Reclaim vs iStore vs Thermann: which heat pump is right for your house?

We install about 400 heat pumps a year across Pakenham, Berwick, Cranbourne and Officer. Three brands dominate that mix: Reclaim, iStore and Thermann. Here's the honest comparison, pros, cons, price and who each one suits.

Reclaim (Australian made)

Reclaim is the one to pick when you're staying in the house. Made in Australia, in two ranges: the R290 all-in-one, tank and compressor in one shell with a plug-in install, at 200 L and 285 L; and the CO₂ split, where the compressor sits outside and the tank goes wherever it fits.

The split is where Reclaim earns its money. CO₂ runs at 37 dB, which is about a whisper, holds above 60 °C on a cold Pakenham morning, and the stainless tank option carries a 15-year warranty. The R290 all-in-one answers a different question: it's the one for a site with nowhere to put an outdoor unit, and it plugs straight in if there's a power point within 75 cm of the current tank.

Fully installed: R290 285 L from $2,610 inc GST after all VEU rebates. CO₂ split 315L glass-lined Wi-Fi from $5,340. CO₂ split 400L stainless steel Wi-Fi $6,745.

Thermann (Australian made)

Thermann is the one to pick when the parts pipeline is what matters. 285 L all-in-one R290, near enough the same footprint and the same performance as the Reclaim R290, built by Dux in Moss Vale so it takes the $400 Australian Made rebate. It's Reece's own brand, which means every Reece store in Victoria stocks the spares, and a fault gets fixed the same day rather than next week. On a rental or an investment property that's usually the whole argument.

Fully installed: $2,610 inc GST after all VEU rebates.

iStore (Chinese-made, Australian designed)

iStore is designed here and built in China, so it doesn't take the $400 Australian Made rebate. What it does do is take the VEU further than anything else we fit. Smart Wi-Fi control is built in rather than an accessory, the tank warranty runs 6 years, and solar households like it because the app makes scheduling the daytime charge straightforward.

Fully installed: $2,910 inc GST after VEU rebates (the missing Aus-made bonus is why it's $300 more than Reclaim/Thermann).

Which one for your house?

Two people, one bathroom: Thermann 200 L or Reclaim R290 200 L. Same price, both plug in, both Australian made. Pick on which one your local Reece stocks.

Three or four people, showers split morning and night: Reclaim R290 285 L or Thermann 285 L, $2,610 fully installed. This is the size most Pakenham families land on.

Five or more people, or the whole house showers inside an hour: Reclaim CO₂ split 315 L or 400 L. It costs more on the day, and the split layout, the stainless tank and the CO₂ recovery rate are what keep up with that pattern of draw.

Solar on the roof and you want to time the charge: iStore 270 L. The Wi-Fi is built in rather than bolted on, and if you actually use it to run the compressor on your own daytime export it pays for the difference the Australian Made bonus makes.

Not sure? Book a free site check, we'll size it properly and quote you all three so you can pick.