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Worth Considering

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Guide to the table

Our test was conducted by an independent laboratory in New Zealand. Price is based on a survey in March 2009 and doesn't include installation costs.

 

 

 Relative performance

• Gives each heat pump water heater's energy performance relative to that of a standard electric hot-water cylinder, at each of the three "ambient" test temperatures.  

 
Type
 

Integral
Integral models have the heat pump and the water tank combined into a single unit. The heat pump sits on the top of the tank and the whole unit is installed outdoors, preferably near the house's bathroom.

When you buy an integral model you replace your existing cylinder. (This also has the advantage of freeing up your hot-water-cupboard space in the house.)

Split
Split models use an outdoor heat pump unit, which looks similar to a space-heating heat pump. A small pump then circulates water between the outdoor heat-pump unit and the hot-water cylinder. There are limits on the length of the piping from the heat pump to the water cylinder, but the shorter distance the better.

Split models can use your existing hot-water cylinder, although you might wish to replace it if it's an older model.