What is the iStore heat pump price in Australia?

The iStore 270L is approximately $2,790 before installation — one of the most affordable quality heat pumps on the Australian market. Total installed cost is typically $4,000–$5,500. At this price, it competes directly with entry-level gas storage and significantly undercuts the premium CO2 models from Reclaim ($5,000) and Sanden ($5,800).

What refrigerant does the iStore heat pump use?

The iStore uses R290 (propane) refrigerant, a natural refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of just 3. R290 is increasingly preferred for its environmental credentials and strong COP performance. The iStore achieves COP 4.8 with R290, which approaches CO2 heat pump performance at a significantly lower price.

What is the minimum operating temperature for the iStore?

The iStore 270L is rated to operate down to -7°C ambient temperature. This is better than the Rheem AmbiHeat's -5°C rating and covers most Australian climate zones. Only the coldest alpine and elevated highland areas — parts of ACT, alpine NSW/VIC, elevated Tasmania — regularly experience temperatures below -7°C.

Is iStore a reliable brand in Australia?

iStore is an Australian brand distributed by Siddons Industries. They have sold hot water systems in Australia for many years and the 5-year warranty covers both tank and compressor equally — unlike some competitors where the compressor warranty is shorter. Their support network covers most major cities and regions.

iStore Heat Pump Review Australia 2026

The iStore 270L heat pump offers one of the best price-to-performance ratios in the Australian heat pump hot water market. At approximately $2,790 before installation, it is genuinely competitive with mainstream alternatives and significantly cheaper than the CO2 premium segment — while still delivering a COP of 4.8 and operating down to -7°C. For most Australian households outside of alpine regions, the iStore represents a compelling case that you do not need to spend $5,000–$6,000 to get an excellent heat pump hot water system.

This review covers everything you need to know: specs, refrigerant advantages, COP performance, warranty, cold climate suitability, and a direct comparison against the Rheem AmbiHeat and the CO2-based Reclaim Energy and Sanden units.

iStore 270L Specs

Specification	iStore 270L
Tank capacity	270 litres
Refrigerant	R290 (propane)
COP (rated)	4.8
Minimum ambient temp	-7°C
Maximum ambient temp	40°C
Unit type	All-in-one (integrated)
Tank warranty	5 years
Compressor warranty	5 years
Unit price (before install)	~$2,790
Typical installed cost	$4,000–$5,500

The all-in-one design means the compressor and tank are in a single unit — simpler to install than split systems like the Reclaim or Sanden, and easier to relocate if needed. Installation is typically completed by a plumber and electrician in a few hours.

See where iStore ranks against the full field in our Top 10 heat pump hot water systems for Australia.

R290 Refrigerant: The Environmental Advantage

The iStore uses R290 (propane) as its refrigerant. This is worth understanding, because refrigerant choice affects both environmental impact and unit performance.

R290 is a natural refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of just 3. Compare this to older synthetic refrigerants like R32 (GWP 675) or R410A (GWP 2,088), and the difference is dramatic. Even R513a — used in some competitor heat pumps — carries a GWP of around 631.

This matters for two reasons:

Direct emissions: If a heat pump refrigerant leaks, a lower-GWP refrigerant causes far less climate impact.
Regulatory trajectory: HFC refrigerants with high GWP are being phased down globally under the Kigali Amendment. Units using R290 are future-proof in a way that older refrigerant systems are not.

The only natural refrigerant with better climate credentials is CO2 (R744), which has a GWP of 1. CO2 heat pumps from Reclaim and Sanden do have a marginal edge here, but they cost $2,000–$3,000 more and require a split-system installation. For buyers who prioritise environmental impact but don’t want to stretch to CO2, R290 is the next-best choice.

R290 also performs well thermodynamically at the temperatures relevant to Australian hot water heating, which contributes to the iStore’s strong COP figure.

COP 4.8: How Good Is It Really?

A Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 4.8 means the iStore delivers 4.8 units of heat energy for every 1 unit of electricity consumed. For context:

A standard electric storage hot water system has a COP of 1.0
A good R290 heat pump typically achieves COP 4.0–4.8
CO2 heat pumps (Reclaim, Sanden) are typically rated at COP 5.0

The iStore’s 4.8 COP is at the top of the R290 heat pump category. The gap between COP 4.8 and COP 5.0 — the theoretical CO2 advantage — is real but small in practice. For a household using 4kWh/day of hot water energy, the difference in annual electricity consumption between COP 4.8 and COP 5.0 is roughly 30kWh per year. At $0.30/kWh, that is approximately $9/year — not a meaningful consideration when the CO2 units cost $2,000–$3,000 more upfront.

The COP 4.8 rating applies at standard test conditions (typically around 20°C ambient). COP drops as ambient temperature falls. This is important for cold climate suitability — see below.

For a full breakdown of running costs by heat pump type, see our heat pump hot water cost guide for Australia.

Price Advantage

At approximately $2,790 before installation, the iStore 270L is one of the most affordable quality heat pumps available in Australia. Total installed cost — including a qualified plumber and electrician — is typically $4,000–$5,500 depending on the complexity of the job and your state.

For comparison:

Rheem AmbiHeat 270L: ~$2,500–$3,200 before installation
Reclaim Energy CO2 250L: ~$5,000 before installation
Sanden Eco Plus 250L: ~$5,800 before installation

The iStore’s price advantage over CO2 units is real and significant. The payback period versus a conventional electric storage hot water system (running costs of ~$1,500–$2,000/year) is typically 3–5 years for a heat pump costing $4,500 installed — and then you pocket the savings for the next 15+ years of the system’s life.

Even without government rebates, the iStore’s economics are straightforward. With rebates, the case is even stronger. Check what rebates are available in your state — in many states, you can reduce the installed cost by $400–$1,000 or more.

View full pricing and specifications on the iStore 270L product page.

Warranty: 5 Years Each for Tank and Compressor

The iStore 270L comes with a 5-year warranty on both the tank and the compressor. This symmetrical warranty structure is a genuine positive.

Some heat pump brands offer a longer tank warranty (7–10 years) but only 2–3 years on the compressor — the most expensive component to replace. The compressor is what does the thermodynamic work and is where failures are most likely to occur. A short compressor warranty shifts risk back to the owner relatively quickly.

The iStore’s equal 5-year coverage on both components is honest and competitive. It does not match the CO2 units (Reclaim and Sanden offer 5–7 year warranties), but it is comparable with Rheem’s offering and well above some budget brands.

iStore is distributed in Australia by Siddons Industries, an established Australian business with a broad service network covering most major cities and regional centres.

Cold Climate Performance: -7°C Minimum Ambient

The iStore 270L is rated to operate down to -7°C ambient temperature. This is better than the Rheem AmbiHeat (-5°C) and covers the vast majority of Australian climate zones.

Below -7°C, the iStore activates its electric backup heating element — effectively operating as a conventional electric storage system. This is fine as an occasional backup but would significantly increase running costs if triggered frequently.

Locations where -7°C is regularly reached in winter include:

Parts of the ACT (Canberra can reach -6°C to -9°C on the coldest nights)
Alpine NSW (Jindabyne, Cooma, Thredbo)
Alpine VIC (Mount Beauty, Bright, Harrietville)
Elevated parts of Tasmania

If you live in these areas, a CO2 heat pump (rated to -25°C) is the safer choice. For the rest of Australia — including most of coastal VIC, ACT urban areas away from frosts, and all of NSW coast, QLD, SA, WA — the iStore’s -7°C minimum is perfectly adequate.

Our complete heat pump hot water guide has a full breakdown of climate zone considerations.

iStore vs Rheem AmbiHeat

The Rheem AmbiHeat is the iStore’s closest direct competitor in the mid-range heat pump segment.

	iStore 270L	Rheem AmbiHeat 270L
Refrigerant	R290 (GWP 3)	R513a (GWP 631)
COP (rated)	4.8	4.5
Min ambient	-7°C	-5°C
Warranty (tank/compressor)	5yr / 5yr	5yr / 5yr
Unit price (approx)	~$2,790	~$2,500–$3,200
Brand recognition	Moderate	High
Service network	Good	Excellent

The iStore wins on COP (4.8 vs 4.5), refrigerant environmental credentials (R290 GWP 3 vs R513a GWP 631), and cold climate floor (-7°C vs -5°C). Rheem wins on brand recognition and has a larger national service network — which matters if you’re in a remote location where less common brands may lack local service agents.

For most buyers, the iStore’s advantages on COP and refrigerant are meaningful. The running cost difference from COP 4.8 vs 4.5 is modest in isolation, but combined with the lower GWP refrigerant and equal warranty, the iStore is the better-specified product.

Read our full Rheem AmbiHeat review for more detail.

iStore vs Reclaim Energy and Sanden CO2

The Reclaim Energy CO2 250L and Sanden Eco Plus 250L are the premium CO2 heat pump options in Australia. They use CO2 (R744) refrigerant and operate as split systems.

	iStore 270L	Reclaim Energy CO2 250L	Sanden Eco Plus 250L
Refrigerant	R290	CO2 (R744)	CO2 (R744)
COP (rated)	4.8	5.0	5.0
Min ambient	-7°C	-25°C	-25°C
System type	Integrated	Split	Split
Unit price (approx)	~$2,790	~$5,000	~$5,800
Installed cost (approx)	$4,000–$5,500	$7,000–$9,000	$7,500–$9,500

CO2 heat pumps have two genuine advantages over the iStore: cold climate performance (-25°C vs -7°C) and marginally higher COP (5.0 vs 4.8). For most Australian locations that do not regularly drop below -7°C, neither advantage justifies the price premium.

The installed cost difference of $3,000–$4,000 between an iStore and a Reclaim CO2 unit would take 30+ years to recover through lower running costs at typical Australian electricity prices. For buyers in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, or Adelaide who will rarely experience temperatures below -5°C, the iStore delivers almost identical real-world performance at a substantially lower price.

For buyers in Canberra, alpine NSW, or alpine VIC — where -10°C nights are possible — the CO2 units’ cold weather capability justifies the premium. See our full Reclaim Energy heat pump review.

Verdict

The iStore 270L is one of the best value heat pumps on the Australian market in 2026. It combines:

Strong COP (4.8 — top of the R290 category)
Low-GWP refrigerant (R290, GWP 3 — greener than synthetic alternatives)
Solid cold climate rating (-7°C — better than Rheem)
Symmetrical warranty (5 years tank and compressor)
Competitive price (~$2,790 before installation)

Best suited for:

Price-conscious buyers who want a quality product without overpaying for CO2 technology they may not need
Most Australian climate zones outside of genuine alpine areas
Buyers who care about refrigerant environmental impact but cannot justify the CO2 premium
Homeowners replacing an electric storage system who want a straightforward upgrade

Less suited for:

Canberra (coldest nights) and alpine regions of NSW/VIC (consider CO2 instead)
Buyers who require a very large service network in remote areas (Rheem may have an edge)

For a complete picture of available rebates in your state, see our heat pump rebate guide. For how the iStore compares across the full field of Australian heat pumps, see our best heat pump hot water systems guide.

iStore Heat Pump Review Australia 2026: Price, Specs and Is It Worth It?