When it comes to knowing which solar panel brands are the best, there’s no one to ask but the people who install them for a living, exactly what we do every year. It’s time to reveal the 2025 Solarquotes Installer’ Choice Awards for the best solar panels.
We did things differently this year
Over the past few years we have asked installers in our network three questions:
- What brands would you install in your home if you were on a budget?
- What if money wasn’t an object?
- Which brands have the best warranty support?
This year we asked just one question to make it easier for our busy installers to provide feedback:
If you were installing a system in your own home today, what brands would you use?
A total of 161 installers responded to our survey. Here are the results, with a first-time commissioner as the surprise winner:
Best solar panels in Australia: 2025
Best Solar Panels 2025: First Place – Aiko Solar
An Aiko Solar Array installed by Genr8.
Aiko, which just launched in Australia in March 2024, has made a strong impression on installers and homeowners alike due to some slick marketing and competitive pricing.
They are the clear winner in this year’s vote with 27% of the vote (versus 16% for runner-up, Rec).
Their residential offering is the NeoTar selection of panels, all of which come with a 25-year product warranty and have performance specifications that match (or exceed) premium offerings like Sunpower and REC.
For example, the 455W Neostar 2S panel has an efficiency of 22.8%, compared to 22.6% for Rec’s Alpha Pure RX – at half the price.
Aiko Actively influences customer reviews on the Solarquotes reviews page, which is a good sign It takes customer service and support seriously.
Anecdotally, Aiko appears to have taken a large market share from competitors, as it is one of the most common panel brands we see in the homeowners asking us to review.
Regarding her slick marketing, particularly regarding her shade performance, long-time Solarquotes client MC Electrical did a YouTube breakdown of Aiko’s claims.
The marketing department of AIKO Neostar 2S data sheet could not clearly explain to us what this means in terms of real-world performance.
Best solar panels 2025: second place – Rec
14kW Rec-Alpha panels on my north facing roof
Rec, which falls from year one to second place, secures silver with 16% of the vote.
Known as a premium end panel manufacturer with a price to match, their flagship product line is their “Alpha” series of panels, with the latest and greatest being the Alpha Pure Rx, which clocks in at 470 watts.
They also offer the 415-watt Twinpeak 5 as a more budget-friendly option.
All REC panels come with a full 25-year product warranty.
One installer who didn’t even vote for REC admitted that they believed it was the best choice for coastal conditions, telling us, “REC for sure when I was on the water.”
Best Solar Panels 2025: Third Place – Jinko Solar
Jinko Panels installed by Freedom Energy Solutions Group
Jinko Solar takes bronze with 11% of the vote and is a titan of the solar industry with a long history in Australia.
Like Aiko, they make value-added crops, with performance only slightly lower than higher-priced alternatives.
Their flagship Tiger Neo panels come with a full 25-year product warranty.
What can you expect to pay for systems with these brands?
Awards are a nice vote of confidence, but how much of a hit is it to your wallet if you want to use these brands?
Panel-level pricing can be seen on my solar panel comparison chart.
Flagship Panel Pricing:
- Aiko Neostar 2S 455W: $160/panel or $0.35/watt
- Jinko Tiger Neo 440W: $125/panel or $0.30/watt
- Rec Alpha Pure RX 470W: $290/panel or $0.61/watt
To use an example, I would expect a 10kW solar system installed on a straightforward roof in a large subway area with a premium stringer (like Fronius) to cost approximately:
- Aiko: $9,000 to $11,000
- REC: $12,000 to $14,000
- Jinko: $9,000 to $11,000
Which installers use the winning panels?
Congratulations to this year’s winners – especially Aiko for such a convincing win as newcomer.
If you want to compare the specifications of the winners and all other brands, check out our solar panel comparison table.
If you would like to receive solar quotes from installers selling the winning brands, visit my cities, select your city and use the filters to select only the brands you want:
Then select up to three installers and click “Get Quotes from Select Companies.”
Congratulations again to this year’s winner Aiko. According to Australian solar installers, they are the best solar panels in Australia.
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