re: HVAC brands for dummies - Goodman

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Made in the same factory, but with different parts. American Standard is known to have rusting problems with some of the internal parts...especially the heat exchange.

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Same units...just a different badge. Everyone's heat exchanger will rust over time unless you go with a furnace with a stainless steel exchanger. The 80% Trane furnaces are going to rust...the cabinet is painted and the exchanger is steel. The 95%+ furnaces have powder coated cabinets and stainless heat exchangers. A lot of moisture goes through a furnace so anything not plastic, aluminum, copper or stainless is going to rust at some point.

If you want to see the difference in quality, gently rub your finger along the edge of the metal on a condenser or furnace. If It's powder coated, your finger will slide along smoothly. If it feels like you're going to get cut, then it's painted metal and will rust. Rheem probably has the best condenser design right now. All powder coated and a composite bottom pan.