Braemar vs Brivis vs Bonaire: Best Gas Heater Brands in Australia (2026)

Published 1 May 2026 · Written by Sidney — Licensed Gas Fitter, Pilot Gas Adelaide · 10 min read

TL;DR: After 12 years servicing all three in Adelaide: Braemar is the most reliable and has the best parts network; Brivis is a close second with strong ducted systems; Bonaire is cheapest but harder to source parts for older models. For new installs, Braemar is the safe bet. For existing units, the one you already own is the one to keep serviced.

Overview — all three brands

Braemar, Brivis and Bonaire are the big three in Australian residential gas heating. Every Adelaide suburb is full of them. I've serviced thousands of these units across the metro area, from stone cottages in Norwood to new builds in Mawson Lakes, and I can tell you each brand has its personality.

They all make:

• Ducted gas heaters (the main battleground)
• Space heaters and wall units (smaller range)
• Some evap cooling and RC products (outside this article's scope)

Current ownership (2026): Braemar is part of Seeley International (SA company, bit of local pride there). Brivis is owned by Rinnai. Bonaire is part of Climate Technologies. All three are still mainstream-supported brands.

Braemar deep dive

Strengths

• Reliability. Their ducted range (TQ and TQM series, Super B) has been the benchmark for a decade. Fewer control-board failures than competitors.
• Parts availability. Seeley is the only Australian-owned of the three — parts are stocked locally, next-day-delivery to Adelaide from their own warehouse.
• Service access. The Seeley design is the most service-friendly of the three. Panels come off cleanly, heat exchanger is accessible, burner slides out without drama.
• Efficiency. Current 5-6 star models are among the most efficient ducted gas units you can buy.
• Made in SA. Lonsdale factory. Dealing with Seeley Australia directly is refreshingly easy.

Weaknesses

• Older 90s and early 2000s Braemar wall units (Econ series) had heat exchanger issues. Most have been replaced by now, but some stubborn units hang on.
• Premium pricing — Braemar new installs tend to sit $200–$500 above Bonaire equivalents.
• Electronic ignition circuit boards on early 2010s units had a bad run of failures. Redesigned since.

Best Braemar models

• TQM series ducted — current workhorse, 5-6 star
• Super B series — premium ducted
• Econ wall furnace — still a solid wall unit, though smaller market

Brivis deep dive

Strengths

• Ducted performance. Buffalo and StarPro ranges have been genuinely excellent ducted units.
• Rinnai backing. Brivis is owned by Rinnai — a massive Japanese manufacturer. Engineering quality is high and corporate support is solid.
• Network Controllers. Brivis's zone controller (Networker and later MPS) are among the best factory controllers — intuitive, reliable.
• Two-stage burners on some models — genuinely quieter, more efficient, cycle less.

Weaknesses

• Early 2010s control board failures were notorious. Repairs are often uneconomic on 12+ year old Brivis ducted units.
• Parts for discontinued models (pre-2010) are drying up as Rinnai phases out legacy support.
• Access for servicing is slightly trickier than Braemar — panels don't always come off as cleanly, especially on older units mounted in tight roof cavities.

Best Brivis models

• Buffalo ducted series — tried and true
• StarPro HX series — current high-end ducted
• Classic wall unit — simple, still around in older homes, servicing OK

Bonaire deep dive

Strengths

• Price. Usually the cheapest new install of the big three. $400–$900 saving on equivalent capacity.
• Climate Technologies backing. Sister brands include Breezair — lots of engineering resource.
• The Bonaire Optima 5-star ducted has been a legit performer for a decade.
• Compatible controllers. Bonaire's touch controllers are easy to live with.

Weaknesses

• Parts for older units — pre-2012 Bonaires can be a hunt. We've had jobs where the fan motor took two weeks to source, middle of winter.
• Heat exchanger longevity. I've seen more Bonaire heat exchangers fail at the 10-12 year mark than Braemar equivalents. Not by a huge margin, but measurable.
• Service documentation. Some older Bonaire manuals are harder to obtain than Seeley's.

Best Bonaire models

• Optima 5-star ducted — strong value
• Pyrox (owned by Bonaire's parent) — space heaters, reliable and well-supported

Head-to-head comparison

Honourable mentions

Rinnai

Rinnai's Energysaver space heaters (the small flued units that sit under a window) are the most popular space heater in Australia for good reason. Rock solid, serviceable for 20+ years, parts available forever. If you're replacing a wall unit or space heater and want set-and-forget, a Rinnai Energysaver is hard to beat. Rinnai also owns Brivis, so their engineering talent runs across both brands.

Vulcan Heritage

An old Vulcan Heritage wall furnace (or even a Vulcan Multiflow ducted) can still be soldiering on in plenty of Adelaide homes. Vulcan as a brand is no longer being actively produced, but parts are still sourceable from aftermarket suppliers. If yours is working and serviced, keep it running. If it's failing, replace with a modern unit — the efficiency gap is worth the swap.

Pyrox

Pyrox wall furnaces — owned by the same group as Bonaire now — are still around, still servicing well. Simple, reliable, cheap to repair. Great value in smaller Adelaide homes.

Cannon / Regency

These are flued decorative gas heaters (think "log look" space heaters). More style than pure efficiency but perfectly fine in a living room. Cannon Canterbury is the most common — serviceable and durable.

Which to buy in 2026

Best overall for ducted new install: Braemar TQM or Super B. Best reliability track record, Australian-made, best parts network, best service access. Worth the premium.

Best budget ducted: Bonaire Optima if you're watching dollars. Accept slightly worse long-term parts story.

Best for smooth, quiet operation: Brivis StarPro with two-stage burner. You'll notice the difference on quiet evenings.

Best space heater: Rinnai Energysaver. Full stop.

Best upgrade from a dying wall furnace: Rinnai Energysaver or Braemar Econ if like-for-like. A ducted upgrade only makes sense if you've already got most of the ducting or you're renovating.

Whichever brand you pick, the service story matters more than the badge. A well-serviced Bonaire will outlast a neglected Braemar every time. See our service frequency guide and what's included in a service for the maintenance side.

Manufacturer links if you want to go deep: Seeley (Braemar), Brivis, Bonaire.

What Adelaide homes typically have installed

From our service book, rough distribution in metro Adelaide:

• Ducted gas in the east (Magill, Burnside, Glen Osmond): heavy Braemar presence, some Brivis. Newer homes trending Braemar TQM.
• Ducted gas in the north (Mawson Lakes, Salisbury, Golden Grove): even split across all three, many project-home Bonaire and Brivis installs.
• Ducted gas in the south (Flagstaff Hill, Morphett Vale, Aberfoyle Park): Brivis Buffalo dominant, plenty of Braemar.
• Wall furnaces and space heaters across older suburbs: Rinnai Energysaver is everywhere, followed by Vulcan, Pyrox and Braemar Econ.
• Inner city cottages: mostly space heaters (Cannon, Rinnai) and the occasional retrofit ducted where roof space allows.

Whatever you've got, it's probably serviceable. Parts networks for all three majors are still active.

FAQ

How long should a good gas heater last?

A well-serviced Braemar, Brivis or Bonaire ducted unit should do 15–20 years. Wall units 15–25. Space heaters like Rinnai Energysavers often hit 25+. Service is the variable.

Is it worth repairing an old unit or replacing?

Rule of thumb: if the repair cost is more than 40–50% of replacement cost and the unit is over 12 years old, replace. If it's under 10 years old, repair.

What about Chinese-made cheap brands?

Stick with the established Aussie brands. We've seen cheap import space heaters with poor combustion records and scarce parts. Not worth the $200 saved.

Does brand affect service pricing?

Slightly. Braemars are fastest to service (better access), so sometimes a touch cheaper. Older Bonaires can take longer if parts are needed. Rounding error in most quotes.

Which brand is best for a ducted retrofit in an Adelaide bungalow?

Braemar TQM. Compact footprint, good with retrofit ducting, wide range of capacities. Second pick Brivis Buffalo.