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      4-ton central heat pump · NS21H Series

      GE NS21H48MA5-**A

      Excellent cooling efficiency and very good heating efficiency for a 4-ton central heat pump, and certified for cold climates.

      Ranks #6 of 319 4 ton central heat pumps for cooling efficiency, and costs about $1,239 a year to run in a mixed climate like Atlanta.

      SEER2
      20.5 Cooling efficiency over a season
      Excellent · beats 96%
      HSPF2
      9.6 Heating efficiency over a season
      Very good · beats 76%
      EER2
      12.0 Cooling efficiency on a 95°F day
      Average · beats 64%
      Heat at 5°F
      35,000 BTU/h72% of its 47°F output
      Very good · beats 76%

      A good fit if…

      • You want low cooling bills - its SEER2 beats 96% of central heat pumps.
      • Your winters get properly cold - it is ENERGY STAR cold-climate certified, with 35,000 BTU/h at 5°F.
      • It will heat most of the year - its HSPF2 beats 76% of central heat pumps.
      • You want steady temperatures and quiet running - the compressor varies its speed.

      Think twice if…

      • Nothing stands out - its ratings have no weak spot for its class.

      Calculate my running cost

      Details

      Specifications4 ton, R-454B
      General
      BrandGE
      Outdoor unit modelNS21H48MA5-**A
      SeriesNS21H Series
      TypeCentral heat pump
      Nominal size4 ton
      CompressorVariable-speed units run longer at low powerContinuously variable
      RefrigerantR-454B
      Connected (smart) capableNo
      On the market sinceAugust 5, 2025
      Last certifiedApril 22, 2026
      Cooling
      SEER2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better20.5 (range 15.7-20.5)
      EER2Efficiency at 95°F outdoors11.0-12.6
      Cooling capacity45,000-48,000 BTU/h
      Heating
      HSPF2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better7.8-9.6
      Capacity at 47°F43,000-51,000 BTU/h
      Capacity at 17°F35,000-42,000 BTU/h
      Capacity at 5°F29,000-35,000 BTU/h
      COP at 5°F2.0 = twice as efficient as a space heater1.92-2.20
      ENERGY STAR cold climateYes
      Heating output as it gets colder72% kept at 5°F

      Every heat pump delivers less heat as the outdoor temperature drops. Certified output of its matchup with NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR at the standard test temperatures, in BTU/h:

      Certified matchups67 indoor units

      The same outdoor unit scores differently with each indoor unit and furnace. The 60 highest-rated of 67 are shown. Ask your installer for the AHRI reference number of the exact system you are quoted.

      Indoor unitFurnaceSEER2EER2HSPF2Heat @5°FAHRI ref.
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X100V5C*20.512.09.534,200217642477
      NAM48V2TA5*- · cold climate-20.512.59.033,000217642726
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF98U135M5D*20.512.68.531,400217642467
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF97X080V4C*20.512.48.531,400217642468
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF98U090M5C*20.512.48.531,400217642470
      NCDC48CT5*-**+TDRNF97D090M4C*20.511.78.232,400217642715
      NCDC48CT5*-**+TDRNF97D110M5C*20.511.78.232,400217642716
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U110S5C*20.012.09.634,400217642553
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80L110S5C*20.012.09.634,400217642554
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V5C*20.011.79.534,200217642479
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U090M4C*20.011.79.534,400217642480
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U090M5C*20.011.79.534,400217642481
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U110M5C*20.011.79.534,200217642482
      NCU[C,U]60DT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V5C*20.012.09.034,000217642475
      NCU[C,U]60DT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U135M5D*20.012.29.034,000217642476
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97U110V5C*20.012.09.034,000217642557
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF97X080V5C*20.012.28.531,600217642469
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U110M5C*20.011.78.533,200217642714
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U090M4C*20.011.78.533,400217642712
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF97U135V5D*20.012.08.531,400217901821
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X100V5C*20.012.08.233,800217642460
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V5C*20.011.78.134,000217642462
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X080V4B*20.011.78.134,200217642466
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X100S5C*19.511.79.634,800217642550
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U110T5C*19.512.29.634,000217642551
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF96U090S4C*19.512.09.534,200217642555
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U090S5C*19.512.09.534,000217642552
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97U090T4C*19.512.09.534,200218159771
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V4C*19.511.29.434,800217642478
      NCU[C,U]60DT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V4C*19.511.59.034,400217642474
      NAM60E1TA5*- · cold climate-19.511.79.034,800217642549
      NAM60V1TA5*- · cold climate-19.511.78.534,400217642546
      NAM48V1TA5*- · cold climate-19.512.08.533,200217642548
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X100V5C*19.511.78.533,200217642709
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V5C*19.511.78.533,400217642711
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U090M5C*19.511.78.533,400217642713
      NCHC48BT5*-**+TDRNF80X080V4B*19.511.58.233,800217642473
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U090M4C*19.511.78.134,200217642463
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U090M5C*19.511.78.134,000217642464
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF98U110M5C*19.511.78.134,000217642465
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF96U110S5C*19.012.09.534,000217642556
      NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97U110T5C*19.012.09.534,200218159773
      NAM48E1TA5*--19.012.08.531,200217642545
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U110S5C*19.011.78.533,200217642706
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80L110S5C*19.011.78.533,200217642707
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U110S5C*19.012.08.233,200217642541
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80L110S5C*19.012.08.233,200217642542
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97X080V4C*19.011.08.234,200217642710
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97U110V5C*19.011.78.133,200217642708
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDRNF97X080V4C*19.011.08.034,800217642461
      NCU[C,U]60DT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U135S5D*18.512.29.033,800217642547
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF80U135S5D*18.512.28.531,800217642544
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X100S5C*18.511.58.533,400217642704
      NCUC50CT5*-**+TDRNF97U110T5C*18.512.28.229,000218159772
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80X100S5C*18.511.78.133,600217642538
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF80U090S5C*18.511.78.133,400217642540
      NCHC48CT5*-**+TDRNF97U110V5C*18.512.07.833,400217642543
      NCU[C,U]60DT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF97U135T5D*18.012.29.034,000218159803
      NCHC51CT5*-**+TDR · cold climateNF95X100S5C*18.011.58.533,400217642705
      NCHC60DT5*-**+TDRNF97U135T5D*18.012.48.531,400218159804
      Yearly running cost in 10 large cities$1,068-$2,993

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

      Questions5
      What is the SEER2 rating of the GE NS21H48MA5-**A?
      The GE NS21H48MA5-**A is rated at up to 20.5 SEER2 and 12.0 EER2 for cooling and up to 9.6 HSPF2 for heating. The exact figure depends on the indoor unit it is paired with; across its 67 certified matchups SEER2 ranges from 15.7-20.5.
      Is the GE NS21H48MA5-**A good for cold climates?
      Yes. At least one certified matchup meets the ENERGY STAR cold-climate criteria, delivering up to 35,000 BTU/h at 5°F with a COP of 2.20, so it is still 2.2 times as efficient as electric resistance heat at that temperature.
      How much does the GE NS21H48MA5-**A cost to run per year?
      At its rated efficiency it costs about $1,068-$2,993 a year in electricity in large U.S. cities, depending on climate and local rates - for example $1,336 in Phoenix and $2,515 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 GE NS21H48MA5-**A?
      ENERGY STAR lists 67 certified combinations for this outdoor unit. The highest-rated ones use NCU[C,U]60CT5*-**+TDR, NAM48V2TA5*-, NCHC60DT5*-**+TDR.
      What refrigerant does the GE NS21H48MA5-**A use?
      It uses R-454B.

      Running cost and savings

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

      Heat pump $1,335/yrYou save $1,054/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 GE NS21H48MA5-**A
      3. What it replaces
      4. Price replace the example with your quote
      Heat pump, per year
      $1,335
      Current system, per year
      $2,389
      You save per year
      $1,054
      Payback
      16.6 years
      Net after 10 years
      -$6,956

      Cooling $798Heating $537Electricity used: 8,344 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $496

      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.

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      Source: ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps (U.S. EPA), certification of April 22, 2026. How we use the data.