The Aquatech Fusion X8 is an exciting development that has recently hit the heat pump hot water market.
The Aquatech Fusion X8 has 320L of capacity and is a great option for families with significant hot water usage. This might include families of 5 or more people, or even families of 4 that indulge in extra long showers (teenagers!).
Our Aquatech Fusion X8 review looks at the four factors you should consider when looking at heat pump hot water:
- Cost
- Reliability
- Refrigerant
- Maintenance
Read on for why we think it is a great option.
1. Aquatech Fusion X8 Cost
A standard installation for a Fusion X8 is between $2,000 and $2,500. This involves the new unit installed in the same location as the old unit and an easy electrical run from the unit to the switchboard.
Where a powerpoint is ready and available, we can plug the unit into the power point, save the cost of an electrician and install at the lower end of this range.
The Fusion X8 is clearly the most affordable, good quality large unit on the market. Up until recently, the only option was the Reclaim 315L. While these are almost faultless units, they come with a price tag. Haier launched the 330L Monoblock in May 2025 which somewhat plugged this gap. A standard installation for a 330L Monoblock through Powrhouse is around $2,600, so the Fusion X8 is a little cheaper.
2. Reliability and Warranty
Reliability is probably the most important factor in analysing heat pump hot water units. It’s all well and good saying heat pumps are more efficient and cheaper to run, but that’s a false economy if they don’t last.
Pleasingly, we have plenty of evidence which suggests good quality heat pumps do last.
Aquatech has a great track record having launched their first heat pump in 2011, so they’ve been making and selling heat pumps for over 15 years.
It’s difficult to comment on the reliability of a new unit. There is no track record for the Fusion X8. I think this will come down to your personal preference. Some might be attracted to the new technology offering longer durability and better performance. Others however might prefer not to be first.
When analysing reliability, I think it’s important to also look at the warranty. The Hydrotherm Fusion X8 is backed by a 5-year parts and labour warranty, with an extended warranty of an additional 2 years if you leave a review on ProductReview. This is a positive sign and compares well to other units. The Haier Monoblock is a 7-year warranty on the unit and 5-year labour warranty, so slightly better than Aquatech.
And of course, the other important consideration when assessing warranty is the company providing the warranty. We’ve seen Aquatech’s customer service first hand and are impressed by their willingness to honour warranty claims.
3. Refrigerant
The Aquatech Fusion X8 uses Propane (R290) as a refrigerant. Propane has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 3 and is only bettered by Carbon Dioxide as a refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential of 1.
It’s a great sign that Aquatech have been using Propane since 2020 as it means that they haven’t needed to change their manufacturing.
4. Maintenance
The Fusion X8 uses a sacrificial anode to protect the tank from corrosion. It is recommended that the anode be checked every 2 years, but it is not a warranty condition.
Other Factors
A review of the Aquatech Fusion X8 should also consider other factors:
- Size – probably the only the downside of the Fusion X8 is its size. Measuring 2.15m tall, it’s a big unit and doesn’t always fit. We need 2.5m vertical clearance between the ground and any low eaves or obstacles above, allowing room above the unit for servicing if required.
- Noise – the sound rating is listed at 48 dBA. This is a little higher than other units but probably won’t be an issue unless placed outside a kitchen window that you like to open in summer.
- Place of Manufacture – the units are manufactured in China, which is arguably another drawback, but most units on the market are made in China
Aquatech Fusion X8 Review Summary
Powrhouse is independent. Powrhouse recommends the Fusion X8 purely as a result of our thorough research of the heat pump hot water market. The Fusion X8 ticks all the boxes: it’s a big unit and will offer a lot of hot water for large families, it’s affordable, low maintenance and we think it will be reliable like Aquatech’s other units.
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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