“We’re one of the very few brands that have a product that received an Innovation of the Year Award from AHR, and we continue to evolve and present products and push the industry for more growth,” said Keith Keller, vice president of NAVAC HVAC. 

Among the new products is the Nexus 2, a digital manifold gauge that integrates the same touchscreen technology as smartphones. It also includes four different display options, giving contractors better visibility of critical readings, even when outdoors in bright sunlight. 

Larry Kwok, vice president of product, said the touchscreen technology, along with its digital display, means contractors can count on faster responses and intuitive graphics to make diagnostics quicker. 

“It’s a complete rethink of how mainfolds work,” he said. “We are the industry’s first to introduce the smartphone touchscreen technology for a professional manifold.” 

DIGITAL MANIFOLDS: NAVAC’s Nexus 2 features easy-to-read gauges and graphics to streamline diagnostics for technicians. (Staff photo)

The manifold includes 0.4 accuracy sensors, Bluetooth, and supports over 100 refrigerants through the MyNAVAC app. It also features adjustable brightness and shock-absorbing corner protection that can withstand regular bumps during fieldwork. 

“It’s true plug-and-play setup,” he said. “Technicians can connect a hose once and know everything — diagnostics, charging, and evacuations, all in one.” 

The company’s Flex 1 manifold gauge has many similar features, including high-definition graphics, intuitive layouts, and durable housing, all of which fit in the palm of your hand. Instead of multiple analog gauges, the device gives contractors a compact solution for quick assessments and draws on the MyNAVAC app to stay up to date. 

The rechargeable Flex 1 also includes class 0.4 accuracy, a hook for easy handling, and simple one-knob operation. 

“We’re not just building tools, we’re building a connective ecosystem that helps technicians do their jobs better every day,” he said. 

There are a total of 30 SKUs that NAVAC plans to release in the coming year, which Keller said are all customer-centric, both for contractors and distributors. He said these and other products were developed with contractor feedback to ensure they hold up to the needs of technicians. 

“In the past eight years, we see that there is a gap, and we’re trying to fill that gap with more innovative tools, smarter tools, so the technicians do their job a little more easily, efficient, and safe,” said Keller. 

Keller said they recently reached a distribution agreement with AccuTools to make them widely available. NAVAC’s new products are available through a pre-order system with the Nexus 2 and Flex 1 due for launch at the end of April.