# Who makes the best water heater?



## Nate21

I always use Bradford White and never seem to have any problems! They do cost a little bit more but I still think they're well worth it. I always tell my customers " you get what you pay for" and they always seem to understand! What do you think is the best water heater & why?


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## Tommy plumber

The absolute best W/H is the one that starts leaking right after the warranty period expires......:thumbsup:


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## ChrisConnor

Bradford White doesn't cost more than any other brand I've used.


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## Nate21

What brand do you use, & why?


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## Titletownplumbr

Nate21 said:


> I always use Bradford White and never seem to have any problems! They do cost a little bit more but I still think they're well worth it. I always tell my customers " you get what you pay for" and they always seem to understand! What do you think is the best water heater & why?


Bradford White is by no means better than the rest, I just replaced one that leaked just out of warranty. I prefer A.O. Smith, I've had good luck with them, I won't push BW simply because Ferguson is the only one in my area that supplies them and I won't do business with Ferguson.

The reason I like AO is the fact that the supplier who I deal with gives me no bull**** warranty service. I warrantied a BW once at Ferguson and it was considerably more of a pain in the ass. Once again, I don't believe there's a superior water heater out there, in my opinion it comes down to how well your supplier is to deal with in regards to service and warranty issues.


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## ChrisConnor

I prefer Bradford White. 

Trouble free with no pesky screens to clean like AO Smith/State and didn't have the gas valve failure like Rheems or the whole FVIR chamber failure that is known as American/Whirlpool.


I've had one failure with BW under warranty (barely under warranty, but still under warranty). I took the supplier the rating plate off the front, gave them the customer info and they gave me a new water heater. Took less time than buying a new heater. (no, it's not fergusons)

To Ferguson's credit, they have never given me a hard time about returning leakers either, but they always insisted on the tank being returned. Every leaker I had from them was State. They now carry AO Smith.


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## boatcaptplumber

Just like most things in the building trades I feel most of it depends on installation. Around here we have alot of homes with psi around 120 and no one bothers to put a pressure reducing valve on. Also the water is very hard here. All this puts the water heater in a harsh environment. Then of course you have the cheap material that springs a leak no one catches. The lack of dialectic protection. I know most already have them installed but you still have a slew of friends, neighbors or handymen installing water heaters. But I had good luck with bradfords. I like them. Ao smith does have a nice no nonsence warranty thou.


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## incarnatopnh

I use Bradford White and Richmond.actually Bradford White is cheaper around here. I won't use state, as I replace more state tanks than any other brand and none of them are older than 7 years


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## stillaround

I have had decent track record with BW, and am not too picky, but not a Morflo for those old enough to remember.


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## GREENPLUM

I use Whirlpoo, because I want a product I can stand by


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## okcplum

Whirlpool have great customer service, not.
I went out to a break down today, whirlpool heater installed nov 2011.
Owner just purchased house, whirlpool service said its not covered under warranty because they just purchased the house, even though it's only 3 moths old.
Told them that there product and service sucked shiot and that's why real plumbers are staying away from there crap.
The parts price was more than a new decent w/h from supply house.
I just pulled out the junk and installed a new one for the home owner.
Poor,poor,poor design and service.
Then they wonder why they are being ripped a new one by everyone.


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## Mississippiplum

Whirlpool is the best, by far

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## AlbacoreShuffle

*Who makes the best water heater?*

*The Chinese Of Course !:no:*


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## Nate21

Whirlpool, what a joke! I wouldn't waste the gas hauling one of those anywhere other than the dump! I sure wouldn't install shuch a pos... Next you're gonna say GE, right!hahaha!


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## plumberkc

Anything that they don't sell at HD or Lowes.


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## Richard Hilliard

how are we defining the subjective term of best?

For me Rheem due to thier easy attitude towards warranties and access for information.


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## Widdershins

Bradford White for direct and Triangle Tube for indirect.

Brands I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole; Ruud, Rheem, State, Whirlpool and GE.


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## Nate21

Yeah I feel the same way, it seems like state has really went downhill. I can remember when state use to be good. Same goes for AO. I used to swear by AO but now I wouldn't touch one. As for GE & whirlpool never liked them and still don't.


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## Hillside

I pulled out my hair with all the problems state had, those ybrt and ubrt's were nothing but problems, finally they switched out from unitrols to honeywells with a thermopile, seemed to solve the problems.........so far


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## mtfallsmikey

Nate21 said:


> Yeah I feel the same way, it seems like state has really went downhill. I can remember when state use to be good. Same goes for AO. I used to swear by AO but now I wouldn't touch one. As for GE & whirlpool never liked them and still don't.


I always thought State, and their associated "other" brands were Class A POS's... Remember the Sand Hog elements that never would blow out, or the cheep-azz Apcom t-stats that stuck? B/W and A.O. are the best. I have all Lochinvars in my buildings, 10 yrs. old still going strong, w/277v. elements.


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## ChrisConnor

mtfallsmikey said:


> I always thought State, and their associated "other" brands were Class A POS's... Remember the Sand Hog elements that never would blow out, or the cheep-azz Apcom t-stats that stuck? B/W and A.O. are the best. I have all Lochinvars in my buildings, 10 yrs. old still going strong, w/277v. elements.



AO Smith bought State years ago and recently bought American.


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## Evelse

Whirlpool are complete junk and no they don't transfer warranties to second homeowners. I'm assuming the original owner should take it with them. It's their way of getting out providing a warranty for something they know is junk. 
A.O Smith aren't bad if you don't mind cleaning the screens constantly. If you don't keep up on that then you'll constantly be repairing it. A.O Smith, Whirlpool, State and American are all linked together.
I've had very few problems with Bradford White tanks. Pretty good product. 
I personally use Rheem mainly though. Good product. Yes they did have a problem with their gas valves a few years back on their powervented tanks but seem to have that resolved. GE tanks from Home Depot are almost the same exact thing as a Rheem. They use the same parts. The only real difference is the plastic drain bib on the GE where the Rheem has a brass one.


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## MikeS

I like A.O. Smith. Our company uses B.W. We have two Fergusens here in town. One sells A.O. Smith ( the east side, the one I'm used to going to) the other sells B.W. I can tell you, A.O.Smith is the same as Reliance. B.W. is built in the USA. Here in CA, we have to use the ULTRA Low Nox ones. They have radiant burners, FVR combustion chambers, and a pilot generator instead of a thermocouple. We just had a training class to troubleshoot them. Did you know if the control fails, you don't have to pull the whole thing out? You can pull that cream colored cover off, and after you undo the pilot and burner, and unplug the generator, the gas valve pulls right out. there is a little computer type circuit board inside it. And the thermostat is a thermistor, not the old style probe thingee that sat in the tank. It too can be removed without draining the tank. These controls, I think are Honeywell, and are on every tank here now. But I digress. I still like A.O.Smith better because I can get 40 gal skinnys (18" diameter) for those pesky kitchen closet installs. But, then, B.W. already has the nipples installed.....but A.O.Smith's mobile home wh is fuel convertible....ahhh, whatever works....


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## MikeS

Evelse said:


> Whirlpool are complete junk and no they don't transfer warranties to second homeowners. I'm assuming the original owner should take it with them. It's their way of getting out providing a warranty for something they know is junk.
> A.O Smith aren't bad if you don't mind cleaning the screens constantly. If you don't keep up on that then you'll constantly be repairing it. A.O Smith, Whirlpool, State and American are all linked together.
> I've had very few problems with Bradford White tanks. Pretty good product.
> I personally use Rheem mainly though. Good product. Yes they did have a problem with their gas valves a few years back on their powervented tanks but seem to have that resolved. GE tanks from Home Depot are almost the same exact thing as a Rheem. They use the same parts. The only real difference is the plastic drain bib on the GE where the Rheem has a brass one.


 Somewhere, I still have the little ring left from the cellophane thick diptube Rheem used in their water heaters about 6 years ago.....


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## Evelse

MikeS said:


> Somewhere, I still have the little ring left from the cellophane thick diptube Rheem used in their water heaters about 6 years ago.....


Yeah well they're not perfect lol. Just my preference


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## master plumbma

Bradford white is what's in my home, my parents, my grandparents, I guess all my family has one because of me. No problems. And as for whirlpool I have installed tons of them for lowes, I mean a lot like 3 to 5 a week for 3 years and I can tell you they are total junk there are no positives about them period.


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## [email protected]

Men, whirlpool sucks balls!! New customer called with no heat and no pilot problem. I pulled the sealed door and found melted wires (sparker and both thermocouple wires). I coached the customer as he spoke with whirlpools stupid customer "service." Told him to ask for new pilot assembly. HAD to also ask for replacement seal gasket (shouldn't that be automatic?!) Then whirlpool wanted to charge for ground shipping! After complaining the rep agreed to send next day air at no charge. Well they sent the part to the wrong address and finally delivered the replacements a week later. Brrrrrr... Cold showers for a week! Luckily they sent the right parts. I go to extra lengths to advise clients away from whirlpool water heaters. Made by US Craftsman - oh there's irony. BW is good in my book, but Rheem/Ruud get stars for already installing the TNPR valve.


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## damnplumber

Bradford White has proven to me good tech support and fast warrantee parts.
A.O. Smith Customer service ticked me off one time they made me wait 2 weeks for warrantee parts. I ended up buying the customer a new w/h out of my pocket 
Won't install Whirlpool anymore after reading these reviews.
as for Home Depot GE? Jury is still out as I have very few of these out.


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## Widdershins

[email protected] said:


> Men, whirlpool sucks balls!! New customer called with no heat and no pilot problem. I pulled the sealed door and found melted wires (sparker and both thermocouple wires). I coached the customer as he spoke with whirlpools stupid customer "service." Told him to ask for new pilot assembly. HAD to also ask for replacement seal gasket (shouldn't that be automatic?!) Then whirlpool wanted to charge for ground shipping! After complaining the rep agreed to send next day air at no charge. Well they sent the part to the wrong address and finally delivered the replacements a week later. Brrrrrr... Cold showers for a week! Luckily they sent the right parts. I go to extra lengths to advise clients away from whirlpool water heaters. Made by US Craftsman - oh there's irony. BW is good in my book, but Rheem/Ruud get stars for already installing the TNPR valve.


I like that crescent wrench. Big beefy handles keep them from getting lost in my big mitts.


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## Redwood

Hmmmm :laughing:


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## crowejr77

Yea, we use Rheem almost exclusively. A few AO Smith a year


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## Master Mark

*yes whirlpool is the best*



[email protected] said:


> Men, whirlpool sucks balls!! New customer called with no heat and no pilot problem. I pulled the sealed door and found melted wires (sparker and both thermocouple wires). I coached the customer as he spoke with whirlpools stupid customer "service." Told him to ask for new pilot assembly. HAD to also ask for replacement seal gasket (shouldn't that be automatic?!) Then whirlpool wanted to charge for ground shipping! After complaining the rep agreed to send next day air at no charge. Well they sent the part to the wrong address and finally delivered the replacements a week later. Brrrrrr... Cold showers for a week! Luckily they sent the right parts. I go to extra lengths to advise clients away from whirlpool water heaters. Made by US Craftsman - oh there's irony. BW is good in my book, but Rheem/Ruud get stars for already installing the TNPR valve.


 
I love whirlpool.... 
 they keep us in business and you cant beat that ..

we change out at least 5 a month cause the customer is so pissed off that they just want them changed out

its like a gift that keeps on giving cause they dont know what the hell that they are doing:thumbup:...


they do suck balls so well......


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## voltatab

I use Bradford white....but I've seen just about every brand not living up to its name before. They all have some lemons coming out of the factory IMO.


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## JenkPlbg

Bradford, ao, or Lochinvar.


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