Picked
Cates Heating and Cooling
catesheatingandcooling.com“Reviewers describe same-day second opinions where Cates repaired units other companies declared beyond repair, calling them trustworthy and honest.”
- Picked
- Shortlisted
- Passed
Meta Muse
United States · Meta Muse via a research connector · asked 2026-10-02 16:47 UTC
- searched honest HVAC company Columbia SC repair vs replace second opinion old AC reviews
Shortlisted · 2nd choice
Elite Air & Heat of Columbia
eliteaircolumbia.com“Explicitly offers complimentary second-opinion estimates for aging AC systems in Columbia.”
Shortlisted · 3rd choice
Cool Care Heating and Air
coolcarehvac.com“Techs are paid hourly rather than by commission, removing the incentive to upsell a 16-year-old unit into a replacement it does not need.”
Passed
Summers Plumbing Heating & Cooling
columbianewsupdates.com“Surfaced through sponsored content; a national brand rather than a local specialist.”
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 October 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.
Want to know why they pass on you?
We run the questions your customers ask against your business every month and show you what the assistants saw.
Get your free report