If you’re buying a new furnace in Toronto, you’ve probably noticed that every list of the best furnace brands says something different.
It’s a big decision, and you want to get it right. After all, space heating accounts for 61% of all residential energy use in Canada, according to NRCan’s 2020 report, and the furnace you choose will shape your gas bill for the 15 to 20 years it lasts.
The problem with many rankings is they’re built from US catalogues. In fact, many quote 80% and 92% energy efficiency models that you can’t legally have installed in any Ontario home.
This guide is different. We’ve been installing gas furnaces across Toronto and the GTA since 1974, and we’ve ranked five tiers from the two brands we know best, Lennox and Carrier.
Each tier gets one featured model, and every one is available in Canada for 2026. If you’d rather talk through your own home, request a free quote anytime.
Before You Compare Brands, Know This About Ontario Rules
Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations require most new residential gas furnaces to reach at least 95% AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency), the share of the gas you pay for that becomes heat in your home.
Simply put, the 80% and 92% gas furnaces in many brand comparisons aren’t even an option for a standard Toronto install.
This means that your furnace options are already pre-filtered by two things:
1. Minimum 95% AFUE
2. The burner type – Single-stage (on or off), two-stage (low and high) and modulating (adjusts in small steps)
Installation also has rules. According to the TSSA: under Ontario law, natural gas furnaces and fuel-fired appliances must be maintained by TSSA-registered contractors. The City of Toronto also lists furnace replacement in its HVAC permit fee schedule.
At Husky, our technicians are NATE-certified, Level 2 Gas Fitters and licensed Refrigeration Mechanics. We never use subcontractors.
How We Ranked These
We judged each tier on the post-installation factors that matter most:
- Performance in GTA winters
- AFUE and real gas-bill impact
- Burner staging and blower type
- Warranty terms and registration requirements
- Parts availability and local service network
- Fit for typical GTA homes: 1,200 to 3,000 sq. ft., from pre-war houses to post-1990 builds
This ranking also comes from installing these natural gas furnaces. Husky has served Toronto and the GTA since 1974 as a Lennox Premier Dealer and authorized Carrier installer, with our own technicians on every job.
50+ years of installs and service calls show us which models hold up in GTA basements, which parts are easy to get, and which warranty steps homeowners tend to miss.
| Tier | Featured model | Max AFUE | Burner | Blower | Warranty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lennox Signature (Dave Lennox Signature Collection) | SLP99V | Up to 99% | Modulating (1% increments) | Variable-speed | 10-yr parts, limited lifetime heat exchanger (with registration) | Larger homes (2,500+ sq. ft.) with high gas bills; highest upfront cost |
| Carrier Infinity | 59MN7 Infinity 98 with Greenspeed Intelligence | Up to 98.5% | Modulating (1% steps, 40% to 100%) | Not stated | 10-yr parts, limited lifetime heat exchanger (register within 90 days) | Quiet, even temperatures; matched Carrier or dual-fuel systems |
| Lennox Elite | EL297V | Up to 97% | Two-stage | Variable-speed | 5-yr parts (10-yr with registration), limited lifetime heat exchanger | Typical 1,500 to 2,500 sq. ft. GTA home |
| Carrier Performance | 59TP6 Performance 96 | Up to 96.7% | Two-stage (low stage up to 90% of the time) | Not stated | 10-yr parts, lifetime heat exchanger (with registration) | Two-stage comfort without the premium price |
| Lennox Merit | ML296V | Up to 96% | Two-stage | Variable-speed | 5-yr parts (10-yr with registration), 20-yr heat exchanger | Smaller homes, rentals, budget replacements, selling within 5 years |
1. Dave Lennox Signature Collection: The Efficiency Ceiling
Featured model: Lennox SLP99V
The SLP99V is rated up to 99% AFUE, among the highest energy efficiency ratings you can buy in Canada.
These energy efficient furnaces modulating burners adjust in increments as small as 1%, and it pairs a variable-speed blower with SilentComfort technology and a fully insulated cabinet. It’s built to work with the Lennox S40 smart thermostat.
Coverage includes 10-year parts and a limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty, both on timely registration.
Best for: Larger GTA homes of 2,500 sq. ft., where natural gas bills are high enough for the efficiency premium to pay back, and where even temperatures from room to room matter.
Trade-off: It has the highest upfront cost in this lineup.
Important note: The Signature series is a tier above Elite in the Lennox furnace lineup. Several widely read comparison articles actually have the two reversed.
2. Carrier Infinity: The Most Precise Control
Featured model: Carrier 59MN7 Infinity 98 with Greenspeed Intelligence
The Infinity 98 reaches up to 98.5% AFUE. Its modulating gas valve makes 1% adjustments between 40% and 100% capacity, delivering almost exactly the heat your home needs, very quietly.
With Infinity control, the whole heating system works as one, and pairing it with an Infinity outdoor unit lets the Ideal Humidity System manage indoor humidity. You get 10-year parts and limited lifetime heat exchanger coverage, both if you register within 90 days.
Best for: Homeowners who value even temperatures and quiet over the last half-point of AFUE, and anyone planning a matched Carrier system or a dual-fuel setup with a Carrier heat pump.
3. Lennox Elite: The Sweet Spot for Most GTA Homes
Featured model: Lennox EL297V
The EL297V delivers up to 97% AFUE with a two-stage burner and a variable-speed blower. Most of the time, it runs at its lower stage, which means quieter, steadier heat.
You get most of the Signature comfort benefit at a meaningfully lower installed cost, plus a limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty.
Best for: The typical 1,500 to 2,500 sq. ft. GTA home. If we had to recommend one furnace for the largest share of our customers, it would be the EL297V.
Important note: Elite’s standard Parts warranty is 5 years. It extends to 10 years with product registration, and many homeowners miss that step. Husky handles registration with every install, so your extended coverage is never left to chance.
4. Carrier Performance: Best Value in the Mid Tier
Featured model: Carrier 59TP6 Performance 96
The Performance 96 reaches up to 96.7% AFUE and runs in low stage up to 90% of the time. A fully insulated cabinet keeps it quiet, and Carrier’s Comfort Heat Technology predicts heating needs based on previous cycles for more precise temperatures.
InteliSense-enabled models pair with the ecobee for Carrier smart thermostat, so your dealer can check your heating system’s health remotely. Coverage includes 10-year parts and a lifetime heat exchanger warranty, provided you register on time.
Best for: Homeowners who want two-stage comfort and strong warranty coverage without stepping into the premium tier.
5. Entry Tier: Lennox Merit vs Carrier Comfort
Featured model: Lennox ML296V
The ML296V offers up to 96% AFUE with a two-stage burner and a variable-speed blower. Carrier’s Comfort series uses a single-stage gas valve at this level. For the same budget, two-stage heating is the more noticeable comfort upgrade in a Toronto winter. Warranty: 5-year parts (10 years with registration) and a 20-year heat exchanger.
Best for: Smaller homes, rental properties, budget-driven replacements, or homeowners planning to sell within five years.
The trade-off: You’ll pay less upfront, but you get a shorter heat exchanger warranty and fewer comfort features than the tiers above. It’s a solid furnace, not a premium one.
Lennox or Carrier? The Honest Answer
Both are premium brands with comparable build quality at each tier.
Overall, Lennox wins on top-end efficiency, with the SLP99V at up to 99% AFUE, and on its broad range of high-efficiency configurations.
That said, Carrier wins on Greenspeed’s modulating control, and the limited lifetime heat exchanger coverage (parts only, for the original owner) that reaches further down its lineup.
More than the brand, choose the right tier and get a quality installation. Among the best furnace brands, a well-installed Merit will outperform a poorly installed Signature.
Not sure which tier fits your home? Request a free quote or call us at 905-761-9485 or 416-665-3666.
How To Pick The Best Furnace For Your Toronto Home
The brand is only part of the decision. Use these five steps to compare quotes and choose the right installer, so you maximize the performance of your furnace:
- Ask for a heat-loss calculation. A proper quote sizes the furnace to your home, not to a rule of thumb. An oversized furnace short-cycles, wears out faster, and leaves some rooms hot and others cold.
- Ask how the furnace will be vented. High energy efficient furnaces vent through PVC pipe out the side of the house. If your current furnace vents through a chimney, the quote should include the conversion.
- Make sure startup testing is included. Your installer should test and set gas pressure, airflow, and combustion before they leave, not assume they’re right.
- Confirm who registers your warranty. Lennox and Carrier both require registration within a set window (60 and 90 days), or the extended coverage is reduced. Husky files it for you.
- Hire licensed technicians, not subcontractors. Choose a TSSA-registered contractor whose own certified natural gas technicians do the work and pull the permits. That’s how every Husky install is done, with each backed by our Quality Commitment.
Ready for Warmer, More Efficient Canadian Winters?
Choosing a furnace shouldn’t feel like a guessing game.
Our team will visit your home for a free assessment, properly size the heating system, and provide a written quote with no pressure to decide on the spot.
Prefer to talk it through? We’re available 24/7 at 905-761-9485 or 416-665-3666.
Looking to save? Qualifying Lennox systems can earn you up to 10% back on a Costco Shop Card, and our Specials and Rebates page lists every current offer.