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Hot Water System Brands in Australia: Who Makes What
Most of the hot water brands sold in Australia trace back to a handful of parent companies. Rheem owns Vulcan, AquaMAX, Solahart and Everhot, and also manufactures Thermann for Reece. Dux belongs to the Japanese Noritz group. Rinnai and Bosch are independent global manufacturers, Chromagen is an Israeli solar specialist, and Edwards was a Rheem solar brand that’s no longer sold. Once you know the family tree, quotes start making a lot more sense, because two different names on paper are often two tiers of the same factory.
We get asked about brands every week, usually by someone holding two quotes and wondering why one is cheaper. This page is the answer we give over the phone, written down.
The Rheem Family
Rheem is the biggest name in Australian hot water, and its reach is wider than most people realise.
Vulcan is Rheem’s value brand. So the honest answer to “what’s the difference between Rheem and Vulcan” is: they’re closely related products from the same parent company. A Vulcan is a simpler tank with a shorter warranty at a lower price, built for the budget and rental market. The Rheem badge buys a longer warranty and a wider range. Parts support for both is excellent, which matters more in year nine than anything on the brochure.
AquaMAX is also Rheem-owned, and has been since the 2000s. It’s best known for gas storage units and stainless steel electric tanks. The two gas storage models people compare, the 390 and the 340, differ mainly in capacity and recovery rate; the 390 simply delivers more hot water across a busy morning, which suits bigger households.
Solahart is Rheem’s dedicated solar arm, sold through its own dealer network.
Everhot was another Rheem brand, and it’s gone from sale. If you’ve got an Everhot tank, it’s old by definition, and we’ve written a separate guide for owners of Everhot, Edwards and ageing Dux systems weighing up replacements.
Thermann is Reece’s house brand. Is Thermann made in Australia? The storage tanks are, manufactured by Rheem for Reece, while some continuous flow models come from overseas. Practically speaking, a Thermann tank is a close cousin of a Rheem sold through a different door.
The Independents
Rinnai is a Japanese manufacturer whose Infinity range effectively invented the continuous flow category in Australia. It also sells tanks, but continuous flow is where its reputation lives.
Bosch competes mainly in continuous flow, with the German brand’s usual engineering pedigree.
Dux is one of the oldest Australian names, manufacturing in Moss Vale, New South Wales since 1915, and owned by Noritz of Japan since 2014. Still very much in production, still well supported.
Chromagen is an Israeli solar hot water maker that’s been operating in Australia since the early 2000s.
Edwards was a respected Australian solar manufacturer that Rheem acquired. The range has been discontinued, so an Edwards on your roof is a legacy unit with limited parts support, and replacement usually means a current solar system or a heat pump.
What the Family Tree Means for Your Decision
Three things fall out of all this. First, a Vulcan quote against a Rheem quote isn’t a contest between manufacturers; it’s a choice between tiers of one company, so compare the warranty years and the capacity, not the logo. Second, parts follow ownership. Rheem-family brands are easy to support anywhere in Melbourne for the life of the unit; discontinued brands are not, and that gap gets expensive at exactly the wrong moment. Third, the fuel question now has a deadline attached: from March 2027, Victorian homes must replace end-of-life gas hot water systems with electric alternatives, so a brand decision today is also a fuel decision worth making with the long game in mind. Our existing guide on choosing between electric and gas walks through that side of it.
O’Shea Plumbing installs and services every brand on this page. We’re not tied to any manufacturer, no one here earns a bonus for pushing a particular badge, and the recommendation you get is based on your household, your water usage and your budget. That’s been The O’Shea Way since 1978, and it’s why the hot water and appliance installation teams carry parts across brands rather than stock for one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Rheem and Vulcan?
Is AquaMAX owned by Rheem?
Is Vulcan owned by Rheem?
Who makes Edwards hot water systems?
Is Thermann made in Australia?
