iStore Hot Water Heat Pump Reviews

About iStore

iStore is an Australian company that has manufactured and sold heat pump hot water units for a long time.

iStore Australia Contact Details

Address: 10 Milly Court, Malaga, WA 6090
Phone: 1300 515 636
Email: [email protected]
Website

Company Info

iStore, owned by Solargain, is a Australian owned business that is well known in the heat pump hot water market. iStore offers heat pump hot water units, pool heaters, solar inverters, batteries and EV chargers. 

iStore's heat pump hot water units are manufactured in China by Huawei for Australian and New Zealand markets to iStore's specifications.

iStore Heat Pump Details

iStore offers two units: a 180L unit and 270L unit. The 180L is suitable for a 1-2 person household but after rebates it is often only $100-$200 less than the 270L unit.

The iStore is relatively quiet, rated at 46.6 dB(A) at 1 metre; similar to the sound of a quiet air conditioner or a couple of adults conversing. The fan will run for 3 - 4 hours a day and should be programmed to run during the middle of the day.

iStore heat pumps are well reviewed and well known in the industry. I like that the company has a long track record, making and selling heat pumps since 2018. This suggests the company will be around for a long time to come to honour any warranty and service claims. 

iStore heat pumps previously used R-134a as the refrigerant, but switched to propane in mid 2024, along with most of the market. This switch appears to have largely been uneventful, with continued strong performance from the new models.

Operating Modes

iStore units offer 3 operating modes:

• Economic Heating Mode (Eco Mode) - uses only the compressor to heat water
• Electric Element Heating Mode - uses only the electric element for quicker heating
• Vacation mode for when you are away on holidays - minimises energy consumption

iStore units come with wifi connectivity and can be controlled remotely via an app.

Size, Weight And Compressor Details

The 180 litre model has a height of 1957mm, diameter of 540mm and weighs 93 kilograms (net). The 270 litre version is 1955mm high, has a diameter of 640mm and has a net weight of 133kg. 

The 180L has a 500W compressor and a 900W compressor is used in the 270L model.

iStore Heat Pumps And Solar 

While described as "solar without the panels", if you have a rooftop solar power system and wish to use those to help provide power to the heat pump, iStore recommends setting the integrated timer to start at 10am in the morning and off around 4pm - during the solar "window". Performance of course will be impacted by conditions and other energy usage in the household.

You can find more details regarding the 270 litre model, including estimated pricing, on our heat pump comparison table. You'll be able to see how it stacks up against other brands and learn everything you need to know about choosing a heat pump hot water system.

Maintenance

Hot water tanks need protection against corrosion (rust). iStore units use a sacrificial anode - a rod of reactive metal (like magnesium) which sits in the tank and is designed to "sacrifice" itself rather than the tank. Sacrificial anodes are effective, but need ongoing maintenance. They need to be periodically checked to make sure they are still there, protecting the tank. When they decrease in size, they need to be replaced. 

iStore requires owners to carry out a two-yearly service by a licensed plumber. The 2 year service should include replacement of the anode (more frequently if subject to hard water conditions). A 5 year service is also required.

While these maintenance requirements are consistent with other heat pump hot water units that use a sacrificial anode, they are more onerous than some other heat pumps which have lower maintenance requirements. 

Warranty Information

iStore's 180L and 270L heat pump units come with a 5-year parts and labour warranty on the tank and refrigeration system. The controller, sensor leads, sacrificial anodes, air filters and consumable items are covered by a 1-year parts and labour warranty. 

Installer Approved

In 2025, SolarQuotes held its inaugural Installer's Choice Award for heat pumps.  We asked installers one question, "If installing a system on your own house today, what brand's hot water heat pump would you use?"  The 1st place winner was iStore, followed by Solahart in 2nd place, with Reclaim coming in 3rd.

Do you have an iStore heat pump hot water system installed at your place? What are your thoughts on it? Leave a review using the button towards the top of this page.