We analyzed multiple water heating products to bring you these electric water heater reviews, which will hopefully make your decision easier. Before jumping into the best electric water heaters, we want to mention there is no best electric water heater review that is also universally valid. It all depends on your environment and how many consumers will need hot water at the same time on average.
Of course, your opinion on and experience with various brands will naturally have a say in this. We chose brands and products that are well-known for their quality, reliability, and lifespan.
There are two types of electric water heaters: On-demand, which are also known as tankless, and tank heaters which typically store between 40 and 80 gallons of hot water. If you are not sure which type to choose, our electric hot water heater reviews will provide all the info you need.
If you are looking for a lightweight electric water heater with basically no standby heat loss, check out our tankless electric water heater reviews:
The RTE 27 is a compact on-demand water heater that is able to provide up to 5 gallons of hot water per minute. This means it can be used in small homes or apartments, but it is best to be used in boats, RVs, or garages since it saves space: It measures 10.5 x 11.25 x 3.75 inches and weighs 12 pounds.
The appliance is Energy Star certified, has a modulating heat exchanger, and eliminates the few greenhouse gasses it produces without needing a special venting system. The 27kW and 240V system will need 2 dedicated breakers of 60 AMPs each. It can serve a shower and 2 faucets at the same time if it doesn’t need to heat up the water with more than 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can check out other Rheem electric water heater reviews, both gas and electric, by visiting our reviews of tankless water heaters linked at the end of this section.
The EcoSmart self-modulating technology promises to cut down your water heating costs to 40% of what you used to pay during winter months and save 12 cubic feet of space. The temperature control dial allows you to accurately set how hot you want your water using 1-degree increments. It is affordable and reliable, being considered an efficient point-of-use water heater.
With WaterSense certification and lifetime warranty, the ECO 11 seems too good to be true. Well, the main drawback is that it can only provide about 3 gallons of hot water per minute. It also registers slight delays when being used by multiple consumers at a time. While not significant, these can be an issue for some customers. We also reviewed the ECO 27, a small but powerful water heater that can provide up to 7 gallons of water per minute and can be used in small or average homes and apartments. You can check it out following the above mentioned link. 
The Tronic 5000C WH36 is the leader of the Bosch Tronic Whole House Series and can provide up to 6 gallons of hot water per minute if it only needs to rise the temperature with 35 degrees Fahrenheit. For a 45 F temperature rise, the hot water flux decreases to 5.5 gallons per minute – still acceptable for small homes and apartments. It is able to continuously provide hot water to 3 – 5 applications at a time.
With a thermal efficiency of 97%, this compact and lightweight model features multiple safety sensors and mechanisms. The modulation, temperature stability, and control functions regulate the hot water temperature so that users do not have to manually readjust the faucet.
Weighing only 26.5 pounds, the Whole House 5000C is ideal for boats and RVs. Among all the Bosch electric tankless water heater reviews and analysis we performed over the years, this model stands alone as the most efficient for its size and price. Although it can only heat up water to 131 degrees Fahrenheit, this is a more than comfortable temperature for residential and industrial use.
Marey’s on-demand ECO270 water heater can provide up to 6.5 gallons of hot water per minute if the output temperature is no more than 38 degrees above the input one. We discussed many Marey electric tankless water heater reviews over the years, but no product managed to top the ECO 270. If the Bosch Tronic 5000C WH36 was suitable for boats and RVs with its 26.5 pounds, the ECO270 by Marey seems to be specifically thought out for this purpose: It weighs just a little over 16 pounds. However, it can serve small or even medium homes and apartments without issues.
Marey confidently states the ECO270 is the only tankless water heating system that is not prone to sediment buildup. To conclude our Marey electric tankless water heater review, we want to mention that, as far as we know, this is completely true: the ECO270 is a long-lasting, reliable tankless water heater.
You can see more examples of reliable water heaters by Rinnai, Rheem, Navien, Noritz, Takagi, Bosch, Marey, and EcoSmart by looking into our reviews of tankless electric and gas water heaters.
If our electric tankless water heater reviews left you thinking they are too sensitive to outside factors and you are looking for a heavy-use electric water heater, check out the following suggestions:
With a 95% efficiency, the 12 50 EART is the most wallet- and eco-friendly tank water heater you could buy. It has a 50-gallon tank that is insulated with foam to conserve heat, thus saving energy. The standard setting comes preset at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is considered the highest temperature tap water should have to avoid burning. However, you can set it to higher temperatures.
Other than the standard setting, the Reliance 12 50 EART also has a vacation mode which keeps the tank from freezing over by maintaining a constant temperature of 60 degrees. Of course, our Reliance electric water heater review would not be complete if we didn’t also mention its energy saving mode which smartly tracks your hot water usage habits and adjusts its activity accordingly.
Another feature that we liked about the Reliance 12 50 EART is the ability to lock settings so that only authorized residents can modify them. This can be particularly useful for families with children. In addition, the unit has a smart dry fire protection system that shuts the system down when the tank is not full (i.e. if the water slowly leaks out without you noticing).
This 47-gallon tank water heater is part of the Lowboy series, specifically designed for small spaces. The RE250L6 has fully automatic controls and multiple safety mechanisms that make it ideal for families with children. The Hydrojet® system is efficient in reducing water sediment, thus increasing the appliance’s lifespan and efficiency. Bradford electric water heaters also enjoy their own enamel tank protection Vitraglas®, which drastically reduces tank corrosion.
The tank is insulated with a non-CFC foam and an extra insulation blanket that is flexible. The unique design of its heat traps keeps the heat in and makes the RE250L6 as silent as possible. Therefore, it can be installed anywhere without interfering with your sleeping schedules.
Among all the 40 gallon electric water heater reviews we performed over the years, the Bradford White electric water heater reviews are among the few where drawbacks are not to be found. These are highly functional and efficient appliances that perform amazingly well under heavy use.
Powered by two 240-Volt heating elements of 5,500 Watts each, the Kenmore 58250 impressed us with its efficiency and reliability. The 50-gallon tank is insulated with 3 inches of eco-friendly foam and is self-cleaning: It eliminates sediments and rust-causing particles by directing the stream of cold water that enters the tank towards exposed areas. We also appreciate its strong anti-corrosion dedicated system which features not 1 like in most cases, but 2 anodes inside the tank.
The appliance reaches its maximum efficiency when heating up the water at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, but can get past 180. Even though it comes preset with a safety feature that turns itself off if the water temperature reaches 180 F, this can be deactivated. However, water that hot can cause serious burns and is not recommended.
The 58250 also has a vacation mode available. When activated, it will lower the water temperature to avoid wasting energy but still prevents the tank from freezing over. If you choose to also acquire the Wi-Fi module, you will be able to control this model remotely with a smartphone, tablet, or PC. Among all the 50 gallon electric water heater reviews, the Kenmore 58250 definitely is reliable and longest-lasting.
Similar to the Kenmore 58250, Whirlpool’s ES50R9-55 has a 50-gallon tank and is powered by 2 5,500-Watt, 240-Volt heating elements. It only has one anti-corrosion anode but makes up with a ceramic lining that protects the tank from rust. It is also insulated with polyurethane foam.
The ES50R9-55 truly is smart. It features three modes: Energy Smart, Vacation, and Standard, which can be chosen through a touchscreen electronic display. The Energy Smart function records your household’s water usage habits to keep your electricity bill to a minimum, while the Standard function keeps the temperature to a constant 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Smart ES50R9-55 is not the only Whirlpool electric water heater that impressed us; the ES40R12-55, a 40-gallon appliance that is Energy Star rated, also deserves our praise when talking about Whirlpool electric water heater reviews. However, the 10 extra gallons and the Smart function made the difference.
There are many AO Smith electric water heater reviews we could have focused on, but this product is, in out opinion, the most reliable. The ECT-80 is a few years old, but can still compete with newer models. Its 80-gallon can serve a family of 6 or more without overworking itself or wasting energy. The system features a self-cleaning and anti-corrosion function (diffuser tubes and a tank glass lining), which further increases its lifespan.
Many say that AO Smith product quality has gone downhill in the last few years, and we’re not saying that’s not true; In fact, this is why we chose an older model for our review. Just like with other 40 - 80 gallon electric water heater reviews mentioned in this article, our opinion on the AO Smith ECT-80 is that it is, overall, a good product.
However, their repair and customer service is said to be faulty: Multiple customers reported poor service and long waiting times when trying to solve simple issues like basic maintenance.
We truly hope our electric water heater reviews have been helpful. Please keep in mind that a water heater will decide your expenses and comfort for the next few years, so investing some time and financial resources in a reliable appliance will go a long way.