Using ASHP in an Ad Hoc Fashion?

Exiled_Tyke

I'm with Alnat1.  Having worked as a chef I thought nothing would beat gas but love the better controllability of the induction hob and how much easier it is to keep clean.    

We now have an air fryer so the oven is only used very occasionally which gives us good savings. 

What we now save on the standing charge (having given up gas altogether) we spend on a service plan for the ASHP. (we didn't need one for the gas boiler before). 

On the HW issue.  We too have no problems heating a tank overnight and then getting through an entire day.  We have a bigger tank than is strictly necessary but means we can get away with heating water to a lower temperature (44 degrees) which is just enough for washing up. Using overnight electricity I estimate our hot water costs have just about halved on what they were with the combi.   

Spoonie_Turtle

In the topic of induction, if someone wants it but an oven with induction hob on the top is expensive (I have no idea what the landscape of home appliances is like, other than inaccessible because designers think people don't need tactile knobs and buttons), there are standalone single and double … I don't know what they're called, these things  https://andrewjamesworldwide.com/small-kitchen-appliances/single-induction-hob-black

That's what we've used for several years, secondhand oven with ceramic hobs so got a single of these from the charity shop to try, then later a double.  [Other brands are undoubtedly available.]

Vitor

A heat pump doesn’t really suit the way the OP uses heating at the moment. Your gas use is extremely low already, and the way you heat the house, short bursts only when it is genuinely cold, is the opposite of how a heat pump works best. You can run one ad hoc, but it needs higher flow temperatures and the efficiency drops, so the cost and carbon benefit shrink.

A cylinder heated overnight on an EV tariff would easily manage two showers and some hot water for washing up, but financially and practically a combi still fits your usage better unless your heating patterns change.

abouttown

As people have said, heat pumps work very differently but the fact that it works differently is one of its strengths. The consistent low temperatures maintain stable heat, which in turn, reduces cold corners, prevents the 'dry air' feeling from high heat when you blast heating with gas, and generally feels far more comfortable – that's beyond the simple benefit of better efficiency. We've had a heat pump paired with solar panels, and internal wall insulation for over 2 years which was installed by a company called Fairway Energy and honestly, it's been the best thing we ever did. We live rurally and before the installation the house was unbearable cold at times but now the house just maintains 19 degrees year round and we are spending far less on bills compared to when we had oil. It's much cheaper in the summer obviously because of the solar panels but that offsets the high rate in winter. We are on a renewables tariff and the buy back scheme, I forget what it's called, I think it is SEG.