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The Best Heat Pump Hybrid Water Heater

Replacing your water heater is an overwhelming decision and one that can be difficult to plan for. From an electric water heater, to a tankless water heater, to a hybrid hot water heater, and more, there are many options out there. But it&#;s a decision that could save you&#;or cost you&#;thousands of dollars down the line. In fact, switching to a hybrid water heater can save you as much as $4,800 over the next 10 years.

We spent hundreds of hours looking for the best heat pump water heater on the market when we wrote our buyer&#;s guide. Read below to see our heat pump water heater reviews and what models we liked best.

Our favorite: Rheem Performance Platinum

We looked at every heat pump hybrid hot water heater on the market and our favorite is the Rheem Performance Platinum. 

Lowest upfront cost

Rheem vs. AO Smith: The Rheem Performance Platinum is the cheapest heat pump water heater on the market at $1,672 for a 40 gallon tank and $1,699 for a 50 gallon tank. That&#;s $127 cheaper than the AO Smith Signature Premier and $383 cheaper than the Bradford White AeroTherm.

But for that extra $127 and $383 neither the AO Smith or the Bradford White come with any additional features. In fact, Bradford White&#;s AeroTherm model is less energy efficient and noisier than the Rheem. 

Highest energy efficiency

If you look at the energy efficiency of these models you&#;ll see that the Rheem heat pump water heater wins on that front as well. Their Performance Platinum model has an energy factor of 3.75 compared to AO Smith&#;s 3.45 and Bradford White&#;s 3.39. That will lead to savings of about $10-15 per year. That&#;s nothing to write home about. But considering the Rheem is also the cheapest model, it&#;s the best bang for your buck. 

Quietest background noise

The Rheem Performance Platinum is also known for being the quietest heat pump water heater on the market. It runs at 49 dB (a low hum) compared to AO Smith&#;s 51 dB and Bradford White&#;s 55 dB.

Runner up: AO Smith Signature Premier

In our opinion the second best heat pump water heater is AO Smith&#;s Signature Premier. 

Upfront cost

When we first published this review in , AO Smith&#;s heat pump water heaters tied Rheem for the cheapest model. But since then AO Smith got more expensive than the Rheem.

AO Smith&#;s 50 gallon model starts at $1,799, which is $127 more than the Rheem. But AO Smith&#;s heat pump water heater is $256 cheaper than Bradford White&#;s heat pump water heater reviewed below. 

Energy efficiency

Looking at the energy efficiency, an AO Smith hybrid water heater comes in second with an energy factor of 3.45 (compared to Rheem&#;s 3.75 and Bradford White&#;s 3.39). 

Now it&#;s worth mentioning that the difference between an energy factor of 3.75 and 3.45 isn&#;t huge. If your plumber loves AO Smith, it&#;s probably not worth harassing them to install a Rheem. But it will result in a bit higher energy bill (probably about $10-20 each year). 

Second quietest background noise

Background noise is another important consideration for heat pump water heaters. And here the AO Smith also comes in second at 51 dB. 

Again, the difference between 51 and 49 dB isn&#;t very big. So it&#;s probably not worth picking the Rheem over the AO Smith just because it&#;s 2 dB quieter. But compared to the Bradford White, the AO Smith is 4 dB quieter. That difference isn&#;t massive either. But considering the Bradford White is more expensive, it&#;s worth going with the quieter option.

Overpriced: Bradford White AeroTherm

Coming in last place is the Bradford White AeroTherm. If you read any of the sections above, you&#;ll already know why we think the Bradford White heat pump is the worst option on the market. 

More expensive

At $2,055 for a 50 gallon heat pump water heater, the Bradford White is $383 more expensive than the Rheem and $256 more expensive than the AO Smith.

Shorter warranty 

You&#;d expect that for another couple hundred bucks the Bradford White would come with a longer warranty. But that&#;s not the case. In fact, it&#;s 4 years shorter than the Rheem and the AO Smith&#;s 10 year warranties. 

If you want a 10 year warranty you&#;ll have to shell out another $299 bringing the total cost $2,384 ($329 more than the AO Smith and Rheem heat pump water heaters). 

Harder to find in stores  

Bradford White hot water heaters are notoriously hard to buy as a homeowner. That&#;s because unlike Rheem and AO Smith that sell their hot water heaters at Home Depot and Lowe&#;s, Bradford White only sells their water heaters through supply houses and plumbers. 

Other heat pump water heaters we reviewed

In addition to the heat pump water heaters we reviewed above, we also looked at the following models. 

• Price: $1,916 (for a 50 gal. tank)
• Energy factor: 3.75
• Annual cost: $105
• Warranty length: 10 years

The ProTerra is Rheem&#;s top of the line heat pump water heater. But when we reviewed it, we discovered that it wasn&#;t much better than the cheaper Performance Platinum model. 

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit high-temperature heat pump water heater for residential appl.

For $200 more you get the same energy factor, annual operating cost and warranty length. The only thing they add with this model is a leak detection and auto-shut off feature. 

• Price: $2,499
• Energy factor: 3.05
• Annual cost: $125
• Warranty length: 10 years

Stiebel Eltron is a German hot water heater manufacturer known for their high quality. But when we reviewed their heat pump model we found little reason to justify the $2,499 cost. 

At an energy factor of 3.05 it is less efficient than Rheem, AO Smith and Bradford White&#;s models. 

The only reason we could come up with is&#; it&#;s pretty cool looking. I mean look at that beauty.

Ruud, State and GE heat pump water heaters

And last, but not least, we tried to review the GE GeoSpring hybrid electric water heater, the Ruud heat pump, and the State heat pump. But all of them have been discontinued or bought by AO Smith, Rheem, and Bradford White.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

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Why ENERGY STAR?

Heat pump water heaters are also commonly referred to as Hybrid Electric water Heaters. Different name - same ultra-efficient performance! Just look for the ENERGY STAR label.

See how hybrid heat pump water heaters work and how ENERGY STAR certified models can help you save on your utility bills! Watch "ENERGY STAR Water Heaters Mean BIG Savings!"

Consider an ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heater (HPWH) for your next water heater purchase and enjoy big savings, a smart investment and a product that protects the environment. 

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What should I look for when buying a heat pump water heater? 

If you want to be the first on your block with this new technology, start planning your purchase today:

1. Where will it be installed? Start by visiting the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade to find out if a super-efficient heat pump water heater is right for your home. HPWHs should be installed in interior spaces that remain between 40° to 90° F year-round, and provide 1,000 cubic feet of air space around the water heater. They generally don't operate as efficiently in colder spaces, and can cool the spaces they are in. If possible, consider installing in a space with excess heat, such as a furnace room. In colder environments with lower incoming water temperature HPWHs may need to go temporarily into a back-up standard electric water heating mode to meet household hot water use in colder months. This will increase energy use during these months. 
2. Plan ahead if you can. To make your life easier, plan ahead for your next water heater replacement and you will have time to research and select the best technology for your situation before it's an emergency. Your installer may need time to order the proper model, and it may take longer to install than a standard water heater.
3. Check product availability. Find out what certified models are available on the market by viewing the ENERGY STAR Product List. You will then need to visit manufacturer Web sites, call local installers, or visit your local retailer to determine who carries these units in your area, or call your plumber or contractor to see what products are available.
4. Estimate the capacity you'll need. Use the gallon capacity of your current storage water heater, if you already have one, as a starting point. You can find the water heater's capacity or volume on its nameplate or yellow Energy Guide sticker. This should help you discuss the sizing of the water heater with contractors. You may want to purchase a larger unit if you have added or are planning to add more occupants to your household or a new shower, faucet, dishwasher or washer that will be in frequent use. A contractor or retail salesperson can help you decide if a larger model is necessary.
5. Contact a Contractor or Manufacturer. Ideally, you will find a local contractor who can assess your site, provide recommendations, install a system, and then perform periodic maintenance. When choosing a contractor you should:
   • Request cost estimates in writing.
   • Ask for references.
   • Check the company with your local Better Business Bureau.
   • See if the company will obtain a local permit if necessary and understands local residential building codes and other regulations.
6. Search for rebates. You may be able to reduce your costs by taking advantage of rebates. Be sure to review the eligibility rules before you make your purchase.
   • Use the Rebate Finder  to determine whether there are rebates available for ENERGY STAR certified water heaters in your zip code.
7. Don&#;t forget about maintenance. HPWHs may also require annual maintenance, including changing air filters. Please review the manufacturing operating instructions, or as your contractor for direction.
8. Other Considerations. ENERGY STAR certified HPWHs, in addition to heating water, can provide additional benefits. During hot humid times of the year, the water heater can help cool and dehumidify the space it is installed in.
9. Consider other measures that may also save energy. If you are in the midst of new construction or home remodeling project, you may have come across other proposed approaches to water heating. Under the right circumstances, these technologies can save significant amounts of energy.
   • Point-of-Use (POU) Electric
   • Hot Water Recirculating System
10. Consider selecting heat pump water heaters with a lower Global Warming Potential refrigerant. Refrigerants with lower global warming potential (GWP) for heat pump water heaters include R-744 (CO&#;). Selecting an ENERGY STAR certified model with a lower GWP refrigerant means your product will have a much lower impact on the climate if the refrigerant is released into the environment. The GWP compares the warming power of a substance to an equivalent amount of CO2 (GWP = 1 for CO2). Some refrigerants are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are powerful greenhouse gases with GWPs hundreds or thousands of times higher than CO2. 

Be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR when shopping for a heat pump water heater

Current Specification Effective Date: April 16,

The specification covers high-efficiency gas storage, whole-home gas tankless, solar, and high efficiency electric storage water heaters. Products must meet minimum requirements for energy efficiency, hot water delivery, warranty period, and safety.

Water Heater Key Product Criteria: ENERGY STAR

Learn How a Product Earns the Label

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