SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels review

SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels are durable, reliable and efficient, making them perfect for your home or business. (Credit: SunPower)

SunPower is a premium solar solutions company and one of the most renowned names in the industry. The company has its own line of high-end residential and commercial solar panels that are manufactured by Maxeon Solar. The SunPower Maxeon 3 is one of the most high-efficient solar panels developed by the company. 

According to SunPower, their solar cells have been tested against its competitors across five cell generations, 3.5 billion cells and 33 million panels. The cells come with a patented metal foundation that allows them to bend under tough conditions instead of breaking. Additionally, the panels are expected to last 40 years with a return rate of less than 0.005%.

SunPower extended its warranty period from 25 to 40 years for the Maxeon 3 panels. During this period, these panels are guaranteed to maintain their efficiency and power output advantage for more years than standard panels. Based on this warranty, they also have the highest warranted output protection in the solar industry at 88.3% in year 40. Therefore, the SunPower Maxeon 3 will degrade by about 0.25% every year. 

Thanks to their excellent qualities, these panels were recognised as a Top Performer in the PVEL PV Module Reliability Scorecard for five years in a row. They are also ranked among the best panels on the market due to their high efficiency and durability. The brand sells in more than 100 countries and has tons of customers.

The SunPower Maxeon 3 is one of the most powerful solar panels for residential buildings on the market. Its cells are built on a solid copper foundation, making them durable and hard to break. SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels are available in different power outputs from 355-430 W. With a 22.8% maximum efficiency, these panels have the lowest degradation rate in the market and are four times more reliable than conventional panels.

• Range: 355-430 W
• Efficiency: 19.8%-22.8%
• Warranty: 40 years
• Cost: From £350 (excluding installation costs)

Key features

• Highlights: SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels are very durable. The patented metal foundation of their cells allows them to bend instead of break under tough conditions.
• What it does: SunPower Maxeon cells utilise back-contact conductivity and don’t have metal grid lines, enabling them to absorb more sunlight.
• Warranty: These panels come with one of the highest warranty periods on the solar panel market at 40 years.
  Cost: You can buy these solar panels for approximately £350, which is quite pricey compared to other brands. However, the price is worth it thanks to the 40-year warranty period.

SunPower Maxeon 3 has some advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before spending money on these solar panels, you need to know their pros and cons to help you decide whether it’s worth it. 

Pros

• Industry-leading warranty: Compared to most solar panel brands on the market, SunPower is a leader because of its warranty period. They offer a 40-year warranty that covers replacements, repairs, refunds, installation and shipping. 
• Energy efficiency: Like with the warranty, SunPower is a market leader in energy efficiency. The SunPower Maxeon 3 has an efficiency of up to 22.8%.
• Durability: SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels have demonstrated the lowest degradation rates in the industry, about four times stronger than conventional panels. This was tested across eight years using 800,000 panels at 264 sites.
• The power output is high: Some of the SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels have a high power output of more than 400 W. This is ideal if you are looking for a panel with such output. 

Cons

• High cost: The SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels are some of the most expensive options on the market. To buy one panel, you have to pay more than £350, excluding labour and installation costs.
• Installation limits: To use the 40-year SunPower warranty, your solar panels must be installed by a SunPower-certified company. Keep in mind that these services and their availability will vary depending on your location.

The SunPower Maxeon 3 is uniquely designed to be different from conventional solar panels. Maxeon cells are all-black, use back-contact conductivity and don’t have grid lines, enabling them to absorb more sunlight. In addition, they have a solid metal backing which adds strength to each cell and helps resist corrosion. 

The triple-thick redundant connectors can handle the expansion and contraction that happens based on daily temperature changes. Thanks to this design, these solar cells don’t face conventional failures due to defective backsheets, cell cracking, browning and delamination.

SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels have no grid lines and a solid metal backing to make them more durable. (Credit: SunPower)

Compared to conventional solar panels, the SunPower Maxeon 3 panels provide greater peace of mind because they are highly efficient and have high savings. They have the lowest degradation rate in the industry. 

If you are looking for an alternative for SunPower Maxeon 3, you can go for the high-performance but much cheaper LG NeON. The LG NeON solar panel has a similar output of about 350-400 W. It also has an efficiency of 19.8%-22%. Therefore, it would be a perfect alternative to the SunPower Maxeon 3.

LG NeON is a bit cheaper, priced at approximately £265 per panel. However, it has a disadvantage over SunPower Maxeon 3 because its warranty period is 25 years. Despite this, it’s still durable and one of the best options to consider for your home, especially if you are looking to save money.

Homeowners looking for efficiency can consider the Panasonic HIT N 245W. Although it’s lower than SunPower, the maximum efficiency is 19.4%, which works for a small roof. It’s a flexible and lightweight solar panel with a compact size of 160cm x 80cm, making it easy to install on your home. 

One of the downsides of the Panasonic HIT N 245W is that the power output is not as high as SunPower Maxeon 3 at 245 W. In addition, its 25-year warranty period does not match up to 40 years. However, because of this, the solar panels are more affordable.

If you rank the SunPower Maxeon 3 against other solar panels, it’s considered one of the pricier options. According to the company, their panel costs a little more upfront because their product is durable, reliable and efficient compared to cheaper panels. 

Although they are costly, their performance is top-notch. They last longer, generate more energy and are backed by a lengthy warranty. Because of this, they save customers money by offsetting the electricity bill. Apart from purchasing costs, you also need to consider installation, labour and battery storage costs.

Let’s look at how SunPower Maxeon 3 compares to other brands.

When you buy SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels, the company connects you to an expert from SunPower’s network of qualified installers. This professional installer will create a custom solar proposal for your home and provide an estimate of future savings. 

The installer will be responsible for most of the heavy lifting, including designing your solar system to maximise the power and efficiency of the panels. To take advantage of the 40-year warranty, you’ll need to use these installers from SunPower.

SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panels don’t require intensive maintenance. If you have any soil or dust accumulation on the panels, rain can clear it off. However, if there is a lot of dust, you can use a normal garden hose to clean the roof from the ground. It’s advisable to clean the panels either early in the morning or late evening when they are not too hot.

You can also wipe them with a soft cloth or sponge. Avoid using harsh detergents that can affect the surface of the panels. If the panels are damaged, they will be covered by the warranty, so you don’t have to worry about that.

SunPower Maxeon 3 is a highly efficient, durable solar panel for your home, business or power plant. Although it’s more expensive than other panels on the market, it has a 40-year warranty that you can use for as long as you have the panel installed on your roof. 

Ranked as one of the most efficient solar panels in the industry, SunPower Maxeon 3 has very little degradation. You’ll have this panel for years and still enjoy a high efficiency. They also have different levels of power output for you to choose from. 

Overall, the SunPower Maxeon 3 is worth its price.

“Maxeon 3 positions itself on the podium as one of the most comprehensive solar module options to astute energy investors. A well-rounded, ultra-high performing asset to ensure uninterrupted energy production beyond an extensive 25-year period. If doing something right once to virtually set and forget is an appealing concept, then the Maxeon 3 is a shortlist must.”

• Solar Analytica

“SunPower’s Maxeon 3 panels are a great choice for homeowners with limited roof space. But while there is no doubting SunPower’s impressive specifications and metrics, there are other brands on this list that offer better value if you’re on a tight budget.”

• EcoWatch

“There’s a reason SunPower panels have an Elite ranking in SolarReviews official solar panel review — you can’t go wrong with getting SunPower solar panels on your roof. SunPower has an excellent network of over 500 reputable solar installers, many of which are among the best installation companies in the country. This means you’re getting high-quality panels with an excellent warranty and a high-quality installation.”

• Solar Reviews

“Going solar is the right way to go, and working with SunPower makes the decision easy. The services, the product, the communication everything they are on top of it. I know many people are posting when they have an issue which is not fair because the majority are working just fine which we all expect that. Kudos to SunPower.”

• Ali, Consumer Affairs

“Best solar panels when compared to others. I’m very happy with my purchase of SunPower panels . My bill is 1/10th of what it was for electric!!”

• Norman, Best Company

“We had a great end-to-end experience with SunPower. They were on time and went above and beyond even after the install with cleaning up and fixing our gutter that had to be moved during the install.”

MH, Solar Reviews

In order to conduct this in-depth review, we have analysed customer reviews, professional reviews and technical information. We then created a 100-point scoring system to rate the SunPower Maxeon 3 solar panel against:

• Efficiency of the solar panel for a total score of 15 points.
• Warranty period for a total score of 15 points.
• Power output for a total score of 10 points.
• The solar panel’s durability for a total score of 15 points.
• Cost of the solar panel for a total score of 10 points.
• Customer reviews for a total score of 15 points.
• Support and level of service for a total score of 10 points.
• The overall performance of the solar panel for a total score of 10.