AO Smith vs. Brad-White vs Lochnivar/

[Treeman]

I hate "best brand" Ford vs. Chevy threads as much as anyone, but I haven't purchased a water heater in 22 years, so here goes:

40 gallon, short model, natural gas, standard atmospheric vent.

I have all three brands available locally, is there any one brand that stands out as better regarding operation, reliability, longevity, warranty handling??

Thank you very much. If it truly is Ford vs. Chevy, just tell me and we can cut this discussion short.

 

[Dj2]

Purchase the lowest price 6 year warranty water heater. The rest is pure luck - good or bad.

If you can find a new one on sale, get it. If you can find a new one with exterior dent (w/ warranty), get it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

No matter which one you choose, it is a crapshoot. ANY ONE of them could last 20 years or fail after just a couple of years. A longer warranty heater is just a 6 year one with an extended warranty option, just like you can get when you buy an appliance.

 

[Cpeters]

I've always used Rheem and never been disappointed, although Home Depot is selling them. Bradford White and AO Smith are good reliable
brands too.

 

[Treeman]

Thank you all very much for confirming my suspicions. Especially in the standard, lower end products, I guessed that they have become a commodity and that the technology between brands has evened out in the past years. So, like you stated, each company tries to tweak their construction to optimize profit, and sometimes this results in a clunker or two.

Probably will go with the Bradford White because it's a bit cheaper and made in Michigan! Thanks again. I appreciate the real world input.