Buying guide
Best heat pump hot water systems in Australia (2026)
Our picks for different homes, from cold climates to soaking up spare solar, chosen from the manufacturers’ own Australian specifications and warranty terms. No manufacturer pays to be on this list.
Facts checked 22 October 2026.
The short list
Best for cold climates
Sanden Eco Plus
Sanden’s CO2 heat pump is rated from -10 °C to 43 °C and heats water to 63 °C, with a COP of 5.96 under the Australian test standard and 37 dB at 1 metre. Its stainless tanks carry 15 years of warranty, the first 10 in full.
- Refrigerant
- CO2 (R744), a natural refrigerant
- Efficiency
- COP 5.96, tested to AS/NZS 5125.1
- Operating range
- -10 °C to 43 °C air temperature
- Water temperature
- 63 °C
- Noise
- 37 dB at 1 m
- Tanks
- 160, 250, 300 and 315 L stainless steel; 315 L vitreous enamel
Best for using spare solar
Reclaim Energy CO2 and Eco R290 heat pumps
Reclaim’s controller is designed to heat water from surplus solar before it’s exported, with off-peak and continuous modes and a one-shot boost. The CO2 heat pump heats to 63 °C even at -10 °C without an element, is rated at 37 dB, and the current heat pump carries 10 years’ parts and labour.
- Refrigerant
- CO2 (R744); R290 in the Eco R290
- Efficiency
- COP 6.02 at 32 °C air (CO2, Reclaim’s brochure)
- Cold weather
- Heats to 63 °C at -10 °C outside; no backup element needed
- Noise
- 37 dB (CO2)
- Tanks
- 160, 250, 315 and 400 L, glass-lined or stainless steel; squat stainless for under floors
- Design
- Split, with the heat pump up to 10 m across and 5 m up from the tank
Best plug-in all-in-one
Emerald All-In-One Pro
Emerald’s inverter lets the models without an element boost on the heat pump alone and plug into a normal power point without an electrician. COP is 4.8 to 5.2 in standard mode, it runs down to -7 °C without the element, and home installs get 7 years on the tank (8 if registered) and 5 years on the system and labour.
- Refrigerant
- R290 (propane), GWP 3
- Efficiency
- COP 4.9 (220 L), 4.8 (270 L), 5.2 (320 L) in standard mode, at 20 °C air heating 15 to 55 °C
- Operating range
- -7 °C to 43 °C without the element; -15 °C to 43 °C with it
- Noise
- 49 dB(A) at 1 m in standard mode; 45 dB(A) in silent mode
- Tanks
- 220, 270 and 320 L enamelled steel
- Recovery
- 58 L/hr standard; 75 L/hr boost, or 108 L/hr with the element
Best Australian-made swap
Dux Ecosmart heat pump
Dux designs and makes the Ecosmart in Australia. It’s one piece, comes in plug-in versions, and has the same diameter as Dux’s 250 L and 315 L electric tanks, so it often fits where the old tank was. The 285 L model has a COP of 4.63 at 20 °C air.
- Refrigerant
- R290, low GWP
- Efficiency
- COP 4.63 (285 L), at 20 °C air heating 20 to 60 °C
- Heating
- 2.5 kW from the heat pump: 54 L/hr at 20 °C, or up to 93 L/hr with the element
- Tanks
- 200 L (202.5 L) and 285 L (287 L), enamel with two anodes
- Element
- 1.2 kW (plug-in) or 1.8 kW (hardwired)
- Install
- One piece; plug-in or hardwired; hard water models available
Best for installing indoors
Stiebel Eltron SHP-O and WWK
The SHP-O can sit outside or inside (it needs 13 m³ of space), uses R290, connects to solar through SG Ready, and has 7 years on the cylinder and 5 on the sealed system. Its COP is 4.27 (200 L) and 4.21 (300 L) at 20 °C air.
- Refrigerant
- R290 (152 g) in the SHP-O; R134a in the WWK
- Efficiency
- SHP-O COP 4.27 (200 L) and 4.21 (300 L), EN 16147 at 20 °C air
- Operating range
- SHP-O -5 °C to 43 °C; the element takes over in colder weather
- Noise
- 47 dB(A) at 2 m (SHP-O)
- Tanks
- 200 or 300 L (SHP-O); 220 or 302 L (WWK)
- Install
- Outdoors, or indoors with 13 m³ of space
How we chose
We compared each system’s refrigerant, efficiency (COP), how cold it can run before it needs an electric element, noise, tank material and sizes, whether it’s one piece or split, how it uses spare solar, and its Australian warranty terms, using only the manufacturer’s own documents. Makers test COP at different temperatures, so we quote each figure with its test conditions instead of ranking on it. Each pick is the strongest for one need, so the list isn’t a ranking from best to worst.
What we didn’t use yet: prices, which vary by installer and change often, and owner reviews, which we’re starting to collect. We’ll add both as we have enough data.
What doesn’t count: advertising. Featured placements and quote partnerships on this site have no effect on this list.
Also checked
- Apricus All-In-One heat pump: A one-piece 260 L R290 heat pump with a 6-year parts and labour warranty, and a 2025 recall to check. Not a pick yet: units sold between 9 December 2024 and 31 March 2025 were recalled in April 2025 because a batch fault could make the tank fall over. Apricus replaces affected units.
- iStore 180 L and 270 L heat pumps: A one-piece R290 heat pump that plugs into a standard power point, with one 5-year warranty on the lot. Not a pick yet: iStore doesn’t publish a full current data sheet for its R290 models, and its brochure and product page give different heights for the 270 L, so we’re waiting on one.
- Quantum Compact heat pumps: One-piece R290 heat pumps rated to -10 °C without an element, in four sizes from 150 to 340 L. Not a pick yet: electrical and refrigeration parts are covered for 2 years, shorter than most brands here.
- Rheem Ambiheat: An Australian-made 270 L heat pump with a 10-year cylinder warranty and a 2.4 kW backup element. Not a pick yet: its R513A refrigerant has a far higher global warming potential than CO2 or R290, and Rheem doesn’t publish its COP or noise level on the product page.
Rebates
Heat pumps earn STCs set by the Clean Energy Regulator’s register, which installers usually take off the price. In Victoria, a Solar Victoria rebate of up to $1,000 (up to $1,400 for an eligible locally made system) can come on top, through an authorised retailer.
Still deciding between a heat pump and solar hot water? Read heat pump vs solar hot water.
Questions
- Which heat pump hot water system is best?
- It depends on your climate and your home. In cold areas, a CO2 heat pump that keeps heating well below zero without an element is worth its higher price. If you have spare solar during the day, look for a timer or solar mode that heats the water then. To replace an old electric tank cheaply, a one-piece unit that plugs into a normal power point keeps installation simple.
- CO2 or R290: which refrigerant?
- Both are natural refrigerants with a tiny climate impact. The CO2 (R744) systems here, from Sanden and Reclaim Energy, heat water to about 63 °C down to -10 °C without an element, and cost more. R290 (propane) units are cheaper and efficient in mild weather; most run down to about -5 to -7 °C before they lean on their element, though Quantum’s are rated to -10 °C.
- What rebates can I get?
- Most heat pumps on the Clean Energy Regulator’s register earn small-scale technology certificates (STCs), which installers usually take off the price. The number depends on the model, your climate zone and the year it’s installed, and it falls each year until the scheme ends in 2030: a 2026 install gets half the register’s 10-year figure. Victoria (Solar Victoria and VEU) and NSW (the Energy Savings Scheme) add their own incentives.
- Are heat pumps noisy?
- They hum about as loudly as a fridge or a quiet conversation: the makers here quote 37 to 49 dB(A), though not all measure at the same distance. Put the unit away from bedroom windows and fences, and if it will run overnight on an off-peak tariff, check your council’s noise rules.
- Why don’t you rank them 1 to 10?
- Because the right system depends on the climate and the home. Each pick is the strongest on the published specifications for one need. Once we have enough owner reviews, we’ll add how they perform in real homes.