Bonaire
31
current models on sale in Australia
Split, installed (estimate)
$1,600 – $3,300
Estimated 2026 range; your quote confirms it
Warranty
5 years
Parts and labour on splits, per the manufacturer. Conditions apply
Best for
Dry-climate homes keeping evaporative, and households replacing old Bonaire gear who want a familiar name.
Bonaire has been in Australian roofs since the 1950s. The brand belongs to Climate Technologies, based in Dandenong South, Victoria, which has been owned by the Indian cooling company Symphony Limited since 2018. Most people know it for two things: evaporative coolers and gas ducted heaters.
That is why most Bonaire questions are really replacement questions. The evaporative unit on the roof is fifteen years old, it does nothing on a sticky February evening, and the gas heater beside it is costing more every winter. Do you buy another Bonaire, or switch to reverse cycle?
Bonaire now sells both answers. Alongside evaporative and gas heating, it has reverse cycle wall splits, including its Series 3 units, and ducted reverse cycle systems. A Bonaire bedroom split usually installs for about $1,600 to $2,000 in 2026, and a 7 kW living-room unit for about $2,300 to $3,100, on a standard install.
The honest read on the reverse cycle range: it is a value-tier product from a company whose expertise is evaporative and gas. It may serve you well. It has not yet earned the long reliability record of the brands that have sold splits here for decades, and you should price it against them.
If you are keeping evaporative, Bonaire is a sensible mid-priced choice in dry climates like Adelaide, Perth's east and inland Victoria. If you are replacing it, read our reverse cycle vs evaporative guide first, then get up to three local quotes with the reverse cycle options side by side.
Every current model
31 Bonaire models on the Energy Rating register
Compared on size, star ratings and noise, with typical installed prices.
Is Bonaire a good brand?
For evaporative cooling and gas heating, Bonaire is an established Australian name with parts and technicians in every state. Installers know the units well, which keeps servicing straightforward.
For reverse cycle, it is a newer entrant. Bonaire markets its ducted and split reverse cycle ranges as VEU approved, which matters in Victoria. The question is not whether the unit works on day one, but what year eight looks like. Buy it at a price that reflects the shorter record.
How much does a Bonaire evaporative cooler cost installed?
A Melbourne installer's price guide published in January 2026 puts a Bonaire ducted evaporative cooler at roughly $3,200 to $4,800 installed, with the wider market at $2,800 to $5,500 and premium brands at the top. Bonaire does not publish installed prices itself.
| Option | Typical installed price | Heats? | Works when humid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Bonaire ducted evaporative | About $3,200 – $4,800 | No | Poorly |
| Reverse cycle split, one room | $1,500 – $4,800 per unit | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-head, 2 to 4 rooms | $4,500 – $12,000 | Yes | Yes |
| Ducted reverse cycle, single storey 3-bed | $9,000 – $16,000 | Yes | Yes |
| Ducted reverse cycle, two storey or tight roof | $13,000 – $20,000 or more | Yes | Yes |
For full reverse cycle numbers, see the ducted cost guide and the split system cost guide. For your own house, get up to three local quotes for the refrigerated replacement before you reorder the same cooler.
Should I replace my Bonaire evaporative with reverse cycle?
It comes down to climate and heating. Evaporative coolers push outside air through wet pads. They work less well as outdoor humidity rises, need windows open to let air escape, and a whole-house system can use several hundred litres of water a day on a hot one. Bonaire itself says its coolers are most effective where the heat is dry.
- Keep evaporative if you live somewhere reliably dry, you like fresh air through the house, and you already heat well with something else.
- Switch to reverse cycle if humid summer nights are the problem, if you want to close up the house, or if your gas heater is also near the end of its life. One system then does both jobs.
- Consider a mix: keep the evaporative for dry days and add a reverse cycle split in the main bedroom for humid nights and winter.
- In Victoria, check the VEU rebate before you decide. Replacing gas heating with reverse cycle can attract a discount, and the installer should show it on the quote.
- In Adelaide and Perth, where evaporative is most common, the Adelaide and Perth pages cover local pricing. Or get up to three local quotes and have each installer price both routes.
Can I reuse evaporative ducts for reverse cycle?
Sometimes, usually not. Evaporative ducting is designed to move large volumes of outside air and dump it through ceiling outlets. Reverse cycle ducted needs insulated ducts sized for its own airflow, and a return air path. Many installers replace the lot.
If an installer proposes reuse, ask them to show the duct condition and sizing in writing. Leaky or undersized ducts turn a new ducted system into an expensive, noisy disappointment. Our reverse cycle vs evaporative guide covers this in more detail.
Bonaire gas ducted heating: replace like for like?
Bonaire's gas ducted heaters (the MB3 to MB6 series) are common in Victorian homes. When one fails, a like-for-like swap is the quickest fix, but it locks you into gas bills and a separate cooling system for another fifteen years.
Ducted reverse cycle replaces both the gas heater and the evaporative cooler with one system. In Victoria, VEU discounts for replacing gas heating with efficient reverse cycle can cut the upfront gap substantially. Check the current rules on the Victorian rebate page, since they have changed more than once since 2025.
Bonaire reverse cycle vs the established brands
A Bonaire split sits in the value tier on price. Compare it with Hisense, Haier and Midea at similar money, and with Panasonic or Fujitsu if the quote gap is small.
For whole-home ducted replacing evaporative and gas, get at least one quote from a specialist ducted brand such as Daikin or ActronAir, with the same zoning spelled out. Then choose on the itemised numbers and the installer. Get up to three local quotes to start.
Sources
Where it earns the money
- Decades of Australian evaporative cooling and gas ducted heating, so parts and service knowledge are everywhere
- Now sells reverse cycle splits and ducted under the Bonaire name, marked as VEU approved on its own site
- Evaporative coolers are cheap to run on dry heat days compared with refrigerated cooling
- Wide availability through installers and retail, and a familiar name for households replacing old Bonaire gear
Watch-outs before you sign
- Evaporative cannot heat and struggles on humid days. Most people looking at Bonaire are deciding whether to replace one
- The reverse cycle range is newer and has far less track record than the evaporative and gas lines
- Bonaire's warranty page does not state the standard cooler term. Get it in writing on the quote
- Several ducted evaporative models are listed as unavailable on Bonaire's site. Confirm the exact model is current
Our verdict
Bonaire is a fair evaporative buy for a dry climate. If you are replacing one because it cannot heat or cope with humidity, compare the Bonaire reverse cycle quote against the established split and ducted brands before you sign.
Whatever the badge, sizing and install quality decide how it feels to live with. Check your postcode's rebate and get quotes from up to three licensed local installers to compare.
FAQ
Bonaire questions
Is Bonaire a good brand?
For evaporative cooling and gas heating, yes; it is a long-established Australian brand with wide service support. Its reverse cycle range is newer, so compare it carefully against brands with a longer split and ducted track record.
Who owns Bonaire?
Bonaire is a brand of Climate Technologies Pty Ltd, based in Dandenong South, Victoria. Indian cooling company Symphony Limited bought Climate Technologies in 2018.
Does Bonaire make reverse cycle air conditioners?
Yes. Bonaire sells reverse cycle wall splits, including its Series 3 units, as well as ducted reverse cycle systems. Its site marks the split and ducted ranges as VEU approved.
How much does it cost to replace a Bonaire evaporative cooler?
A like-for-like Bonaire ducted evaporative replacement is typically around $3,200 to $4,800 installed, going by a January 2026 installer price guide. Switching to ducted reverse cycle is more, usually $7,500 to $18,000, but it heats and cools.
What is the downside of evaporative cooling?
It cannot heat, it works less well as humidity rises, you need windows open for it to work, and a whole-house unit uses a lot of water. In dry heat it is cheap to run; on a humid night it barely helps.
Do I need to leave a window open with evaporative cooling?
Yes, with most systems. Evaporative cooling pushes air into the house, and it needs somewhere to escape. That is one reason people swap to reverse cycle, which works with the house closed up.
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Fujitsu 
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 
Panasonic 
Gree Brand names and logos are trademarks of their owners, shown to identify the brands we compare. We are independent and not affiliated with any manufacturer.
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