It is apparent that we urgently need to change the ways in which we heat our homes and buildings and move away from harmful fossil fuels where possible and Air-to-Air renewable technology is one of the ways we can achieve super-efficient performance for both Heating and Cooling whilst lowering our carbon emissions. Panasonic know all about Air Conditioning and released their very first Home Air Conditioner in 1958 and with over 6 decades of experience Panasonic are synonymous with efficiently heating & cooling buildings globally. Chronologically, by 1972 the 'Room Heater/Air Conditioner' was released. By 1993 Human Detector Sensors were incorporated into the Air Conditioner and by 2008 Panasonic released Air Conditioner with nanoe to provide healthier air. Now in 2024 Panasonic offer a wide range of high-performance Residential and Commercial Air Conditioners, some of which have 3rd Generation of nanoe X built in. As a Pro Partner for Panasonic we are very passionate about the complete RAC range but one particular product that we really wanted to put to the test was the Panasonic Etherea with nanoe X. 

The smart, new Etherea now comes with nanoe X technology with the benefits of hydroxyl radicals. With advanced control options, class-leading performance and intelligent features, Etherea is designed to make your home or workplace comfortable, clean and the ideal place to be. Panasonic has meticulously designed a new Etherea for a sleek and stylish solution to blend with any interior. Its elegant monolithic design is robust and allows for a high-performance air conditioner, with a large air discharge area to optimise performance. With this in mind we wanted the Etherea installed in our product review facility where we could dive right in to the technical matter of the system and obtain a much wider understanding of how well this system really can perform so that we can be super confident that our clients are having one of the best performing units on the market. The Energy Efficiency rating for Etherea is up to A+++ in both Heating and Cooling.

We had set up an area that would enable us to install the system to Manufacturers Instructions. This gave opportunity to carry out our normal F Gas procedures, wiring procedures and to carry out the Manual's testing & commissioning processes. We found that the installation process and the wiring was very straightforward and there was plenty of space to the rear of the wall mounted Etherea for the condensation hose, cable and insulated pipes. 

Our system (a Single Split) consisted of the CU-Z20ZKE 2 kW Deluxe Inverter Outdoor Unit with a 2 kW CS-XZ20ZKEW-H Wall Mounted Charcoal Etherea Inverter Split (also available in Silver or White). Our Etherea model has the Wi-Fi Kit built in and Generator 3 nanoe X as standard. It can be easily connected to the Comfort Cloud App for ease of use from a smart device but for our testing we used the Menu on the Remote Controller which comes with the kit along with 2 x AAA Batteries. Up to 5 Etherea units can be connected to one Outdoor Unit (Multi Split).

The link to the Panasonic Etherea page is below, check it out.

When the system first started we found our system really quiet and this was a test scenario with both units inside the building so that was pretty impressive straightaway in our opinion. The Fan setting was set to Auto at that point. The Remote Controller has an impressive and extensive Menu and it is from the Remote that we activated the nanoe X. Providing protection from certain Bacteria, Allergens, Pollen, Odours and Particulate Matter, this Generator Mark 3 technology can release 48 Trillion Hydroxyl Radicals per second to provide you with cleaner, healthier air. Read more about nanoe X or see the YouTube video

During operation the End User has the option to either have nanoe X ON to clean the air as it operates or to turn nanoe X OFF and let the unit operate in heating or cooling without nanoe X. 

The system is seamless to operate from the Remote Controller and the Mode Button enables you to Switch from Auto - Heat - Cool - Dry. The Powerful Button will enable the End User to reach the desired temperature much faster. We tested the Powerful operation and it really ramps up but in testing we found the Etherea quickly delivered impressive heating and cooling temperatures in normal operation alone.

For testing purposes we had our gauges attached at one point to see our pressures and temperatures (hence the core removal tool attached in the image). The Remote Controller has some very helpful features for Service, Testing and Self Test Modes and the guidance in the Service Manual is very detailed and informative. 

Following the testing and commissioning procedures we wanted to explore more of the Menu and we switched from Auto and set the Fan Speed to Maximum to see if this would affect any increases in sound from the units. Overall it is a very impressive system with fantastic performance and looks great too. 

The rating for Sound is 19 dBA for the Indoor Etherea unit Quiet Operation. We were really impressed how quickly it achieved the set point temperatures so efficiently keeping you warm in winter and cool in the summer really is a breeze.

The system can be connected to Alexa or Google and controlled by Voice control to turn ON and OFF, Change Mode, Adjust Temperature or Check Operation Status and the built in Network Adaptor enables connectivity via the Panasonic Comfort Cloud App

In summary the Etherea is a fantastic unit with great performance and we would be very confident to say the Etherea could be ideally suited to most UK Homes, Holiday Lodges and some Commercial Buildings. Panasonic Etherea could be an ideal heating & cooling solution that enables property owners to switch from being heavily dependant on oil or other expensive fossil fuels to heat their buildings. Historically radiators have been a generally reliable solution for space heating in our homes and buildings but for property owners that are keen to move away from fossil fuel Panasonic Air to Air technology with indoor air conditioners such as the Panasonic Etherea could be a game changer.

R32 Refrigerant is very efficient, has a low global Warming Potential (GWP) of 675 and is more eco-friendly and kinder to the planet. 

A key point to mention is that because Air-to-Air is a renewable technology, the cost of the equipment and installation costs are 0% VAT Rated therefore Customers can make quite a saving on their installation.

To Compare the models within the Residential Solutions click here

Get in touch to discus your air to air requirements or to obtain a quotation.