Heat pumps have been known for a long time, but, until the energy crisis of 1973, there were only a few studies covering them. Since that time, in addition to alternative energy sources, scientists and engineers have started studying heat pumps more earnestly. There are several kinds of heat pump and utilizations of them, but the most common one is the vapour-compression heat pump. In recent years researchers have started to study metal hydride heat pumps. The paper considers the metal hydride bed, its thermodynamics, and its utilization as a heat pump. It is also compared with conventional heat pumps. The results indicate that the metal hydride heat pump has several advantages, and its utilization in the industrial, commercial and residential fields is foreseen.