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In Summary: The Best Rated Heat Pump
Two of the most important things to research before choosing your heat pump are efficiency and noise ratings.
The best indicator of overall efficiency is Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP). This is a measure of efficiency over a whole heating season, compared to Coefficient of Performance (COP) which takes data from a single point in time.
The best rated heat pumps have SCOP ratings of above 3. The highest SCOP rating of all the pumps on our list? Ideal Heating’s Logic Air at 5.09, meaning it’s up to 509% efficient.
Whilst SCOP is important, so are noise ratings. The best heat pumps in the UK generally have a rating of under 60 (dB). The quietest heat pumps on our list? The Ideal Logic Air and Vaillant aroTherm Plus operating at just 55 (dB).
So which is the best heat pump for your property overall?
To find out, jump over to our clickable tool here. That takes into account hot water and heating demand, property size and more to determine the most suitable unit for your home.
Heat Pump Ratings
Below we’ll discuss a couple of different heat pump ratings that cover both noise levels and efficiency.
Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings
Heat pumps are incredibly efficient. However, there are various efficiency ratings offered up by manufacturers; SCOP and COP being the most common.
COP measures a heat pump’s efficiency at a certain point in time. For instance, if a unit is producing 3 kWh of heat for every 1 kWh of electricity consumed, it has a COP of 3. The best rated heat pumps tend to have COP ratings of 3 or more, meaning they’re at least 300% efficient.
However, SCOP is a much more accurate representation of a heat pump’s efficiency. And this is because it measures heating performance over an entire season, rather than a specific point in time.
A heat pump with an incredibly high COP, could have a much lower SCOP. Why? One example could be that it works well at low temperatures, yet when it’s pushed to its full (in winter), it’s much less efficient.
Either way, heat pumps are more efficient than gas boilers. Even a brand new A-rated boiler from a leading brand won’t have a SCOP rating higher than 0.94 kWh. So, for every 1 kWh of gas it consumes, it produces 0.94 kWh of heat; 94% efficient.
The Best Rated Heat Pumps For Efficiency
Below, we’ve got SCOP ratings for some of the best rated heat pumps for efficiency. We’ve detailed SCOP ratings at 35°C, 40°C, 45°C and 50°C.
That way, you can see how efficiency of each unit changes as the temperature you run them at increases.
It’s worth noting that if your house has small radiators, poor insulation and you have high hot water / heat demand, you should be focused on the higher temperature (40-50°C) SCOP ratings.
Taking a look at the SCOP when a pump is running at 35°C, the best rated heat pump on our list (for efficiency), is the Ideal Heating Logic Air.
This has a huge SCOP of 5.09. Put simply, it produces 5.09 kWh of heat, for every 1 kWh of electricity that it consumes; it's up to 509% efficiency. This efficiency would drop to 396% (3.96 SCOP) when operating at 50°C.
Even running at 50°C, the Ideal air source heat pump is still more efficient than some of the other units on this list when they run at 35°C!
It is important to note that the SCOP isn't everything. How well the system is designed and how well the heat pump can adjust to indoor and outdoor temperatures is crucial, but the SCOP is certainly a good indicator of performance.
| Heat Pump Model | Temperature (°C) | SCOP |
|---|---|---|
| Viessmann Vitocal 200-S 7kW | 35°C | 3.79 |
| 40°C | 3.7 | |
| 45°C | 3.6 | |
| 50°C | 3.27 | |
| LG Therma V R32 7kW | 35°C | 4.34 |
| 40°C | 3.84 | |
| 45°C | 3.35 | |
| 50°C | 3.22 | |
| Daikin Altherma 3 H HT 7kW | 35°C | 4.08 |
| 40°C | 3.82 | |
| 45°C | 3.56 | |
| 50°C | 3.33 | |
| Samsung EHS R32 8kW | 35°C | 4.27 |
| 40°C | 3.98 | |
| 45°C | 3.69 | |
| 50°C | 3.4 | |
| Ideal Logic Air 8kW | 35°C | 5.09 |
| 40°C | 4.69 | |
| 45°C | 4.3 | |
| 50°C | 3.96 | |
| Mitsubishi Ecodan R32 6kW | 35°C | 4.31 |
| 40°C | 4.08 | |
| 45°C | 3.84 | |
| 50°C | 3.64 | |
| Grant Aerona 3 6kW | 35°C | 4.34 |
| 40°C | 4.04 | |
| 45°C | 3.75 | |
| 50°C | 3.45 | |
| Vaillant aroTHERM plus 7kW | 35°C | 4.36 |
| 40°C | 4.13 | |
| 45°C | 3.91 | |
| 50°C | 3.65 |
Even though the Ideal Logic Air is the best rated heat pump at face value, that’s not to say it’s the most efficient unit for your property, as already stated.
All of the above SCOP ratings are based on manufacturer’s test results. The SCOP rating you’re able to achieve will depend on plenty of variables, including but not limited to:
- The size of your radiators, how many you have and how efficient they are
- Hot water and heating demand
- Quality of your property’s insulation
- Outside temperature
A combination of a heat loss survey (which we offer for free) and using our clickable heat pump tool here, will be able to determine which is the best rated heat pump specifically for your property.
Heat Pump Noise Ratings
Most people focus on efficiency ratings in an effort to save as much money as possible, forgetting that heat pumps can be incredibly noisy.
Buy a heat pump from a low quality manufacturer? There’s a good chance you’ll hear it constantly, and your neighbours will too!
So, which are the best rated heat pumps for low-noise?
| Ranking | Manufacturer | Model | Noise (dB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vaillant | aroTHERM plus 7kW | 55 |
| 1 | Ideal | Logic Air 8kW | 55 |
| 3 | Samsung | 8kW EHS Mono HT Quiet | 56 |
| 3 | Viessmann | Vitocal 150-A 8 kW | 56 |
| 5 | Mitsubishi | Ecodan R32 6kW | 58 |
| 6 | Samsung | EHS R32 8kW | 63 |
The Best Rated Heat Pump (Low Noise)
The clear winners here are the Ideal Logic Air and Vaillant Arotherm Plus (check out our Ideal Logic Air review here). The is a high temperature heat pump, capable of operating at up to 70°C, while the Ideal unit is a R32 that means there are no issues with exclusion zones dictating where the heat pump can be located.
Sound wise, it’s going to be emitting noise as low as 55 (dB), so it’s very quiet, especially considering there are a few over 60dbs.
And to try to understand how much difference there is between these two sound levels, we can check out this graphic from the Hearing Health Foundation:
Both the Ideal and the Vaillant pumps would be the perfect unit for those specifically looking for a low-noise heat pump. For example, if you’re worried about neighbours hearing your pump, or it’s going to be installed close to a window; it’s going to have the least impact of all the units on this list. It also means there is less chance you will need to get planning permission, which is needed if the sound from the heat pump will be above 42dbs at the nearest habitable room window of your neighbour.
The Highest Rated Heat Pump Overall
Brands such as Misubishi, Vailllant, Samsung and Ideal Heating all produce a range of top rated heat pumps.
And with each property having its own set of variables from the quality of its insulation through to its size, there isn’t a singular "best" rated heat pump; it's property dependent.
However, if we're simply looking at the best balance of noise and efficiency, the Ideal Logic Air is a great pick. With an SCOP of up to 5.09 (509% efficient) yet operating noise levels of just 55 (dB), this is a popular choice for anyone upgrading their gas boiler to an air source heat pump.
Check which is the most suitable air source heat pump for your property by using our heat pump tool here; it takes 2-minutes to complete and offers fixed prices on-screen.
How Much Do Top Rated Heat Pumps Cost To Install?
An air source heat pump from a leading brand such as Vaillant, Ideal, Mitsubishi or Samsung is likely to cost well in excess of £10,000.
That said, the majority of UK households are eligible for the £7,500 government Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant, helping to reduce that cost considerably.
If we use the popular Vaillant aroTHERM Plus 5kW as an example, you’ll see that the net cost of an installation is just over £4,000, rather than £10,000+!
Variables that affect exact installation cost include the likes of:
- Property size
- How many radiators you have and their size
- If any radiators need upgrading
- If your property currently has a hot water cylinder
- The list goes on…!
To get exact prices on top rated heat pumps specifically suited to your property, use our clickable heat pump tool here.
Or for further reading, check our guide to heat pump installation costs.
FAQ
Which brand of heat pump is the most reliable?
The brands most known for reliability include: Vaillant, Ideal Heating, Samsung and Mitsubishi.
What's the most efficient heat pump available?
Ideal Heating's Logic Air is one of the most efficient heat pumps in the UK.
With a SCOP rating of 5.09 when operating at 35°C, it's up to 509% efficient. For every 1 kWh of electricity it consumes, it's able to generate 5.09 kWh of heat.
By comparison, the majority of heat pumps sit in the region of 300-400% efficient.
Which is the quietest heat pump in the UK?
The Vaillant aroTHERM Plus and the Ideal Logic Air are the best rated heat pumps for noise, of those on the list. They emit just 55dbs of sound power.
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