Panasonic air conditioning

About Panasonic air conditioning

Panasonic is a Japanese electronics manufacturer with a long-established heating and cooling business. In the UK it sells domestic air conditioning, commercial split and VRF systems, and air-to-water heat pumps, through installers. Its UK site is aircon.panasonic.eu.

Wall units for homes

Panasonic’s best-known domestic range is Etherea with nanoe X, a slim wall unit offered in several finishes, including white and silver. Panasonic’s nanoe X technology releases tiny charged water particles into the room; Panasonic presents it as an air-quality feature that works alongside the filters. It’s worth being realistic: it is not a substitute for ventilation or for cleaning the filters, and claims about air quality should always be read in the manufacturer’s own terms. Our air quality guide explains what air conditioning can and can’t do.

Below Etherea sits the TZ wall-mounted range, a simpler unit for bedrooms, home offices and smaller rooms. Both ranges use R32 in their current UK versions. Panasonic indoor units can also be combined on a multi-split, including multi outdoor units designed for heating, such as its Power Heat Multi Z with Etherea indoor units. We confirm the exact current model and features on your quote.

Commercial systems

Panasonic’s commercial range includes larger split systems with cassettes, ducted and under-ceiling units for shops, offices and restaurants, and VRF systems for larger buildings with many zones. These are designed with central control in mind, so a facilities team can set and lock temperatures. Our commercial air conditioning and VRF pages explain how we survey and design these systems.

Controls and app

Every unit comes with a handset. Wi-Fi models can be run from Panasonic’s app, so you can switch the system on, change mode and set schedules from your phone. Some models include Wi-Fi as standard; others need an adaptor. For a look at how the main brands’ apps compare, read our guide to smart air conditioning apps.

Where Panasonic fits

• Bedrooms and living rooms: Etherea where a slim, smart unit is wanted.
• Smaller rooms and home offices: TZ.
• Several rooms, including heating in winter: a multi-split.
• Shops, offices and restaurants: commercial splits and VRF.

For a bedroom, ask for the noise figure at the lowest fan speed for the exact size you’re offered, as it varies between models. For a sunny room, the cooling capacity matters more than the extras, so we size it properly before talking about features.

Panasonic’s UK warranty

Panasonic publishes a UK warranty document for its air conditioning. It sets out tiers of cover: a standard tier, and longer tiers that depend on the installing engineer having completed Panasonic training and registered with Panasonic, and on the project being registered through Panasonic’s installer portal. It also requires annual maintenance, with records kept, and excludes wear parts, misuse and incorrect installation.

We don’t claim a Panasonic tier or add a warranty of our own. We explain which manufacturer’s terms apply to your system on your quote, and we keep the commissioning and service records that the terms ask for. Read our warranty guide for the general picture.

Using Panasonic for heating

Many people buy air conditioning for summer and then find they use it more for heating. Air-to-air heat pumps are efficient at heating, and the Energy Saving Trust notes that air-to-air heat pumps are sometimes referred to as air conditioning. If heating matters to you, tell us at the survey. We’ll size the system for the coldest weather you want it to handle, check where warm air will reach in the room and look at Panasonic’s heating-focused multi outdoor units where several rooms are involved. If the system will be your main heating and replace a fossil-fuel system, ask us about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme’s air-to-air grant, which has strict conditions.

Keeping a Panasonic warranty valid

Because Panasonic’s UK terms require annual maintenance with records, it’s worth booking the first service when the system is installed. We keep a record of each visit, including what was checked and cleaned, so you have the paperwork if a fault ever needs a warranty claim.

Strengths and things to consider

Strengths: Etherea is a slim, smart unit with a choice of finishes; Panasonic has a strong range for heating as well as cooling; and its warranty terms are published in detail.

Things to consider: the longer warranty tiers depend on the installer’s training and registration, so ask every installer which tier you would actually get; annual maintenance is a condition; and air-quality features are a bonus, not a reason on their own to choose a unit. Our Panasonic air conditioning review compares the ranges in more detail.

Installation, servicing and repairs

A single-room split costs £1,200–£2,200 + VAT, a 2-room multi-split £2,800–£4,500 + VAT and a 3–5 room multi-split £4,500–£8,500 + VAT, including supply, installation, commissioning and F-Gas documentation. Commercial systems are priced after a survey. An annual service, which Panasonic’s warranty terms require, is £95–£150 + VAT, and a repair call-out starts from £75 + VAT for diagnosis. We reply to enquiries the same working day.