Guardian vs Midea vs SensaHeat: Pool Heat Pump Brands Compared
An honest pool heat pump review of three brands, written by the people who sell all three and take the warranty calls.
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Most pool heat pump reviews in Australia rank brands without ever installing one, so here is the blunt version from a dealer. Buy Midea if the sticker price is what matters and your pool is a standard family size. Buy Guardian if you want the longest warranty, the widest size range and the lowest running cost over ten years. Buy SensaHeat if you want a proper inverter in the middle of the market, or if the unit has to squeeze into a tight side passage.
That is the answer. Below is why, with the actual numbers off the spec sheets rather than the marketing.
The short version
Each brand wins on a different thing, and none of them wins on everything. Here is where each one lands.
| Brand | Best at | Size range | Compressor warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guardian | Warranty, efficiency, cold weather, choice | 9kW to 35kW | 5 years |
| Midea | Price per kilowatt | 20kW only | 5 years residential |
| SensaHeat | Compact installs, mid market inverter | 11kW to 24kW | 3 years ES, 8 years TDX |
Prices and specifications current as of August 2026, AUD including GST.
Guardian: the widest range and the longest warranty
Guardian is the pick if you want the unit to still be running in twelve years. It is built by the same team behind EvoHeat, engineered for Australian conditions, and every model carries 25 years on the titanium heat exchanger and 5 years on the compressor with local service behind it. The range runs from 9kW to 35kW, which is the widest spread of any brand we stock, so you are never forced to round up or down to a size that does not suit your pool.
The three Guardian series, and which one to buy
Guardian sells three series, and the difference between them is efficiency and where the air comes out. Pick on those two things, not on the badge.
The Eco Pro Series is the entry point at $4,940 for the 20kW. Side discharge, ABS cabinet, COP up to 13.8, and it works down to minus 7 degrees ambient. The small Eco Pro 9kW at $2,690 is the cheapest Guardian you can buy and suits plunge pools and spas.
The Platinum Series at $6,290 for the 20kW is the one we recommend most. Dual vertical discharge, a matte metal cabinet, COP up to 16.4, and it holds output down to minus 15 degrees. It draws a maximum of 3.95kW and runs at 44 to 53 dB(A) at one metre. That extra $1,350 over the Eco Pro comes back in power bills if you heat for more than a short summer.
The Lux-V Series at $7,990 for the 20kW is the top discharge option. Air exits vertically, so the unit needs far less clearance in front of it. Same minus 15 degree capability, COP up to 14.5, ABS front with a galvanised steel back. Buy it for the footprint, not for the efficiency, because the Platinum is the better performer for less money.
Where Guardian falls down
Guardian costs more up front than either of the other two, and that is the honest trade. A Guardian Platinum 20kW is $2,491 dearer than a Midea 20kW on day one. If you heat a pool for six weeks either side of summer and then cover it, you may never claw that back. The three series also confuse people, and plenty of buyers land on the Lux-V thinking top discharge means better, when it just means the air goes up.
Midea: the cheapest way into a 20kW heat pump
The Midea M Series 20kW at $3,799 is the best value 20kW pool heat pump sold in Australia, and nothing else is close on price. Midea is one of the largest air conditioning manufacturers on earth, so the compressor inside it is not a no name part. It delivers 21.8kW of heating at a COP of 5.2, covers pools up to 70,000 litres, has WiFi and app control as standard, and carries 5 years on the compressor and heat exchanger for residential use. It is our best selling pool heat pump by a wide margin, and there is a dedicated Midea 20kW page if you want the full rundown.
The catch: it is not a full inverter
The Midea runs at fixed output with silence modes, not as a full variable speed inverter, and that shows up in the running cost. Its COP is 5.2 at rating conditions. A Guardian Platinum peaks at 16.4 and a SensaHeat ES tops out at 10.8, because both of those throttle down to a trickle once the pool is at temperature instead of cycling hard on and off. Silence mode level 2 drops the Midea to 40 dB(A) at one metre, but it does that by dropping to roughly 60 percent capacity, so you trade heating speed for quiet. Full detail on that trade in our guide to the quietest pool heat pumps.
None of that makes it a bad unit. It makes it a summer unit. Heat a covered pool from October to March and the running cost gap is small money. Chase a ten month season and it is not.
The switchboard cost nobody mentions
The Midea 20kW needs a 25 amp circuit breaker, where the Guardian and SensaHeat 20kW units run on 15 amps hardwired. That difference is real money. The Midea pulls up to 23 amps and 5.3kW of input power, so on an older switchboard your electrician may need a heavier cable run or a spare pole you do not have. Get a price on the electrical work before you assume the cheapest unit is the cheapest install. It usually still is, but not always.
SensaHeat: the quiet middle option
SensaHeat sits between the other two on price and gives you a genuine inverter for the money. It is supplied through Spa Craft, so there is Australian phone support behind it, and the range spans 11kW to 24kW across two series. The ES Series 20kW at $4,700 delivers 20.2kW of heating with a COP range of 10.8 down to 6.2, averaging 9.1 at half speed, and runs at 46.3 to 58.1 dB(A) at one metre. The ES 13kW at $3,200 is the small pool option.
ES Series or TDX Series
Choose the TDX if clearance is tight and the ES if it is not. The TDX Series 14kW at $3,879 discharges out the top, measures 710 by 753 by 693 mm, and carries a Mitsubishi DC compressor with 8 years of warranty on it, which is the longest compressor cover of any unit in this comparison. The ES is the conventional side discharge box, cheaper per kilowatt, and available up to 24kW where the TDX in our range stops at 14kW.
Where SensaHeat falls down
SensaHeat is rated for ambient air from 0 to 43 degrees, so it is not the choice for a cold southern winter. A Guardian Platinum or Lux-V keeps working down to minus 15 degrees. In Brisbane, Perth or coastal New South Wales that distinction never comes up. In the Adelaide Hills, Canberra or Tasmania in July, it decides the purchase. The ES Series compressor warranty is also 3 years against the Guardian 5, though the TDX flips that on its head at 8.
Head to head on the numbers
Here is the 20kW class from all three brands, which is the size most Australian family pools land on. Every figure comes off the manufacturer spec sheet at rating conditions.
20kW class compared
| Model | Price | Peak COP | Noise at 1m | Min ambient | Circuit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midea M Series 20kW | $3,799 | 5.2 | 40 to 54 dB(A) | Not stated | 25A |
| SensaHeat ES 20kW | $4,700 | 10.8 | 46.3 to 58.1 dB(A) | 0 degrees | 15A |
| Guardian Eco Pro 20kW | $4,940 | 13.8 | 43 to 54 dB(A) | Minus 7 degrees | 15A |
| Guardian Platinum 20kW | $6,290 | 16.4 | 44 to 53 dB(A) | Minus 15 degrees | 15A |
| Guardian Lux-V 20kW | $7,990 | 14.5 | 44 to 56 dB(A) | Minus 15 degrees | 15A |
Read peak COP as a best case, not an everyday number. Every brand quotes it at warm air and a warm pool, which is the easiest condition a heat pump ever sees. What the spread tells you is how hard each unit can throttle down, and that is what decides your power bill. Our explainer on COP covers how to read those figures properly.
Which brand should you actually buy
Pick on season length, because that is the variable that changes the answer. A summer only pool with a cover does not justify paying for a high end inverter, so the Midea wins. A pool you want warm from September to May pays back a Guardian Platinum inside a few seasons on power alone. A pool in a cold region rules out SensaHeat and pushes you to a Guardian Platinum or Lux-V.
Site constraints break the tie. If there is less than half a metre of clear space in front of the unit, go top discharge, which means a Guardian Lux-V or a SensaHeat TDX. If the switchboard is full and old, the 15 amp units save you an electrician bill.
Still deciding on size rather than brand? Start with our guide to what size pool heat pump you need, then come back here. Sizing wrong costs more than brand choice ever will.
Frequently asked questions
Which pool heat pump brand is best in Australia?
Guardian is the best pool heat pump brand overall for Australian conditions, on warranty, efficiency and size range, with 25 years on the heat exchanger and 5 years on the compressor. Midea is the best on price and SensaHeat is the best fit for tight installations. There is no single winner across all three measures.
Is Midea a good pool heat pump brand?
Midea is a good pool heat pump brand for the money and one of the largest air conditioning manufacturers in the world. The M Series 20kW at $3,799 is the best value 20kW unit in Australia. It runs at fixed output with silence modes rather than as a full inverter, so its running cost is higher than a Guardian Platinum or a SensaHeat ES over a long season.
Are Guardian pool heat pumps made in Australia?
Guardian pool heat pumps are engineered and tested for Australian conditions by the same team behind EvoHeat, with full Australian service support and warranty handling. They are not manufactured in Australia, and neither is any pool heat pump sold here at this price point.
What is the warranty on a SensaHeat pool heat pump?
SensaHeat covers the titanium heat exchanger for 25 years on both series. The ES Series carries 3 years on the compressor, 2 years on parts and 1 year of on site service. The TDX Series carries 8 years on its Mitsubishi DC compressor, which is the longest compressor warranty of the three brands.
Is a Guardian pool heat pump worth the extra money over a Midea?
A Guardian is worth the extra money if you heat your pool for more than about five months of the year, because the higher COP and the variable speed compressor cut the running cost enough to recover the difference. For a summer only pool with a cover, the Midea is the smarter buy and the extra spend does not come back.
Which pool heat pump is quietest, Guardian, Midea or SensaHeat?
The Guardian Platinum is the quietest at full output, running at 44 to 53 dB(A) at one metre. The Midea drops lower at 40 dB(A) but only in silence mode at roughly 60 percent capacity. The SensaHeat ES is the loudest of the three at up to 58.1 dB(A) at one metre.
Tell us your pool and we will pick the brand
Give us your pool volume, your postcode, whether it is covered and how long a season you want, and we will tell you which of these three units fits and why. We sell all three, so we have no reason to push you to one.
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Want the ranked buying list instead of a brand comparison? Read our pick of the best pool heat pumps in Australia, or browse the full Heat Pumps collection.
This comparison is general information for Australian pool owners and is not a substitute for advice on your specific pool and site. Specifications are taken from manufacturer data at rating conditions and real world performance varies with climate, pool volume and whether the pool is covered. Pool heat pumps are electrical appliances and must be connected by a licensed electrician. Confirm final model selection with us or your pool professional before you buy.