Best air-to-air heat pumps UK 2026: the wall-mounted units that heat well, ranked

The best air-to-air heat pump for heating a UK room in 2026 is the Daikin Perfera FTXM-A: SCOP of 5.0 to 5.2 at the 2.5kW size, 2.8kW of nominal heat rising to a 5.0kW maximum, guaranteed heating to minus 20°C outside, 20 dB(A) on its quietest heating setting, and a unit price of around £890 to £960 before installation. If money is no object, the Daikin Ururu Sarara is the most efficient unit sold here (SCOP 5.9). If you want the most heat from a 2.5kW-class unit, the Panasonic Etherea and Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-LN both put out 3.2 to 3.4kW nominal.

This is a heating ranking, not a cooling one. Every wall-mounted split we review is a reverse-cycle air-to-air heat pump, and most UK buyers fitting one this winter are replacing storage or panel heaters. So we have ranked on the numbers that matter in January: SCOP (seasonal heating efficiency), heating output at the popular 2.5kW and 3.5kW sizes, the manufacturer's minimum outdoor temperature for heating, quiet-mode noise, price, and whether the product is on the MCS list for the £2,500 grant. If you are new to the technology, start with our air-to-air heat pumps guide and the rest of the heating guides.

How we ranked them

Every figure below comes from the manufacturer's own flyer, databook or UK product page unless marked "retailer", which means a UK seller's listing we could not confirm against a datasheet. SCOP is the seasonal coefficient of performance under the European average-climate test: a SCOP of 5.0 means five units of heat for every unit of electricity across a heating season. Noise is indoor sound pressure at the lowest fan setting in heating mode where the datasheet separates the two.

One number to keep in your head: at the Ofgem price cap of 26.11p/kWh (1 July to 30 September 2026), a panel or storage heater costs 26.1p for every kWh of heat. A SCOP 5.0 unit costs 5.2p for the same heat. October's price cap (26.32p) changes that by a fraction of a penny; see October's price cap.

Prices, rates and MCS status correct as of September 2026. Unit prices are supply-only, including VAT, from single UK retailers on 15 September 2026, and several were on back-order. Installed prices are bands.

The shortlist at a glance

Heating outputs are nominal figures at 7°C outside; the maximum is what the inverter can push out for short periods. Every unit here uses R32 refrigerant and needs an F-Gas certified installer.

1. Daikin Perfera FTXM-A: best all-round air-to-air heat pump for heating

Best for: a main living room or open-plan space you want warm every day of winter.

Daikin's mid-range Perfera gets the most things right for heating. Daikin's flyer lists SCOP from 5.2 down to 4.8 across the 2.0 to 3.5kW sizes (the 2.5kW pair reads 5.0 in the databook and 5.2 on one retailer listing, so call it 5.0 to 5.2), with an A+++ heating label on the 2.5kW. Nominal heat is 2.8kW on the 25 and 4.0kW on the 35, with maximums of 5.0kW and 5.5kW, so there is reserve for a cold morning.

The outdoor unit is rated to heat at minus 20°C on the 25 and 35 sizes, and Daikin's Ecodesign data gives a declared COP of 3.49 at minus 7°C for the 2.5kW pair: still three and a half units of heat per unit of electricity on the coldest night most of Britain sees. Read do air-to-air heat pumps work in cold weather for what happens as it gets colder.

It also has the clearest grant path. The Perfera indoor unit is named in the Daikin multi-split combinations that went on the MCS Product Directory on 1 September 2026, the first air-to-air products listed. That only helps if you fit it as a multi-split, and there were still no MCS-certified air-to-air installers on 11 September 2026, but it is the closest anyone has got.

• Pros: SCOP up to 5.2, minus 20°C heating, Heat Boost start-up, Onecta Wi-Fi with Alexa and Google, Flash Streamer air cleaning, sensible price.

• Cons: 20 dB(A) quiet mode in heating is a shade above the 19 dB(A) designer units; plain white box; Daikin's SCOP figures vary by size so check the exact pairing on your quote.

• Price band: around £890 to £960 for the 2.5kW pair supply-only (Carlton Services, Orion, 15 September 2026); £1,500 to £3,000 installed.

• Verdict: the sensible default. Read our full Daikin Perfera FTXM review.

2. Daikin Ururu Sarara FTXZ-N: most efficient air-to-air heat pump

Best for: one big room where you want the lowest running cost and do not mind paying for it.

Daikin's flagship is in a different league on paper. The flyer gives SCOP 5.90 on the 2.5kW size, 5.73 on the 3.5kW and 5.50 on the 5kW, A+++ across the range. Heating output is the headline: the 25 makes 3.6kW nominal and up to 7.5kW, the 35 makes 5.0kW nominal and up to 9.0kW. No other unit here comes close to that reserve. It heats to minus 20°C and runs at 19 dB(A) on its quietest heating setting.

The Ururu part is humidification: it pulls moisture from the outdoor air and adds it to the room, which answers the dry-air complaint about heating with air conditioning. The trade-off is cost and a bigger indoor unit with an extra duct in the pipe run, so quotes land at the top of the premium band. At 26.11p/kWh, SCOP 5.9 works out at 4.4p per kWh of heat against 5.2p for a SCOP 5.0 unit, about 15 per cent less electricity. Worth it if that room is your main heating load; not for a spare bedroom.

• Pros: highest SCOP sold in the UK, enormous heating reserve, humidifies, minus 20°C, 19 dB(A).

• Cons: premium price; larger indoor unit; not every installer stocks it; the current flyer dates from 2021, so ask your installer to confirm the model is current.

• Price band: premium single split, £2,500 to £4,500 installed. Supply-only prices are not widely listed online, so get it quoted through an installer.

• Verdict: the premium pick if the specs on your quote match the flyer. See the Daikin Ururu Sarara range page.

3. Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-LN: best Mitsubishi air-to-air heat pump

Best for: a bedroom or living room where looks, quiet and strong heat output all matter.

The LN is Mitsubishi's designer wall unit and it heats hard for its size: 3.2kW nominal on the LN25 (0.7 to 5.4kW range) and 4.0kW on the LN35 (0.9 to 6.3kW), from Mitsubishi's UK product information sheet. The LN18 and LN25 carry A+++ heating labels, the LN35 A++. Retailers quote SCOP 5.2 for the LN25 and 5.1 for the LN35; we could not read the SCOP row on Mitsubishi's UK sheet, so treat those as retailer figures.

Quiet mode is 19 dB(A). Mitsubishi's guaranteed heating range is minus 15°C to 24°C, fine for almost all of the UK. A Hyper Heating version (the VGHZ) goes to minus 25°C and holds full output at minus 15°C, but it is a Nordic-market product you would need an installer to source. Wi-Fi is built in (MELCloud), the 3D i-see sensor aims warm air at people rather than empty corners, and it comes in four colours including red and black.

• Pros: 3.2kW of heat from a 2.5kW-class unit, 19 dB(A), A+++ on the 25, built-in Wi-Fi, colour choice.

• Cons: dearer than a Perfera; minus 15°C rather than minus 20°C; SCOP is retailer-quoted; LN25 was on back-order at the retailer we checked.

• Price band: around £1,190 (LN25) to £1,650 (LN35) supply-only (Carlton Services, 15 September 2026); £2,500 to £4,000 installed.

• Verdict: the best-looking way to heat a room properly. Read our Mitsubishi MSZ-LN review.

4. Panasonic Etherea: best Panasonic air-to-air heat pump

Best for: anyone who wants the most heat from the smallest unit.

Panasonic UK's figures for the Etherea are unusually clear: 2.5kW cooling and 3.4kW heating on the 25, 3.5kW and 4.0kW on the 35, 2.05kW and 2.8kW on the little 20. SCOP is 5.10 with A+++ heating on the 20 and 25 and 4.70 with A++ on the 35 and 50. Quiet mode is 19 dB(A) on the two smaller sizes.

Heating is rated to minus 15°C. Panasonic's older European catalogue put the Etherea Z's heat output at minus 7°C at roughly 80 to 90 per cent of nominal, which is a strong retention figure; treat it as indicative, since it is a previous generation. nanoe X air cleaning and built-in Wi-Fi (Comfort Cloud) are standard.

• Pros: 3.4kW nominal heat from the 2.5kW size, SCOP 5.1, 19 dB(A), nanoe X, built-in Wi-Fi.

• Cons: minus 15°C limit; SCOP drops to 4.7 on the 3.5kW; the white Z-ZKE most UK retailers sell and the silver XZ on Panasonic's UK page are the same platform but check the model code on your quote.

• Price band: around £1,080 for the 2.5kW with install kit (Orion, 15 September 2026); £1,800 to £3,000 installed.

• Verdict: the pick for a small room that needs more heat than its size suggests. Read our Panasonic Etherea review.

5. Daikin Emura FTXJ-A: best designer unit for cold spots

Best for: a room where the unit will be on show and the house sits somewhere cold.

The Emura 3 shares its numbers with the Daikin Stylish in every respect but one. SCOP 5.15 and A+++ on the 20 to 35 sizes, 4.60 and A++ on the 42 and 50; 2.8kW nominal heat on the 25 and 4.0kW on the 35; 19 dB(A) quiet mode. The difference is the RXJ-A outdoor unit, which is rated to heat at minus 20°C where the Stylish's RXA-A stops at minus 15°C. If the two are close in price on your quote and you live somewhere that sees hard frosts, the Emura is the better heater.

• Pros: SCOP 5.15, minus 20°C, 19 dB(A), curved designer casing in white, silver or black, Onecta Wi-Fi.

• Cons: maximum output (4.7kW on the 25) is lower than the Perfera's 5.0kW; the retailer price we found is for the previous M-series.

• Price band: around £1,410 supply-only for the 2.5kW pair (Carlton Services, previous M-series, 15 September 2026); £2,500 to £4,000 installed.

• Verdict: the designer unit to buy if heating matters more than the badge. Read our Daikin Emura review.

6. Toshiba Haori: best fabric-fronted unit, with a long warranty

Best for: a living room or bedroom where a white plastic box would jar.

Toshiba's distributor datasheet for the 2.5kW Haori set gives 3.2kW nominal heat (0.9 to 4.7kW), SCOP 5.10, A+++ in both heating and cooling, 19 dB(A) on the lowest indoor setting and a heating range of minus 15°C to 24°C. The fabric front comes in several colours. UK retailers list factory-fitted Wi-Fi (Toshiba Home AC Control) and a seven-year parts warranty, both retailer claims worth confirming on your quote. We could only verify the 2.5kW datasheet, so if you are sizing up to 3.5kW ask for the figures.

• Pros: 3.2kW heat, SCOP 5.1, 19 dB(A), changeable fabric covers, long warranty.

• Cons: minus 15°C limit; 3.5kW figures unverified; fewer UK installers carry Toshiba than Daikin or Mitsubishi.

• Price band: around £1,085 supply-only for the 2.5kW set (Air Conditioning World, 15 September 2026); £2,000 to £3,500 installed.

• Verdict: a serious heater in a soft jacket. Read our Toshiba Haori review.

7. Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AP / MSZ-AY: best value Mitsubishi

Best for: a second room where you want Mitsubishi reliability without the LN price.

The AP25 makes 3.2kW nominal heat (1.0 to 4.1kW) with a retailer-quoted SCOP of 4.80 under BS EN 14825 and an A++ heating label. Quiet mode is 19 dB(A). Wi-Fi is built in on the AP-VGK models but not on the cheaper AY. Two things to know: Mitsubishi's UK site does not state a minimum heating temperature for this range, and the retailer we checked shows the AP25VGK as sold out and replaced by the MSZ-AS25VGK. Ask which model you are actually being quoted.

• Pros: 3.2kW heat, 19 dB(A), Mitsubishi build, sensible price, Wi-Fi on AP models.

• Cons: A++ rather than A+++; minimum temperature not published on the UK site; range in transition to the MSZ-AS.

• Price band: around £890 to £930 (AY25) and £1,080 (AP25) supply-only (Orion, Carlton, 15 September 2026); £1,500 to £2,800 installed.

• Verdict: the value pick if your installer confirms the model and the cold-weather limit. Read our Mitsubishi MSZ-AP review.

8. Daikin Comfora FTXP-N9: best budget Daikin

Best for: a small bedroom, home office or a landlord fitting several rooms on a budget.

The Comfora is Daikin's entry unit and still a proper heat pump: 3.0kW nominal heat on the 25 (4.0kW max), 4.0kW on the 35 (4.8kW max), SCOP 4.61 to 4.65 with an A++ heating label, and heating to minus 15°C. Quiet mode is 21 dB(A) in heating (19 to 20 dB(A) in cooling). At SCOP 4.6 it costs 5.7p per kWh of heat at 26.11p/kWh, against 5.2p for the Perfera: about 10 per cent more electricity for the same warmth, for a lot less up front.

• Pros: cheapest Daikin, 3.0kW heat from the 2.5kW size, minus 15°C, five fan steps.

• Cons: A++ not A+++; 21 dB(A) is the loudest quiet mode here; Wi-Fi is an option rather than standard; on pre-order at the retailer we checked.

• Price band: from around £620 including VAT for the 2.0kW pair (GNP Air Conditioning, pre-order, 15 September 2026); £1,500 to £2,500 installed.

• Verdict: the budget pick. Read our Daikin Comfora FTXP review.

Heating a whole flat: the multi-split options

If you are replacing storage heaters in every room, a multi-split (one outdoor unit, two to five indoor units) is usually the answer, and it is also where the grant currently lives.

Daikin 3MXM-A and the wider MXM-A range. Daikin UK rates its multi outdoor units up to A++ in heating and A+++ in cooling, on R32. An installer range guide (retailer figures) puts heating output at 5.2kW for the 2MXM40A, 6.8kW for the 3MXM52A, 8.0kW for the 3MXM68A and 9.6kW for the 4MXM80A, with SCOP between 4.40 and 4.61 and outdoor noise of 46 to 49 dB(A) at 1m. The important bit: Daikin's multi-split and Multi+ combinations (65 of them, with Perfera-type indoor units) are the only air-to-air products on the MCS Product Directory as of September 2026. Read our Daikin 3MXM multi-split review.

Mitsubishi Electric MXZ-F. Mitsubishi's R32 multi range runs from the two-port MXZ-2F33 (4.0kW nominal heat) to the six-port MXZ-6F122 (14.0kW), with heating labels from A+ to A++, and takes any mix of wall, floor, cassette or ducted indoor units. It is not on the MCS directory yet. Read our Mitsubishi MXZ multi-split review.

Expect £3,500 to £7,000 or more installed depending on the number of rooms. Our air-to-air heat pump cost guide breaks the bands down.

Also considered

The Daikin Stylish FTXA is the Emura's twin indoors (SCOP 5.15, A+++, 2.8kW and 4.0kW nominal heat, 19 dB(A), slim flat casing in white, silver, black or blackwood) but its RXA-A outdoor unit stops at minus 15°C and it cost more at the retailers we checked (around £1,570 for the 2.5kW pair, Micro-Climate, 15 September 2026). Buy it for the looks; for a cold spot the Emura does the same job for less.

The LG Artcool (around £955 for the 2.5kW mirror-fronted AC09BK, 19 dB(A) low-noise mode, built-in ThinQ Wi-Fi) and the Samsung WindFree Elite (around £1,035 for the 2.5kW) are both units we review and both are competent heaters. We have left them out of the ranking because neither LG UK nor Samsung UK would give us a datasheet with SCOP, heating output and a minimum outdoor temperature during research, and we do not rank on retailer copy alone. If you are quoted one, ask the installer for the Ecodesign sheet and compare it with the table above.

The £2,500 grant: where it really stands

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has paid £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump in England and Wales since 28 April 2026, provided an MCS-certified installer fits an MCS-certified product that replaces your existing fossil fuel or electric heating. In practice, as of September 2026: the only listed products are Daikin's multi-split combinations, installer certification bodies were still working towards UKAS accreditation on 11 September, and the ECIU counted around 45 vouchers and no completed installations by July. So the grant is real but not yet something most households can collect. Do not sign a quote that assumes it. Check the MCS product and installer directories yourself, and read our air-to-air heat pump grant guide for the detail. Separately, 0% VAT applies to a permanently fixed air-to-air unit until 31 March 2027.

A quote that promises the £2,500 grant on a single wall split in September 2026 is promising something no installer can yet deliver.

How to choose an air-to-air heat pump for heating

Size for heating, not cooling. The 0.1 to 0.15kW per square metre rule of thumb is a cooling rule for a hot afternoon. Winter heat loss depends on insulation, glazing, ceiling height and how warm you want the room, and in a draughty Victorian room it can be higher than the cooling load. Use our sizing guide and ask the installer for a heat-loss figure, not a floor-area guess.

SCOP, not SEER. SEER is the cooling number and the one most listings shout about. For a unit you will run as a heater, SCOP sets your bills. Above 5.0 at the 2.5kW size is excellent; 4.6 to 4.8 is good; below 4.0 is a reason to look elsewhere. Our guide to the most efficient way to run an air-to-air heat pump covers the settings that make the rated SCOP real.

Cold-weather capacity. Minus 15°C covers almost every UK winter; minus 20°C is insurance for rural Scotland, the Pennines and frost hollows. Output at minus 7°C matters more, and only Daikin (Ecodesign COP figures) and Panasonic (an older catalogue) publish anything usable. If a room needs 3kW on the coldest night, pick a unit whose nominal figure is comfortably above that, not one that only gets there at maximum.

Noise. Indoor quiet modes are 19 to 21 dB(A) across the board, and the fan slows further once the room is warm. The outdoor unit is the neighbour issue: England's permitted development rules use the MCS 020-a limit of 37 dB(A) at 1m from a neighbour's window. Our guide to whether air-to-air heat pumps are noisy covers placement.

Wi-Fi. Built in on the Perfera, Emura, Stylish, LN, AP, Etherea and (per retailers) the Haori; optional on the Comfora and AY. For heating it earns its keep: you can pre-warm the room in a cheap tariff window instead of leaving it on all night.

Installer availability. Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric have the widest UK installer networks, which affects both the quote and how fast you get a service visit. Panasonic and Toshiba are well supported. Ask two or three local F-Gas installers which brands they stock before you fall for a particular casing.

Portables mostly do not heat. Most portable air conditioners are cooling-only or use a plain electric element at COP 1.0. The exception is the Midea PortaSplit, a two-part portable with a real heat pump: 3.5kW heating, SCOP 4.0, A+ heating label, rated to minus 10°C, 39 dB(A) in silent mode, no engineer needed. It is the only no-installer route to heat-pump heating, but it gets neither 0% VAT nor the grant.