Rheem vs AO Smith water heater

[cfmx]

Based on your experience which water heater do you recommend? A.O. Smith or Rheem 40 gallon short water heater? I'm very confused on which one to choose. Beside these two water heaters do you recommend any other water heater?

 

[Jeff H Young]

I like Bradford /White gas or a Rheem and AO Smith last but I've put a lot in , installed one in my house but haven't been thrilled with the AO Smith

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

That is like asking whether a Chevy or Ford will get you to the store faster. The only thing the companies actually make are the tanks all the rest of the heater is generic parts, so flip a con and check which one is least expensive.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

The Rheem heater has a WhiteRojers gas control on it and basically has old style thermocuopling with
the unit.... The Rheem heater is very simple and cheap to repair compared to the SMITH or the BRADFORD....
Both of them have the honeywell style control valve and the shitty thermopile which are expensive and a pain in the ass to fool with...

The repair kit for the Bradford cost me about 200 bucks which is really a crime..... The rheem repair kit cost around 100 ....

I suppose that the Smith is the worst of the 3 to choose from because it is basically a whirlpool heater with a crappy air intake on the bottom that just clogs up with lint and you cannot clean it .... which is just exactly
like the whirlpool has...... I am not 100% sure about the thermopile on the Smith unit., it might have its own goosey burner assembly with some kind of weird theromcoupling on it... Seen a few of them over the years... ....

I just know it the Smith is basically junk

 

[Dj2]

I've had good luck and bad luck with all three brands (and their sub-brands).
Many times it's the water - something you can't control.
In the final analysis, it's a coin flip, or the price.

New water heaters are priced like Italian sports cars these days.

 

[WorthFlorida]

The Rheem heater has a WhiteRojers gas control on it and basically has old style thermocuopling with
the unit.... The Rheem heater is very simple and cheap to repair compared to the SMITH or the BRADFORD....
Both of them have the honeywell style control valve and the shitty thermopile which are expensive and a pain in the ass to fool with...

The repair kit for the Bradford cost me about 200 bucks which is really a crime..... The rheem repair kit cost around 100 ....

I suppose that the Smith is the worst of the 3 to choose from because it is basically a whirlpool heater with a crappy air intake on the bottom that just clogs up with lint and you cannot clean it .... which is just exactly
like the whirlpool has...... I am not 100% sure about the thermopile on the Smith unit., it might have its own goosey burner assembly with some kind of weird theromcoupling on it... Seen a few of them over the years... ....

I just know it the Smith is basically junk

Smith make the water heater and the Whirlpool is brand is only a license. Guess what, look at the Whirlpool web site.
https://www.whirlpool.com/home-solutions/water-heaters.html
https://askinglot.com/is-ao-smith-the-same-as-whirlpool

 

[Jeff H Young]

Not much good said about Whirlpool either, seems AO Smith or Whirlpoool aren't getting much praise. same thing I've heard is whirlpool is AO Smith

 

[WorthFlorida]

not much good said about whirlpool either, seems ao smith or whirlpoool arent getting much praise. samething ive heard is whirlpool is ao smith

If you keep searching there is so much noise who owns who. https://www.water-heater-repair-guide.com/water-heater-manufacturers.html. This mentality is in almost all industries. Close your factories and license the name, or close your factories and have some else do the manufacturing and still sell it as your brand. Look at DeWalt or Milwaukee tools, mostly made in China. Low profit items get shipped from China where as high price and profitable tools may be manufacture here. Look at pump motors, many are manufactured in Mexico but use old common USA names.

 

[FifthLabour]

None of these "American" manufacturers make a decent tank water heater, why would anyone consider buying a more complicated tankless unit from them?

 

[Jeff H Young]

None of these "American" manufacturers make a decent tank water heater, why would anyone consider buying a more complicated tankless unit from them?

Im pretty satisfied with tanks other than thier lives arent as long as once were , tankless never appealed that much to me , definately have a few advantages but usualy not enough for my recomendation