Chaffoteaux (Ariston) heat pump: reviews and prices 2024

A French brand that is more than a century old, Chaffoteaux has a great deal of experience in heating, with some important inventions in the mid-20th century. The manufacturer launched into air-to-water and hybrid heat pumps in the early 2010s and promises efficient, reliable, ultra-connected and quiet heat pumps. As you'll see in this handy guide, the promise is far from being kept. Let's get started!

Chaffoteaux, a French brand more than a century old

The history of Chaffoteaux began in 1914, when the Chaffoteaux brothers decided to leave the Ardennes to settle in the Côtes d'Armor, near Saint-Brieuc, where they operated a foundry business. The production is heterogeneous, ranging from sanitary appliances to hardware, including smoke control and trading. 

In 1925, Chaffoteaux acquired its national reputation in France with the invention of the first gas water heater: the Tank Gaz. In 1933, Chaffoteaux consolidated its position in DHW by acquiring the Maury company, which had invented the "Bayard" bath heater in 1899. Chaffoteaux became Chaffoteaux & Maury.

In 1938, Chaffoteaux acquired the manufacturing licenses of Junker, a German company that was a pioneer in the manufacture of gas water heaters. After the Second World War, Chaffoteaux & Maury won a competition organized by the French government to rebuild destroyed buildings as quickly as possible. In 1955, Chaffoteaux invented the first wall-mounted gas boiler and established itself on a long-term basis in collective housing. This was also the start of the brand's internationalization, with subsidiaries opened in England, Belgium, Spain and Italy.

The second half of the 20th century was marked by the launch of the first multi-gas burner, the opening of the new factory in Ploufragan (55,000 m²), the launch of the largest after-sales service in France with more than 1,000 vans, the launch of the first solar range (solar collectors and storage tanks), the invention of the very first dry chamber bath heater and the takeover by the Italian group Elfi, the German group Wolf and then finally the family-owned Italian MTS (Merloni Termosanitari), which is now called Ariston Thermo Group. Chaffoteaux (formerly Chaffoteaux & Maury) thus celebrated its centenary in 2014.

Presentation of the Chaffoteaux (Ariston) heat pump

Chaffoteaux's first Arianext heat pumps were launched in 2014, which is relatively late compared to other manufacturers who have been early on in negotiating the shift to renewable energy and environmentally friendly heating equipment. Chaffoteaux offers a relatively dense range of air-to-water and hybrid heat pumps, both packaged and split, suitable for both new homes and energy renovation projects. All Chaffoteaux heat pumps are connected as standard (Chaffolink).

All Chaffoteaux air-to-water and hybrid heat pumps operate with the refrigerant gas R32, which is slightly more efficient and 20 % cheaper than R410A. R32 also has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) three times lower than R410A, making it a more environmentally friendly gas. The European F-Gas regulation having chosen to limit the Global Warming Potential (GWP), R32 is indisputably the refrigerant gas of the future. 

The French brand offers five models of air-to-water heat pumps:

• Arianext Lite M Link R32 CAP;
• The Arianext Plus S Link R32 heat pump;
• Arianext Plus M Link R32 CAP;
• The Arianext Compact S Link R32 heat pump;
• The Arianext Compact M Link R32 heat pump.

Chaffoteaux also offers two models of hybrid heat pumps: 

• The Talia Hybrid Flex Link R32 heat pump;
• Mira Hybrid Link R32 heat pump.

Advantages of Chaffoteaux heat pumps

• Chaffoteaux is a French brand with more than a century of expertise in heating individual and collective housing in France and Europe;
• SCOPs are interesting, often exceeding (largely) 3... at least on paper (see below) ;
• All Chaffoteaux air-to-water heat pumps operate with R32 refrigerant gas (rather than R410A). R32 is less expensive, (slightly) more efficient and more environmentally friendly;
• On paper, the performance announced by Chaffoteaux for its Arianext range is impressive. We will see in the following if the consumers find these performances in use;
• No refrigerant handling is required for professionals;
• As far as hydraulic connections are concerned, Arianext heat pumps stand out: there is almost no limit to the distance and height difference between the indoor and outdoor units;
• On the Chaffoteaux split models, the refrigerant link avoids the risk of freezing in winter: no water loop outside. Unfortunately, this promise is not kept on some models (see below);
• The noise level of Chaffoteaux heat pumps remains reasonable, around 60 dB (A) of sound power;
• Heat pumps controllable by smartphone, tablet and voice assistant (Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit);
• Professionals can monitor the status of their Chaffoteaux connected equipment on a daily basis thanks to the Chaffolink Manager platform, with the possibility of diagnosing and intervening remotely by adjusting the main operating parameters of each heat pump. In the event of a breakdown or emergency on one of the units, installers receive an email notification to react as quickly as possible.

Disadvantages of Chaffoteaux heat pumps

• Ariston is a manufacturer of major appliances, not heat pumps. The lack of expertise is felt in the reliability of some models, as we will see in the user reviews;
• Despite the brand's promises, Chaffoteaux heat pumps do not withstand reasonably low temperatures, with reliability problems appearing as early as 7°C;
• Some consumers report problems of overconsumption, even with heat pumps that have a theoretical COP of more than 3 or even 4;
• Aesthetics are not really Chaffoteaux's forte. Without being repulsive, Chaffoteaux heat pumps are visually unremarkable;
• Chaffoteaux has made some excellent boilers... the same cannot be said for their heat pumps.

Chaffoteaux heat pumps

Chaffoteaux offers two ranges of heat pumps: air-to-water heat pumps, which heat the air and produce domestic hot water, and hybrid heat pumps, which combine an air-to-water heat pump and a condensing gas boiler connected by a hydraulic or refrigerant link.

#1 Arianext Lite M Link R32 air-water heat pump

This is a flexible monobloc heat pump designed to replace heat pumps at the end of their life. Like all Chaffoteaux heat pumps, this heat pump uses R32 refrigerant and can be controlled remotely via Chaffolink. This model is equipped with Inverter technology and has a heating energy class of A++ (35° C) and A++ (55° C). This heat pump is HP Keymark certified and has a COP that can reach 5.1 at 7/35° C.

Let's take a look at the main performance indicators of the Chaffoteaux Arianext Lite M Link R32 air-to-water heat pump.

35 M Link R32	50 M Link R32	80 M Link R3280 M-T Link R32	120 M Link R32120 M-T Link R32	150 M Link R32150 M-T Link R32
Rated power A7 W35 in kW	3.5	5	8	12	15
Nominal COP A7 W35	5.1	5	4.8	4.9	4.7
Rated power A-7 W35° in kW	3.5	5	7.4	9.5	11
Nominal COP A-7 W35 in kW	3.1	2.9	3	3.2	3.1
Energy class for heating (35/55° C)	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++

As you can see, the COP is interesting for an outside air temperature of 7° C, which is a little higher than the average temperature in Western Europe. On the other hand, it falls below 3 when the temperature is freezing (-7° C), as for all heat pumps. Unfortunately, Chaffoteaux does not provide the seasonal COP (SCOP) of its units.

#2 Arianext Plus S Link R32 air-to-water heat pump

The Arianext Plus S Link is a split Inverter heat pump that can be combined with a separate DHW system. This heat pump is in fact a combination of two high-performance solutions: a DC Inverter heat pump and a hydraulic module, Arianext Plus S, for heating and cooling (optional). It can be combined with a thermodynamic water heater from the Aquanext range for domestic hot water production. It can be combined with a 200, 300 or 450 liter DHW tank, depending on the size of your household. 

This model comes standard with the Expert Control and the WiFi gateway and is compatible with the Chaffolink solution. It has an interesting energy class for heating (A+++ at 35° C and A++ at 55° C), and A+ for DHW.

Let's take a look at the various performance indicators of the Arianext Plus S Link R32 air-to-water heat pump (outdoor air/water split).

40 S	50 S	70 S	90 S&T	110 S&T	90 S	110 S
Rated power A7 W35 in kW	3.50	4.40	6.40	8.65	10.60	8.66	10.61
Nominal COP A7 W35	5.11	5.02	5	5.25	5.15	5.25	5.15
Rated power A-7 W35 in kW	4.08	5	7	9.10	11	9.66	12.59
Nominal COP A-7 W35 in kW	3.27	3.06	3.17	3.37	3.26	3.21	3.21
Indoor sound power level (average climate conditions) in dbA	36	36	36	43	43	43	43
Outdoor sound power level (average climatic conditions) in dbA	56	58	60	62	62	62	62

#3 Arianext Plus M Link R32 air-to-water heat pump

This is the same model as the previous one in a monobloc version, again combinable with a separate domestic hot water production system (200 liter tank only). Here is a summary of the main performance indicators of this model.

35 M Link R32	50 M Link R32	80 M Link R3280 M-T Link R32	120 M Link R32120 M-T Link R32	150 M Link R32150 M-T Link R32
Rated power A7/W35 in kW	3.50	5	8	12	15
Nominal COP A7 W35	5.1	5	4.8	4.9	4.7
Rated power A-7 W35 in kW	3.5	5	7.4	9.5	11
Nominal COP A-7 W35 in kW	3.1	2.9	3	3.2	3.1
Heating energy class (35/55° C)	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++

#4 Arianext Compact S Link R32 heat pump

This is a column-type split Inverter heat pump with an integrated 180-liter storage tank. Designed for both new build and renovation projects, the Arianext Compact S combines a heat pump with a triple service column incorporating a hydraulic model and a 180-liter storage tank for DHW. On the menu: heating, cooling and domestic hot water.

We appreciate the compactness of the column (60 x 60 cm on the ground), the low noise level (52 dbA for the outdoor unit) and the versatility of the model that can be integrated into complex systems (photovoltaic solar panel, solar thermal panel, etc.). Let's see now the main performance indicators of this split unit model. As you will see, we remain on an excellent COP (around 5 in A7 W35) and more than 3 in A-7 W35.

40 S	50 S	70 S	90 S	110 S
Rated power A7/W35 in kW	3.50	4.4	6.4	8.66	10.61
Nominal COP A7 W35	5.11	5.02	5	5.25	5.15
Rated power A-7 W35 in kW	4.08	5	7	9.66	12.59
Nominal COP A-7 W35 in kW	3.27	3.06	3.17	3.21	3.21
Heating energy class (35/55° C)	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++	A++/A++

#5 Arianext Compact M Link air-to-water heat pump

This single-package column Inverter heat pump also has a 180-liter domestic hot water tank. Space-saving and easy to install and maintain, the Arianext Compact M air-to-water heat pump is logically less efficient than the split system model. Depending on the size of your home, it may be necessary to add a circulator.

40 M	50 M	70 M	70 M-T	90 M	90 M-T	110 M	110 M-T
Rated power A7 W35 in kW	5.9	6.7	8.7	8.7	13.6	13.6	15	15
Nominal COP A7 W35	4.6	4.5	4.5	4.5	4.6	4.6	4.5	4.5
Rated power A-7 W35 in kW	4.1	5	7	7	9.1	9.1	11	11
Nominal COP A-7 W35 in kW	3.3	3.1	3.2	3.2	3.3	3.3	3.2	3.2
Outdoor sound power level (average climatic conditions) in dbA	57	59	61	61	63	63	63	63

#6 Talia Flex Link R32 Hybrid Heat Pump

This hybrid heat pump has been designed for new buildings (3.5 kW) and energy renovations (6.4 kW). It combines a hydraulic module equipped with a hybrid Energy Manager regulation and a monobloc air-water heat pump Inverter DC. This model has a 190-liter DHW reserve and offers good acoustic comfort. 

Chaffoteaux promises very high energy efficiency, with a heating efficiency that can reach 195 %. The interface with color LCD and HD screen allows for smooth and intuitive navigation. Like all the brand's heat pumps, this model is connected as standard, with remote control of the unit by the installer via Chaffolink Manager.

The technical characteristics of this model are not communicated by the manufacturer.

Price of a Chaffoteaux (Ariston) heat pump

The price of a Chaffoteaux (Ariston) air-to-water heat pump is around €6,000, with a wide range from €5,000 to €10,000, excluding installation. An average of €4,000 must be added.

What financial assistance is available for the purchase of a Chaffoteaux (Ariston) heat pump?

Air-to-water heat pumps have a low ecological impact and allow for significant savings on the energy bill. Despite an obvious reliability problem, Chaffoteaux heat pumps are no exception to the rule. They are therefore eligible for the various financial assistance offered by the State and local authorities, including : 

• MyRenovationPrimeA means-tested bonus. Value: between 3 000 and 5 000 €;
• The boiler conversion premium (Prime CEE), which applies to the replacement of an old boiler (oil, coal, gas except condensation) by a heat pump. Unlike MaPrimeRénov', it is not subject to resource conditions. Value: between 2 500 and 4 000 €;
• The zero interest eco-loan (eco-PTZ), an interest-free loan repayable over a maximum of 20 years. Granted subject to acceptance of the file by the bank, it can cover up to 50 000 € of energy work;
• Local government assistance. Contact your department and/or region or visit the ANIL website for more information.

What do consumers (and installers) think of Chaffoteaux heat pumps?

In view of their technical characteristics on paper, Chaffoteaux heat pumps have a number of advantages to offer, including an interesting COP, standard connectivity and very reasonable sound power. What if we compared Chaffoteaux heat pumps to the reality of the field? As you will see, the French brand's heat pumps are far from being unanimously approved.

When asked about his opinion of Chaffoteaux heat pumps, Raymond037 of ForumConstruire.com is categorical: " Why did you buy a Chaffoteaux heat pump, even if Ariston? Ariston is a manufacturer of large appliances, not of heat pumps! Apparently, there is nothing good on this machine, except probably the compressor since it is not Ariston who makes it ".

For his part, Maxwell86 reports his (negative) experience with the brand: " Unfortunately, I had no choice. This is the equipment that the developer decided to install on the houses in our residence, and we all have problems with it, by the way ". Not very encouraging!

Weezy from ForumConstruire.com is more virulent (Arianext model): " Repeated problems and no solution. A nightmare in 4 years (new house). Don't buy this brand. ".

Curiously, installers and professionals seem to recommend Chaffoteaux heat pumps instead. Cartman44 has a theory: " Chaffoteaux et Maury made good boilers. They launched into heat pumps by relying on their network of installers... not easy to reinvent yourself ". Chaffoteaux probably offers good margins to installers for recommending their heat pumps. So be careful.

What are the alternatives to the Chaffoteaux heat pump?

For the same price, you can afford a heat pump from Daikin or Atlantic. If you have the means, you can bet on sure values like Bosch, Toshiba or even Mitsubishi. If you want to stay on the Made in France, go rather to the Auer or to a lesser extent, the Saunier Duval.