LG’s Gorgeous Heat Pump Water Heater Will Look Great At Your Next Dinner Party

---

Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe.

---

LG is a major electronics manufacturer which you probably know for its TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines. But have you seen its gorgeous heat pump water heater (HPWH)? We realize that the words gorgeous and water heater have probably never been joined together in a sentence, but with LG’s model we can safely do so. The company brought its heat pump water heater to the United States just a couple years ago and we had the chance to sit down with them and talk about its features, efficiency, and of course, good looks.

LG makes a lot of types of heat pumps. From ductless mini splits that condition your home to hydro kits that efficiently heat water for commercial buildings, the company has their fingers in many heat pump pies.

When A Water Heater Needs To Look Good

But the focus of this article is its heat pump water heater. The LG HPWH was initially designed for the European market, where homes are smaller and water heaters are often visible. For this reason, LG created a space-age looking, beautiful piece of equipment that can both heat water really efficiently, and look good at a dinner party.

Variable Speed Compressor

Beyond its good looks, LG was the first manufacturer to bring a unitary heat pump water heater to the US market that uses a variable speed compressor. Variable speed compressors are all the rage in heat pumps for space heating, but most HPWHs have fixed speed compressors for whatever reason (GE just brought a HPWH to market with a variable speed compressor). Using a variable speed compressor means your heat pump will be extra efficient (LG’s gets up to 3.93 UEF — 4X more efficient than a standard electric water heater), quiet (between 42-45 dBA — the sound of a library), have a faster recovery (its 58-gallon water heater produces 76 gallons of hot water in an hour) and operate in lower temperatures (down to 23 degrees).

Of these benefits, the quiet operation and fast recovery are probably the most useful. Early models of heat pump water heaters could be a little loud, and with a really quiet HPWH, LG is ensuring that the water heater is as innocuous as a refrigerator. The fast recovery with the variable speed inverter is also nice. 76 gallons of hot water in the first hour of operation is a lot (the average home uses 60-70 gallons of hot water in an entire day). The operation down to a colder temperature is interesting, as most water heaters are located in places that don’t get that cold (so pipes don’t freeze) but if your water heater is located in your garage and a colder climate, this lower temperature operation might prevent your water heater from going into electric resistance mode when the temperature falls below 35° (the temperature other HPWHs switch to electric resistance backup).

LG also highlights the integration of this heat pump water heater into its ThinQ app. Like GE, LG is banking on homeowners having multiple LG appliances within their home and conveniently controlling them all on the same app.

Selling Through HVAC Contractors

LG is also pursuing an interesting go-to-market strategy by pushing its HPWH through its HVAC distributor channels, rather than through plumbers like some other manufacturers. This might not be a bad idea, as many plumbers have been resistant to the new technology of HPWHs, and HVAC technicians are more familiar with both heat pumps and upselling folks on a more expensive and efficient technology.

One challenge we’ve heard from contractors about the LG product though, is it can be hard for them to get their hands on one. An installer we work with in California tried to get an LG for awhile and wasn’t able to get one so gave up. The LG model is a relatively recent addition in the US, so the supply chain may not be fully set up.

Pricing

Consumer Reports lists the LG HPWH as costing around $3,300, which is significantly more than brands like Rheem or A.O. Smith that are available in big box stores and cost under $2,000. LG highlights that, with faster recovery times, its 58-gallon HPWH acts like a 65-gallon and should be compared against larger models from other brands. They also mention that the sticker price is usually different than the price contractors will pay for their water heater at a distributor.

All in all, the LG heat pump water heater is an exciting and gorgeous option to decarbonize your water heating, save money on utility bills, and look good for your dinner guests. With a super sleek design and a variable speed compressor, the heat pump water heater could be a great option, especially if your water heater is located somewhere you could show it off to jealous neighbors. LG’s go to market strategy could also expand the market for heat pump water heaters and drive adoption in homes that are getting HVAC systems replaced.

We did a deep dive with LG on its water heater for our podcast heat pumps and cardigans.