10 of the best hot water systems in Australia 2025

• Type: This year's list features a mix of heat pump, continuous flow, and electric storage systems. Heat pumps are essentially electric storage tanks that use more energy efficient technology, while continuous flow units don’t store large amounts of hot water, instead heating it instantly on demand. Read about the differences between these hot water systems and which might be best for your home.

• Heat source: The hot water systems on this list are electric or gas (LPG) systems. Some are traditional electric, while others use heat pump technology to drastically reduce the amount of electriciy required to heat water.

  Electric models are more common, with seven on this list, but gas units (three on the list) can have lower running costs than traditional (no heat pump) electric water tanks. The LPG models on this list are also available in natural gas models.

• Capacity/flow rate: Capacities range from 10L/min for continuous flow systems, to 302L for storage tanks. Capacity figures vary depending on the system type. Continuous flow models are rated by litres per minute - for example, 10L/min - because they heat water on demand.

  Storage tank systems, on the other hand, hold a set volume of hot water (e.g. 302L) and can often deliver a higher total flow across multiple outlets at once - but for a limited time before they need to reheat. Because of this difference, you can’t directly compare the performance numbers of a continuous flow unit and a storage tank.

  It’s worth noting that storage tanks can deliver more ‘ideal temperature’ water than they hold; for example, a 300L capacity tank could deliver 510L at a shower-perfect heat. How so? By heating the water to around 60°C and mixing it with cold water to deliver a skin-friendly 40°C.

• Suitable for (people and bathrooms): The lowest capacity hot water systems on this list cater to households of 1-2 people in a single bathroom, while the highest capacity models are suitable for five or more people across multiple bathrooms simultaneously.

  It’s generally the case that continuous flow units are ideal for smaller households, while larger tanks suit bigger families. Having said this, some large homes will use more than one continuous flow water heater, with one servicing bathrooms and sinks on one side of the house and one servicing the other side.

• Running cost: Heat pump systems generally offer the lowest running costs, followed by gas units, with electric storage systems being the most expensive to run.

• Price: Purchase prices vary, with budget options ($$$) like the Rinnai Flowmaster 10L, mid-range ($$$) systems such as the Rinnai Hotflo 250L, and premium ($$$) models like the Stiebel Eltron WWK302H. The prices reflect a combination of capacity/flow rate as well as the type of technology. For more accurate comparisons, look at similarly sized units of the same type and fuel source.

• Warranty: Stiebel Eltron has the longest manufacturer's warranty of either 5 or 7 years on its models, while Rinnai water heaters vary between 1 and 3 years and Bosch has 2-year warranties. In addition to the manufacturer's warranty, some models have warranties for certain components, ranging from 1 year to 10 years for heat exchangers.

What customers say:

“German quality engineered product. Having done a lot of research on the best low energy unit to use with my new solar system, I decided the heat pump Unit would be an ideal match. One party warned me that they were noisy, however I run it on a timer from 10am to 3pm and you would hardly know it was going. Great unit.” - Phillip

• Type: Heat pump (storage)

• Heat source: Electric

• Capacity: 302L

• Suitable for: 4-6 people / 2+ bathrooms

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 5 years

See price and full details of Stiebel Eltron 302L Heat Pump Hot Water System WWK302H

What customers say:

“Great little heater. This little heater works great - plumber installed he also said it was really good.” - Aaron

• Type: Continuous flow

• Heat source: LPG (Natural Gas model also available)

• Flow rate: 10L/min

• Suitable for: 1-2 people / 1 bathroom

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 3 years

See price and full details of Rinnai Flowmaster FM10LA 10L LPG Continuous Flow Hot Water System

What customers say:

“No more cold showers. My new hot water system is giving me a lot of pleasure. You don't realise how much you miss something until you don't have it. Plenty of how water now.” - Gidge

• Type: Storage tank

• Heat source: Electric

• Capacity: 250L

• Suitable for: 4-5 people / 2 bathrooms

• Running cost: $$$ (standard electric)

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 1 year

See price and full details of Rinnai Hotflo EHFA250S36 250L Electric Storage Hot Water System

What customers say:

“Excellent instant electric hot water system. I have 3-phase power, and the Stiebel Electron DEL 27 works very well with just my wife and I at home and our washing machine and dishwasher using cold water (these appliances heat their water).” - Macca

• Type: Continuous flow

• Heat source: Electric

• Flow rate: Approx 10-15L/min

• Suitable for: 2-3 people / 1-2 bathrooms

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 7 years

See price and full details of Stiebel Eltron DEL 27 PLUS Instantaneous Electric Hot Water System

What customers say:

“These are probably one of the easiest to use hot water systems, lights itself no flame to get blown out in the wind, good build great quality” - Patt

• Type: Continuous flow

• Heat source: LPG (Natural Gas model also available)

• Flow rate: 10L/min

• Suitable for: 1-2 people / 1 bathroom

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 2 years

See price and full details of Bosch HydroPower 10H LPG Continuous Flow Hot Water System

What customers say:

“Easy install, easy app setup, by using the timer function in the app and combined with roof top solar you can have zero running cost, mine is set to only come on at 11am and turn off at 3pm, this means I have zero running cost and I never run out of hot water. Very Happy.” - Steve

• Type: Heat pump (storage)

• Heat source: Electric

• Capacity: 215L

• Suitable for: 3-4 people / 1-2 bathrooms

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 1 year

See price and full details of Rinnai Enviroflo 215L Heat Pump Hot Water System

What customers say:

“Previously had a Stiebel when they were first released in Australia. It needed replacing twice but managed to finally last some 11 years. The new edition is a much refined version with an extremely quiet operation compared to the previous model. Highly recommend. The service by AOL was as usual excellent price wise and their customer and delivery service - some of the best !!” - Warren

• Type: Heat pump (storage)

• Heat source: Electric

• Capacity: 302L

• Suitable for: 4-6 people / 2+ bathrooms

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 5 years

See price and full details of Stiebel Eltron WWK302 302L Heat Pump Hot Water System

What customers say:

“The Stiebel Eltron WWK222H purchased in June 2023 from AppliancesOnline is absolutely fantastic. The saving on the electricity is very significant. From our experience, would highly recommend this Heat Pump. As always, the best purchase price was AppliancesOnline.” - Maggie

• Type: Heat pump (storage)

• Heat source: Electric

• Capacity: 220L

• Suitable for: 3-4 people / 1-2 bathrooms

• Running Cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 5 years

See price and full details of Stiebel Eltron WWK222H 220L Heat Pump Hot Water System

What customers say:

“I live on a boat , so choosing the Bosch impeller unit was a no brainer...no power required....it is my third bosch. ..first one came with the boat and chewed through the gas as the pilot light was always lit..I found out about the no power impeller unit and bought the 13 ..this one is a 16 and I am very happy..the 13 lasted 16 years..but direct river water finally won and I am more than happy to replace it with the 16...so nice to have a hot shower again.” - River rat

• Type: Continuous flow

• Heat source: LPG (Natural Gas model also available)

• Flow rate: 16L/min

• Suitable for: 2-3 people / 1 bathroom

• Running cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 2 years

See price and full details of Bosch LPG External Hydro Power Continuous Flow 7716483601

What customers say:

“German Ingenuity creating trouble free Hot Water. These water heaters are so well designed for all hot water needs within the household. Instant hot water close to the point of access.” - Hot Drop

• Type: Continuous flow

• Heat source: Electric

• Flow rate: Approx 6-9L/min

• Suitable for: 1-2 people / 1 bathroom

• Bathrooms: 1

• Running Cost: $$$

• Price: $$$

• Warranty: 7 years

See price and full details of Stiebel Eltron DEL 13 PLUS Instantaneous Electric Hot Water System

We deliver to 95% of Australia's population, so if one of these models looks like the best hot water system for your home, odds are that Appliances Online can get it to you by tomorrow (Mon-Fri), with Appliances Online's legendary FREE delivery. Plus, we offer paid Same Day Delivery in NSW, QLD, and VIC metro areas if you order before 12pm Mon-Fri.

You can check out the full range of water heaters here, or if you need some pointers on choosing the best type or size for you, call our friendly team 24/7 on 1300 000 500 or message us via the chat icon at the bottom of your screen.