220LAetherCore 220L Heat Pump
5.05
COP
44
dB
7yr
Tank
Installed · rebates already off
VIC rebates stacked from ~$2,350 off your install

Hot water that thinks ahead
R290 ætherX range with app control, solar-aware scheduling and 44 dB running — our pick for most Victorian homes.
5.0
Best COP
44 dB
Sound level
R290
Refrigerant
5 yrs
Warranty

The story
Aether Australia builds the ætherX range around one idea: a hot water system should sort problems out before you notice them. Rather than a dumb tank that waits to fail, every ætherX ships with ætherSmart — live monitoring, scheduling and remote diagnostics so a fault gets flagged before you're standing under a cold shower.
The whole line-up shares the same guts: an R290 (propane) heat pump core, a wrap-around condenser so the refrigerant never touches your drinking water, dual anode protection and a powder-coated steel chassis. You just pick the tank that matches the household — 220L ætherCore, 270L ætherHome or 320L ætherMax.
It's the range we fit most across Melbourne and regional VIC. Rated COP up to 5.0, quiet enough to sit beside a bedroom window, works from −7°C to 45°C ambient, and plugs into a standard 10A outlet — so no switchboard drama on most installs.
Why people pick it
Live temperature, boost, lock and scheduling from your phone. Predictive diagnostics flag a dodgy sensor or a struggling compressor before it turns into a no-hot-water Saturday.
Set the unit to heat in the middle of the day so it drinks your rooftop solar instead of grid power. On a decent 6.6 kW system that's most of your hot water running for nothing.
Propane holds efficiency far better at low ambient than the old R134a units. Rated operation down to −7°C, so a frosty Ballarat morning isn't a problem.
The refrigerant coil wraps the outside of the tank rather than sitting inside it. No contamination risk, less scale bother, and a quieter run.
The range
Prices are installed, with Solar VIC, STC and VEEC rebates already taken off.
220L5.05
COP
44
dB
7yr
Tank
Installed · rebates already off
270L5.08
COP
44
dB
7yr
Tank
Installed · rebates already off
270L4.6
COP
40
dB
6yr
Tank
Installed · rebates already off
320L5.15
COP
44
dB
7yr
Tank
Installed · rebates already off
| Model | Tank | Suits | Refrigerant | COP | Sound | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AetherCore 220L Heat Pump | 220L | 1–3 people | R290 | 5.05 | 44 dB | $1,369 |
| AetherHome 270L Heat Pump | 270L | 3–5 people | R290 | 5.08 | 44 dB | $1,567 |
| Aether 270L Heat Pump | 270L | — | R290 | 4.6* | 40 dB | $1,343 |
| AetherMax 320L Heat Pump | 320L | 5–7 people | R290 | 5.15 | 44 dB | $1,688 |
* Brand-typical figure where the model spec sheet doesn't publish one. Always confirm against the manufacturer's data sheet.
Straight talk
Field pros
Field cons
Every unit we list is approved for all three Victorian incentives. We do the paperwork and take it off the price before you pay — no claiming it back later.
$1,000 standard
Solar VIC
~$700
STCs
~$650
VEECs
Send us your setup and we'll come back with a fixed installed price, rebates already deducted — no pushy follow-ups.