Hayward
Hayward HeatPro MCHX 140K BTU Pool Heat Pump (W3HP21405T)
Best overall — The default pool heat pump for warm climates — 140,000 BTU, a 100% titanium heat exchanger, and a 5.7 COP that turns one unit of electricity into roughly five-plus units of heat
Specs
| Heat source | Electric — pulls heat from the air |
| Output | 140,000 BTU |
| Run cost | Low (COP 5.7) |
| Heating speed | ~1–1.5°F/hr |
| Heats on demand | Yes, above ~50°F |
| Best for | Warm-climate, year-round swimming |
Pros
- Most-trusted heat-pump line, with the efficiency that makes it the warm-climate default — a 5.7 COP (at 80/80/80) means about 5+ units of heat per unit of electricity
- 100% titanium heat exchanger built for pool chemistry; the part most likely to corrode and fail on cheaper units
- MCHX microchannel coil — Hayward's newer generation, with a patent-pending defrost that holds heating capacity better at 50°F and below than older heat pumps
- Far lower running cost than gas in mild weather, with Hayward's nationwide dealer and parts network behind it
Cons
- Still a heat pump: even with the MCHX defrost, efficiency falls in cold air and it can't rescue a pool in a hard freeze the way gas can
- Heats gradually, not fast — plan on a day or more to bring a cool pool up, not an afternoon
- Premium equipment (a 140K-BTU heat pump runs about $5,000–$7,000) and it needs a 240V circuit
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Data last verified: Jun 2026. Ratings are real, dated reads — never scraped or invented. Full methodology and monetization disclosure: how we test.