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      12,000 BTU mini-split heat pump · DLC-series

      Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK

      Very good cooling efficiency and average heating efficiency for a 12,000 BTU mini-split heat pump, and certified for cold climates.

      Ranks #54 of 394 12,000 BTU mini-splits for cooling efficiency, and costs about $278 a year to run in a mixed climate like Atlanta.

      SEER2
      25.5 Cooling efficiency over a season
      Very good · beats 88%
      HSPF2
      10.7 Heating efficiency over a season
      Average · beats 68%
      EER2
      14.0 Cooling efficiency on a 95°F day
      Very good · beats 82%
      Heat at 5°F
      12,100 BTU/h100% of its 47°F output
      Below average · beats 38%

      A good fit if…

      • You want low cooling bills - its SEER2 beats 88% of mini-splits.
      • Your winters get properly cold - it is ENERGY STAR cold-climate certified, with 12,100 BTU/h at 5°F.
      • You want steady temperatures and quiet running - the compressor varies its speed.
      • You want a choice of indoor units - 110 certified pairings.

      Think twice if…

      • You want the newest refrigerant - it uses R-410A, which is being phased down.

      Calculate my running cost

      Details

      Specifications12,000 BTU, R-410A
      General
      BrandAirquest
      Also sold asMidea, Day & Night, Comfortmaker, Arcoaire, Smart Comfort, Tempstar, Keeprite, Heil, LPS Legacy, Kenmore, Viessmann, Carrier, Bryant
      Outdoor unit modelDLCSRBH12AAK
      SeriesDLC-series
      TypeMini-split heat pump
      Nominal size12,000 BTU
      CompressorVariable-speed units run longer at low powerContinuously variable
      RefrigerantR-410A
      Connected (smart) capableNo
      On the market sinceJanuary 1, 2018
      Last certifiedJune 23, 2026
      Cooling
      SEER2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better25.5 (range 19.5-25.5)
      EER2Efficiency at 95°F outdoors11.7-14.0
      Cooling capacity12,000 BTU/h
      Heating
      HSPF2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better9.5-10.7
      Capacity at 47°F12,000-12,500 BTU/h
      Capacity at 17°F9,500-10,600 BTU/h
      Capacity at 5°F11,000-12,100 BTU/h
      COP at 5°F2.0 = twice as efficient as a space heater1.80-1.99
      ENERGY STAR cold climateYes
      Heating output as it gets colder100% kept at 5°F

      Every heat pump delivers less heat as the outdoor temperature drops. Certified output of its matchup with DLFSHCH12XAK at the standard test temperatures, in BTU/h:

      Certified matchups110 indoor units

      The same outdoor unit scores differently with each indoor unit. The 60 highest-rated of 110 are shown. Ask your installer for the AHRI reference number of the exact system you are quoted.

      Indoor unitSEER2EER2HSPF2Heat @5°FAHRI ref.
      DLFSHCH12XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447630
      DLFSHCH12XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447622
      DLFSHCH12XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447614
      DLFSHCH12XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447686
      DLFSHCH12XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447678
      DLFSHCH12XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447670
      DLFSHCH12XAK MIDEA · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447662
      DLFSHCH12XAK KENMORE · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447654
      DLFSHCH12XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447646
      DLFSHCH12XAK HEIL · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447638
      DLFSHCH12XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate25.514.010.412,000211756583
      DLFSHCH12XAK Viessmann · cold climate25.514.010.412,000215569839
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 ARCOAIRE · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091493
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 COMFORTMAKER · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091494
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 DAY & NIGHT · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091496
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 HEIL · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091497
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 KEEPRITE · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091499
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 MIDEA · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091502
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 TEMPSTAR · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091503
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 SMART COMFORT · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091505
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 AIRQUEST · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091507
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 CARRIER · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091587
      DHMAHBQ12XA3 BRYANT · cold climate25.514.010.412,000216091588
      DLFSHCH12XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate25.514.010.412,000208447686
      DLFSFBH12XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948200
      DLFSFBH12XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948199
      DLFSFBH12XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948198
      DLFSFBH12XAK MIDEA · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948197
      DLFSFBH12XAK KENMORE · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948196
      DLFSFBH12XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948195
      DLFSFBH12XAK HEIL · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948194
      DLFSFBH12XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948193
      DLFSFBH12XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948192
      DLFSFBH12XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate24.213.310.711,900209948191
      DLFSFBH12XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate24.213.310.711,900211756591
      DLFSFBH12XAK Viessmann · cold climate24.213.310.711,900215569857
      DLFSFAH12XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350485
      DLFSFAH12XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350474
      DLFSFAH12XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350463
      DLFSFAH12XAK MIDEA · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350452
      DLFSFAH12XAK KENMORE · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350441
      DLFSFAH12XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350430
      DLFSFAH12XAK HEIL · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350419
      DLFSFAH12XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350408
      DLFSFAH12XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350397
      DLFSFAH12XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate23.613.010.012,000206350386
      DLFSFAH12XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate23.613.010.012,000211756571
      DLFSFAH12XAK Viessmann · cold climate23.613.010.012,000215569789
      DLFSHBH12XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361880
      DLFSHBH12XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361875
      DLFSHBH12XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361870
      DLFSHBH12XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361915
      DLFSHBH12XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361910
      DLFSHBH12XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361905
      DLFSHBH12XAK MIDEA · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361900
      DLFSHBH12XAK KENMORE · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361895
      DLFSHBH12XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361890
      DLFSHBH12XAK HEIL · cold climate23.113.010.511,000206361885
      DLFSHBH12XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate23.113.010.511,000211756564
      DLFSHBH12XAK Viessmann · cold climate23.113.010.511,000215569798
      Yearly running cost in 10 large cities$223-$686

      At each state's average electricity price and the city's typical heating and cooling hours.

      Questions5
      What is the SEER2 rating of the Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK?
      The Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK is rated at up to 25.5 SEER2 and 14.0 EER2 for cooling and up to 10.7 HSPF2 for heating. The exact figure depends on the indoor unit it is paired with; across its 110 certified matchups SEER2 ranges from 19.5-25.5.
      Is the Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK good for cold climates?
      Yes. At least one certified matchup meets the ENERGY STAR cold-climate criteria, delivering up to 12,100 BTU/h at 5°F with a COP of 1.99, so it is still 2.0 times as efficient as electric resistance heat at that temperature.
      How much does the Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK cost to run per year?
      At its rated efficiency it costs about $223-$686 a year in electricity in large U.S. cities, depending on climate and local rates - for example $287 in Phoenix and $583 in Minneapolis. The calculator on this page works it out for your city and compares it with your current system.
      Which indoor units work with the Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK?
      ENERGY STAR lists 110 certified combinations for this outdoor unit. The highest-rated ones use DAY & NIGHT DLFSHCH12XAK, COMFORTMAKER DLFSHCH12XAK, ARCOAIRE DLFSHCH12XAK.
      What refrigerant does the Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK use?
      It uses R-410A. R-410A is being phased down under the EPA AIM Act, and new systems are moving to R-454B and R-32.

      Running cost and savings

      Pre-filled with this model. Pick your city and what you heat with today; everything else is optional.

      Heat pump $291/yrYou save $327/yrSee details ↓
      1. Where you live
      Adjust heating and cooling hours

      Filled in from your city's climate. Change them if you run the system much more or less than usual.

      2. The heat pump Airquest DLCSRBH12AAK
      3. What it replaces
      4. Price replace the example with your quote
      Heat pump, per year
      $291
      Current system, per year
      $619
      You save per year
      $327
      Payback
      13.7 years
      Net after 10 years
      -$1,225

      Cooling $166Heating $126Electricity used: 1,820 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $183

      Estimates use the unit's rated SEER2 and HSPF2, full-load hours derived from NOAA 1991-2020 degree days, average residential electricity prices from the U.S. EIA (12 months to July 2026) and fuel prices from EIA (2025 for natural gas, week of 2026-10-05 for propane and heating oil). Very cold days that need backup heat are not modelled. Federal minimum for comparison: 14.3 SEER2 / 7.5 HSPF2.

      Similar 12,000 BTU models

      See all 394 12,000 BTU mini-splits, ranked

      Source: ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps (U.S. EPA), certification of June 23, 2026. How we use the data.