Ecogenica heat pump hot water units are one of the most polarising heat pumps on the market. Some people absolutely love them and others think they are junk. My Ecogenica heat pump review aims to cut through the noise and provide a balanced opinion.
I review Ecogenica heat pump hot water units using my framework of four factors (Cost, Reliability, Refrigerant and Maintenance). Below I’ll explain why I think these units should be avoided, and introduce better alternatives that are more reliable and yet still affordable.
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A quick note on Powrhouse to explain why we are well qualified 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” spreadsheet to see our research. We are independent and this review is our opinion informed by our research.
1. Cost
Ecogenica units are certainly affordable – they are one of the cheapest units on the market. While cheap heat pumps might seem like a good thing, the problem is ultra cheap heat pumps are always from what I call “volume installers”. They pay their staff peanuts, staff are required to install 3 or 4 units per day and rush through jobs without care.
Heat pump hot water units will only work for 10-15 years if they are installed well and maintained. I’ve seen some terrible photos on online forums of installations performed by volume installers. Unfortunately most customers don’t know what to look for and are none the wiser, until their showers start getting cold.
Ecogenica units have become the champion of the ultra-cheap heat pump hot water unit, like this advertisement:
2. Reliability
I like to look at reviews of heat pumps to analyse their reliability.
The old Ecogenica unit received 4.2 stars from hundreds of reviews on Product Review. The Ecogenica products have changed and the latest Product Review listing is for their newer propane unit, which only has a few reviews.
While 4.2 seems reasonable, this is where it pays to investigate. There is another listing on Product Review for Eco Alliance, the company behind Ecogenica heat pumps. The reviews here are concerning. Eco Alliance scores 1.9 from 39 reviews. You can see the vast majority are negative. Of even greater concern is the consistent comments about poor customer service, suggesting if things go wrong, you shouldn’t expect much help.
Eco Alliance scores 4 stars from hundreds of Google reviews, suggesting that a number of people have had a positive experience. Again it pays to investigate – most of the positive reviews are from recent installations. Most heat pumps will work well, at least initially. The question is whether they will continue to work well over a long period of time. A number of the negative Google reviews also complain of a lack of post sale customer service.
3. Refrigerant
Ecogenica heat pumps previously used R-134a which has now been phased out, largely because the Victorian rebate initiatives made these units ineligible for rebates. Ecogenica units now use propane (R290) which is consistent with the rest of the market.
4. Maintenance
The maintenance requirements for Ecogenica units are standard.
Other Factors
Other factors when considering the Ecogenica heat pump:
- Noise – operates between 50dB, which is one of the loudest units on the market
- Place of Manufacture – the units are manufactured in China, which is consistent with the rest of the market
Ecogenica Heat Pump Review Summary
It is clear to me that people should stay away from Ecogenica heat pump hot water units. There are serious reliability concerns and it appears if something goes wrong, you won’t be getting much support from the company.
Anyone buying an Ecogenica unit appears to be “rolling the dice.” And the problem with rolling the dice with heat pumps is you are only eligible for rebates once. While the first Ecogenica unit you buy might be ultra cheap, the second heat pump won’t be.
The good news however is there are alternative heat pump hot water units that tick all the boxes and are still affordable. While they will not be as cheap as Ecogencia heat pumps, this is for good reason. I like Aquatech and Haier Monoblock as a safer choice. They are 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.
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