Home / Comparisons / 12,000 BTU wall-mounted heat pumps
FUJITSU AIRSTAGE ORION XLTH and HITACHI airHome 800, three winter nights
Two R-32 wall units, ENERGY STAR cold-climate certified, both offered by AirGreen. At −15 °C, their certified maximum capacities are 1,400 BTU/h apart. At the extremes, in cooling as in extreme cold, they move further apart. Here are the figures, night by night.
FUJITSU AIRSTAGEORION XLTH 12,000 BTU
ASUH12KZAS / AOUH12KZAH1 · AHRI 214888802
See the product page
HITACHIairHome 800 12,000 BTU
RAK-XJ12PHAA / RAC-XJ12WHAA · AHRI 215911631
See the product pageWhat the electricity costs, in dollars, winter and summer
AirGreen estimate for the same 12,000 BTU/h zone in Montréal, at Hydro-Québec’s Rate D, taxes included. Both heat pumps are calculated in exactly the same way, with the same method as on all our comparison pages; only their certified efficiencies change. Electric baseboards serve as the reference point.
How this amount is calculated
- Heat to deliver over the winter. A zone whose heat loss reaches 12,000 BTU/h ( kW) at −23.1 °C, Montréal’s design temperature: kW × 24 h × 4,167 degree-days ÷ (18 − (−23.1)) = kWh of heat for round-the-clock heating, all winter. Heating degree-days (base 18 °C) and design temperature: Natural Resources Canada, HOT2000 climate data, Montréal Intl station. With fewer hours per day (“Heating” slider), the heat is reduced in the same proportion, for the heat pump as for the baseboards: this simplification does not account for recovery after a temperature setback.
- Electricity for heating. Heat pump: heat × 3.412 ÷ HSPF2 Region V, the AHRI certificate value published by NEEP. Region V is the coldest in the standard, and its calculation includes the electric backup expected when the heat pump is no longer enough. Electric baseboards: 1 kWh of electricity for 1 kWh of heat.
- Electricity for cooling. 12,000 BTU/h ÷ SEER2 × hours per day × 60 days ÷ 1,000: the method of Hydro-Québec’s air-conditioning calculator, with the SEER2 seasonal efficiency from the AHRI certificate. The number of hours is a scenario you can set above, from 1 to 24 h. At 24 h, the calculation assumes rated capacity all day long: that is a ceiling, since a variable-speed unit slows down once the room is at temperature.
- Price. Hydro-Québec Rate D in effect April 1, 2026: 7.065¢ per kWh up to 40 kWh a day, 11.142¢ beyond; the average price, 9.104¢, is the one Hydro-Québec’s calculators use. GST and QST included. Network access charges, the same with or without a heat pump, are not counted.
AirGreen method v1.1, November 9, 2026. An estimate is used to compare units under the same conditions. The actual bill depends on the house, the insulation, the settings and the use; this amount is not a promise.
An ordinary night, a cold night, a cold snap
The first two windows are temperatures where NEEP certifies both units: the bars give the maximum capacity; below, the rated capacity and COP. For the cold snap, neither is published at the other’s temperatures: each value is shown at its own temperature, with its source.
Red: ORION XLTH. Graphite: airHome 800. Bars on the same scale from 0 to 20,000 BTU/h. COP: units of heat delivered per unit of electricity, at the capacity shown.
Below −15 °C: every published number, at its exact temperature
NEEP certifies both units down to −15 °C, at the same temperatures. Lower, FUJITSU AIRSTAGE and HITACHI each publish maximum capacities, but not at the same temperatures: −20.6 and −26.1 °C on one side, −20 and −25 °C on the other. Each figure is placed at its exact temperature, with its source.
ORION XLTH: maximum heating capacity as a percentage of the 12,000 BTU/h rated capacity, with 21 °C indoors, per FUJITSU AIRSTAGE brochure FG8153C (revision 4/2025). Vertical line: 100%.
Between −8.3 and −15 °C, the two stay close
This is the range of an ordinary January in Montréal (average −9.2 °C, average daily minimum −13.5 °C). The certified maximum capacities there are close: 18,700 and 16,800 BTU/h at −8.3 °C, 16,600 and 15,200 at −15 °C. So do the seasonal heating efficiencies: HSPF2 Region IV of 12.7 and 11.5.
Where they differ most is the rated capacity at −15 °C: the ORION XLTH is certified at 16,600 BTU/h, equal to its maximum; the airHome 800 at 10,500, with a maximum of 15,200. Two ways of tuning a compressor.
Summer and the cold snap widen the gap
In cooling
SEER2 30.5 for the ORION XLTH and 25.0 for the airHome 800; EER2 16.0 and 14.5. This is the pair’s most marked gap. Their certified cooling capacity also differs: 12,000 and 12,500 BTU/h.
At the coldest point
NEEP measures the ORION XLTH at −26.1 °C: 12,200 BTU/h maximum, COP 1.81. It measures the airHome 800 at −30 °C: 6,000 BTU/h, COP 1.06. Different temperatures: these two points cannot be compared directly. At −26.1 °C, the airHome 800’s published values bracket that temperature: 10,500 BTU/h at −25 °C and 6,000 BTU/h at −30 °C (see “Extreme cold”). For the ORION XLTH, FUJITSU AIRSTAGE publishes no capacity below −26.1 °C, but states that it has no automatic shutoff and keeps heating.
In the evening, what you hear and what adjusts
Both manufacturers publish a sound pressure per speed: six speeds for the ORION XLTH, five for the airHome 800. Further down, what each one provides for the night.
How to read these figures. dB(A) measures a noise level as the ear perceives it: the lower the figure, the quieter the unit. Each dot is a fan speed published by the manufacturer, from the slowest to the fastest.
Why this is not a ranking. Both measure in an anechoic chamber, but each with its own microphone position: HITACHI at 1 m from the supply grille; FUJITSU AIRSTAGE shows its measurement point on a diagram, with no readable distances. A gap of 1 or 2 dB(A) can come from the measurement itself.
Indoor unit, in the room
Cooling, every published speed
Outdoor unit, outside
Highest published speed
For the night
“Quiet” speed at 23 dB(A), six speeds from 23 to 43 dB(A) in cooling. “Minimum Heat” and “Occupancy” modes per FUJITSU AIRSTAGE.
“Super Low” speed at 30 dB(A), five speeds from 30 to 48 dB(A). Quiet mode at 30 dB(A) for the 12,000 BTU, “SleepSense” mode and built-in motion sensor per HITACHI.
Measurements taken by each manufacturer using its own method: read them separately, not as a ranking.
Sources: FUJITSU AIRSTAGE brochure FG8153C and technical manual DR_AS233ES; HITACHI airHome 800 brochure (December 2024) and airHome 800 technical catalogue (North America), which describes the measurement conditions.
The airHome 800 is the wider of the two
Width × height × depth per the manufacturers. HITACHI prints a height of 11.73 in next to 294 mm; 294 mm is 11.57 in, the value used here. Photos scaled to width.
What both manufacturers publish for the installer
| Installation | ORION XLTH | airHome 800 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum piping length | 82 ft | 100 ft |
| Precharged length | 49 ft | 49 ft (15 m)HITACHI installation manual IA2693:A: no refrigerant added up to 15 m, then 0.11 oz/ft. Factory charge 2.65 lb. |
| Maximum height difference | 66 ft | 65.6 ft |
| Liquid – gas diameters | 1/4 – 3/8 in | 1/4 – 3/8 in |
| Outdoor unit W × H × D, weight | 31 7/16 × 24 7/8 × 11 7/16 in, 86 lb | 33.46 × 25.59 × 11.73 in, 91.0 lb |
| Electrical protectionPer the manufacturer | 15 A breaker | MOP 25 A (MCA 14 A) |
| Outdoor unit clearances | 4 in behind, 4 in on one side, 10 in on the other, 24 in in frontManual 9300793025-01, § 3.2.1 | From 100 to 700 mm depending on the side, at least three sides openInstallation manual IA2693:A, figure; the side for each value is read on the figure. |
| Rated heating range | −26 to 24 °C | −30 to 24 °C (table; the cover says +22 °C) |
| Rated cooling range | −10 to 50 °C | −20 to 46 °C (table; the cover says +45 °C) |
Two lists, two ways of thinking about the unit
FUJITSU AIRSTAGE brochure FG8153C; HITACHI airHome 800 brochure (Johnson Controls Hitachi Air Conditioning, December 2024), airHome 800 technical catalogue and installation manual IA2693:A. Each line cites what the manufacturer writes.
| Feature | ORION XLTH | airHome 800 |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme cold | “No lockout” down to −26 °C, heated outdoor base pan, automatic defrost | Adaptive defrost, condensation element for icy conditions |
| Wi-Fi | Built-in, AIRSTAGE Mobile app | Interface hidden inside the unit, airCloud Go app |
| Controls | Backlit remote control included; wall controls and 24 V thermostat optional | RC-BGH1FA0N wireless remote control included; airPoint Room H700 wall control (SPX-URFG1) optional; third-party thermostat through an optional moduleRemote control: technical catalogue and parts list of manual IA2693:A. |
| Modes | Powerful, Economy, Energy Saving, Minimum Heat, Occupancy | Smart Eco, SleepSense, motion sensor |
| Air and maintenance | Washable filter, ProCore coil | PM2.5 activated-carbon filter, stainless pre-filter, FrostWash 3.0, Mold Guard 2.0 |
| DehumidificationPer the manufacturer | 1.9 L/h | 3.0 L/h |
| Automatic restart | Yes | Adjustable: resume last mode or offairHome 800 technical catalogue, service settings; factory setting not stated. |
What people ask before choosing
Which one heats more on a January night?
At −15 °C, NEEP certifies 16,600 BTU/h maximum for the ORION XLTH and 15,200 for the airHome 800. At −8.3 °C, 18,700 and 16,800 BTU/h. The gap is 1,400 to 1,900 BTU/h at those two points.
Why does the airHome 800 have only 6,000 BTU/h at −30 °C?
This is the certified maximum capacity at −30 °C, its coldest test point. The ORION XLTH is not measured at that temperature: its coldest point is −26.1 °C, at 12,200 BTU/h. The two figures do not describe the same conditions.
Why is the airHome 800 certified at 12,500 BTU/h in cooling?
This is the rated capacity on its AHRI certificate 215911631. The name “12,000 BTU” refers to the size class; the certified capacity is the one from the test.
Which one is quieter in a bedroom?
Both publish a sound pressure measured in an anechoic chamber: 23 dB(A) at the ORION XLTH’s “Quiet” speed, 30 dB(A) at the airHome 800’s “Super Low” speed. Each manufacturer measures in its own way, however (HITACHI at 1 m from the supply grille). These figures place each unit; they are not enough to rank them.
Who publishes the HITACHI documentation?
The airHome 800 brochure consulted is signed Johnson Controls Hitachi Air Conditioning (December 2024, Canada). This page relies only on that document and the certificates.
Are they eligible for rebates?
Eligibility depends on the official list in force on the date of purchase. This page promises no amount.
All AHRI and NEEP values
| Certified value | ORION XLTH | airHome 800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling | ||
| Rated capacity at 35 °C | 12,000 BTU/h | 12,500 BTU/h |
| SEER2 | 30.5 | 25.0 |
| EER2 | 16.0 | 14.5 |
| Heating, same conditions | ||
| HSPF2 Region IV / V | 12.7 / 10.1 | 11.5 / 8.7 |
| 8.3 °C: min. / rated / max.BTU/h | 3,500 / 16,000 / 23,600 | 4,700 / 12,500 / 19,000 |
| 8.3 °C: COP min. / rated / max. | 5.13 / 4.64 / 3.07 | 2.81 / 3.13 / 3.26 |
| −8.3 °C: min. / rated / max.BTU/h | 2,200 / 10,000 / 18,700 | 4,500 / 11,000 / 16,800 |
| −8.3 °C: COP min. / rated / max. | 3.39 / 3.45 / 2.44 | 1.78 / 2.93 / 2.15 |
| −15 °C: min. / rated / max.BTU/h | 1,950 / 16,600 / 16,600 | 3,500 / 10,500 / 15,200 |
| −15 °C: COP min. / rated / max. | 3.36 / 2.16 / 2.16 | 1.39 / 2.09 / 2.12 |
| Coldest point — different temperatures, not highlighted | ||
| Test temperature | −26.1 °C (−15 °F) | −30 °C (−22 °F) |
| Capacity min. / max. | 1,400 / 12,200 BTU/h | 1,760 / 6,000 BTU/h |
| COP at maximum capacity | 1.81 | 1.06 |
| Listings and refrigerant | ||
| ENERGY STAR / cold climate (NEEP) | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes |
| ENERGY STAR directory, markets listed | United States, Canada | United States |
| AHRI certificate · NEEP record | 214888802 · 392122 | 215911631 · 484774 |
| RefrigerantGWP per the IPCC (AR4); ASHRAE 34 class | R-32 · GWP 675 · A2L | R-32 · GWP 675 · A2L |
higher marks the higher value of the same measure, under the same conditions; it is not a recommendation. Capacities and COP by point are not highlighted: the order changes with the point you read.
Both are on the AirGreen website.
To choose for your room, talk it over with our team: bring the room’s dimensions, the available wall width and the planned outdoor location.
Where each figure comes from
Data verified November 9, 2026. Performance: AHRI certificates and the NEEP database. Dimensions, sound, piping and features: according to the manufacturer. When a source contradicts the AHRI certificate, the certificate prevails.
Trademarks. FUJITSU AIRSTAGE, ORION XLTH, HITACHI and airHome are trademarks of their respective owners. Logos are used only to identify the products compared. AirGreen is a dealer for both brands; this page is not produced, sponsored or endorsed by the manufacturers.
Photos: AirGreen and manufacturers, for identification.
Does a figure look wrong to you? Write to us : any reported value is checked again.