In general , buy the highest SEER rating you can afford .

You also have to decide either to buy one of the " name brand " units , at a higher price . Or buy a no name brand at a lesser price .

I suspect many of the no name brand units come from the same factories in China ?

God bless
Wyr

In Afghanistan on the bases there all they used for many years was no name made in china split A/C units. So they can hold up very well.

Well I finely got that wire pulled and most of the related demo repaired.
Now I have my welding circuit for the back yard free and I have a 30 amp 240/120 circuit easy to get and near the front yard so I can use my plasma cutter at full power and use my large stick welder at reduced power.

I have been using my split in heating mode a little here and there. Tonight it got down to 25.
I had it turned down to 68°F. When I got up I cranked it up to 75°F went and found my amp clamp and amp clamped the power wire going to the split.
It was drawing between 2 and 4 amps of 250v power and able to keep the partially insulated room warm all night.
I think the electric heat had been kicking on, I noticed it will be drawing 2 amps then jump up to 4 amps.
The manual says it will start to use electric heat when the outside temp drops below freezing.

Heat pumps are typically better air conditioners or better heaters. I think this one is a better air conditioner.
And in NM you want a good air conditioner every year and you need a really good heater some years.

Our 2 Heat Pumps - MS's have been used , part of the time , the last week or so . I try to turn them off & turn the gas furnace central system when the OAT drops to 25 or less .

The furnace is 15 - 20 years old , but 90% or 92% 2 stage condensing unit . It runs on low flme 99% of the time .

But then I am paying to heat just about 100% of the house .

God bless
Wyr

Tonight it drops down to 15°F with 36mph winds.
That should be a good test.

Also a good test of weather sealing around windows & doors . And general insulation .

Best of luck , :-)

God bless
Wyr

I amp clamped the heat pump wire after I turned it up while it was about 16°F outside.
Was only drawing about 4 amps of 240v power. I think it wss using a good amount of electric heat. Still Not bad.

That would be 960 Watts .

God bless
Wyr

When it gets below +5°F, the temperature where the heat pump gives up trying to move heat. At that point the heating output really drops off because it's only providing electric heat.