner: Bosch
Bosch wins with the highest SEER ratings in 2, 3, and 4-ton sizes. They also win in the 5-Ton size when comparing 2 of the 3 Trane air handler matchups, and tie at 19-SEER when Trane is matched to its best (but also most expensive) air handler.
Lower Price Model Winner: Tie
Bosch wins in two sizes, Trane wins in two sizes. Bosch wins in both 2 & 4-ton sizes, while Trane wins in 3 & 5-ton sizes.
Warranty Comparison – Trane Vs. Bosch Heat Pumps
When installed by a licensed contractor, both Bosch and Trane have industry-leading, limited warranties. In Bosch’s case, you get an additional 1-year only when your system is installed by an Accredited Bosch Contractor (ABC). I discuss that below, so you’ll know what an ABC installer is.
| Brand / Model | Compressor Warranty | Parts Warranty |
| Trane XV20 & XV18 | 12 Years | 10 Years |
| Bosch 2.0 & 1.0
(ABC Contractor Installed) |
was Update: now 10 Years |
was Update: now 10 Years |
| Non-ABC Installed Bosch | 10 Years | 10 Years |
* UPDATE: Since this article was written, Bosch ended the additional year parts warranty and now carries a 10-year parts warranty which is the same as Trane parts warranty. To that end, the parts warranty is now a tie. Trane still offers a 12-year compressor warranty (only on select top-tier product) so Trane remains the compressor warranty winner albeit at a significantly higher price tag (see below for price comparison).
Trane vs. Bosch Warranty Winner: Tie
Compressor Warranty Winner: Trane
Parts Warranty Winner: Bosch Tie*
I have to call this one a draw. On the one hand, Trane has a 1 year longer compressor warranty. On the other hand, Bosch has a 1 year longer warranty on all other parts. A compressor replacement is one of the costliest repairs you could ever need, point; Trane. However, there are a lot of parts in a heat pump that can fail. So, the additional year on the parts warranty has a higher probability of saving you money in year 11, point; Bosch.
What is an ABC (Accredited Bosch Contractor)?
The levels of Accredited Bosch Contractor (ABC) status are identified by tier.
- Platinum ABC (Best)
- Gold ABC (Better)
- Silver ABC (Good).
A higher ABC status is achieved in two ways.
- Quantity of registered installations
- Factory certified training hours completed
Both are very important to you as the end-user of the product. More installation and training experience will result in a better installation. Ultimately, the quality of the installation will determine your happiness with your heat pump system for the next 10-15 years. Bottom line choose your installer wisely as its more important than the equipment you choose. Even the best equipment installed incorrectly will not perform as designed and result in poor performance, reduced efficiency & unreliability. This is true of any brand or model.
I don’t mind plugging my team at Magic Touch Mechanical as being the only Platinum ABC installing contractor in Arizona! We earned that status in part due to our commitment to higher-learning and our extensive training programs. As you might expect, we install hundreds of these systems annually so it’s important we know them inside and out.
Trane vs Bosch Heat Pump – Price Comparison
Undoubtedly, the biggest difference when comparing Trane vs Bosch is the price. In America, Trane has name recognition, especially in the Phoenix market. Bosch, founded in Germany, is better known here for dishwashers, tools and auto parts. To their credit, their appliances are world renowned for their precision German engineering, advanced features, & low noise levels. Even though Bosch is far from brand new in the HVAC world, their residential heat pumps are relatively new to the U.S.
So how does a company like Bosch come from the other side of the pond and compete in American markets? Price.
All other things being equal, the Bosch 2.0 and 1.0 are significantly lower in price than Trane’s XV20 & XV18 respectively. Since, we’re talking about 24 different possible matchups from Trane alone (just on these two models), I’m not going to list the price of each and every one. However, I did come up with an easy way to show the price difference per model type:
Trane XV20 vs Bosch 2.0 Price Difference
- Bosch 2.0 ranges between $1,900 to as much as $2,300 less than the Trane XV20 (installed)
This was calculated comparing the lowest price XV20 matchup from Trane to the highest price XV20 matchup from Trane in each size (2 through 5 ton) and comparing it to the Bosch 2.0 lowest to highest installed price*. Note: Bosch only uses one matchup per ton as opposed to Trane’s 3.
Trane XV18 vs Bosch 1.0 Price Difference
- Bosch 1.0 ranges between $1,500 to as much as $2,400 less than the Trane XV18 (installed)
This was calculated comparing the lowest price XV18 matchup from Trane to the highest price XV18 matchup from Trane in each size (2 through 5 ton) and comparing it to the Bosch 1.0 lowest to highest installed price*. Note: Bosch only uses one matchup per ton as opposed to Trane’s 3.
*Lowest price being 2-ton, highest price being 5-ton. The higher the tonnage (cooling capacity) the greater the price difference between the two brands.
Price Comparison Winner: Bosch
For equipment with comparable efficiency, technology, and warranty, Bosch will run you anywhere from $1500 to as much as $2400 less than Trane.
Which is Quieter, Trane or Bosch?
While you won’t be disappointed with the operational sounds of either, the Bosch is slightly quieter than the Trane – both models.
- Bosch – as low as 54dB (decibels)
- Trane – as low as 57dB
Bottom line, they are both amazingly quiet, mostly due to their variable speed compressors and clever fan & cabinet designs. However, since this is a side-by-side comparison…
Category Winner: Bosch
Miscellaneous Details
Having sold Trane & American Standard for over 20-years, we’ve installed thousands of them. 99% of our clients that choose Trane XV20 & XV18 love their proprietary Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat. However, there is that small group of people that want to keep their existing thermostat. Unfortunately, this isn’t even an option on the XV20 or XV18 – they’ll only work with Trane’s communicating thermostat.
Bosch on the other hand will work with most of the thermostats on the market today. There are a few that just don’t seem to play nicely together and therefore we don’t recommend them. However, for the most part, if you’ve had your heart set on a specific thermostat, Bosch may be better for you.
Which One Would I Choose Personally?
Let me start by saying; I won’t sell a product I wouldn’t put in my own home or my Mom’s home! If you peruse our website, you’ll see we sell a lot of brands – also noticeably, you’ll see some brands missing. If we don’t sell it, it’s most likely because I wouldn’t buy one for myself.
That’s not to say the product isn’t good, sometimes there are other factors. Poor technical support, poor supply chain, difficulty obtaining repair parts, etc. Of course, sometimes it is simply because they make a lousy product and I don’t want to attach our name to it.
We’ve installed thousands of Trane systems over the years and by and large our clients love the product. By way of comparison, we’ve been installing Bosch for just about 3 years and have installed hundreds of them. Interestingly, I can’t think of one client who has not raved about how much they love it! What impresses me more so, is how reliable they’ve proven to be, especially this summer… the hottest AZ summer in history. The few issues we’ve had (very few) were minor and their support and response time was nothing short of stellar.
There’s really not another variable speed heat pump on the market that delivers as much bang for the buck as the Bosch 1.0 & 2.0. Comparing them side by side, you can see the Bosch meets or beats Trane’s XV20 & XV18 in multiple categories. I’d love to keep an extra $1,500 to $2,400 in my pocket as much as the next guy, so… I have to say I’m choosing Bosch. Sorry Trane!
HVAC Contactor’s Choice Winner: Bosch
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Magic Touch Mechanical has been serving Mesa, AZ and all cities in a 35-mile radius for over 23-years! We’re proud to say we’ve won over a dozen Angie’s List Super Service Awards and have over 600 “A” rating reviews from their members. We’ve maintained an A+ record with the BBB since the day we opened out doors and are a BBB Ethics Award Winner and 3x Finalist. To date we have over 450 Google Reviews and a 4.8 out of 5 rating from clients who rave about our installers, service technicians, energy auditors, and office staff. We’d love to add you to our long list of happy clients and show you why so many people rate their experience with our team 5-Stars! Contact Us Now to Schedule!
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