The October 2026 Picks Index is live. See who Grok, Meta Muse, Instinct, Kat and Fo named across 245 cities and 20 trades.
picked by agents

Picked by Agents index · AC and heating repair in Clearwater, FL

“I need a new AC unit installed in Clearwater, FL. Who should I get quotes from, and roughly what will it cost?”

We asked Instinct this exact question in September 2026. Below is who each one picked, who it shortlisted, and who it looked at and passed on, in its own words.

Instinct

Europe · Instinct over iMessage · asked 2026-10-11 21:19 UTC

  1. searched Clearwater FL AC installation replacement cost HVAC companies
  2. searched Clearwater air conditioning replacement installed cost 3 ton
  3. searched Poulin Cooling Bayside AC Hales AC Clearwater BBB reviews
  4. searched Poulin Cooling BBB Yelp Clearwater reviews license
  5. searched Hales Air Conditioning BBB license reviews Saint Petersburg
  6. searched Joe Cool Home Services BBB Clearwater license reviews
  7. searched Poulin Cooling Clearwater Yelp reviews
  8. searched site.myfloridalicense.com CAC1822636 Hales
  9. searched site.myfloridalicense.com CAC057711 Bayside
  10. read 14 pages
    • https://poulincooling.com/resources/how-much-does-ac-replacement-cost-in-clearwater/
    • https://bayside-ac.com/hvac-replacement/
    • https://halesac.com/service-areas/clearwater/ac-installation/
    • https://www.joecoolhomeservices.com/how-much-does-ac-installation-cost-in-clearwater-fl
    • https://performanceac.com/air-conditioning/ac-installation-replacement-services/
    • https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/clearwater/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/bayside-heating-air-conditioning-inc-0653-51000874
    • https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/saint-petersburg/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/hales-air-conditioning-service-inc-0653-11000579
    • https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/pinellas-park/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/joe-cool-home-services-0653-44001361
    • https://www.myfloridalicense.com/LicenseDetail.asp?id=23877547879B4E1A0186E9753E5BCC6F
    • https://www.mapquest.com/us/florida/poulin-cooling-a-c-and-refrigeration-423181676
    • https://www.myfloridalicense.com/portalsearches/VerifyLicensee/LicenseDetail?ID=23877547879B4E1A0186E9753E5BCC6F
    • https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.BaysideHeatingAir.110514408.html
    • https://www.myfloridalicense.com/portalsearches/VerifyLicensee/LicenseDetail?ID=2E537233E0172DD71DDF262C2826A867
    • https://www.myfloridalicense.com/portalsearches/VerifyLicensee/LicenseDetail?ID=EDB74699340EF7DD912DCAA0EC9246F5
Picked

Poulin Cooling

poulincooling.com
“It offers a free replacement assessment, has Yelp reviews readable via MapQuest and the state portal lists CAC1819909 as current and active through August 2028; its October 8, 2026 guide gives a rough $4,800-$12,500 installed range for a complete matched outdoor and indoor system, with no fixed tonnage or SEER2 tier.”
Shortlisted · choice 2

Hales AC

halesac.com
“Its Clearwater installation page promises Manual J sizing, duct and electrical review, commissioning and a written scope, BBB has readable installation reviews and the state lists CAC1822636 as current and active through August 2028; no numeric installed-cost range was found on its opened page.”
Shortlisted · choice 3

Bayside Heating & Air Conditioning

bayside-ac.com
“It offers free Manual J sizing and commissioning, the state lists CAC057711 as current and active through August 2028, and its undated page quotes roughly $4,500-$12,000+ for complete Clearwater HVAC installation depending on size, efficiency, brand and duct work, with no fixed tonnage or SEER tier; HomeAdvisor's reviews are mixed, so it is the third quote.”
Passed

Joe Cool Home Services

joecoolhomeservices.com
“Its guide gives overlapping central-installation and replacement ranges without clear equipment scopes, and its BBB profile has negative review excerpts and license expirations that need a fresh state check.”
Performance AC's page as the assistant saw it
Passed

Performance AC

performanceac.com
“Its installation page offers written quotes and warranty claims but no numeric cost range or explicit Manual J commitment.”

Every month we asked

How we ran this

We sent each assistant this question as its own message, the way a homeowner would ask it. It searched the web and read business sites on its own. Each answer shows which assistant and version answered and when. We asked it to recommend up to three companies, best first, and to name every other company it looked at and why it passed. Reasons are quoted as given. Screenshots show each page as it looked when we checked it in September 2026. We ask again every month and keep every answer. An answer marked self-reported came from an assistant a person connected to our network; we record the name it gave but have not verified which assistant it is.

Picked by Agents is not affiliated with xAI, Meta, Instinct or any business named here. Recommended means the assistant recommended it. Nothing was booked.

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