Most all brands have lines with varying warranties and features. That includes Goodman.

See US News and World Report reviews here.

For our new build, the mechanical engineer speced Lennox furnaces. The teardown, which we lived in for 11 years, had twin Heil units installed in 1987 still running fine.

Unless there's some reason to think your builder is cheaping out on you, I'd tend to follow his advice.

Goodman is owned by Daikin, that largest manufacturer of HVAC equipment in the world. All brands are pretty much the same (most of them use the same Chinese/Mexican parts) reliability wise. The installation is what make one system more or less reliable than another.

The Infinity is the top of the line Carrier - a very expensive system with features that 99% of people won't use. Honestly, I'd go with the top of the line Goodman for a much lower cost.

" Cold winters, hot muggy summers. " Given this, get a multi-stage system.

" they seem to me from that to be lower rung units. "

Yes. But an important factor in the effectiveness of an HVAC system is the skill and knowledge of those planning the install specs and then doing the install. Better to have that done by an HVAC contractor familiar with new construction, not the builder and not the builder's favorite contractor (who's likely chosen based on cost.)

I'm not sure how or why Daikin's global size is of any relevance. McDonalds is one of the largest restaurant operators in the world. Do you want them to provide the food for your 30th anniversary party?

LOL - I use that argument all the time. For a long time, Camry was the number one selling car in the US - that certainly doesn't make it the best. But it is a solid car.

All HVAC systems seem to be terrible nowadays. Don't get me started with Carrier Infinity - the reliability of a high end BMW once the warranty runs out.

Top the line Goodman would be Inverter these days and probably better than the Carrier Infinity for a number of reasons. The infinity is going to require a proprietary thermostat to run as designed.... those don't come cheap. As things change in HVAC the manufacturer is only on the hook to provide those parts to your system for 10-12 years. So if new tech comes out and it will -- a proprietary controlled system could theoretically become an expensive paper weight if that thermostat that drives it becomes obsolete and "sold out".

Goodman Inverter realm is similar but different... the control electronics are on the control board of the furnace. So this allows you to choose any thermostat your heart desires. The furnace merely needs a signal from a 24v off the shelf thermostat. It then relays this info and communicates with the outdoor unit or the furnace if in heating mode. So the Goodman design eliminated the expensive proprietary control. The con if you will in that is that there is no piece meal with this kind... like if you have a newer furnace and wanting to upgrade to higher efficiency. The Goodman Inverter realm before 2023 was up to 24.5 SEER and with the new 2023 requirements of SEER2 it obtains up to 22.5 SEER2.

The infinity is typically hampered by 5 speed operation rather than true inverter variable with 1% steps up an down. When the infinity off cycles it makes strange hissing noises AFAIK it's the only system that does this. Don't place it any where near a window.... even more so if it is a heat pump. Parts for the Infinity as well as the equipment itself will likely come from Mexico.

Goodman... while parent company is Daikin, they are designed and built (assembled) in USA at a state of art manufacturing facility just outside Houston, Tx. Parts for this system likely come from Mexico, China and possibly other countries... just so you realize assembled in the USA only goes so far. Gone are the days where assembled here means truly built here as in using USA sourced parts.

If you have an already built structure? Piece meal among major manufacturer's of HVAC equipment is getting harder to come by... primarily due to communicating aspects of the machine. You can argue the good from the bad from this in a myriad number of ways like for my climate in Katy, Texas (hot climate that depends on AC) furnaces here easily last 30 years if not longer, AC's vary from just over 5 years (out of warranty with major failure) to 15 years with some rare findings of over 18 years.

So if you have a HVAC system that is around 6 years old here to go high efficiency with major manufacturer you are going to spend money on a new complete system.

The disrupter if you will is Bosch. True inverter with 1% up and down steps, no hissing noises going into off mode. German Engineered made in China. The distributor network is improving in terms of parts and equipment.

What the future looks like? Probably nearing the end of piece meal -- you know replace a condenser or replace a furnace / air handler -- because those pieces will have to be the same brand as before. Dicey to say the least. Bosch and possibly another manufacturer soon are the only two that I know of that aren't playing the "proprietary control" game.

Brand is less important now anyway due to the phase out of R410a that is coming due in 2025 Equipment ban. If R410a sky rockets in price and you get a refrigerant leak at some point that might make it cheaper to rip everything out again and replace it to whatever the new stuff is.

Then in 2035-2036 likely a new phase out and phase down begins a-- new. There's plenty to consider with this topic... no spy balloon necessary... click here.

The builder specs and really likes Goodman furnaces and AC.

Get the model numbers of the proposed equipment and the name of the HVAC contractor who will do the installation. The HVAC contractor must do load and duct sizing calculations.

Current house has a Carrier Infinity system that I love.

I love my Carrier Infinity systems also, except the times I had to pay to repair them. If you want a multiple stage variable speed furnace and AC, then you should talk to the builder about it.

House is 3300 sq ft ranch in the midwest.

A house this size should have zoning. I would recommend two separate systems. I say this because most HVAC contractors are not skilled in installing zones with a single system. It is also a more efficient way of heating and cooling in my opinion.

Something Mike said is worth repeating "A house this size should have zoning. I would recommend two separate systems. I say this because most HVAC contractors are not skilled in installing zones with a single system. It is also a more efficient way of heating and cooling in my opinion. "

To that I will add, regardless of brand try having contractor delay making system operable until final clean-up is finished. Countless systems that would otherwise funstion flawlessly for years are ruined from being packed with construction debris from workers running it while they saw,sand,blow,sweep and stir up dust. Were that not bad enough,after first workers clogg unit until it doean't cool/heat well,following workers lock t-stat down to run unit continously ( often including nights and weekends) which farther damages components. By the time owner takes pocession,the revolving door of trying to get builder to fix unit starts and owner comes to houzz looking for advice.