Furnace System GuideRheem and Goodman both sell gas furnaces across the efficiency range. This page collects the specs each brand publishes on its own site, brand by brand, then notes where they differ on paper. It does not pick a winner.
How to Read This Comparison
Every spec below is taken from each manufacturer's own furnace pages, and each brand describes its lineup differently, so direct one-to-one matching is imperfect. AFUE figures are the numbers each brand publishes.
AFUE measures fuel-to-heat efficiency only. It does not capture install quality, duct losses, dealer network, or price. Treat this as a paper-spec reference, not a verdict.
Where a brand did not publish a number on the page reviewed, this comparison leaves it out rather than estimating it.
Rheem, As Published
Rheem's top furnace is the R98MV Endeavor Line Prestige Series Gas Furnace, which Rheem lists at 98 percent AFUE with modulating heating stages. Below it, Rheem lists two-stage models such as the R972V and R962V series and single-stage options.
Rheem describes several models, including the R97MV and R98MV, as EcoNet Enabled, which it says provides remote monitoring capabilities. The R98MV uses a constant CFM motor.
These are the figures Rheem publishes on its furnace page as of this review.
Goodman, As Published
Goodman describes its gas furnaces by efficiency tier. Goodman states that a 90 percent or higher AFUE rating means that 90-plus cents of every energy dollar warms the home, and that an 80 percent AFUE rating means that 80 cents of every energy dollar warms the home.
On hardware, Goodman distinguishes a multi-speed PSC blower, which uses a permanent split capacitor electric motor, from a multi-speed ECM blower, which uses an electronically commutated motor. Goodman also describes a tubular aluminized-steel heat exchanger with wrinkle bend technology.
These are the figures Goodman publishes on its gas furnace page as of this review.
Where They Differ on Paper
The pages present their top ends differently. Rheem publishes a specific flagship model, the modulating R98MV at 98 percent AFUE, while Goodman publishes efficiency tiers, 90-plus percent and 80 percent AFUE, rather than a single named top figure on the page reviewed.
Rheem highlights a connected feature set with its EcoNet Enabled models, while Goodman frames its efficiency in cents-per-dollar terms and its hardware around blower and heat-exchanger construction. Both brands span from a base 80 percent tier up to high-efficiency models.
The published specs do not settle which furnace is better for a given home. Price, the local dealer, install quality, and warranty registration all sit outside these numbers.