The Chromagen heat pump hot water unit is, in my opinion, probably the worst heat pump hot water unit in the market. I strongly encourage people to avoid these units.
In my article and video “How to Choose a Heat Pump Hot Water Unit“, I set out a framework of four key factors when analysing heat pump hot water units:
- Cost
- Reliability/Warranty
- Refrigerant
- Maintenance
Below I review the Chromagen heat pump and run it through these four factors. The results suggest we should avoid these units, but the good news is there are affordable alternatives.
Please note: Chromagen heat pumps are also known as Midea heat pumps.
—
A quick note on Powrhouse to explain why we are well placed to review heat pump hot water units. We have mapped just about every unit on the market, comparing them across a variety of the factors like capacity, power, tank recovery, place of manufacture, reviews, refrigerant, warranty and cost. Please see our “Compare Heat Pump Hot Water Units” live spreadsheet to see our research. We are independent and this review is our opinion informed by our thorough research.
1. Cost
The only thing going for Chromagen units is they are affordable. I place them squarely in the cheap and nasty section of the heat pump hot water market. Advertisements like the one below scream “too good to be true” and “you get what you pay for.”
2. Reliability and Warranty
While the technology behind heat pump hot water is incredible, the output is very simple: we want the water to be hot and the unit to last. When analysing reliability, I recommend people research reviews and online forums. It’s one thing to take my word, or a plumber’s word, but a multitude of reviews are very helpful. I also place greater value on reviews of units that have been operating for a long time. A review of a unit that has been operating for 5 plus years is more valuable than a review of a unit installed 3 months ago. I like Product Review and the Facebook Group My Electric Efficient Home.
Unfortunately this is the biggest concern I have with Chromagen units – the reviews suggest the units won’t last and a poor customer experience. Chromagen units score 3.1 on Product Review from 133 reviews. Other affordable units like Aquatech and Haier Monoblock score 4.7 and 4.9.
While I recognise that reviews are not perfect, and they are often more negative as people vent their grievances, this data point is concerning. If you’re looking at a heat pump hot water unit, it seems likely that you’ll have a better experience with other units.
Reading the reviews is concerning. I like to read negative reviews to see if the company responds and at least pretends to care about customer service. It appears Chromagen does not. A number of the negative reviews cite poor or non-existent customer service, which doesn’t bode well if you the customer have something go wrong.
Chromagen’s warranty is also concerning. Chromagen has two warranties: one warranty for Victoria and one for the rest of Australia. Why would a company have two warranties? The answer is clear: the default (rest of Australia) warranty is poor – only 5 years on the tank and 3 years on the compressor.
However, Chromagen heat pumps would not be eligible for rebates under the Solar Victoria and Victorian Energy Upgrades programs which require a minimum 5 year warrant. So they increase it to 5 years because if the units were not eligible for rebates, they would be significantly more expensive and unable to compete.
Clearly they don’t have enough confidence in their product to offer the Victoria warranty to the rest of Australia.
3. Refrigerant
Chromagen heat pumps previously used R-134a which has now been phased out, largely because the Victorian rebate initiatives made these units ineligible for rebates, again meaning they wouldn’t be able to compete on price. Chromagen units now use Propane (R290), which is consistent with the rest of the market.
4. Maintenance
The maintenance requirements for Chromagen units is standard compared to the rest of the market. Chromagen requires owners to operate the PTR valve every six months and have the unit serviced by a plumber every five years.
Other Factors
Other factors when considering the Chromagen heat pump:
- Noise – operates between 48 and 54dB, which is at the higher end of the market
- Place of Manufacture – the units are manufactured in China, which is consistent with the rest of the market
Chromagen Heat Pump Review Summary
It is very clear to me that people should stay away from Chromagen heat pump hot water units. There are serious reliability concerns, the warranty is poor and clearly gamed, and the company doesn’t seem to care about customer service. Most of the rebates can only be claimed once, so while a Chromagen unit might be cheap the first time, it won’t be the second time.
The good news however is there are alternative heat pump hot water units that tick these boxes and are still affordable. While they will not be as cheap as Chromagen heat pumps, this is for good reason. I like Aquatech and Haier Monoblock as good quality, mid-market units that won’t break the bank.
If you are interested in a quote for a heat pump hot water unit and/or you would like to discuss your options, we’d love to hear from you.
Subscribe to Our