GE Appliances has a small line of hybrid water heaters. These appliances use a heat pump and heating elements to heat water in an energy-efficient manner. Here is what you need to know about getting a GE water heater.
GE Appliances is known for making energy-efficient appliances, including fridges, washers, and more. The brand also has a line of water heaters. This brand is an excellent choice if you are looking for a hybrid appliance designed to help you reduce your bills and environmental footprint. Here is what you need to know about getting a GE water heater.
What Is A GE Water Heater And How Is It Different From Other Appliances?
GE Appliances recently replaced its entire line of water heaters with two versions of a hybrid model. The brand used to offer electric and natural gas appliances and some retailers still have some of these water heaters in stock.
The older GE Appliances water heaters are worth considering if you want a traditional electric or natural gas appliance. These appliances are energy-efficient and built to last.
However, the new addition to the water heater line is a better option if you want to reduce your energy use. GE Appliances offers two versions of the same hybrid water heater. One version has a 50-gallon tank while the other option has a capacity of 80 gallons.
This hybrid water heater is an Energy Star certified appliance. It uses a heat pump to use the ambient temperature of the air to heat water.
The installation is similar to an electric appliance. This means you can use existing hookups if your old water heater was an electric appliance. There are no significant costs associated with installing this appliance.
This is a water heater worth considering if you want to reduce your bills and environmental footprint since it is on average 70 percent more efficient than a standard electric water heater.
The first-hour delivery of this appliance is 69 gallons. This means that if you were to fill up the tank with cold water and let the appliance run for an hour, the water heater would deliver 69 gallons of hot water. This rating gives you an idea of how quickly the tank replenishes when you use hot water.
A high first-hour delivery rate is important if you have a large family or are likely to run appliances such as a dishwasher or washing machine while taking a shower. The 50-gallon model is suitable for the needs of a household of three or four people while the 80-gallon model is a better choice if you have a household of five people or more.
The uniform energy factor of this hybrid water heater is 3.25. The uniform energy factor is a rating that gives you an idea of how much energy an appliance uses.
It is based on cycling and standby losses and recovery efficiency. This rating gives you an idea of how efficiently an appliance will generate hot water during a day of typical use.
You can compare uniform energy factors between different appliances. The water heater with the highest energy factor will be the most energy-efficient one.
You can use the uniform energy factor of a water heater to calculate the annual operating cost. Multiply 365 days by 12.03 kWh/day and divide the result by the number you obtain when you multiple the uniform energy factor of a water heater with the fuel cost in dollars per kWh. You should be able to find the cost of electric per kWh in your area by checking your bill.
The heat pump is the standout feature of this water heater. It is more energy-efficient than the heating elements you will find in traditional electric water heaters. GE Appliances’ hybrid water heater combines this heat pump with two electric elements.
You can choose from four operating modes and a vacation mode. The GE water heater features an LCD control panel so you can easily switch between modes or adjust the temperature.
These controls allow you to choose the mode that is adapted to your needs and will contribute to the energy savings. These are the different modes you can choose from:
The hybrid water heater is Wi-Fi compatible. You can use a home automation app to control temperature settings or change modes, or simply use your phone to remotely adjust these settings.
What Makes The GE Water Heater Unique?
The heat pump is what makes this appliance unique. This part uses heat from the ambient air to heat water. This technology uses far less energy compared to heating elements or burners. GE Appliances claims that the water heater is 62 percent more efficient than a traditional electric water heater.
It is easier to maintain water at the desired temperature if the ambient air is warm. Savings are going to vary based on your area and climate.
Being able to choose between four different modes is an interesting feature. You can select the option that is adapted to the needs of your family, and benefit from the heating elements if the temperature of the ambient air drops during the winter.
The hybrid technology helps you save money and energy without impacting the recovery rate of your water heater thanks to these different modes.
Choosing the heat pump only mode or hybrid mode will help reduce your environmental footprint. These modes will be sufficient for the needs of your family if you have a small household or make a conscious effort not to run appliances that use hot water while taking a shower.
According to GE Appliances, you can save $160 to $330 a year with the 50-gallon tank water heater depending on the size of your family. You should be able to save at least $400 a year with the 80-gallon model.
The water heater comes with a 10-year warranty for the appliance and a one-year warranty on labor.
The brand has an excellent reputation and is known for making quality appliances. The fact that it has replaced its entire line of water heaters with these hybrid appliances speaks volumes about how energy-efficient and reliable the technology is.
Pricing
The 50-gallon hybrid water heater costs around $900. If you are interested in the 80-gallon model, you will have to spend around $1,100.
Keep in mind that there might be additional installation costs if you have a professional install your new water heater.
Public Perception
The GE Appliances website has published several reviews from shoppers. The average rating is 4.7 out of 5 stars and most shoppers have selected the five-star rating.
However, the water heater has lower ratings on Amazon. The 50-gallon model has a rating of 3 out of 5 stars on one product page and 3.3 out of 5 stars on another.
The positive reviews talk about the water heater being reliable and energy-efficient. Shoppers talk about saving money and like the hybrid mode since it provides them with the hot water they need while reducing their bills.
Some people also say that the appliance helps reduce humidity in the air and keeps their garage cool. They like the easy installation process and quiet operation.
Some shoppers have written mixed or negative reviews because of leaks or faulty parts. The heat pump seems to create condensation that needs to be drained to prevent leaks.
There are a few tweaks needed, such as installing a vacuum relief valve or dehumidifying pump to address this issue. Installing the appliance in an environment with a stable ambient temperature seems to prevent problems.
How It Compares To Other Water Heaters
There are other water heaters with similar energy-efficient technologies that are worth considering.
Product | Image | Website |
---|---|---|
GE Water Heater | ||
A.O. Smith Signature Premier 50-Gallon Electric Water Heater | ||
Rheem Performance Platinum 65 gal. 10 Year Hybrid High Efficiency Smart Tank Electric Water Heater | ||
Triangle Tube 36 gal. Indirect Hybrid Electric Water Heater |
A.O. Smith Signature Premier 50-Gallon Electric Water Heater
This 50-gallon water heater uses two copper heating elements and a heat pump. It is an Energy Star-certified appliance and is 72 percent more efficient than a traditional electric water heater.
The manufacturer says that annual operation costs can be as low as $114. This amount will vary depending on the size of your household and your needs.
This appliance features four modes and has an interface that is similar to the hybrid water heater made by GE Appliances. The interface can diagnose problems and display error messages.
The four modes include an efficiency, hybrid, electric, and vacation mode. This is similar to the features of the GE Appliances water heater other than the high demand mode being missing.
This water heater comes with a 10-year warranty and has a recovery rate of 20.7 gallons in the first-hour. The uniform energy factor is 3.42, which is slightly more efficient than the hybrid water heater from GE.
This water heater is compatible with the Energy Star Iris module. This is a connected controller that lets you control settings remotely and build routines in a home automation app.
Rheem Performance Platinum 65 gal. 10 Year Hybrid High Efficiency Smart Tank Electric Water Heater
This water heater is pricier but represents an excellent investment. It uses a heat pump and heating elements.
You can choose between three different models with tank capacities of 50, 65, and 80 gallons. The 65-gallon model is worth considering if the two sizes offered by GE Appliances don’t seem like good matches for your household.
This appliance has a uniform energy factor of 3.70, which makes it more efficient than the GE water heater. It has an Energy Star certification and a 10-year warranty.
The first-hour delivery rate is 72 gallons. You can select an energy saver and vacation mode, but this appliance has fewer modes and settings compared to the GE Appliances hybrid water heater.
The Wi-Fi connection feature stands out. The water heater can send alerts to your phone when a leak is detected and will also send you maintenance reminders.
Triangle Tube 36 gal. Indirect Hybrid Electric Water Heater
This energy-efficient water heater uses a different technology. It features two stainless steel tanks. The outside tank houses a smaller tank and is filled with boiler water that heats the water inside of the smaller tank.
Heating water from the outside is more efficient compared to heating elements. This design requires very little maintenance and is an interesting alternative if you live in an area with low temperatures.
The first-hour recovery rate is 180 gallons. You can use this 36-gallon water heater to meet the needs of a household of three or four people due to this high efficiency.
Because there are no moving parts, this water heater can last as long as twenty years. There are other water heaters to look at if you want different modes or connectivity features, but this small water heater is an excellent investment if you want a durable appliance with a great recovery rate.
What We Think
GE Appliances offers two performing water heaters. These appliances are an excellent choice if you want to reduce your electricity bills and your environmental footprint.
We like how these water heaters use less energy while being versatile and performing. Being able to choose between different modes is a real plus.
The connectivity settings make the temperature and modes easy to manage. The heat pump technology is a great way to generate hot water without using a lot of electricity, and being able to change the modes and temperature as needed will help you save energy.
We recommend that you get this water heater installed by a professional to address any issues linked to condensation.
Leave a Reply