Heat pump water heaters: hot water, consumption and costs

Checked 20 October 2026

A standalone water heater is not just a cylinder for a heating system

A standalone water heater has its own compressor and uses heat from air. A cylinder connected to a space-heating heat pump receives heat from another appliance; it does not need its own compressor or air ducts.

If you are already choosing an air-to-water heat pump to heat the house, also compare heating water through its cylinder. A standalone water heater is an additional appliance with its own space and operating requirements.

Volume, tapping profile and recovery time

The number of litres does not tell you how many showers you can take one after another. That depends on the stored and cold-water temperatures, shower flow rate, how long water is drawn and reheating along the way. So do not start with a universal number of litres per person.

• The tapping profile on the label is a standardised test pattern of hot-water draws. It is not the number of people in a household.
• Recovery time must state the starting and target water temperatures, the air temperature and the appliance's mode.
• Electric backup heating can change both heating speed and consumption. Ask for results with and without it.

Describe your most demanding regular use to the supplier, such as several showers in a row or filling a bath. Ask them to check the usable quantity of mixed water and the time until the next draw.

Room, air ducts, noise and condensate

If the appliance takes heat from a room and returns cooler air to it, it cools that room. In a heated part of the house, space heating may replace the heat extracted, so in the overall balance it is not automatically free.

Some models use ducts to supply and expel air. Check the exact room volume, operating temperatures, airflow, duct lengths and clearances in the chosen model's manual. Do not transfer the conditions for one product range to another.

The difference between using room air and using ducts is shown in STIEBEL ELTRON's manufacturer information and the SHP-F Premium page. The exact model and its manual are what count.

One technical example, two air temperatures

STIEBEL ELTRON SHP-F 220 Premium, product 238630, has a nominal volume of 220 l. It is an example of performance data; its specifications do not apply to the other models in the price list below.

Source: STIEBEL ELTRON, SHP-F 220 Premium (238630), checked 20 October 2026. COP to EN 16147, profile L, nominal water temperature 55 °C. Mean heat output for heating water from 10 to 55 °C. This is domestic hot-water heating, not a space-heating SCOP.

The manufacturer states an indoor sound power of 52 dB(A) to EN 12102 with a 4 m air duct. That is not the noise level at your bed. This collected example does not include the exact recovery time or the electric backup heater's power input; check them in the manual.

Dated prices without installation

These are separate appliance offers including VAT, sorted by price. Different volumes and designs are not equivalent substitutes; the table is not a ranking or a market average.

A hybrid water heater, listed separately

A hybrid product combines a heat pump with electric heating. How the work is shared between these sources and the tapping pattern both matter when assessing consumption.

The prices are dated observations from our research, not a binding offer. Confirm the current price, availability and scope of delivery with the seller.

Consumption and electric backup heating

COP is the ratio of heat delivered to electricity used under test conditions. Annual consumption depends on hot-water use, the air, settings, cylinder losses and the share of electric backup heating. A single COP figure is therefore not a monthly bill.

When comparing, ask for the annual label consumption for the same tapping profile and conditions. Assess separately your actual use, backup-heating modes and any additional space heating for the room the appliance takes heat from.

Multiply electricity use by your final price per kWh. A payback calculation also includes the investment and maintenance. Without these inputs we do not give a flat saving or payback period.

Can I get a subsidy for a water heater?

Do not automatically deduct support from the price. For heat pumps, Zelená domácnostiam works with space-heating conditions; heating water alone does not establish eligibility.

The exact appliance in the equipment list and meeting all the household and programme conditions decide it. We do not assign a subsidy to any product on this page. Check SIEA's rules and the current procedure and availability of support.

Common questions

Is 200 litres enough for a household?

That cannot be determined reliably without the tapping pattern. Check the usable quantity of mixed water and the recovery time at the air temperature in the planned location. The number of people in the household is not enough on its own.

Does it cool the room?

Yes, if it takes heat from the room and returns cooler air to it. It depends on the air connection. In a heated room, also account for replacing that heat with space heating.

Is a cylinder for a heating heat pump the same thing?

No. A passive cylinder receives heat from the heating appliance. A standalone heat-pump water heater has its own heat source and its own air and operating requirements.

Will I get a subsidy for it?

Not automatically, based on the product name. The exact model and the programme conditions must be confirmed with SIEA before ordering; that is why we show prices without deducting support.

Sources

We are an independent information site; we do not sell or install equipment. The technical data is the manufacturer's, not our measurement; each price has its own source and date. These links are not affiliate links.

• STIEBEL ELTRON SHP-F 220 Premium — exact product, COP, output and noise conditions.
• STIEBEL ELTRON: using air to heat water — model-dependent placement conditions.
• SIEA: supported equipment — technical conditions for support.