Reclaim Heat Pump Hot Water Review

Tim's Reclaim Review

Reclaim units are one of the top units on the marketplace. The only downside to Reclaim is the cost. I recommend the Reclaim unit to someone who has the budget, wants the very best unit, has no plans to move home and hopes the unit will last for a good 15 years.

❌ Cost: The only downside of Reclaim units is they are expensive

✅ Reliability: With strong reviews and a market-dominating warranty, customers can be assured that a new Reclaim unit is likely to last a long time

✅ Refrigerant: Reclaim units use carbon dioxide as the refrigerant. Carbon dioxide is, ironically, the best refrigerant on the market

✅ Maintenance: Reclaim units require little maintenance. The glass-lined units use a sacrifical anode, which needs to be checked every few years, but the stainless steel tanks require almost no ongoing maintenance

Heat Pump Compare offers expert and independent reviews of heat pump hot water units.
Learn more about how I review units

There is a strong argument to suggest that Reclaim units are the most reliable units on the market. I base reliability on reviews, warranty terms and the company backing the warranty. Reclaims tick all three boxes, with a double tick for warranty terms.

Reclaim hot water units receive 4.8 stars on Product Review. I used to describe Reclaim's warranty as market-leading. I now describe it as market-dominating. As of 1 September 2024, Reclaim's warranty is 10 years parts and labour for the compressor. The tank warranty is either 10 years for glass-lined or 15 years for the stainless steel tank.

I am on a continuous campaign for manufacturers to increase their heat pump warranties and Reclaim is leading the charge. Haier Monoblock comes with a 7 year warranty and Sanden comes with a 6 year warranty. The industry standard is 5 years, but many of these only have 1 or 2 years labour. Reclaim is in a league of its own - I hope others take note.

The key question with Reclaim units: is it worth the cost? Installations typically cost upwards of $4k and even as much as $7k. It’s a lot of money for hot water. Will a cheaper unit at almost half the price last as long as a Reclaim? It's hard to tell, but now that Reclaim has double the warranty of many cheaper units, this arguably justifies double the price.

Reclaim units are split units. One of the benefits of split units is that the compressor and tank can be replaced independently. For example, if an all-in-one unit fails, the whole unit needs to be replaced. If the Reclaim compressor fails, you can replace just the compressor.

Ready for quotes?

Heat Pump Compare connects you to trusted installers that share our commitment to quality advice, products and service.

Get quotes (It only takes 2 minutes)

Reclaim Specifications

Model	Reclaim
Split/All-in-one	Split
Capacity (L)	160/250/315/400
Tank Material	Glass / Stainless Steel
Tank Protection	Sacrifical anode / not required
Place of Manufacture	Tank - Australia Compressor - Japan
Product Review Score	4.8 from 83 reviews
Warranty	Heat Pump: 10 yrs Parts & Labour Tank: 10-15 yrs
Time in Market (Unit)	2018
Company Founded	2018
Noise Level	37 dB
Maintenance	6 months - check PTR valve 5 years - check sacrificial anode (glass-lined tanks) initially every five years, then every 3 years
Recommended Retail Price (RRP)	$6,146

Reclaim units come in a variety of tank sizes and materials. I recommend the Stainless Steel tank. It will cost an extra $700 or so, but it comes with an extra 5 years warranty and requires less maintenance, which will save cost and hassle over the long run.
Noise level is the quietest on the market at 37 dB (other units range from 43 - 50 db)
Reclaims use the best refrigerant on the market - Carbon Dioxide. Reclaim units can heat the water temperature upwards of 70 degrees just with the heat pump. Other units often require a back up element to heat above 60 degrees, which is inefficient. Having said that, you don’t often need to heat above 60 degrees
I recommend people opt for the V2 Reclaim model. Reclaim units come in a variety of versions, shapes and sizes. It used to be a little confusing with the choice between V1 and V2. The 10 year warranty mentioned above only comes with V2, so I think the choice is easy.