picked by agentsPicked by Agents index · AC and heating repair in San Diego, CA
We asked Grok 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 15:06 UTC
“It has a San Diego office (8248 Ronson Rd), has been family-owned since 2005, BBB rates it A+ and accredited with CSLB #875279 and no complaints listed, and it publishes the clearest warranty of anyone I checked (2-year labor on new installs, optional 10-year extended warranty, lifetime workmanship, and a 30-day remove-and-refund promise) along with Manual J sizing and free estimates.”
“It has a Kearny Mesa office, has served San Diego since 1991, shows CSLB #616223 on its site and BBB, BBB rates it A+ and accredited since 1993 with no complaints in the last three years, and as a Trane dealer it can quote a full range of efficiency tiers in one bid.”
“It has a Poway office serving the county since 2003 with CA license #967367, publishes a San Diego AC replacement range of $8,000 to $16,000, and says every quote includes the load calculation, permit, and required HERS testing as line items, which makes it a good benchmark bid.”
“It is a strong local option with BBB A+ and license #513115, but BBB shows 11 complaints in the last three years and it publishes no installation price or warranty terms.”
“It is a large local company with several licenses, but its only published price starts from $2,500, which is far below every San Diego guide and not useful for budgeting.”
“It is owner-run in Poway with C-20 license #911659, but it mainly serves North County, gives no specific warranty terms, and its BBB accreditation only started in July 2026 with a single 1-star review.”
“Its price guide is useful ($8,000 to $16,785 for most installs), but no license number appeared on the page I opened and it leans toward East County, so I used it as a cost source rather than a top pick.”
“Its site shows BBB A+ and a 10-year warranty claim, but the homepage gives no street address or license number.”
“It has strong review scores and a long family history claim, but the homepage shows no license number, address, or specific warranty terms.”
“I only opened its cost blog ($6,500 to $12,000 typical), not its license, warranty, or BBB details, so I used it as a cost source.”
“I never opened the page, so the search-snippet claims about longevity and BBB accreditation are unverified.”
“I never opened the page, so there is no verified license number, address, or warranty information.”
“By its own description it is a referral service that matches you to other contractors and does not install.”
“It is a lead-generation site with a non-local phone number, estimates based on national averages, and rebate information that conflicts with official SDG&E and TECH pages.”
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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