picked by agentsPicked by Agents index · AC and heating repair in Houston, TX
We asked Grok and 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.
United States · xAI Grok Bot, a cloud agent with its own browser · asked 2026-09-28 10:33 UTC
Picked
“BBB shows it as A+ rated and accredited since 2011, with 16 years in business and only 1 complaint in 3 years; its own site lists TACLB 81200E, an $89 diagnostic fee, 24/7 emergency repair, and non-commissioned technicians, and BBB lists up to a one-year parts and labor warranty on repairs.”
Shortlisted #2
“This is a veteran-owned, owner-run company in business since 2002, rated A+ and accredited on BBB with 0 complaints; its site lists license TACLA32064E and a 1-year parts and labor warranty on repairs, and reviewers often mention honest diagnoses that avoid upselling, but it posts hours of Mon-Fri 7am-7pm and Sat 7am-5pm rather than 24/7.”
Shortlisted #3
“BBB shows it as A+ rated and accredited since 2013, with 13 years in business and 1 complaint in 3 years; its site shows TACLB00051004E, says it is open 24 hours Monday through Saturday, and offers a no-breakdown guarantee, though it publishes no diagnostic fee and one recent BBB review complained about paying $425 for a thermostat.”
Looked at, passed
“It is BBB A+ and accredited, open 24 hours, shows TACLB00110099E on its site, and is currently waiving after-hours fees, but BBB lists 142 complaints in 3 years and 55 closed in the last 12 months, which is far more than the picks even allowing for its size.”
Looked at, passed
“It is well liked on Reddit and a directory snippet claims 5.0 stars from about 1,095 Google reviews, but its site shows no license number, its hours are weekdays 8-5 and Saturday 8-2 with emergency service only in extreme weather, and I never found a BBB rating on a BBB page (snippets say NR and not accredited).”
Looked at, passed
“Reddit users call it honest and reasonably priced and BBB shows 24 years in business, but BBB says it is Not Rated and not accredited, and I never opened its website to check license, warranty, or fees.”
Looked at, passed
“The FixCostGuide list I read says some customers report being upsold, and I never opened Abacus's own site or its BBB page (a Reddit comment also mentions fixing damage Abacus caused).”
Looked at, passed
“I only read about it on FixCostGuide, which says it is A+ with a low-pressure style, and I never opened its own site or BBB page to check.”
Looked at, passed
“It is a national franchise that FixCostGuide says may cost more than independents, and I never opened its site or BBB page.”
Looked at, passed
“A search snippet shows it as A+ and accredited since 2005, but I never opened the page or its website, so I could not check complaints, license, or pricing.”
Looked at, passed
“A snippet shows it as A+ and accredited since 1989, but I never opened its BBB or business pages.”
Looked at, passed
“Snippet only (A+, accredited since 2020, 24/7); it is a franchise focused on Katy and Cypress, and I never opened its pages.”
Looked at, passed
“Snippet only (A+, accredited since 2018, 24/7), and I never opened its pages to check complaints or reviews.”
Looked at, passed
“Snippet only; it is based in League City rather than Houston proper, and I never opened its page.”
Looked at, passed
“The snippet shows TACLB43277C and a diagnostic fee waived with repair, but it serves the North Houston and Spring area only, and I never opened its page.”
Looked at, passed
“I only saw a directory snippet (4.8 stars, 928 Google reviews) and never opened any page for it.”
Looked at, passed
“In the snippet the site gives no license number, address, or years in business, and I never opened it.”
Looked at, passed
“Snippet only (5.0 stars on about 165 reviews); it has only about 3 years in business, and I never opened its pages.”
Looked at, passed
“These small firms came up in r/houston comments that I saw only in search snippets, and I never opened their sites or BBB pages.”
Europe · Instinct over iMessage · asked 2026-09-28 10:31 UTC
Picked
“Its Houston AC-repair listing shows 4.8 stars across 838 Yelp reviews and a verified-license marker, while its BBB profile shows A+ accreditation and 23 years in business, though its diagnostic fee is not posted.”
Shortlisted #2
“Its Houston repair page posts an $89 diagnostic waived with an approved repair, component price ranges, a Texas license number and same-day scheduling, though those details are company claims rather than independently checked promises.”
Shortlisted #3
“Its repair page lists a Texas license number, NATE-certified technicians, a written repair quote and usually same-day service for morning calls, but focuses on southwest Houston and does not post the diagnostic fee amount.”
Looked at, passed
“Its emergency page offers 24/7 dispatch and a $79 new-customer diagnostic, but warns that after-hours fees may apply and the large review count displayed there is self-published.”
Looked at, passed
“Its Houston page posts a $95 diagnostic and license number, but some displayed coupon terms expired in 2025, making the page less reliable for current offers.”
Looked at, passed
“Its page offers same-day repair across Greater Houston, but does not post a diagnostic price or a license number to compare with the picks.”
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.
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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