Best Pool Heat Pump for Melbourne Pools
The best pool heat pump for Melbourne is not the one with the biggest number on the box. It is the one that still makes heat on a 12 degree October morning.
The best pool heat pump for most Melbourne pools is the Guardian Platinum 25kW at $6,864. It is a full DC inverter unit that still puts out up to 19.9 kW at 15°C air, keeps running down to minus 15°C, and runs on a normal single phase supply. That cold air figure is the one that matters in Melbourne, and most brochures bury it.
Smaller pools, tighter budgets and noise sensitive backyards each suit a different unit, so the full shortlist is below with the real cold weather numbers and prices.
Want your exact size? Our pool heat pump sizing calculator works out the kW your pool needs from its volume, your city and whether you use a cover.
Short on time? See the Guardian Platinum 25kW or browse every pool heat pump we sell.
The Melbourne shortlist at a glance
Each pick below is a live Waternex pool heat pump ranked on what it delivers in cold air, because Melbourne pools are heated in 10 to 18 degree weather, not 27.
| Pick | Best for | Output at 27°C air | Output at 15°C air | Lowest air temp | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guardian Platinum 25kW | Best overall, 40,000 to 60,000L | 25.0 kW | 19.9 kW | Minus 15°C | $6,864 |
| Madimack InverElite V4 17kW | Coldest rated, quietest | 17.0 kW | 11.5 kW | Minus 20°C | $6,700 |
| Fairland AquaX Essential 24kW | Best value | 24.0 kW | 16.6 kW | Minus 5°C | $5,747 |
| Guardian Lux-V 20kW | Tight side setbacks | About 20 kW | About 14.5 to 15 kW | Minus 15°C | $7,990 |
| Midea M Series 20kW | Best budget, covered pools | 21.8 kW | 17.0 kW (lower ambient) | Not published | $3,799 |
Prices current as of October 2026, AUD including GST, VIC pricing. Output figures from each manufacturer's spec sheet on the product page; 15°C figures are at 26°C water except the Midea, which is quoted as its lower ambient rating.
What size pool heat pump a Melbourne pool needs
A Melbourne pool needs about 0.68 kW of heat pump per 1,000 litres uncovered for an October to April season at 28°C, and roughly half that with a pool cover.
| Pool volume | Melbourne, uncovered | Melbourne, with a cover |
|---|---|---|
| 30,000 litres | About 20 kW | About 11 kW |
| 40,000 litres | About 27 kW | About 15 kW |
| 50,000 litres | About 34 kW | About 19 kW |
Rules of thumb for an October to April season at 28°C. Wind, shade and how long you want to swim all move the number.
Read that uncovered column again. A 50,000 litre pool with no cover wants 34 kW in Melbourne, which is the top of the residential range and a big power bill. A cover drops it to 19 kW. In Melbourne the cover is not optional, it is half the heater. Our guide on whether you need a pool cover with a heat pump has the numbers, and the full pool heat pump size chart covers every city.
Best pool heat pump for Melbourne overall: Guardian Platinum 25kW
The Guardian Platinum 25kW is the best pool heat pump for Melbourne because it delivers up to 19.9 kW at 15°C air, which covers a covered 40,000 to 50,000 litre pool through the shoulder seasons, for $6,864.
Cold air COP is 8.0 to 5.2 at 15°C, it runs down to minus 15°C, and the compressor is a Mitsubishi rotary inverter. Sound pressure is 44 to 53 dB(A) at 1 metre and 16 to 25 dB(A) at 10 metres. It runs on 220 to 240V single phase, hardwired, at 15.57A at full output, with a titanium heat exchanger and a matte metal cabinet.
The downsides: it is big and heavy, 1330 x 548 x 930mm and 172 kg, so plan the pad and the access before it arrives. And it is not cheap. But in Melbourne the price of an undersized heat pump is a pool you do not swim in.
View the Guardian Platinum 25kW →
Coldest rated and quietest: Madimack InverElite V4 17kW
The Madimack InverElite V4 17kW is the most cold tolerant pool heat pump we sell, rated to run in air down to minus 20°C, with 11.5 kW still available at 15°C air, for $6,700.
It suits a covered pool up to about 30,000 litres, or a smaller pool you want to keep warm deep into autumn. It is also the quietest on this list: 37.2 to 45.5 dB(A) at 1 metre and as low as 17.3 dB(A) at 10 metres, drawing as little as 0.26 kW when modulating down. The warranty is the strongest here too: 25 years on the titanium heat exchanger, 15 years on the Mitsubishi twin rotary compressor and 7 years on parts.
Bigger Melbourne pools should step up the range. The InverElite V4 19kW ($7,450) gives 13.0 kW at 15°C air and the InverElite V4 23kW ($8,479) gives 15.0 kW.
View the Madimack InverElite V4 17kW →
Best value for Melbourne: Fairland AquaX Essential 24kW
The Fairland AquaX Essential 24kW is the best value pool heat pump for a Melbourne pool, giving 16.6 kW at 15°C air for $5,747.
Fairland advises it for pools from 55,000 to 90,000 litres in warm conditions; in Melbourne treat it as a strong unit for a covered 40,000 litre pool. Cold air COP is 7.4 to 4.8, seasonal COP is 7.8, it runs from minus 5°C to 43°C, and max input current is 20.5A on single phase. It has Wi-Fi control, a spiral titanium heat exchanger, R32 refrigerant and a 5 year warranty on the heat exchanger, compressor and parts. Sound is 45.3 to 57.5 dB(A) at 1 metre.
Minus 5°C is a shallower cold rating than the Guardian or Madimack. For a pool heated October to April that rarely matters, since Melbourne air seldom drops that low during swimming months. For winter heating it does.
View the Fairland AquaX Essential 24kW →
Best for tight side setbacks: Guardian Lux-V 20kW
The Guardian Lux-V 20kW is the pick for a narrow side passage, because it blows air straight up instead of out the side, and it keeps running down to minus 15°C, for $7,990.
It gives about 14.5 to 15 kW at 15°C air with a COP of about 7.1 to 4.8, on single phase with a 15A hardwired connection. Melbourne blocks with the pool gear jammed beside the fence are where a side discharge unit struggles, blowing cold air into the paling and recirculating it. Top discharge fixes that.
View the Guardian Lux-V 20kW →
Best budget pool heat pump for Melbourne: Midea M Series 20kW
The Midea M Series 20kW is the best budget pool heat pump for a covered Melbourne pool, rated at 17.0 kW in lower ambient conditions for $3,799.
Headline output is 21.8 kW at a COP of 5.2, dropping to 17.0 kW at a COP of 3.6 in cooler air. It needs a 25A dedicated circuit (23A max draw), runs at 54 dB(A) normally or 40 dB(A) in silence mode at about 60% capacity, and carries a 5 year residential warranty on the compressor and heat exchanger. It is our top seller nationally.
The trade off in Melbourne is efficiency in cold air. A COP of 3.6 costs noticeably more to run on a cold morning than the 5 plus of the inverter units above. Pair it with a cover, keep the season to spring through autumn, and it is half the price of the Guardian.
View the Midea M Series 20kW →
Can you heat a Melbourne pool in winter
A pool heat pump can run through a Melbourne winter, but heating a pool to 28°C in July costs far more than most owners expect, so most Melbourne owners heat from about September to May and switch off for June to August.
Cold air units like the Guardian Platinum and Madimack InverElite keep working when the air is near freezing, but output and COP both drop, and an uncovered pool loses heat faster than any residential heat pump can replace it. If year round swimming is the goal, the honest recipe is a cold rated inverter unit, a good cover kept on whenever nobody is swimming, and a realistic target of 26 to 27°C. More detail in can you run a pool heat pump in winter.
Installation in Melbourne
Every pool heat pump on this list must be wired by a licensed electrician, and most are hardwired on a dedicated circuit.
Check your switchboard has room for the circuit before the unit arrives. Leave the airflow clearances in the manual, keep it away from bedroom windows, and sit it on a solid level pad. Melbourne councils can be particular about noise near boundaries, which is another point for the quieter Madimack or a top discharge Guardian.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pool heat pump for Melbourne?
The best pool heat pump for most Melbourne pools is the Guardian Platinum 25kW at $6,864, because it still delivers up to 19.9 kW at 15°C air and runs down to minus 15°C. For smaller pools the Madimack InverElite V4 17kW is rated to minus 20°C, and the Midea M Series 20kW at $3,799 is the budget pick for covered pools (prices as of October 2026).
What size pool heat pump do I need in Melbourne?
A Melbourne pool needs about 0.68 kW per 1,000 litres uncovered for an October to April season at 28°C, so a 40,000 litre pool needs about 27 kW uncovered or about 15 kW with a pool cover. Use the cold air output on the spec sheet, not the headline figure, when you compare units.
Do pool heat pumps work in Melbourne winter?
Yes, cold rated pool heat pumps keep working in a Melbourne winter, with some rated down to minus 15°C or minus 20°C air. Output and efficiency fall in cold air, so most Melbourne owners heat from spring to autumn and use a pool cover to make winter heating affordable.
How much does a pool heat pump cost in Melbourne?
A pool heat pump suited to a Melbourne pool costs from about $3,800 for a 20 kW budget unit to $6,700 to $8,500 for a cold rated inverter, as of October 2026, plus electrical installation. Larger uncovered pools can need a 28 kW to 35 kW unit, which costs more again.
Is an inverter pool heat pump worth it in Melbourne?
Yes, an inverter pool heat pump is usually worth it in Melbourne because it holds a higher COP in cold air, typically around 5 at 15°C against about 3.6 for a fixed speed unit, which cuts running cost through the long shoulder seasons. Our inverter pool heat pumps explained guide covers the detail.
Want a Melbourne sizing done properly?
Send us your pool volume, your suburb, whether you have a cover and when you want to swim. We will size the heat pump against cold air output, not the brochure number, and tell you straight if your pool needs a cover more than a bigger unit.
Still comparing across the whole country? See our best pool heat pumps in Australia roundup, or contact us with any question.
This guide is general information for Australian pool owners and is not a substitute for advice on your specific pool and site. Sizing figures are rules of thumb. Pool heat pumps are electrical appliances and must be installed by a licensed electrician on a suitably rated circuit. Confirm final sizing with us before you buy.