Key Takeaways
- There are three key factors to consider when choosing a heat pump hot water unit: cost, reliability and refrigerant
- Noise, maintenance, efficiency and place of manufacture are minor factors that might also be taken into account
You've decided to look into switching to a heat pump hot water unit. You've done some research and found out that heat pump hot water units are the most efficient, cheapest, smartest and most environmentally friendly way to heat your home's hot water. Now comes the tricky part - how to choose a heat pump hot water unit.
And here's the bad news: there are heaps of heat pump hot water units on the market - how are we going to choose?
Luckily, there's good news: Heat Pump Compare is here to help.
Below I clearly explain how to choose a heat pump hot water unit, setting out a framework of factors that you should consider when researching units. By the end, you'll be well equipped to make an informed choice and ready to read and understand our reviews on units in the market.
Main Factors for Choosing Heat Pump Hot Water
Our framework for analysing heat pump hot water unit brands includes three main factors: cost, reliability and refrigerants.
Let's dive in....
1. Cost
We have seen heat pump hot water units advertised as low as $39 and as high as $9,000. Both sides of that range are equally ridiculous. On the low side, aggressive advertisers on Facebook and Instagram offer free hot water upgrades with government rebates. The units are usually rubbish. Unfortunately people spin up these companies which chase and exploit rebates with unsuspecting customers. On the high side, we've heard of some people taking advantage by selling units for absurd prices.
Good quality units range from $2,500 to $6,500, not including rebates.
Reclaim and Sanden are the two leading units on the market. Unfortunately they sell for upwards of $6,000 and as well as being too expensive for many people, we don't think the higher price tag is justified.
2. Reliability and Warranty
Heat pump hot water is a big investment. We only receive rebates once - we want the units to last.
So how do we know whether a unit will last?
We recommend people research reviews and online forums. It's one thing to take our word, or a plumber's word, but a multitude of reviews are very helpful. We also place greater value on reviews of units that have been operating for a long time. It's one thing to read a review of a unit installed 3 months ago, but it's more valuable to read a review of a unit that has been operating for 5 plus years. We like Product Review and the Facebook Group My Electric Efficient Home.
In analysing reliability we need to compare warranties. The industry standard is 5 years. We'd like to see this increased. Many manufacturers are quick to highlight that the units should last 10 or 12 years. Well if that's the case warrant them for longer than 5! High end units like Reclaim and Sanden tend to have a slightly longer warranty between 6 and 8 years. We'd like to see this increased to 10 years minimum to justify the high price tag.
Not all warranties are the same - I encourage people to buy from a reputable company, preferably with a long track record, that will honour any warranty. "Rebate hunters" selling free or $39 units won't be around in 5 years to speak to or honour their warranty.
Our Compare Tool helpfully allows you easily compare the reviews of a unit, the warranty and the length of time the company has been in operation, all with a view to help make highlight which units are reliable and worth the investment.
3. Refrigerants
Each heat pump hot water unit uses a refrigerant that acts as the medium that transfers heat from air to water.
I cover how Refrigerants operate, the three common refrigerants in the market and my thoughts on which you should choose in my detailed article here.
I encourage consumers to look at the Refrigerant used in their heat pump hot water unit. I summarise in the article:
It is my view that you don’t need to sacrifice refrigerant for quality or budget. There are some good quality units on the market like Aquatech, Haier, Emerald which use propane and don’t require the high upfront cost of some of the CO2 refrigerant units.
Minor Factors
Below are some minor factors that might also be considered when choosing a unit. I call them 'minor' factors as they are unlikely to drive your decision, but perhaps should be kept in mind:
- Noise - there are some myths that heat pump hot water units are noisy and will keep you awake at night. This is a myth for two reasons. First, there are a number of units on the market which are in fact quieter than most air conditioners. Second, heat pump hot water units should almost always be set on a timer to work during the day. As I outline in my article on Free Hot Water, setting the units to run during the day both optimises solar (if applicable) and higher air temperatures. Still, some poorer quality units can be noisy, perhaps another reason to avoid them.
- Maintenance - my article on Servicing and Maintenance explains ongoing maintenance required by many units. You should at least be aware of the ongoing maintenance for the units you are considering. If two units are otherwise equal, choose the one that will create less hassles down the track.
- Efficiency - I think Efficiency in heat pump hot water units can be overrated. First, it's almost impossible to work out which units are the most efficient and second, they are all such a great leap forward over alternatives that picking the most efficient unit can be like splitting hairs. I recommend you avoid getting caught up in a quest for the most efficient unit.
- Place of manufacture - I'm all for promoting Australian manufacturing but unfortunately there are only two locally made units on the market: the Rinnai and Rheem Ambiheat. The Rinnai doesn't receive great reviews and the Rheem uses a poor refrigerant. Most affordable, reliable units are manufactured in China.
Compare
We have mapped every unit in the market and listed them side-by-side. We've included the key criteria, including of course the major and minor factors discussed.
Now you know how to analyse heat pump hot water units, please feel free to check out our Compare Tool and please also see my reviews on units you might be considering.
