Best Heat Pump UK: Top Brands Reviewed & Ranked
There is no single best heat pump for every home. The right choice depends on your flow temperature, the size of your home, your budget and which installers work near you. We rank the main brands installed in the UK by use case, so you can match a unit to your situation rather than chase a headline. Vaillant leads overall, Mitsubishi Ecodan is the safest mainstream pick, and Samsung is the value choice.
Quick Answer
The best all-round heat pump in the UK is the Vaillant aroTHERM plus, thanks to R290 refrigerant, high flow temperatures and up to 10 years warranty. The Mitsubishi Ecodan is the safest mainstream pick with the largest installer network, Daikin has the widest range including hybrids, NIBE is best for ground source, and Samsung is the best value. Every brand qualifies for the £7,500 BUS grant.
Indicative UK figures as of early 2026.
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
The best heat pump for each situation
Rather than crown one winner, here is the brand we would point you to for each common situation, with the model that earns the pick.
Vaillant
Premium R290 unit, high flow temperatures for older homes, and up to 10 years warranty via G.A.S. installers.
Mitsubishi Ecodan
The most-fitted ASHP in the UK, compact, quiet, with the largest installer network and a 7-year warranty.
Daikin
The broadest line-up, including high-temp and hybrid models that keep a gas boiler for cold snaps.
NIBE
Swedish cold-climate engineering and one of the deepest ground source ranges, with SCOP above 5.0.
Samsung EHS
Among the lowest-cost mainstream options, with R290 Mono models and strong SmartThings control.
Grant Aerona
R290 with high flow temperatures and a trusted off-gas heritage, ideal for older rural homes on oil.
Aira
Survey, install, controls and aftercare from one company, with an upfront or monthly subscription option.
Not sure which heat pump suits your home?
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Get a Quote →Heat pump brands compared
Every brand below qualifies for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant when fitted by an MCS-certified installer. SCOP figures are manufacturer ratings at 35°C flow unless stated, real-world figures depend on your home and design.
| Brand | Origin | SCOP | Warranty | Indicative UK cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaillant | Germany | 4.5+ at 35°C flow (aroTHERM plus, A7/W35) | 5 years standard; up to 10 years via accredited installer (G.A.S.) | £9,000–£14,000 installed before BUS grant (-£7,500) | Read review → |
| Daikin | Japan | 4.2–4.7 depending on model and conditions (Altherma 3 R, A7/W35) | 3 years standard; extendable to 7 years via accredited installer | £9,500–£14,500 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| Mitsubishi Ecodan | Japan | 4.3–4.6 (PUZ-WM, A7/W35) | 7 years standard on accredited installs (Mitsubishi Electric Hybrid+ programme) | £9,000–£13,500 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| NIBE | Sweden | 4.5+ at 35°C (S2125); 5.0+ on ground source (S1255) | 5 years standard; up to 10 years via VIP+ accredited installer | £10,000–£15,000 installed before BUS grant (air source); significantly more for ground source with boreholes | Read review → |
| Grant Aerona | Ireland | 4.4+ at 35°C flow (Aerona R290, A7/W35) | 7 years on the Aerona R290 with registration | £8,500–£13,500 installed before BUS grant (-£7,500) | Read review → |
| Viessmann Vitocal | Germany | 4.5+ at 35°C flow (Vitocal 250-A, A7/W35) | 5 years standard; extendable via accredited installers | £9,500–£14,500 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| Panasonic Aquarea | Japan | 4.4+ at 35°C flow (Aquarea L R290, A7/W35) | 5 years standard; up to 7 via accredited installers | £8,500–£13,000 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| Samsung EHS | South Korea | 4.3+ at 35°C flow (EHS Mono R290, A7/W35) | 5 years standard; up to 7 via accredited installers | £8,000–£12,500 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| LG Therma V | South Korea | 4.3+ at 35°C flow (Therma V R290, A7/W35) | 5 years standard; up to 7 via accredited installers | £8,500–£13,000 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| Aira | Sweden | Around 4.0–4.6 depending on home and flow temperature | Long warranty and performance guarantee as part of the Aira package | Upfront from around £6,500 net after grant, or a monthly subscription | Read review → |
| Bosch Compress | Germany | 4.5+ at 35°C flow (Compress 5800i AW, A7/W35) | Up to 7 years via accredited installers | £9,000–£14,000 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| Ideal Heating | UK | 4.3+ at 35°C flow (Logic Air, A7/W35) | Up to 7 years via accredited installers | £8,500–£13,000 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
| Midea | China | 4.3+ at 35°C flow (M-Thermal R290, A7/W35) | 5 years standard; extendable via accredited installers | £7,500–£12,000 installed before BUS grant | Read review → |
For the full price picture, see the heat pump cost breakdown and whether a heat pump is worth it.
How to choose a heat pump brand
- Installer expertise first. The best heat pump is one your installer fits regularly. A good design matters far more than small differences between brands, and a poor install undoes any brand advantage.
- Flow temperature. Older UK homes keeping existing radiators often need 55 to 65°C flow. Not every model does this efficiently, so check the specific unit. See heat pump radiators.
- Refrigerant. R290 (Vaillant aroTHERM plus, Grant Aerona, Bosch Compress 5800i) has very low global warming potential and reaches higher flow temperatures. R32 is still common and performs well.
- SCOP at your flow temp. A published SCOP should reflect the temperature your system will actually run at, not a cherry-picked 35°C figure.
- Warranty programmes. Accredited installer schemes (Vaillant G.A.S., Mitsubishi Hybrid+, NIBE VIP+) extend cover well beyond the standard term.
- Air source or ground source. Most homes fit air source. If you have the land and want the highest efficiency, NIBE leads on ground source.
The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme takes £7,500 off an air source or ground source heat pump on qualifying installations in England and Wales. Every brand on this page is eligible when installed by an MCS-certified installer, so the grant does not depend on which brand you pick. See heat pump grants for Scotland schemes and full eligibility.
Best Heat Pump FAQ
What is the best heat pump brand in the UK?
There is no single best brand for everyone. Vaillant is the strongest all-round premium choice, Mitsubishi Ecodan is the safest mainstream pick with the largest installer network, Daikin has the widest range including hybrids, and NIBE leads on ground source. The best heat pump is usually the one your installer fits well and that matches your home's flow temperature and size.
Which heat pump is most reliable?
Mitsubishi Ecodan and the established Japanese and European brands (Daikin, Vaillant, NIBE) have the longest UK track records and the widest service networks, which matters more for reliability than headline specs. A correct design and install affect reliability more than the brand alone.
What is the best value heat pump?
Samsung EHS, Panasonic Aquarea, LG Therma V and Midea M-Thermal are usually the lowest-cost mainstream options, often starting around £8,000 before the £7,500 grant. They offer R290 models with high flow temperatures, though their heating installer networks are smaller than Mitsubishi's.
Does the heat pump brand matter for the BUS grant?
No. Every brand on this page qualifies for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in England and Wales, as long as the model is MCS-certified and fitted by an MCS-certified installer. The grant is the same regardless of brand.
What SCOP should a good heat pump have?
Aim for a SCOP of around 3.5 to 4.5 for a well-designed air source system, and above 5.0 is achievable with ground source. Crucially, check the SCOP at the flow temperature your system will actually run at, not a cherry-picked 35°C figure.
Which heat pump is best for an old house?
Older homes with existing radiators usually need high flow temperatures, so look at R290 units (Vaillant aroTHERM plus, Grant Aerona, Viessmann Vitocal 250-A) or Daikin's high-temp and hybrid Altherma models. A heat loss survey decides whether any radiators need upsizing.
Find a heat pump installer near you
An MCS-certified installer recommends the right brand and size for your home and applies the £7,500 grant.
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Last updated: June 2026
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the UK solar energy market since 2023. He researches every battery and inverter brand against manufacturer datasheets, MCS and Ofgem data, and feedback from the MCS-certified installers in our directory before publishing.
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