tepeo Avis 

It is a great product and easy to swap away from a gas boiler saving us the daily charge for gas at least.

We have a 1980s semi-detached house (which three people live in) that we have completely revamped. The more modern ground floor extensions have 50mm insulation in the walls (well below the present regulations of (100mm). The two storey parts of the house have 25mm insulation (even worse!) We have installed double glazing throughout. Floors are solid concrete and are not insulated (except in the extensions where we have 50mm). It was 'D' rated for it's EPC when we started the renovation. The loft space does have 270mm of insulation so complies to modern regs.

Thus the house does lose heat much more quickly than a modern house through its walls and floors.

The ZEB has a capacity that is only 40kw which means for us that on Octopus (Economy 5 tariff in effect) we need to charge up for 4 hours at the cheap rate (£0.08p/kwhr) (just a bit more expensive than mains gas) between 0030 hours to 0530 hours and then potentially do a top up in the afternoon for maybe a couple of hours at £0.24p/kwhr. This is because at the recent temperatures of -4C to +4C the house needs a bit more heat than 40kwhrs (in fact 48-50kwhrs). The heating goes on at 0600 and off at 0930 hours. It then comes on again at 1200-1330 hours and then again 1800-2200hours. The house throughout remains at 19-20C throughout the day and overnight it drops to about 18C. It has thus been costing a little more than gas, but not, much over these cold periods. In the warmer weather it does not need to charge outside of the cheap rate period.

The house was supposed to cost some £2100 pa to heat and light per the EPC but presently has cost £1900 which I guess it good news. We have certainly saved on the gas fire which was very old and inefficient and the gas boiler which was in the garage and also extremely old. The heat from the unit heats the kitchen a bit especially if we leave the cupboard open.

There is the standing charge of £240/year for servicing and running the system remotely the equivalent of the yearly service from our 'gasman'.

If I were to do anything different it would have been to put more insulation on the walls and accept the reduction in space for the slowing of the loss of heat from the house.

For the future we shall install solar panels to reduce our need for the grid at expensive times and possibly put in a couple of batteries.

The whole system does rely on cheap electricity periods to compete with mains gas of course.

If I could give this zero I would personally I would not buy we have to use the log burner for sorce of primary heat . And thinking of going back to oil . So just think twice before spending

Installed Feb 2023
Version - 1st Gen

Consultation - was indicated I would save money (more on that later).

Installation - The installation was very professional and efficient and they were happy to inform me what they would be doing and then what they had done etc.

Customer Support - The CS team I feel sorry for as they are doing their best but it seems that the communication they have or able to share is lacking.

Listening to Feedback - This has been very poor.
example - launched a new set of colours for the front of the ZEB... when Users have been on Forums and directly emailing asking for a better App and Solar connectivity.

The potential is there but it does seem that Tepeo have no inclination to act on customer feedback.

The App, which was installed on Feb 2023 has not improved - in fact on installation a number of issues/bugs and errors were raised. Features have as a result been removed, but no sense of improving them, adding new features.

Costs - It has massively increased the cost of heating our home. It seems that for some it might reduce it and that was the information we received on consultation... but be warned.. if you buy this to save money from forums most common you break even or you buy it to do your bit for the environment and accept it will cost you more.

The Tepeo ZEB (Zero Emission Boiler) is a smart, eco-friendly alternative to gas or oil boilers or an alternative to those who do not want a heat pump. Running entirely on electricity, it eliminates on-site carbon emissions, making it ideal for reducing your carbon footprint. With nearly 100% efficiency, it ensures maximum energy conversion into heat, minimizing waste.

A key feature is its thermal energy storage, allowing you to store heat during off-peak hours, cutting costs if you're on a time-of-use tariff. Installation is easy, fitting into a space not much bigger than a washing machine. It requires less maintenance due to fewer moving parts than a gas boiler or heat pump and you can subscribe to the care plan that includes an annual service for just £10/month (correct 01.10.24) which is excellent value for money.

Future-proof and grid-friendly, the ZEB supports the transition to greener energy while potentially reducing running costs when combined with the right electricity tariff. Overall, it’s an excellent choice ad one I am glad I chose, it’s a sustainable, efficient heating solution for homeowners.

My ZEB is installed in a poorly insulated four-bedroom house with an E energy rating, and I prefer to maintain the temperature at 20 degrees Celsius. In my opinion, the ZEB would be a good fit for an average-sized three-bedroom home or smaller or a larger, well-insulated house with daily peak heating demands below 40kWh.

Positive:

It just works – set, forget, stay warm.
Can store free energy during ‘free electricity’ grid events – supplier dependent.
If you enjoy having an old-school airing cupboard that is warm – this will give you that.
Excellent customer service.
Direct replacement for existing boiler without the need for upgrades or upheaval.
If you want hot radiators rather than the low and slow water temperature approach – no problem.
If you want a low and slow water temperature approach – no problem.

Neutral:

Heat loss when fully charged appears higher than expected – though heat lost goes into the fabric of the house and have an airing cupboard is great, especially in the winter.
The app and data are what it is, I am unsure if I want more data or not – though total usage would be good, day, week, month, year ect.

Negative:

Could not get OpenTherm to work correctly with the unit even though is compatible.
Boost function is limited to 30 mins each time.
No API to automate with grid balancing signals – e.g. boosting for free.
No specific energy supplier ‘cheap’ tariff like what is available for EVs.
No CT clamp to manage charge rate in a high peak demand household.
Solar charging was apparently forthcoming, it is yet to materialise.
No government grants.

The negatives are what I consider niceties that set companies apart, not must haves and are user dependent. Some of the negatives may be, neutral or a positive to others.

We’ve had ours since November 2022, so two full winters and heading into our third.

It works. The house is warm and that’s the job right? So yeah it works.

I loved having the gas boiler removed and not having to pay the gas standing charge is an instant saver too.

Would I do it again? Yes. Absolutely.

Updated 28-January-2025

I’ve completely updated this review, because Tepeo have now agreed to provide half-hourly Electricity In, Heat Out, and State of Charge data to users who request it, in the form of a monthly CSV file. Previously, I don’t think they realised just how important it is to be able to access this data in a useful form

I think the ZEB is working well for me. It is certainly much cleaner than my old oil boiler. Their customer support has been excellent.

At present, I do not know how much power the ZEB is using, and consequently how much it is costing me to run. I believe the cost is reasonable, but I do not yet know for sure. However, once I start getting the usage data from Tepeo, I will know.

Installation was very straightforward. Our ancient oil boiler was removed and replaced by the ZEB in not much over half a day. I was impressed that the installer didn’t even need to drain the system, and made a really neat job of filling the hole left after removing the flue.

I love what Tepeo are doing, making use of cheap off peak green electricity to heat my house. Such a relief to get off the gas supply. The ZEB’s 40kWh heat battery kept my 3 bedroom bungalow nice and warm last winter. I recommend installing it inside the house which makes it 100% efficient. I use it for my space heating only, as my water is heated by solar thermal and immersion top up on cheap night time tariff (Octopus) as required.
Tepeo are quick to respond to any enquiries - the best customer service I’ve ever experienced.

Approaching our third winter with the ZEB following our change away from an old gas boiler. The concept is sound, some of the software is dubious and support has been patchy. It’s essential that your ZEB be installed inside the heated envelope of the house as it loses a lot of heat….inside the house = no problem. Ours was installed in an attached garage ( where the gas boiler had been) and heavy insulation of it ( with no help from Tepeo) has been essential for vaguely affordable running. We were also promised the ability for the ZEB to charge from excess solar power - Tepeo have now done an about face on this and it will not be happening. Using the ZEB for CH only, combining with cheap overnight tariff and combining use with IR panel heaters we can just about make it work but I’m not sure it’s optimum. All concerns and worries have been shared with Tepeo but they don’t really want to know. It’s only the support of a WhatsApp group of fellow ZEB owners that has kept us going.

We have had our zeb for a while now and I'm very happy with it and the service is very good from the team we did have one problem with it but it was sorted very quickly.

The whole experience of installation was made easy with our local installers who worked closely with Tepeo to have the boiler running smoothly.
Having a direct contact with Tepeo also meant that any issues were dealt with swiftly remotely.
The app is easy to use with a lot of control/adjustment.
The heat output for both hotwater and central heating has been lovely - a toasty warm house during the end of the last winter - our boiler was installed in Jan 24.

Tepeo support and service has been excellent. The ZEB boiler is working as one would expect a new boiler to work. We're only using the ZEB for heating, hot water is either by solar or cheap rate overnight electricity powering the immersion heating element. The 40kWh capacity seems to fit our 3 bedroom house fine, allowing us to charge overnight and power the ZEB the following day. The ZEB does radiate a little heat during the day, but as it's internal within or house, it just keeps the kitchen nicely warm. Slightly expensive to buy but would recommend it. Running costs seem comparable with gas.

Once a few teething problems were sorted out with the installation it has worked well. I have disabled the smart charging to only charge on a cheap overnight ev tariff. This now works well with any top up charges being done with solar or batteries

Updating with a further star. A Tepeo engineer has been, identified and corrected an installation fault. The system now runs much more quietly. Software still not great though, so I can't give the full five yet.

I've had a ZEB for a while now. It heats well, although possibly slightly under powered for my house when the temperature really dips.
The software is far from perfect in terms of charging automatically off peak and unfortunately Tepeo's response has been to run it manually.
My biggest disappointment is how noisy the ZEB is in operation. Tepeo did try to sort it out to their credit but it's still an issue.
Customer service is responsive and I do believe that they're really trying but I'm still underwhelmed by the ZEB.

Had the Tepeo boiler for 18 months and been really impressed. Dynamic charging allows you to charge up and the cheapest times ( definitely want to be with a supplier that has discounted electricity rates as it is expensive to charge without. Plenty of suppliers that do. We are with Octopus Energy). App is easy to use and can see charging times as well as when the boiler is charging/discharging. Any issues we have had were dealt with really quickly so great customer service

From designing our system, through installation, and now through maintenance, Tepeo have been great!
The ZEB was a first gen product when we purchased, and it had teething troubles, but these have always been dealt with swiftly and with minimal fuss, even out of hours! As the product has matured and become more stable and robust, our early installation has benefitted from various upgrades and improvements.
The ZEB has slashed our heating costs, moved us to zero emissions heating, and allowed us to get rid of our unsightly oil tank!

We have had excellent support from Tepeo ever since we installed it. The personal visit helping us set up for the winter was very good.

Our Tepeo; quiet calm background warmth at the centre of our home throughout day and night. There when needed to meet demand efficiently. With all the peace of mind that comes with its quiet operation, ten year guarantee and intelligent programming.

The ZEB is a great product which we are very pleased to have replaced our gas boiler. Our house is as warm as it ever was with the old boiler and we have much more control over its operation.
Tepeo have been excellent in all aspects during and since our installation in April this year.

I was looking at Tepeo's ZEB for around 2 years, waiting for a Midlands roll-out while nursing our unreliable LPG boiler through each successive winter. In August, the installation of our ZEB coincided with a solar+battery install. Adam really helped oversee this, getting the friendly ZEB installers to talk to dovetail with the unrelated solar electrician.

So it's been Christmas with the family at home for a week. Our largish 4 bedroom house is at the limits of what the ZEB can handle, but it works perfectly for us. We charge only in off-peak and the full 40kWh sees us through to when the off-peak period kicks in again - although sometimes we do hit 0% SOC a few minutes before (but the ZEB continues to release latent heat).

Our lounge is furthest from the boiler and the largest room in the house, so we use the remaining LPG in our tank to fire up the the fireplace LPG stove in the afternnoons and evenings until we can use off-peak electricity to take the weight off the ZEB while it recharges. Don't forget it can only recharge using the net amount it stores - but it's all good again by the morning. Immersion on for an hour during off-peak also helps ZEB recovery, but it's not a problem if we forget.

So I'm comfortably managing my solar+battery and ZEB ecosystem as efficiently as possible just now. There will always be a few tweaks, especially when the solar balancing option comes along for ZEB in a few months. The custom timer option with weekend override will be a bonus when it arrives.

Only word of caution for those considering solar+battery with ZEB is that the ZEB can pull power faster than the battery can provide (certainly mine with conservative settings for battery longevity). My 7 kWh batteries can also provide around 20% of the ZEB's 40 kWh capacity anyway. I set target SOC during peak hour to 0% to avoid supplementing at peak rates as the ZEB would otherwise pull extra from the grid.

My dogs are happy with a warm kitchen 24/7, my wife's happy to have a consistently warm house again and the kids no longer need to ask if we have any hot water. Christmas heating was the acid test for my setup, and I'm glad I made the leap of faith with our ZEB.

We have had a wood pellet boiler for 20 years. We knew the boiler was on its last legs and began looking for a replacement. I just didn't trust the air source heat pump 'market'(that appears to have become corrupted with the increase in government grants). In contrast, from seeing the Zeb on Octopus, then talking to Adam from Tepeo, we felt this was a company and product we could trust. He had such confidence in the Zeb, but no hard sell, just factual. We arranged the installation for January '24......then our boiler died early December. Adam took on mission impossible, securing a Zeb, an excellent electrician and plumber, coordinating everyone for the installation of both a Zeb and Mixergy hot water cylinder, allowing us to have heating and hot water for Christmas. We have a 3 bedroom 70s detached house, well insulated and with underfloor heating. The Zeb and cylinder fit under the stairs, feeling like the heart of the house. We are average winter temp at the moment and haven't run out of charge. RIP old pellet boiler, but we feel so much more in control now over the energy we are using. Huge thanks again to Adam. We are so glad to have invested in the Zeb and would highly recommend.