Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan vs Panasonic Aquarea: Which Air Source Heat Pump Is Better? (2026)
Quick Verdict
Panasonic Aquarea is the more efficient choice on its MCS-certified figures, with lower estimated running costs.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan | Panasonic Aquarea |
|---|---|---|
| Installed price (before grant) | £9,000 - £14,000 | Price on quote |
| After £7,500 grant (illustrative, England and Wales) | £1,500 - £6,500 | Price on quote |
| SCOP at 35°C (MCS) | 4.62 | 4.71Higher |
| SCOP at 55°C (MCS) | 3.51 | 3.57Higher |
| Largest size | 10kW | 12kWLarger homes |
| Standard warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
| Longest warranty (conditions apply) | 7 years | 7 years |
| Sound power (declared) | 54 dB(A) | 53 dB(A)Lower |
| Annual running cost (est., 45°C flow) | ~£650/yr | ~£635/yrLower |
| Refrigerant and max flow | R290, up to 75°C flow | R290, up to 75°C flow |
| Country | Japan / UK | Japan |
| UK brand | Yes | No |
| Best for | Homes keeping their existing radiators, from a UK-built range | Homeowners who want a mainstream Japanese brand with R290 models, including a T-CAP unit that holds full output in cold weather |
Specifications and pricing are indicative for the UK market as at June 2026. Post-grant figures illustrate the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales (Scotland uses the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan; Northern Ireland has no equivalent). Running costs assume ~10,000 kWh of heat a year at 26.32p/kWh (Ofgem cap average, October to December 2026; changes quarterly). Confirm current models and exact pricing with your MCS-certified installer.
Price Comparison
Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan starts from £9,000 installed before any support (indicative, June 2026). Panasonic Aquarea does not publish an installed price and no credible third-party figure exists, so we show none. For scale, the median Boiler Upgrade Scheme install cost £12,908 before the grant (DESNZ Boiler Upgrade Scheme median, April to June 2026). So this pair cannot be ranked on price. In England and Wales the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant comes off either quote equally, with 0% VAT until 31 March 2027; your MCS-certified installer claims the grant for you. Compare written quotes on the same basis: unit size, cylinder, radiator changes and warranty.
Efficiency Comparison
SCOP (seasonal coefficient of performance) is the key efficiency measure for a heating heat pump: the kilowatt-hours of heat you get per kilowatt-hour of electricity across a whole heating season. The figures here are MCS-certified, at 35°C flow (underfloor heating or large radiators) and 55°C (hotter radiators). Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan is certified at 4.62 at 35°C and 3.51 at 55°C, while Panasonic Aquarea is certified at 4.71 and 3.57. On our estimates at a 45°C design flow temperature, the Panasonic Aquarea costs about £15 a year less to run at Ofgem cap electricity prices, or approximately £150 over ten years. Real-world efficiency depends heavily on system design and flow temperature, which is what the MCS heat loss survey is for.
Warranty Comparison
Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan: 3 years as standard; 5 years through an Accredited Ecodan Installer and 7 through a Heating Business Solutions Partner. Register within 30 days of commissioning or cover drops to 12 months. Cylinders get 3 years at every tier. Panasonic Aquarea: Up to 7 years parts and labour when a Panasonic PRO Partner supplies and installs the system and submits the warranty extension online after commissioning. The 3-year standard term comes from Panasonic's 2017 scheme; no current Panasonic UK page states the base term. Workmanship cover for the installation itself comes separately from your installer and should be in writing.
Noise Comparison
Noise matters in UK homes because the outdoor unit often sits close to a neighbour's boundary or a bedroom window. The like-for-like figure is the maker's declared sound power: the noise the unit itself emits. Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan: 54 dB(A). Panasonic Aquarea: 53 dB(A). On paper the Panasonic Aquarea is quieter by 1 dB(A). What a neighbour hears is much lower and falls with distance, and permitted development rules require the installation to meet the MCS noise standard at their window, so siting matters as much as the unit.
Cold-Weather and Retrofit Suitability
Two things decide how well a unit suits an older UK home: cold-weather output and flow temperature. Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan uses R290 refrigerant (up to 75°C flow), while Panasonic Aquarea uses R290 (up to 75°C flow). Both reach 70°C or more, so both can work with existing radiators; the decision comes down to price, warranty and installer availability. Modern units hold useful output well below freezing. In the colder parts of the UK (Scotland and northern England in particular), frosty mornings trigger short defrost cycles that trim efficiency, so ask each installer for low-temperature output figures and take the MCS heat loss survey seriously; radiator upsizing is more commonly recommended there so the system can run at efficient flow temperatures.
Pros and Cons
Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
Pros
- Made in Livingston, Scotland
- R290 range reaches 75°C flow, so existing radiators can often stay
- Quiet Mark certified (R290 8.5, 10 and 12 kW)
- The 8.5, 10 and 12 kW sizes all come in single phase
Cons
- Standard warranty is 3 years; 7 needs a top-tier Mitsubishi installer
- Single-phase 10 and 12 kW units need a dedicated 32 A or 40 A supply
Panasonic Aquarea
Pros
- R290 refrigerant in both the L Series and T-CAP M Series
- Water flow temperatures up to 75°C for radiator systems
- T-CAP M Series 12 kW keeps its full 12 kW output at -7°C outdoor
- Up to 7-year parts and labour warranty through Panasonic PRO Partner installers
- Fitted by ScottishPower's installer Plug Me In; British Gas has a Panasonic service deal
Cons
- The 7-year warranty only applies when a PRO Partner installer registers it
- T-CAP M Series outdoor units are large and heavy: 1,520 mm tall and 161 kg
- L Series 9 kW output falls to 7.0 kW at 2°C and -7°C outdoor (35°C flow)
- No published installed price
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan if...
- You want a UK brand with local manufacturing or headquarters behind it
Choose Panasonic Aquarea if...
- You want the higher certified efficiency (SCOP 4.71 vs 4.62 at 35°C, MCS)
- A lower declared sound power matters to you (53 vs 54 dB(A))
- You want lower estimated annual running costs (~£635/yr vs ~£650/yr)
The grant is the same, whichever brand you pick
Every air-to-water unit on this page qualifies for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in England and Wales (£9,000 for oil and LPG heated homes until March 2027) when fitted by an MCS-certified installer, who claims it on your behalf so it comes straight off the quote. Scotland uses the Home Energy Scotland grant of up to £7,500 (£9,000 rural and island) plus an optional interest-free loan; Northern Ireland currently has no equivalent scheme. 0% VAT on residential installations applies UK-wide until 31 March 2027. Accurate as at July 2026.
Heat pump guides
- Air source heat pump installation cost in the UK
- The best air source heat pumps in the UK, compared
- The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme, explained
- Air source heat pumps: costs, grants and brands
- Heat pump grants in London
- Heat pump grants in South East England
- Heat pump grants in South West England
- Heat pump grants in East of England
- Heat pump grants in East Midlands
- Heat pump grants in West Midlands
- Heat pump grants in Yorkshire and the Humber
- Heat pump grants in North West England
- Heat pump grants in North East England
- Heat pump grants in Scotland
- Heat pump grants in Wales
- Heat pump grants in Northern Ireland
Where are you?
See indicative costs and local installers for your area