The Game-Changing Rheem All Pressure Range has Arrived
28 October 2025
New Zealand has a hot water problem: we are one of the few countries in the world where low pressure systems are still common. Given a choice, every homeowner would upgrade to a mains pressure hot water heater, but this can be a costly transition, and may even require alterations to the hot water cupboard to make space for the new model. To put this in perspective, keeping a legacy low pressure copper cylinder is like sticking with copper dial-up internet instead of upgrading to fibre.
Recognising this as a national issue, Rheem started speaking to New Zealand plumbers to find answers. What’s stopping Kiwi homeowners from upgrading to mains pressure? What are the barriers for plumbers recommending this upgrade? What are the key issues with installation that make the transition so costly?
The answers we heard led to one conclusion: New Zealand needs a new water heater that is a like-for-like replacement for legacy low pressure copper cylinders, but capable of being installed as both a low or mains pressure system.
So, our local design team got to work.
How the All Pressure Range Solves the Upgrade Problem
The result is the game-changing Rheem All Pressure Vitreous Enamel (APVE™), a future-ready hot water solution designed to make the upgrade to mains pressure simple and cost-effective. The APVE™ is a drop-in replacement that can be installed as a low or mains pressure system, and even if it begins life as a low pressure unit, it can be upgraded later to mains pressure with a valving change.
To ensure installation is as simple as possible, the APVE™ range has been designed and manufactured in New Zealand with the same height, diameter, and bottom entry as the copper cylinders it replaces. Plumbers can swap out an old cylinder without altering cupboards, flooring or pipework, making it an ideal solution for urgent breakdown situations. Importantly, the APVE™ range includes over 20 product options, which means plumbers can almost always offer homeowners a direct replacement that delivers better performance without the cost and complexity of a traditional mains pressure upgrade.
Why the All Pressure Range is a Smarter Choice
The All Pressure range is built with Rheem Ultranamel®, which is more durable than domestic grade enamels and can prolong the life of the water heater. It also provides superior corrosion resistance in chlorinated, hard, or bore water compared to copper or stainless steel. Further, the entire range is fitted with a sacrificial anode for even greater protection against corrosion and has been put through the rigorous Rheem quality checks. For these reasons and more, Rheem can provide a 10-year tank warranty for the All Pressure range, which is twice that of traditional copper cylinders.
As a 100% electric product, the APVE™ is also a sustainable choice. With 80 to 85% of our country’s electricity already coming from renewable sources (EECA data), choosing an electric APVE™ water heater allows households to enjoy strong, reliable hot water while helping to reduce their environmental footprint.
Designed for New Zealand
The All Pressure™ range has been developed to meet the needs of New Zealand plumbers and homeowners. As the range is designed and manufactured locally, we were able to respond to the needs of our customers through the design and production process. This ensured the product addressed the real-world installation challenges of plumbers, and reduced the cost and hassle of upgrading to mains pressure for homeowners.
With like-for-like sizing, superior materials, an extended warranty and a design ready for low or mains pressure, the Rheem APVE™ range is changing the game for hot water in New Zealand. Whether replacing a leaking low pressure copper cylinder or planning for a full mains upgrade in the future, this is a product built to deliver now and long into the future.
Get in touch today to find out more.
First published in NZ Plumber in the Oct/Nov 2025 issue.
The Game-Changing Rheem All Pressure Range
