Ranked by ACOP
The best split systems for a Melbourne winter.
This is the ranking that matters most here and gets published least. Melbourne runs a reverse-cycle system for warmth far more of the year than for cooling, so the heating efficiency figure — ACOP — affects the bill more than the cooling star rating a showroom leads with. A unit can be excellent at cooling and merely adequate at heating, and in this city that is the wrong way round.
Quick answer
On the Australian Government's GEMS register, the highest annual heating efficiency figure among wall-mounted single-phase reverse-cycle models is ACOP 5.95, held by the Daikin FTXM20AVMA (registration AAC10030), which delivers 2.7 kW of heating. ACOP is measured for a mixed climate zone, which is the zone Melbourne sits in, making it the right figure to compare on for this city.
The ranking
Top 15 across every capacity.
Drawn from all 380 registered models, capped at three per brand so one manufacturer's range cannot fill the table. Efficiency generally falls as capacity rises, so a list ranked across all sizes leans towards smaller units — which is exactly why the per-size table below it is the one to buy from.
| Model | Cooling | Heating | Indoor noise | AEER | ACOP | Stars | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DaikinFTXM20AVMA | 2.2 kW | 2.7 kW | 55 dB | 5.25 | 5.95 | 5.5 / 4 | AAC10030 |
| Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSRK20ZSXA-W | 2 kW | 2.7 kW | 53 dB | 6.25 | 5.63 | 4.5 / 4 | AAC8729 |
| Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSRK20ZSXA-WF | 2 kW | 2.7 kW | 53 dB | 6.22 | 5.61 | 4.5 / 4 | AAC7747 |
| DaikinFTXM25AVMA | 2.5 kW | 3.2 kW | 57 dB | 5.27 | 5.57 | 5.5 / 4 | AAC10031 |
| TCLVAIH+3 variants | 2.8 kW | 2.65 kW | 47.73 dB | 5.11 | 5.54 | 5 / 3.5 | AAC8101 |
| TCLIH+5 variants | 2.8 kW | 2.65 kW | 47.7 dB | 5.11 | 5.54 | 5 / 3.5 | AAC8485 |
| Carrier42QCE020N8+3 variants | 2.15 kW | 2.45 kW | 55.11 dB | 4.83 | 5.37 | 5 / 3.5 | ZAC0838 |
| DaikinFTXM20W1VMA | 2.2 kW | 2.7 kW | 55 dB | 5.22 | 5.33 | 5 / 3.5 | AAC6481 |
| Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSRK25ZSXA-W | 2.5 kW | 3.2 kW | 55 dB | 5.56 | 5.33 | 4.5 / 4 | AAC8728 |
| Mitsubishi ElectricMSZ-LN25VG2B+3 variants | 2.5 kW | 3.2 kW | 54 dB | 5.07 | 5.3 | 4.5 / 3.5 | AAC8757 |
| Mitsubishi ElectricMSZ-LN25VGDB+6 variants | 2.5 kW | 3.2 kW | 54.5 dB | 5.07 | 5.3 | 4.5 / 3.5 | AAC9264 |
| Mitsubishi ElectricMSZ-LN25VG2B+6 variants | 2.5 kW | 3.2 kW | 54 dB | 5.07 | 5.3 | 4.5 / 3.5 | AAC8755 |
| Carrier42QAG026N8 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC7705 |
| Carrier42QHG026N8-1 | 2.65 kW | 2.75 kW | 55.28 dB | 4.98 | 5.16 | 6 / 3.5 | AAC6982 |
| FujitsuASTG09KMTC | 2.5 kW | 3.2 kW | 55 dB | 4.7 | 4.84 | 5 / 3 | AAC8714 |
Cooling and heating are rated capacity. AEER andACOP are the annual efficiency figures for cooling and heating — higher is cheaper to run. Stars are shown as cooling / heating for a mixed climate zone, which is the one Melbourne sits in. Indoor noise is the manufacturer's declared sound level for the indoor unit. Every figure is as registered with the Australian Government's GEMS register, and the registration number is there so you can look it up yourself.
The useful cut
Best for heating in each size class.
Nobody buys the best unit in Australia. They buy the best one that fits the room. This is the same ranking applied inside each capacity class, so you can start from the size you need.
Read this before you decide on it
What the figure does not tell you.
ACOP is measured for a mixed climate zone, which is the zone Melbourne sits in, so it is the right comparison for this city — it would be the wrong one in Darwin or Hobart. Heat-pump efficiency also falls as the outside temperature drops, and the annual figure averages that. On the coldest mornings any reverse-cycle unit works harder than its headline number suggests, which is normal rather than a fault.
All figures are read from the GEMS registration database (Australian Government) and each model carries its registration number, so any line above can be checked atthe register. Rankings change when manufacturers register new models.
Compare another way
Best for heating air conditioners — common questions
What is the best split system for heating in Melbourne?
On the Australian Government's GEMS register, the highest annual heating efficiency figure among wall-mounted single-phase reverse-cycle models is ACOP 5.95, held by the Daikin FTXM20AVMA (registration AAC10030), which delivers 2.7 kW of heating. ACOP is measured for a mixed climate zone, which is the zone Melbourne sits in, making it the right figure to compare on for this city.
Why does heating efficiency matter more than cooling in Melbourne?
Because of how long each season lasts. Melbourne has a long, cold, damp winter and a comparatively short run of genuinely hot days, so a reverse-cycle system spends far more hours heating than cooling. The cooling star rating is the one on the showroom sticker, but the heating figure is the one doing the work on your bill for most of the year.
Is a reverse-cycle unit cheaper to run than gas heating?
Usually, and by a wide margin, because a heat pump moves heat rather than making it — an ACOP above 4 means more than four units of heat delivered for every unit of electricity drawn, which no combustion heater can match. Whether that translates to a lower bill in your house depends on your electricity and gas tariffs and on how the house is zoned. It is a question worth running the numbers on rather than assuming either way.
The spec sheet picks the unit. A site visit picks the install.
Where the head goes, whether the board can carry it and whether one unit or two suits the room are not on any register. Yiannis will tell you, free of charge — ARCtick certified, REC 28523.