When homeowners discuss heat pumps, the same familiar names tend to dominate the conversation, but quietly operating in the background is a German manufacturer with more than a century of experience heating water with electricity and nearly 50 years of heat pump development behind them. That brand is Stiebel Eltron, and in this edition of Plug into the Brand, we travelled to their UK headquarters to see exactly what sets them apart.
What becomes immediately obvious is that Stiebel Eltron isn’t a newcomer riding the heat-pump wave. They are specialists. They were specialists long before most of today’s household names even entered the renewable heating sector. Their engineering centre in Germany employs thousands of people, their products are used across Europe, and their focus has always been on clean electric heating, never fossil fuels. That heritage matters, because heat pumps are not simply “appliances”; they’re long-term investments that rely on design, stability and durability.
The star of Stiebel’s current line-up is their HP Next R290 range, available in both air-source and ground-source versions. While many manufacturers now advertise propane units, Stiebel has taken a noticeably different approach: they publish true heat outputs at design temperatures. If a model is rated at 7kW, then homeowners genuinely get 7kW at –7°C, not on a mild day.
Noise is another area where Stiebel aims to separate themselves. Standing next to their running outdoor unit feels almost surreal: at 43 dB, the compressor is barely audible unless your ear is against the casing. For homeowners with tight gardens, acoustic worries or sensitive neighbours, this is a significant win.
Watch the full interview now and discover whether Stiebel Eltron could be the right choice for your home.