Econova is the newest hot water range from Ecogenica – and if that name rings a bell, it should. We’ve reviewed Ecogenica’s heat pumps before, and it wasn’t pretty: a 1.9-star rating for parent company Eco Alliance, a recall for electrical shock hazard and a consistent stream of complaints about customer service. Our Econova heat pump review highlights that Econova is Ecogenica’s attempt at a fresh start, and so far on paper it looks like it’s working. We’re not convinced.
** This review reflects the professional opinion of the author, based on the information available (including manufacturer statements, published warranty and recall records, and third-party review platforms such as ProductReview.com.au). Statements about future reliability are predictions and opinion, not representations of fact about the performance of any current Econova product. Ratings and figures cited from third-party sources were accurate as of the date of publication and are linked/attributed at the point of use.
Ecogenica x Econova
I’ve been following Ecogenica for a number of years and I’ve communicated with the company numerous times. It’s never really been clear to me what Ecogenica is, as they claim not be a manufacturer yet I have seen units clearly labelled as Ecogenica, as well as other companies offering to install Ecogenica units. In a recent interaction in July 2026, I’ve been told by the company directly:
In the past we manufactured heat pumps under Ecogenica and this was all B2C (Business-to-Consumer). Ecogenica is our brand in the UK now. We no longer manufacture Ecogenica for Australia these are in the final stages of phase out as we speak. Moving forward we will only manufacture under the ECONOVA brand in Australia and NZ and our model will be B2B not direct to consumer.
The past is still a little unclear, but at least it’s clear now that Econova is now the brand in Australia. My concern is that the same issues that plagued the Ecogenica brand, might come out in the Econova brand.
Econova
Econova offers the following products:
- 260L All-in-one unit (ECON-260RVW), with an optional booster element
- 300L All-in-one unit (ECON-300RVW), with an optional booster element
- 300L (ECON-300SV) and 330L (ECON-330FREC-WR) split system heat pumps
I’m told by the company that the all in one units are new and the splits are the same as Ecogenica with a few slight improvements.
Why We’re Skeptical
Econova currently sits at 4.7 stars from 14 reviews on ProductReview.com.au. That’s a good score. But in our experience, early reviews on any new heat pump are almost always glowing – the honeymoon period covers installation, first impressions, and the first few months of hot showers. The reviews that actually matter are the ones that show up two or three years in, once compressors have cycled hundreds of times and the units that were assembled a little too cheaply start dropping off. Fourteen reviews on a brand-new range tells you almost nothing about whether Econova will hold up.
We’ve seen this playbook before. Stiebel Eltron’s older WWK range picked up a rough 3.1-star reputation over hundreds of reviews before being quietly discontinued in favour of the new SHP Plus and SHP Premium line in 2025 – a pattern we flagged in our Stiebel Eltron review. A new range with no track record is a very convenient way to leave a bad one behind.
So the question we’d ask before buying an Econova unit is simple: if the previous product was good enough, why launch a new one? In our view, a new range from a manufacturer with Ecogenica’s history looks less like innovation and more like a rebrand – new badge, same underlying reliability question mark.
Cost
We’ve seen companies offering Econova heat pump hot water units installed for as little as $879. To me, this sounds too good to be true. Our process at Powrhouse is to request photos from customers and thoroughly assess a job before quoting. Yet these quotes promise very cheap prices, no hidden charges and installed within 1-3 days. My concern is that these are offered by “Volume Installers” – groups that install multiple units each day, quickly moving between jobs, not necessarily taking care in their work. These companies are attracted to cheaper heat pumps as they appeal to customers solely focussed on price. And this of course works for companies like Econova as they sell more units.
Our view is that a slightly higher investment up front might save headaches and expensive replacements down the track. This is especially relevant given most people will only receive the rebates once and a replacement is likely to be much more expensive.
Reliability & Warranty
This is where we have to be upfront about the limits of what we know today: there is no meaningful reliability track record for Econova. What we do have is its parent company – a company whose flagship product has a 1.9-star rating and a safety recall behind it. We wouldn’t bet against that history repeating. Whether it does is something only time will tell – but “wait and see” is exactly why we can’t recommend buying in early.
I also like to review the warranty of the product offered by the company. If the warranty of a heat pump is strong, I view that as a good sign that the company has conviction in their product. If the warranty is weak, it suggests the company perhaps doesn’t think the unit will stand the test of time.
Econova offers a 5 year warranty on the all-in-one systems, a 2 year labour for ancillary components/parts. Econova offers a 7 year warranty on the split system tank, a 5 year warranty on the rest of the hot water heat pump split system and a 2 year warranty for labour and ancillary parts.
Econova offers an additional warranty for Solar Victoria customers. To be eligible for the Solar Victoria hot water rebate, which applies to most customers in Victoria, manufacturers need to offer a minimum 5 year warranty on all parts and labour. We see this often. Manufacturers offer a lower warranty to most customers around the country, and then an enhanced warranty to make sure their product is eligible for the rebate. We don’t like this approach – we think it’s a much stronger vote of confidence if manufacturers offer one strong warranty to all customers.
Refrigerant
Econova units use R290 (propane) refrigerant, which is efficient and has a low environmental impact – no complaints there.
Maintenance
Econova’s maintenance requirements are actually pretty good and in line with the better quality units in the heat pump market. Some units like iStore, while they’re a good quality unit with a good track record, require regular servicing, which will lead to increased running costs.
Econova suggests homeowners should keep the unit clean and free from obstructions to allow ventilation into the heat pump. Homeowners should also operate the Pressure and Temperature Relief (PTR) valve every six months.
Econova units use a sacrificial anode to protect the tank. The company recommends replacing the anode during a five-year service, or sooner if you reside in an area with poor water quality.
Econova Heat Pump Review Summary
Econova’s early reviews are good, and we want to be fair about that – this isn’t a “these units are already failing” review, because they aren’t old enough for that to be true yet. It’s a “we’ve seen this pattern before, and it didn’t end well” review. A new product line from a manufacturer with the parent company’s track record deserves a longer track record of its own before we’d recommend it to anyone. We think customers will be better served by brands with years of consistent reviews behind them, like Aquatech Dynamic X8 or the Haier Monoblock, rather than be an early tester for a re-brand.
If you are interested in a quote for a heat pump hot water unit, we’d love to hear from you.
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