The best wall-mounted heat pump in 2026: the Fujitsu Orion+ XLTH 12,000 BTU
The best wall-mounted heat pump in 2026: the Fujitsu Orion+ XLTH 12,000 BTU
We compared its certified ratings with those of every 12,000 BTU heat pump sold in Canada. Efficiency, heat output in extreme cold, real-world consumption in Montréal, sound, warranty: here is the complete file, backed by data, so you can choose with confidence.
- Heat delivered by the Orion+
- 16,300 BTU/h
- Of its rated capacity
- Hours per year colder than this, in Montréal
- 6 h
- 31.5SEER2The highest cooling efficiency in its class in Canada
- 13.7HSPF2Seasonal heating efficiency (region IV)
- −30°CHeats down to −30 °C, with no programmed shutdown
- 23dB(A)Indoor unit in quiet mode
- $1,152Hydro-Québec LogisVert subsidy
- 12yearsParts and compressor warranty
The verdict, in six verifiable proofs
Every claim comes from a certified document, cited under the proof.
The best cooling efficiency on the market
31.5 SEER2: none of the 2,392 combinations of 12,000 BTU heat pumps certified ENERGY STAR in Canada does better.
ENERGY STAR database, read November 2, 2026The best efficiency in extreme cold
COP of 2.62 at −15 °C: among the 538 12,000 BTU heat pumps that deliver more than 12,000 BTU/h at −15 °C, none is more efficient.
ENERGY STAR database · NEEP listingMore heat than it promises
15,300 BTU/h at 8 °C, 27% more than its rated capacity. Up to 20,500 BTU/h at −15 °C and still 12,300 BTU/h at −30 °C.
Fujitsu 12KTAP1 submittal · technical manual, table 5-2No shutdown in extreme cold
It heats down to −30 °C and has no programmed low-temperature cutoff. Its base pan heater keeps the outdoor unit free of ice.
Fujitsu 12KTAP1 submittal, notesThe only one to hold both records
It is the only 12,000 BTU heat pump in Canada that exceeds both 28 SEER2 and 13 HSPF2.
ENERGY STAR database, 2,392 combinationsCertified “Most Efficient” 2026
ENERGY STAR, ENERGY STAR Cold Climate and ENERGY STAR Most Efficient: the designation reserved for the year’s top-performing appliances.
ENERGY STAR, certified April 17, 2026
In extreme cold, it keeps heating
Every heat pump loses capacity as it gets colder. The Orion+ keeps more than any other in its class: at −15 °C, it still delivers 134% of its rated capacity.
- Fujitsu Orion+ XLTH, at maximum
- 20,500 BTU/h 134% of its rated capacity
- The best of the others (Fujitsu Orion XLTH)
- 16,600 BTU/h
- Orion+ efficiency at full power (COP)
- 2.18
- One hour at full power
- instead of with baseboards, for the same heat
- Hours per year colder than this temperature in Montréal (2016-2025 average)
- 182 h
At this temperature, each model’s maximum heat Tap a row to highlight it.
| Station | Below −15 °C | Below −20 °C | Below −25 °C | Coldest recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montréal (Trudeau airport) | 182 h | 43 h | 6 h | −29 °C |
| North Shore (Mirabel airport) | 318 h | 93 h | 21 h | −31 °C |
| Outdoors | Heat | COP | Of rated capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| +5 °C | 27,400 BTU/h | 3.60 | 179% |
| 0 °C | 25,800 BTU/h | 3.18 | 169% |
| −5 °C | 24,200 BTU/h | 2.80 | 158% |
| −10 °C | 22,100 BTU/h | 2.50 | 144% |
| −15 °C | 20,500 BTU/h | 2.18 | 134% |
| −20 °C | 18,700 BTU/h | 2.06 | 122% |
| −26 °C | 15,300 BTU/h | 1.76 | 100% |
| −30 °C | 12,300 BTU/h | 1.47 | 80% |
How much will you save?
Set up your home: the calculation replays ten real Montréal winters at Hydro-Québec’s 2026 rate.
- less on heating
- of the heat supplied by the Orion+
- times more heat than electricity, over the winter
- — saved on cooling
How this is calculated
The calculation goes degree by degree through the hours at each temperature recorded from 2016 to 2025 by Environment Canada (Trudeau and Mirabel airports). The room’s heating need follows your area and your insulation. The heat pump supplies what its certified capacity allows at each temperature; the rest comes from the baseboards. Its consumption follows its certified HSPF2 seasonal rating for region V, the coldest (11.3 for the Orion+). The base pan heater is not counted for any model, since only Fujitsu publishes its wattage (about 100 kWh a year for the Orion+). Price: Hydro-Québec Rate D as of April 1, 2026, 11.142¢ per kWh above 40 kWh a day (12.81¢ with taxes), the tier that heating reduces in winter; cooling at the first-tier price. An estimate: actual consumption also depends on your habits, your windows and where the unit is installed.
Against the other 12,000 BTU heat pumps
15 wall-mounted 12,000 BTU heat pumps sold in Québec, the top performer from each brand, heating the same room through the same winter.
For the same heat, the electricity each model needs
Each manufacturer’s certified test points (NEEP listings, AHRI data) at 8.3, −8.3 and −15 °C. Between two measurements, the line connects them; “outside its range”: the model cannot deliver that heat at that temperature.
Calculated for: 800 sq ft · average insulation (1980–2005) · Montréal — change them in the calculator.
Heating cost for one year, same room, same winter Based on the certified seasonal rating (HSPF2 region V).
All certified ratings Tap a column heading to sort.
| Model (outdoor unit) | Heating your room | Extra cost per year | SEER2 | HSPF2 region IV | HSPF2 region V | Max. heat at −15 °C (BTU/h) | Max. heat at −25 °C (BTU/h) | Heating limit | Sound, indoor unit | Sound, outdoor unit | LogisVert subsidy | Parts and compressor warranty |
|---|
The larger the room or the colder the house, the more the Orion+’s power matters: in an older home of 1,500 sq ft or more, it is the least expensive of the 15 to heat.
For each brand, the highest-performing wall-mounted 12,000 BTU model certified ENERGY STAR “Cold Climate” in Canada. Ratings: NEEP listings (AHRI data) and manufacturer submittals; “—”: data not published.
Hydro-Québec’s subsidy is calculated on the capacity declared at the −8 °C test point (9,600 BTU/h for the Orion+), not on its maximum capacity at that temperature (22,800 BTU/h). It is paid once; the difference in consumption comes back every winter.
All its features
Comfort
Heating down to −30 °C
The certified heating range runs from −30 to +24 °C, with no programmed cold cutoff.
Inverter compressor
The DC rotary compressor modulates its output from 4,500 to 27,300 BTU/h in heating: the temperature stays steady, without on-off cycling.
Air directed in 4 directions
Up-down swing, left-right swing or both together, and louvre angle adjustment from the remote.
7 fan speeds
Auto, high, medium-high, medium, medium-low, low and quiet.
Powerful mode
Full power and maximum airflow for 20 minutes, to heat or cool a room quickly.
Dehumidification
Removes up to 1.8 L of water from the air per hour, with a dedicated Dry mode.
Energy savings
Occupancy sensor
Nobody in the room for 20 minutes? The unit eases the setpoint (up to 4 °C lower in heating), then returns to your setting as soon as someone comes back. 7 m range.
Economy mode
Limits output to about 70% and slightly adjusts the setpoint to reduce consumption.
10 °C minimum heat
Keeps a room or a cottage frost-free at 10 °C while you are away, at very low cost.
Timers
Weekly programming, a 24-hour timer and a sleep timer that adjusts the temperature overnight.
Smart base pan heater
A 150 W element keeps the base of the outdoor unit free of ice: it only turns on below −15 °C or during a defrost.
Outdoor unit low-noise mode
Lowers the compressor and outdoor fan speed, in the evening or near a bedroom window.
Healthy air
Two air-cleaning filters
An apple-catechin filter that traps fine particles and spores, and an ion deodorizing filter.
Washable air filter
It comes out without tools and washes with water; the unit reminds you when to clean it.
Control
Built-in Wi-Fi
Adjust, schedule and monitor your heat pump from anywhere with the Airstage Mobile app (iPhone and Android).
Backlit remote control
Included, with separate setpoints for heating and cooling in individual Auto mode.
Ready for everything else
Wired touch controller, 24 V thermostat, building automation (Modbus, BACnet) and inputs/outputs for auxiliary heat, as options.
Built for Québec
ProCore indoor coil
Copper tubing with high corrosion resistance, for a long service life.
Treated outdoor fins
The Hydro Fin coating protects the outdoor heat exchanger from corrosion, winter after winter.
R-32 refrigerant
Three times lower global warming potential than the old R-410A: 675 versus 2,088.
How quiet, exactly?
Sound levels measured by Fujitsu in an anechoic chamber. Tap a speed.
23 dB(A) — quieter than a whisper
The complete spec sheet
Data from Fujitsu’s technical submittal and technical manual.
| Indoor unit | ASUH12KTAS (white) |
|---|---|
| Outdoor unit | AOUH12KTAP1 |
| Series | Airstage H · Orion+ XLTH |
| AHRI number | 216018256 |
| Rated cooling | 12,000 BTU/h (3,100 to 17,300) |
| Rated heating at 8.3 °C | 15,300 BTU/h (4,500 to 27,300) |
| SEER2 | 31.5 |
| EER2 | 16.7 |
| HSPF2 region IV · region V | 13.7 · 11.3 |
| COP2 at 8.3 °C | 4.88 |
| Certifications | ENERGY STAR · Cold Climate · Most Efficient 2026 |
| Dehumidification | 1.8 L/h (3.8 pints/h) |
| At 8.3 °C (47 °F) | 15,300 BTU/h rated · 27,300 maximum · COP 4.87 |
|---|---|
| At −8.3 °C (17 °F) | 9,600 BTU/h rated · 22,800 maximum · COP 3.47 |
| At −15 °C (5 °F) | 16,200 BTU/h rated · 20,500 maximum · COP 2.62 |
| At −20 °C | 18,700 BTU/h maximum |
| At −26 °C | 15,300 BTU/h maximum (100% of its rated capacity) |
| At −30 °C | 12,300 BTU/h maximum |
| Operating range | Heating from −30 to +24 °C · cooling from −10 to +50 °C |
| Low-temperature cutoff | None |
| Turndown ratio | 4.56 to 1 |
| Base pan heater | 150 W, below −15 °C and during defrosts |
| Indoor unit, heating | 45 · 42 · 38 · 36 · 34 · 23 dB(A) |
|---|---|
| Indoor unit, cooling | 44 · 43 · 39 · 37 · 35 · 23 dB(A) |
| Outdoor unit | 48 dB(A) cooling · 49 dB(A) heating |
| Indoor airflow, heating | 547 · 471 · 412 · 371 · 336 · 212 CFM |
| Indoor airflow, cooling | 512 · 465 · 412 · 377 · 347 · 206 CFM |
| Outdoor airflow | 1,377 CFM (cooling) · 1,107 (heating) |
| Speeds | High, medium-high, medium, medium-low, low, quiet (+ auto) |
| Power supply | 208/230 V, 60 Hz (187 to 253 V), connected at the outdoor unit |
|---|---|
| Minimum circuit ampacity (MCA) | 15.7 A |
| Maximum breaker | 20 A |
| Maximum running current | 7.4 A (cooling) · 12.9 A (heating) |
| Starting current | 4.2 A |
| Power input, cooling | 0.72 kW rated (0.12 to 1.32) |
| Power input, heating | 0.92 kW rated (0.21 to 2.23) |
| Power factor | 94.9% (cooling) · 95.2% (heating) |
| Compressor | DC rotary (Inverter), 925 W |
| Indoor unit (H × W × D) | 295 × 894 × 280 mm (11⅝ × 35 3⁄16 × 11 in) |
|---|---|
| Indoor unit weight | 14 kg (31 lb) |
| Outdoor unit (H × W × D) | 716 × 820 × 315 mm (28 3⁄16 × 32 5⁄16 × 12⅜ in) |
| Outdoor unit weight | 42 kg (93 lb) |
| Connections | Liquid 1/4 in (6.35 mm) · gas 3/8 in (9.52 mm), flare |
| Piping length | 3 to 20 m (10 to 66 ft), precharged for 15 m |
| Maximum height difference | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Refrigerant | R-32, 1,320 g (2 lb 15 oz) · 20 g/m beyond 15 m |
| Outdoor unit colour | Beige |
| Included | Backlit wireless remote · built-in Wi-Fi (Airstage Mobile) |
|---|---|
| Wired touch controller | UTY-RVRU (KAGAMI) · UTY-RNRUZ5 |
| 24 V thermostat | UTY-TTRXZ1 interface (TTRXZ1-KIT) |
| Building automation | Modbus converter UTY-VMSX · BACnet/Modbus gateway FJ-AC-485-1 |
| External inputs and outputs | UTY-XCSXZ3 board · UTY-XWZX / UTY-XWZXZ5 kits |
| Wi-Fi | IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz · iPhone and Android |
Warranty, subsidy and installation
Warranty
12 years
Parts and compressor, plus 10 years labour.
LogisVert subsidy
$1,152
Paid by Hydro-Québec for this combination (list of November 2, 2026). All about the subsidy
Installed by MPH
+30
certified employees, no subcontractors, in business for over 25 years. The full Fujitsu lineup
Is it the right heat pump for you?
It’s made for you if…
- You heat mainly with electricity and want to lower your winter bill.
- You live on the North Shore or in a region where deep cold lasts.
- You want a quiet room: bedroom, office, living room.
- You want the best efficiency, summer and winter, for 15 years and more.
Depending on your home
- A small room
- the 9,000 BTU from the same series: 33.5 SEER2 and 14.0 HSPF2.
- A large open area
- the 15,000 BTU from the same series: up to 18,400 BTU/h of rated heating.
- The whole house
- a multi-zone or central heat pump, which we size on site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Orion+ XLTH and the Orion XLTH?
Both heat in extreme cold and have a base pan heater. The Orion+ XLTH goes further: 31.5 SEER2 instead of 30.5, 13.7 HSPF2 instead of 12.7, down to −30 °C instead of −26 °C, and built-in Wi-Fi.
Can it heat my whole house?
It heats the room where it is installed and the open rooms connected to it, typically 500 to 1,000 sq ft depending on insulation. For the whole house, we offer a multi-zone or central heat pump. The calculator above tells you whether the 12,000 BTU suits your area.
Does it really heat at −30 °C?
Yes. Its technical manual lists 12,300 BTU/h of heat at −30 °C, more than its 12,000 BTU rated capacity. In Québec, these temperatures last only a few hours a year: in Mirabel, it was colder than −25 °C for 21 hours a year on average from 2016 to 2025.
Should I keep my electric baseboards?
Yes, they stay in place. They take over a few hours a year, during extreme cold or in closed rooms the heat pump does not reach. The calculator accounts for this backup heat.
How much subsidy can I get?
Hydro-Québec pays $1,152 under LogisVert for this combination (list of November 2, 2026), or $120 per 1,000 BTU/h of heating measured at −8 °C. Details on our Subsidy page.
Why is its subsidy smaller than for some other models?
Hydro-Québec calculates the subsidy on the capacity declared at the −8 °C test point (9,600 BTU/h for the Orion+), not on its maximum capacity at that temperature (22,800 BTU/h). The subsidy is paid once; efficiency pays off every winter. Compare both in the table above.
Is it noisy?
No. The indoor unit goes down to 23 dB(A) in quiet mode, below the level of a whisper. The outdoor unit runs at 48 to 49 dB(A), and its low-noise mode makes it even quieter in the evening.
What maintenance does it need?
Clean the washable filter every month during the season, keep the outdoor unit clear of snow and leaves, and have it cleaned by a professional once a year. We offer wall-mounted heat pump cleaning.
What is the warranty?
Installed by a certified contractor, it is covered for 12 years on parts and compressor. Labour is guaranteed for 10 years.
Sources and method
Every document consulted for this report, on November 2, 2026.
- Fujitsu 12KTAP1 technical submittal (version 2025-04-09)
- Fujitsu ASUH09-15KTAS technical manual (DR_AS242ES_04, 2025-07-30)
- Operating manual
- Outdoor unit installation manual
- NEEP listing (AHRI 216018256 certified data)
- ENERGY STAR database of certified heat pumps
- Heat pumps eligible for LogisVert (Hydro-Québec)
- Rate D, as of April 1, 2026 (Hydro-Québec)
- Historical hourly climate data (Environment Canada)
The calculation goes degree by degree through the hours at each temperature recorded from 2016 to 2025 by Environment Canada (Trudeau and Mirabel airports). The room’s heating need follows your area and your insulation. The heat pump supplies what its certified capacity allows at each temperature; the rest comes from the baseboards. Its consumption follows its certified HSPF2 seasonal rating for region V, the coldest (11.3 for the Orion+). The base pan heater is not counted for any model, since only Fujitsu publishes its wattage (about 100 kWh a year for the Orion+). Price: Hydro-Québec Rate D as of April 1, 2026, 11.142¢ per kWh above 40 kWh a day (12.81¢ with taxes), the tier that heating reduces in winter; cooling at the first-tier price. An estimate: actual consumption also depends on your habits, your windows and where the unit is installed.
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