Water heater?

40 gallon electric. Best value?

How did you know I was coming to post this? I too am seeking info.

Since modern hot water heaters have about a ten year service life no matter the brand or cost I get what ever brand seems to be reasably priced at the big box store. I usually look at efficiency and not as much at initial cost. This usually put me in the bot to end of the middle of the road units.

Just replaced mine with an AO Smith. The one we took out was installed in 79. I paid a bit more for the AO Smith versus something from the big box store, but I think it's worth it. I can't count the number of cheap ones I had to replace doing maintenance on apartment buildings, often within 5 to 7 years.

Recovery time....

Tankless for me.

Want to know a little secret about water heater. In most cases, the 6 year and the 12 year are the same water heater with different stickers. You will also notice that they are pretty much all made in Tennessee. Don't know exactly how many different plants there are, but I suspect there is a ton of badge engineering going on there. The extra cost for a 12 over a 6 is basically paying for an extended warranty. The ones we buy at the supply house are the same thing. Buy a 12, and they give you a new sticker, and in some cases a better anode rod. You want your water heater to last, then don't put crappy acidic well water in it, and change the anode rod every couple or 3 years. Water heaters are designed to wear out. Start making ones that last, and you don't get repeat customers. There was a plastic one that had a lifetime warranty. I know Sears use to sell them. I replaced one that was close to 30 years old on warranty and they gave me a new 12 year and said that once that 12 year was up, so was the warranty.... because they don't make them out of plastic with lifetime warranties anymore. Those tankless units are the most efficient and take up the least amount of space. The drawbacks are limited quantity of hot water, cost of installation, cost of replacement, and good luck finding a tech that can fix them when they break. Not unheard of for people to be without hot water for weeks trying to find a plumber willing to even try fixing them. Most of the time when we do fix them, we just start throwing expensive parts at them until they work. Now that some of these newer high efficient homes are coming to the age where service is needed on the heating equipment, home owners are in for a big surprise. They think their water heater should cost 800 to a 1000 to change out because that is what their parents tell them a water heater should cost. You show up and there is a direct vent propane fired unit that cost $1600 just to buy, then all the extra work involved. The builders don't have to pay for a chimney and they get to market the house as highly efficient and charge more. Win win for the builders. Another thing to consider, there are no more conventional water heater bigger than 55 gallons because they don't meet the new minimum efficiency laws. So if you need more hot water, you have to go expensive or start daisy chaining smaller water heater.

So one from the big boxes are basically the same as supply house Rheems? Just different stickers.

I just put a Rheem in my house and it seems well made. I did not even look at the waranty. I went for the better effency. Cost something like $70 more than the same unit with the lower effect rating. Externally I could not tell the different. One was white and the better one is grey. Other than that they look the same.

High efficiency has 5500 watt elements and 3" insulation, regular has 4500 watt and 2.5". Whirlpool units at Lowes. High efficiency is 40$ more but doesn't state annual cost to operate. 389$ for regular unit

My house came with a few year old AO Smith. Seems to work fine, but I don't have much to compare with.

Check with your electric supplier. Most in the Midwest have a deal for high efficiency water heater plus remote load shed for peak power times and you get either a cheap heater or discounted electric or both.