I was born in Germany, and I grew up with names like Stiebel-Eltron.
When I had my home built in 2010, I wanted it to be as environmentally friendly as possible and at the same time low maintenance. The builder offered a few hot water options, amongst them a Stiebel Eltron heat pump, and I happily went for the familiar name - a company that had been around for some 80 years - back then still believing in the quality myth that surrounds products 'Made in Germany'.
From the beginning, the warm water pressure was significantly lower than the cold water pressure, to a degree that filling a bucket with hot water took several minutes; so the internal resistance of the device has to be enormous.
The water was never really hot; the mixer tap always had to be on 80+ % to feel comfortable in the shower, but after maybe 3 years, the water temperature started to drop further. I called Stiebel Eltron several times without getting any helpful support. In the end, the water was just hand warm. Now after exactly 7 years, the unit is completely dead. It happened on a weekend, and when I called SE support, the phone just rang through, no recorded message, no way to leave a message, nothing. I then got the nearest hot water plumbing service to have a look, and for A$185 got the diagnosis that all the refrigerant gas had escaped and I needed a new hot water system. After the weekend, again I tried to ring SE, during normal business hours, and the phone, again, just rang through - several times. However, when I finally rang the number for sales, I got someone instantaneously... SE insisted that before they could give any comment, a refrigeration technician had to look at the system, who confirmed the diagnosis - for another A$ 165.
SE's position then was, that the pump was out of warranty, and while they would expect those pumps to last at least 10 years, there was nothing they would want to do for me, except for giving me a bit of a discount on a new pump. Over a couple of not exactly pleasant phone conversations, which involved discussions about the Australian Consumer Protection Act, the ACCC, and me mentioning that I could and would contact the German Headquarters, this eventually shifted to a significant discount.
I was not overly keen to risk another frustrating experience with a SE product, but it was the most economical solution - whilst still getting an energy efficient system.
The day before the SE appointed plumber was meant to replace the pump, I rang to confirm with that plumber and learned that the plumber had assumed that SE would send the pump to my place, and SE had thought the plumber would get it, so there was no pump available for the next day - and meanwhile I had been without hot water for around three weeks.
At that point, I decided that I had had enough of SE products, service (or lack thereof) and unprofessionalism, and contacted the initial local hot water business to have them install a heat pump from a different (also German) manufacturer. Luckily they could slot me in for the next day, and now after having had the new pump for almost two weeks, I am happy that I didn't get another SE - despite the 1k more that I had to pay. The water, for the first time since I moved into my home, is really hot (mixer tap just a bit above middle position is hot enough), and the difference in water pressure is even more amazing.
The plumber (and owner of the business) had a lot to say about SE heat pumps, but I won't write anything here that is not based on my own experience.
Summarizing, my experience with the Stiebel Eltron heat pump, the company's after-sales support and overall professionalism is extremely disappointing. I can neither recommend the product nor the brand in general. Contact me via PM if you want more details.