Heat Pumps

Key statistics

I think it’s cheaper to have a heat pump than individual electric heaters: 65%

My health has improved since installing a heat pump: 14%

I researched heat pumps before I bought one: 38%

Having a heat pump has reduced my power bills: 22%

I have had to reduce my spending on other items so I can pay my power bill: 10%

I have additional insulation in my home: 36%

I use my heat pump for both cooling in summer and heating in winter: 56%

I made use of a government subsidy to buy my heat pump: 12%

I have taken extra steps to make my home warmer: 33%

I regularly clean my heat pump’s filters: 45%

Extra steps taken for warmth

Types of heat pump

Air source heat pumps are by far the most common type of residential unit in New Zealand, there are three main models:

• Split heat pumps have two main components – one inside and one outside of your home. The indoor unit is usually mounted on the wall or ceiling. Without going too deeply into the science, the outside unit absorbs heat using coils and refrigerant. This heat passes inside through pipes, where the heat is released. Reverse cycle pumps use the same method for cooling, just the other way around.

• Multi-split heat pumps are the same as split heat pumps but with a larger single outdoor unit serving multiple indoor units. This enables one system to provide heating and cooling across multiple rooms, or even an entire house.

• Ducted heat pump systems provide heating and cooling to an entire home without the need for noticeable indoor units. A ducted system includes a large outdoor unit and flexible ducting that runs through your floor and/or ceiling to provide heating and cooling through vents in your home. Ducted heat pumps are generally more expensive than the other types mentioned.

When purchasing any appliance, thorough research is always a good idea. Key things to consider before committing to buying a heat pump include:

• The size and output of your heat pump is important, and will depend on the size of your home and its location. Heat pumps are measured by their output and range from approx 7kW up to 25kW. It’s critical to get professional advice when choosing the size of your heat pump. An undersized unit may struggle to heat/cool your room, consume more electricity and prove uneconomical to run.
• Energy efficiency.  Heat pumps are usually more efficient than most heating/cooling appliances, but their efficiency varies between models. The Energywise running cost calculator is a great tool for calculating how much it could cost to heat your home.
• Air filtration is an important consideration, especially if someone in your family suffers from asthma, other breathing difficulties or allergies. Some heat pumps contain an inbuilt air filtration system designed to improve air quality.

Canstar Blue surveyed 2,650 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers who have purchased and used a domestic heat pump in the last two years.  In this case, 499 New Zealanders.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.

2015

2016 2017

2018

2019