Compare Air Source Heat Pump Brands UK (2026)
Side-by-side comparison of the 8 air source heat pump brands with a verified UK presence. Installed prices before any support run from £7,000 (Daikin Altherma) to £16,000 (Vaillant aroTHERM Plus). In England and Wales the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant comes off every one of these (£9,000 for oil and LPG heated homes from 21 July 2026), claimed for you by your MCS-certified installer. Scotland uses the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan instead; Northern Ireland currently has no equivalent.
Prices and grant amounts accurate as at June 2026.
Head-to-head comparisons
All 28 pairings from the eight UK-market brands, with the angle that matters for each.
Britain's best-known heat pump name vs the world's largest heat pump maker
The biggest UK installer base vs the real-world SCOP benchmark
The mainstream favourite vs the disruptive-price one-company route
Premium familiarity vs the value workhorse
The urban gas-swap default vs the oil-belt favourite
Two trusted badges: heat pump heritage vs boiler heritage
UK-assembled mainstream vs premium German engineering
Scale and entry pricing vs the best field SCOPs in Britain
The independent-installer favourite vs the all-in-one Octopus package
Two value-friendly giants head to head
Mainstream all-rounder vs the rural oil-replacement specialist
Heat pump pedigree vs boiler-era trust
The volume leader vs top-tier German build quality
The efficiency benchmark vs the lowest-cost mainstream route
Premium German engineering vs the value pick
The quietest premium unit vs the off-gas favourite
Two boiler-brand names with very different heat pump track records
The all-German premium head to head
The two cheapest mainstream routes to a heat pump compared
City gas-swap disruptor vs rural oil-replacement specialist
The new-energy challenger vs the heritage boiler badge
The price-led package vs premium German hardware
The value workhorse vs the oil-belt specialist
The budget pick vs the boiler-era badge
The full price-performance spread, end to end
Oil-country specialist vs household-name trust
The rural workhorse vs the period-property premium
Boiler heritage vs German premium engineering
| Feature | Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan | Daikin Altherma | Vaillant aroTHERM Plus | Octopus Cosy | Samsung EHS | Grant Aerona3 | Worcester Bosch | Viessmann Vitocal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installed price (before grant) | £9,000 - £14,000 | £7,000 - £14,000 | £10,000 - £16,000 | £8,000 - £12,000 | £8,000 - £12,000 | £8,000 - £13,000 | £9,000 - £14,000 | £10,000 - £16,000 |
| After £7,500 grant (illustrative) | £1,500 - £6,500 | £0 - £6,500 | £2,500 - £8,500 | £500 - £4,500 | £500 - £4,500 | £500 - £5,500 | £1,500 - £6,500 | £2,500 - £8,500 |
| SCOP (seasonal efficiency) | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.5Best | 4.1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.4 |
| Max heat output | 11.2kW | 14kW | 12kW | 9kW | 8kW | 10kW | 7kW | 8kW |
| Unit warranty | 7 yearsBest | 5 years | 7 yearsBest | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 7 yearsBest | 7 yearsBest |
| Compressor warranty | 7 years | 5 years | 7 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 7 years | 7 years |
| Noise level | 45dB | 44dB | 42dBQuietest | 45dB | 43dB | 47dB | 46dB | 43dB |
| Annual running cost (est.) | ~£580/yr | ~£595/yr | ~£555/yrLowest | ~£610/yr | ~£625/yr | ~£625/yr | ~£625/yr | ~£570/yr |
| UK brand | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Country | Japan / UK | Japan | Germany | UK | South Korea | Ireland | UK | Germany |
| Best for | Homeowners who want the safest mainstream choice with the widest installer support | Buyers wanting proven mainstream hardware with plenty of competing quotes | Efficiency-first buyers who want the best real-world SCOP numbers | Price-led switchers happy to go with one vertically integrated provider | Budget-conscious buyers using an independent MCS installer | Oil and LPG households off the gas grid, especially rural England, Wales and NI | Loyal boiler customers who want the same badge on the wall and the same engineer network | Period-property owners who want premium hardware without a full radiator re-pipe |
Specifications and pricing are indicative for the UK market as at June 2026 and shown before the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant unless stated. Post-grant figures illustrate the £7,500 grant in England and Wales; every air-to-water unit here qualifies when fitted by an MCS-certified installer. Running costs assume ~10,000 kWh of heat a year at 25p/kWh (Ofgem cap average; changes quarterly). Confirm current models and exact pricing with your MCS-certified installer.
Detailed Brand Reviews
Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
Japan / UK | UK brandHomeowners who want the safest mainstream choice with the widest installer support
Daikin Altherma
JapanBuyers wanting proven mainstream hardware with plenty of competing quotes
Vaillant aroTHERM Plus
GermanyEfficiency-first buyers who want the best real-world SCOP numbers
Octopus Cosy
UK | UK brandPrice-led switchers happy to go with one vertically integrated provider
Samsung EHS
South KoreaBudget-conscious buyers using an independent MCS installer
Grant Aerona3
IrelandOil and LPG households off the gas grid, especially rural England, Wales and NI
Worcester Bosch
UK | UK brandLoyal boiler customers who want the same badge on the wall and the same engineer network
Viessmann Vitocal
GermanyPeriod-property owners who want premium hardware without a full radiator re-pipe
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