Heating my room: storage heater or air conditioner?
Room 7 × 5 m (35 m²), Zagreb · heating matters more than cooling · research of 20.10.2026
Buy a heat-pump air conditioner, not a storage heater. They cost about the same to buy and install, but the air conditioner uses a third to a half of the electricity for the same heat.
Best for heating, one company does everything: Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-RW 3.5 kW Hyper Heating from mitsubishi.hr. It costs 2,429 € with the code MITSUBISHI10, installation included, and gives full heat even at −25 °C.
Best value: Daikin Perfera 3.5 kW with installation for about 2,000–2,050 €. Before buying either, have one company come to the house for free and confirm the size and where the outdoor unit can go.
1. Running cost: same heat, 5 hours a day
The 4.5 kW storage heater running 5 hours gives 22.5 kWh of heat a day. Below is what that heat costs from each option at HEP's 2026 two-tariff prices, about 0.20 €/kWh by day and 0.10 €/kWh at night, including network fees and VAT. I worked these totals out from HEP's published tariffs.
| Electricity a day | Cost a day | Winter (150 days) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage heater 4.5 kW, charged at night | 22.5 kWh | 2.27 € | ≈ 340 € |
| Storage heater charged at day tariff | 22.5 kWh | 4.48 € | ≈ 670 € |
| Air conditioner on cold days (3× efficiency), day tariff | 7.5 kWh | 1.49 € | ≈ 225 € |
| Air conditioner, average winter (4× efficiency) | 5.6 kWh | 1.12 € | ≈ 170 € |
The air conditioner saves roughly 115–170 € every winter. The best models (SCOP 5.1–5.2) save more.
2. The storage heater, for comparison
Magnohrom TP 450, 4.5 kW storage heater (bricks inside), Centar Tehnike
900 € + delivery 38.71 € + stand ≈ 45 € + electrician ≈ 1,050–1,150 €
Plus
- Real stored heat: charges for 8 hours at night, gives warmth during the day
- Fits 30–45 m², with 2 fans and a room thermostat; in stock
- Quiet, radiant warmth, no outdoor unit
Minus
- Uses 3–4× more electricity for the same heat
- Needs a two-tariff meter, otherwise it costs double
- Very heavy (about 200 kg, an estimate); the floor must hold it
- No cooling in summer
Product page · Only Centar Tehnike shows up among the 541 shops on Jeftinije.hr. Salona Tech sells the same models dearer (4.5 kW for 1,070 €). Pevex, Links, Instar, Emmezeta and Mall have none.
The smaller 3.5 kW model (for 20–35 m²) on Nabava.net: Termoakumulacijska peć 3.5 kW, 719 €, marked available for immediate delivery from the shop (read 20.10.2026). For 35 m² it is at the top of its range, so on cold days the 4.5 kW is safer.
Wheels under the heater (postolje s kotačima)
Magnohrom makes a stand for each size. Centar Tehnike describes it as a wheeled stand that lets you move the heater, and its stored heat, to another room. Check the product photo before ordering. Buy the stand that matches the heater's power:
| Stand for | Centar Tehnike | Other shops |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 kW | 26 € | Jeftinije.hr |
| 3.5 kW | 30 € | Alles · Salona Tech (45 €) |
| 4.5 kW (for the TP 450) | 37 €, in stock | Alles · Salona Tech (48 €) |
| 6 kW | 40 € |
A universal appliance stand on wheels, such as the Zilan, 130 kg max, does not fit: it adjusts only up to 60 × 70 cm, while the 4.5 kW heater is 100.5 cm long, and the bricks weigh more than 130 kg.
3. What to buy: air conditioners for heating, installation included
Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-RW35VG / MUZ-RW35VGHZ, Hyper Heating, 3.5 kW
2,429.10 € with code MITSUBISHI10 (list 2,699 €). Installation included, normally 399.99 €.
Plus
- 100% of its heating power at −25 °C outside, the strongest heating of all options
- SCOP 5.1, A+++ for heating: the cheapest to run
- One company sells and installs; installation offered in all of Croatia; in stock
Minus
- The most expensive option
- The code is marked "this week", so the price may change
- "Standard installation" usually means up to 3 m of pipe; ask what costs extra
mitsubishi.hr product page, price and code read on 20.10.2026.
Daikin Perfera FTXM35 / RXM35, 3.5 kW
2,050 € cash with installation (Frigo-mont) · or 1,750 € + 250 € installation (Unichrom)
Plus
- SCOP 5.2, A+++ for heating; heating power 4.0 kW (up to 5.2)
- Heats down to −20 °C
- Frigo-mont gives a 60-month warranty; Unichrom installs within 24–72 h
Minus
- Loses some power below about −7 °C, unlike Hyper Heating
- Frigo-mont is in Osijek: ask whether they come to Zagreb
- Installation covers up to 3 m of pipe; extra metres cost more
Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-DW35VF Comfort Inverter, 3.5 kW, Unichrom
≈ 670 € + ≈ 250 € installation = ≈ 920 €, payable in instalments
Plus
- Less than half the price of the others
- Same shop sells and installs; available now
Minus
- Heats only down to −10 °C: weak on the coldest days
- SCOP 4.3, A+ for heating: costs more to run than the two above
Unichrom product page. Unichrom's standard installation: up to 3 m of pipe, one wall hole, outdoor unit up to 4 m high, mainland only.
4. Amazon Germany: not better
I searched amazon.de for Daikin Perfera, Mitsubishi 3.5 kW and "Wärmepumpe heizen −25". Amazon mostly lists indoor or outdoor units sold separately, often without a price, and the good brands are not cheaper than in Croatia. German shops sell the Perfera set for about 1,450–2,170 €, which equals the Croatian price with installation. The cheap sets, such as the Heinner 12000 BTU for 419 €, are rated only A+ for heating.
Plus of buying abroad
- Occasionally a lower price on a sale
Minus
- Installers charge more for a unit you bring (Tara-Term: 250 € instead of 220 €, plus VAT)
- Some refuse altogether (klima-uredaji.hr installs only units bought from them)
- Warranty claims go back to Germany; returning a 30–40 kg outdoor unit is a burden
5. Zagreb companies that come first, look, and recommend the size
Ask them for a heat-loss calculation, not just "35 m² = 3.5 kW". That calculation tells you whether 3.5 kW is enough or a 4.2–5 kW unit is needed.
| Company | What they offer |
|---|---|
| Klimatizacija Zagreb | Free visit in Zagreb and Zagreb County; checks the room, insulation and outdoor-unit position, and recommends the power |
| Ineci Projekt | Free visit when a quote needs one; advises on the best solution |
| Dizalice topline | Measures the building and calculates the heat loss, then proposes power and type |
| mitsubishi.hr | Installation included with the Hyper Heating unit, anywhere in Croatia |
6. Zagreb installers for a unit you buy yourself
| Installer | Standard install, 3.5 kW | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tara-Term | 250 € + VAT | Your own unit is welcome (220 € with theirs); 190 € onto prepared pipes |
| Stinmark | 250 € | 2.2–4.0 kW; +50 € per metre over 3 m, +30 € per extra wall hole |
| HGSPOT | 319 € | 2.0–4.5 kW, up to 3 m, Zagreb and surroundings |
| Frigo-Kor | 375 € | Up to 3 m, one wall hole |
| Klima-montaža | see price list | Warranty on the installation until the factory warranty ends; −10% for cash |
| Klima-uređaji.hr | 275 € | Only units bought from them |
7. Watch out
- Outdoor unit on the facade: new rules forbid outdoor units on facades facing a street, square or park. Side or back walls, balconies and terraces are allowed. Settle the position with the installer before you buy (Novi list, infographic).
- In a building with shared ownership, the co-owners or the building manager may need to agree.
- "Standard installation" is up to 3 m of pipe and one wall hole; every extra metre costs about 50 €.
- When heating, the outdoor unit defrosts itself now and then. That is normal, but it needs a drain for the water.
8. Questions for the company that visits
- What is the heat loss of the room, and which power (kW) do you recommend?
- How much heat does the model give at −10 °C and −15 °C, not just its nominal power?
- Where can the outdoor unit go under the facade rules, and how many metres of pipe will that need?
- What exactly does the price include: pipes, bracket, cable, drain, wall holes, VAT?
- How long is the warranty on the unit and on the installation, and who services it?
Sources
- Electricity: HEP-ODS network tariffs 2026, HEPI price list
- Storage heaters: Centar Tehnike, Salona Tech, Jeftinije.hr
- Efficiency: Daikin Perfera (Eurovent), Mitsubishi MSZ-RW
- German prices: Stiftung Warentest, ClimaMarket, Breeze24
- Installation prices: Trebam.hr
Prices are snapshots of 20.10.2026 and change often; confirm them with the shop before ordering.