Panasonic Etherea Review: Is It the Right Home Air Conditioner?
Panasonic Etherea Review Is It the Right Home Air Conditioner?
The Etherea is Panasonic's premium wall-mounted air conditioner and one of the units we're asked about most. We install it week in, week out, so this is a review from the people who fit it, set it up and get the phone call if something isn't right.
The Panasonic Etherea is a very good home air conditioner for bedrooms and living spaces, and the right choice for most people who want quiet running, app control and efficient heating in one unit. It runs as low as 19 dB(A) in the smaller sizes, has Wi-Fi built in, and is rated up to A+++ for both cooling and heating. It's more than you need for a room you only cool a few days a year, and the quietest figures don't apply to the larger sizes.
What the Etherea Is
Etherea is the top wall-mounted model in Panasonic's home air conditioning range. It's a reverse-cycle split system, so the same unit cools in summer and heats in winter, and it runs on R32 refrigerant. Panasonic sells it as a single split (one indoor unit, one outdoor unit) and as an indoor unit for its Free Multi systems, where one outdoor unit runs several rooms.
It comes in three finishes: matt white, silver and graphite grey. As a Panasonic Pro Partner we fit a lot of them, mostly in bedrooms, living rooms, loft conversions and home offices.
Sizes Available
Panasonic lists the Etherea in six capacities, from 2.05kW to 7.1kW. These are the nominal figures from Panasonic's datasheet for the current range, with the indoor sound pressure at the quietest and highest fan settings in cooling:
| Size | Cooling | Heating | Indoor Noise (Quietest) | Indoor Noise (High) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0kW | 2.05kW | 2.8kW | 19 dB(A) | 35 dB(A) |
| 2.5kW | 2.5kW | 3.4kW | 19 dB(A) | 39 dB(A) |
| 3.5kW | 3.5kW | 4.0kW | 19 dB(A) | 42 dB(A) |
| 4.2kW | 4.2kW | 5.3kW | 25 dB(A) | 43 dB(A) |
| 5.0kW | 5.0kW | 5.8kW | 30 dB(A) | 44 dB(A) |
| 7.1kW | 7.1kW | 8.2kW | 30 dB(A) | 47 dB(A) |
Not sure which of these fits your room? Our guide on what size air conditioner you need walks through it.
Noise: The Headline Figure, and the Small Print
Panasonic advertises the Etherea at 19 dB(A), and that figure is real, but it needs context. It applies to the three smallest sizes, at the lowest fan setting. The 4.2kW unit is 25 dB(A) at its quietest, and the 5.0kW and 7.1kW units are 30 dB(A).
At high fan speed every size is clearly audible, from 35 dB(A) on the smallest up to 47 dB(A) on the largest. In practice a correctly sized unit spends most of its time at low speed once the room is at temperature, which is why sizing matters so much for a bedroom. An undersized unit will sit at high fan speed and you will hear it.
nanoe X: What It Does and What It Doesn't
Every current Etherea indoor unit has Panasonic's nanoe X Generator Mark 3 built in. It releases hydroxyl radicals into the room, and Panasonic states the Mark 3 generator produces 48 trillion of them per second. According to Panasonic, these inhibit certain viruses, bacteria, allergens and odours, in the air and on surfaces and soft furnishings.
Two things we like about it as installers. It can run on its own with heating and cooling switched off, and there are no nanoe X filters or cartridges to replace. The unit also uses it in an internal cleaning cycle that dries the inside of the indoor unit after use, which helps keep the coil from going musty.
The honest caveat: the performance claims come from Panasonic's own and commissioned testing, in test conditions. Treat nanoe X as a useful extra, not a medical device and not a replacement for opening a window or for cleaning the filters. If air quality is your only reason for buying, an air conditioner is the wrong starting point.
Wi-Fi and the Comfort Cloud App
Wi-Fi is built into the Etherea, so there's no adaptor to buy or fit. You pair it with Panasonic's Comfort Cloud app, which lets you switch the unit on and off, change mode and temperature, set schedules and monitor energy consumption from your phone, at home or away. Panasonic also lists it as working with Google Home and Amazon Alexa for voice control.
It needs a home Wi-Fi signal where the indoor unit is mounted. That's worth checking in loft rooms and garden offices before installation day. The handheld remote still does everything if you never open the app.
Heating Performance
The Etherea is a heat pump, and Panasonic rates the range up to A+++ for both cooling and heating. Its datasheets give an outdoor operating range for heating that extends to at least -15°C, well beyond anything a normal winter in Kent or South East London asks of it.
Heating capacity is higher than cooling capacity on every size, as the table above shows. Like any heat pump, output falls as the temperature outside drops, so if you plan to heat with it all winter, say so at survey and we'll size for the cold days, not the mild ones. There's more on this in our guide to heating your home with air conditioning.
Other Features Worth a Mention
- Aerowings 2.0. Two independent vanes that direct cool air up and along the ceiling, and warm air down towards the floor, so you're not sitting in a draught.
- AI ECO mode. Panasonic states up to 20% additional energy savings in cooling compared with standard operation, based on its own test of a 4.2kW model.
- Multi-split compatible. The same indoor units connect to Panasonic's Free Multi outdoor units, so you can match the look across several rooms.
- Three finishes. Matt white, silver or graphite grey.
What We Like, and What to Weigh Up
Strengths
- Very quiet at low fan speed in the bedroom sizes
- Wi-Fi built in, with nothing extra to fit
- nanoe X runs without heating or cooling, and has no consumables
- Rated up to A+++ for heating and cooling
- Six sizes, so it can be matched to most rooms
- Works on single split and multi-split systems
Things to Weigh Up
- It's Panasonic's premium wall unit, so you pay for features you may not use
- The 19 dB(A) figure doesn't apply to the 4.2kW size and above
- nanoe X claims rest on Panasonic's own testing
- The indoor unit is around 87cm wide in the smaller sizes, so it needs clear wall space
- App control depends on good Wi-Fi at the unit
Who the Etherea Suits
- Bedrooms and nurseries, where low-speed noise matters most
- Living rooms and home offices that will be heated as well as cooled
- Anyone who wants app control and energy monitoring without add-ons
- Households where odours, pets or allergies make the nanoe X feature worth having
- Rooms where the look of the unit matters and a silver or graphite finish would sit better than white
Who Should Look at Something Else
If the unit is going in a spare room, a garage gym or anywhere you just want reliable cooling without the extras, Panasonic's TZ compact wall unit is the more sensible choice. We compare the two in our Etherea vs TZ Super-Compact guide.
If you don't have a suitable stretch of wall, or you don't want a unit on show, a floor console or a ducted unit will suit the room better. And if you prefer another manufacturer, we also install Mitsubishi Electric systems and can quote like for like.
For large open-plan spaces, one wall unit at the top of the range isn't always the answer. Two smaller units, or a different type of indoor unit, often gives more even temperatures. See single split vs multi split for how that works.
Our Verdict
The Etherea earns its place as the unit we recommend most often for bedrooms and main living spaces. The quiet running in the smaller sizes, built-in Wi-Fi and solid heating figures are things you notice every day. It isn't the right pick for every room, and in a room you use occasionally you won't get the value out of it. Bought for the right room and sized properly, it's an easy unit to live with.
Common Questions
Is the Panasonic Etherea quiet enough for a bedroom?
In the 2.0kW, 2.5kW and 3.5kW sizes, Panasonic lists the indoor unit at 19 dB(A) on its lowest fan setting. That suits a bedroom well, as long as the unit is sized correctly so it isn't running at high speed all night.
Does the Etherea have Wi-Fi built in?
Yes. Current Etherea units have Wi-Fi built in and connect to Panasonic's Comfort Cloud app. Panasonic also lists compatibility with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
Can the Panasonic Etherea heat a room in winter?
Yes. It's a heat pump, rated by Panasonic up to A+++ for heating, and its heating capacity is higher than its cooling capacity in every size.
Does nanoe X need filters or maintenance?
The nanoe X generator has no filters or cartridges to replace. The unit's ordinary air filters still need cleaning, and the system should be serviced once a year. See our air conditioning servicing page.
What sizes does the Etherea come in?
Panasonic lists six sizes: 2.05kW, 2.5kW, 3.5kW, 4.2kW, 5.0kW and 7.1kW.
Can I have Etherea units in more than one room?
Yes. Etherea indoor units connect to Panasonic's Free Multi outdoor units, so one outdoor unit can run several rooms. Each room keeps its own controller and temperature setting.
Get a Free Survey
We're a Panasonic Pro Partner, and our F-Gas certified engineers install Etherea systems across Dartford, Kent, Essex, Surrey and South East London. We'll look at the room, tell you honestly whether the Etherea is the right unit for it, and size it properly. Call us on 01322 474 990 or read about our air conditioning installation process.
Find out more about our air conditioning service.