iStore Hot Water Heat Pump Reviews

About iStore

iStore is an Australian company that has sold and installed heat pump hot water systems for more than a decade.

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 family-owned business that kicked off with heat pumps and then expanded into other areas, including solar inverters and home batteries. The team behind iStore have more than 30 years of solar hot water experience.

Their heat pumps are manufactured in China by Huawei for Australian and New Zealand markets to iStore's specifications.

iStore Heat Pump Details

iStore offers a 180 litre (up to 3 people) and 270 litre (4+ persons) unit. But if you need more storage than that, there is a tandem "non-stop" solution consisting of two 180 litre units (so 360 litres in total). These are all-in-one heat pumps, meaning the tank has the heat exchanger on top instead of as a separate unit.

These units have external wrap- around copper heating coils and dual anodes to maximise service life, and feature a mild steel vitreous enamel lined tank that has been tried and tested by the firm over 18 years. On occasions of high demand, there is a boost function that switches on an electric resistive element and a timer that can be switched on or off to maximise control.

The iStore is relatively quiet, pegged 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 can be programmed to not operate at night if you wish.

Among good quality heat pumps currently available in Australia, iStore is priced towards the lower end of the range.

Co-Efficient Of Performance (COP)

COP measures electricity consumption versus heating output. For example, the coefficient of performance of an electric resistive water heater is close to 1 as it converts nearly of the electrical energy input into heat. The company says the 180L has a COP of 4.37 at 20 degrees Celsius ambient, based on heating the tank from 15 to 60 degrees; so 4.37 kW of heating output for each kW of electricity input.  The iStore achieves an average COP of 4 over the relevant testing ranges required.

4 Operating Modes

The iStore boasts 4 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
• Hybrid mode for when additional guests drop in and stay over (compressor + electric element)
• Vacation mode for when you are away on holidays - minimises energy consumption.

Size, Weight And Compressor Details

The 180 litre model has a height of 1956mm, 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 135kg. While they can be installed inside, the units requires a minimum of 120 cubic meters of natural ventilation to operate efficiently.

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 about 16:01 - 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.

Warranty Information

iStore's 180L and 270L heat pump units are accompanied by a 5-year parts and labour warranty on the tank and refrigeration system. However, the controller, sensor leads, sacrificial anodes, air filters and consumable items are covered by a 1-year parts and labour warranty. The sacrificial anodes will need to be changed every 2 - 5 years depending on local water hardness.

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.