An air source heat pump, or simply ‘heat pump’ is a renewable heating system that absorbs heat from the air outside or via the ground (ground source heat pump) to provide heating and hot water for your home. They recently began to gain traction back in 2025, which saw a massive hike in overall installations because of their efficiency, eco-friendliness, and long-term savings.
In this article, we will journey through a mix of expert insights, brand comparisons, and real air source heat pump user reviews to determine just how popular they are.
What is an Air Source Heat Pump?
Air source heat pumps work by using electricity to provide heating and cooling to homes. They use the same technology as air conditioners, which cool rooms by using a refrigerant. The major difference with heat pumps is that they have a reversing valve – this allows warm air to heat your home.
When placed in heating mode, heat pumps work like air conditioning in reverse; instead of cooling your home, they warm it.
Air Source Heat Pump step-by-step:
- Heat pumps draw warmth from the air or ground outside, then pass it over the exterior heat exchange surface of the system.
- The collected heat is warm enough to cause the refrigerant liquid inside the system to evaporate and turn into gas.
- The gas travels through a compression process. This raises the pressure and allows the temperature to rise.
- To ensure the gas is fully heated, it is passed over the internal heat exchange surface. It is then ready to send into the home or transfer into a central heating or hot water system.
- When the heat transfers into the home, the gas drops in temperature, causing it to return to a liquid.
- This cycle repeats until your home reaches the required temperature setting on your thermostat.
Benefits Over Gas Boilers
Gas boiler central heating systems are not as efficient as heat pumps. They are powered by natural fossil fuels, which contribute to greenhouse gases. They also have a much shorter lifespan compared to air source heat pumps.
Ideal Home Types
Great news! Heat pumps are suitable for almost every type of home. However, to get the best results from one, you need to take a few steps to improve your home’s energy efficiency first.
Insulation plays a huge role in the effectiveness of a heat pump; a home with high-quality insulation will reap the benefits. Heat pumps operate more efficiently when installed with adequate insulation, making them a great fit for new-build properties that must meet strict building control specifications.
Top Air Source Heat Pump Brands Reviewed
Vaillant Air Source Heat Pump Reviews
AroTHERM Plus
- Efficiency Rating: A+++
- Pros: Low noise level, easy to retrofit, system management includes sensoCOMFORT
- Cons: Potential high upfront cost
- What do customers think: “This is a superb heating system for modern day carbon free living. The system is very versatile and easy to use. Vaillant is a renowned company that delivers the best service.” – Angela – Trustpilot
Mitsubishi Air Source Heat Pump Reviews
Ecodan R290
- Efficiency Rating: A++
- Pros: Award-winning low noise levels, it includes MELCloud which allows remote control.
- Cons: Potential high upfront costs
- What do customers think: “We’ve installed the ‘Rolls-Royce of heat pumps’ and it’s brilliant.” – Mark Food for The Guardian
Grant Air Source Heat Pump Reviews
Aerona R32
- Efficiency Rating: A+++
- Pros: 7 year guarantee, easy to maintain, user friendly.
- Cons: Potnetial high upfront costs and noise levels.
- What do customers think: “After months of background research on heat pumps we decided to go with the Grant ASHP and what a great choice it was! The is amazing and the tech support is 5*.” Johnathan – Trustpilot
Real-World Air Source Heat Pump User Reviews
Heat pumps are a fairly new technology that is constantly improving. Although it may all look good on paper, what counts is the system’s day-to-day performance. So, we have scoured forums, review sites, and homeowner testimonials to bring you the real truth.
There is no doubt. Heat pumps are making people happy, and these are the common themes that explain why:
Lower Energy Bills
“Very pleased with Vaillant air source heat pump. Overnight costs reduced by two-thirds.” – Trustpilot Vaillant Customer
Households are praising heat pumps for their ability to cut energy costs, with some seeing reductions of up to 50% compared to their previous heating bills.
Quiet Operation
“Robust unit, efficient but surprisingly quiet in operation!” – Trustpilot Daikin Customer
One major factor historically for heat pumps was that they may be too loud. However, many people claim that they forget theirs is even there, and that it is never any louder than their kitchen refrigerator.
Government Grants Help with the Cost
“All in all, we’ve been quoted £14k (-£7.5k voucher) for: 8.5kW Mitsubishi EcoDan HP, 200l cylinder, replacement and repositioning of 8 radiators.” – Reddit User
With government-backed grants, for many, the huge initial cost of a heat pump has been dramatically reduced. Whether partially covering the cost or completely paying for the whole thing, getting a heat pump has never been easier. Energy Advice Helpline can help you with this. Click the button below for more information:
Reliable Comfort
“We run it as 22 degrees 24 hours a day, seven days a week and we are toasty. We have full time confidence that we will be warm, that cost is not an issue and our arthritis has been less painful.” – The Lewis Family on Mitsubishi Ecodan R290
People are simply looking for reliability in their heating; heat pumps can provide this. These energy-efficient systems can be run all day, every day, and at temperatures to suit every user.
Common Cons
High Upfront Costs
Sometimes, even with the help of government grants offering up to £7,500 towards the price of installation, the cost remainder can still be quite significant.
In relation to a £4000 quote for a heat pump, one Reddit user said:
“So I’ve seen a load of posts on here about £500 heat pumps. We are in a 4 bedroom house so I wasn’t expecting this cheap but £4000 sounds like so much more? This is after the grant, so they’re saying there’s £11,500 of work to be done to the property?”
However, it’s also important to remember that even though upfront costs can be expensive, many homeowners report long-term savings on energy bills. Many others appreciate the environmentally friendly benefits of installing heat pumps in their home.
A new combi boiler with installation typically costs between £1,200 and £4,000. This can fluctuate depending on the specific boiler model, it’s features. the installer’s fees, adn what system you are replacing. It’s also worth considering that installing a heat pump is future proofing your home.
Installer Dependent
Unfortunately, as with many paid services or goods, the salesperson or person carrying out the work doesn’t always reflect the positive quality of the delivered product. Research and advice is recommened with lots of relevant information available at the Energy Advice Helpline website and social pages.
Again, taking to Reddit, a user shared their experience:
“The immersion blew in my boiler, and I had to get a Grant engineer out to replace it. He was aghast at the air-source unit in place, and said I should have had a much bigger one put in for the size of my house. I didn’t know.”
Performance in Extreme Cold Weather
While the cold snaps at the end of 2024 and into early 2025 pushed systems to their limits, many heat pump users found their systems continued to perform reliably – even as temperatures dipped to unusually low levels.
One customer of a 13kW Grant Aerona heat pump had this to say:
“The system seems to have been running well all year but the cold snap in late November and again this week proved to be somewhat challenging for the heat pump.”
Worth noting, it’s important to note that heat pumps are extremely popular in countries with colder climates than our own. For example, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia are the top four countries in Europe with the most heat pumps – they are also some of the coldest places on Earth.
Conventional boiler breakdowns are always more common in the winter months due to increased demand for heating and potential issues with extreme weather effecting components. The challenges are comparable berween the two heating methods when viewed in context.
What Do The Experts Think? Are They Worth It?
Experts all agree on one thing at least: air source heat pumps do offer real benefits, but they need to be installed correctly.
- Which? claims that although many heat pump owners are satisfied with their performance, others have found them a struggle to use. This is often due to poor installation processes and insufficient home insulation.
- The Guardian adds that while some households experience lower energy bills and carbon emissions, others claim to have a frustrating experience. This can be thanks to controls that are not easy to use and an overall underwhelming performance.
- The Times points out that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which can shave off up to £7,500 on installations, has helped increase the volume of many installations. However, they also state that not every property is eligible.
See how heat pumps are changing peoples lives for the better with The Guardians latest story: Britain on Heat Pumps
What Should You Consider Before You Install an Air Source Heat Pump?
Before installing an air source heat pump, you should take these three major considerations into account:
- Home Insulation: Air source heat pumps work to their fullest potential when fitted in a well-insulated home. Without this, much of the heat generated by the system will escape, leading to inefficiency and a limited impact on savings being achieved.
- Radiator Sizing: Traditional radiators may not emit enough heat at lower flow temperatures. Larger radiators and underfloor heating may need to be installed for the best results.
- Government Incentives: In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) offers grants of up to £7,500 to encourage households to switch to a low-carbon heating system. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4 in its current phase) is available for those who may be eligible – this would mean you could qualify for a completely free air source heat pump!
Convinced? Air Source Heat Pumps Are the Way Forward!
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