Top 5 Best 80-Gallon Electric Water Heaters (December 2024)🥇
Last Updated: 16 December 2024
In this article, we’re going to be talking about the best 80-gallon electric water heaters that are available on the market.
✅Why use an electric water heater?
According to this study carried out by Consumer Reports, electric water heaters are an energy-efficient way of getting hot water.
Electric hot water heaters are generally easier to use when comparing to an equivalent gas-powered unit.
The installation and maintenance costs of these units are often lower, as they don’t require venting.
Additionally, electric water heaters can be used in any home that simply has electricity, whereas not every home has gas, with apartment buildings often only having electricity available for safety reasons.
💧Top Considerations Before Purchasing
- Technical Specs – We’ve done our very best to outline each heater’s technical specs, including UEF (Energy Efficiency), FHR (First Hour Rate), and Recovery Rate, so you have all of this information available when making any comparisons between models.
- General Specs – We’ve also included information regarding the units physical dimensions and weight
- Price – Price information has also been specified, with $ representing the lowest price and $$$$$ representing the highest. We realize that everyone has a unique budget, so this is an important consideration
- Warranty – We’ve displayed warranty information where possible.
- Customer Reviews/Ratings – We’ve gone about researching only the highest quality 80-gallon electric hot water heaters to include within this article, therefore you can be confident in knowing that any of these units are a great choice.
We’ve listed the following 80-gallon water heaters in order of cost, from the lowest price at the top ($) to the largest price ($$$$$) at the bottom:
80 Gallon Electric Water Heaters Review – Top 5
A.O. Smith 80 Gallon Light Service Commercial Electric Water Heater – $
Technical Specs
- UEF (Energy Efficiency): N/A EF
- FHR (First Hour Rating): N/A GPH
- Recovery Rate: 36GPH
General Specs
- Price: $
- Dimensions: 63.5H x 24W x 24D inches
- Weight: 175 lbs
- Warranty: 6-year Limited Warranty on tank, 1-year on parts
Features
The A.O. Smith® 80 Gallon unit is a Tall, Light Service Electric Water Heater which is ideal for commercial usage.
Its DynaClean™ Diffuser System Reduces Sediment Buildup which helps extend it’s tank life.
Additionally, it uses Blue Diamond® Glass Lining which provides protection against leaks.
The unit has two 4500-watt zinc-plated copper sheathed elements and it has COREGARD™ anode rods, which have a stainless steel core that extends the life of the anode rod allowing superior tank protection, for a longer life when comparing to standard anode rods.
This unit meets the standby loss requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy and the current edition of ASHRAE/IES 90.1
Finally, it comes with a 6-year limited tank warranty/1-year limited parts warranty
Pros
- Reputable Brand
- Affordable price
- High recovery rate
- Lower power usage
- Energy Efficient
- 6-year tank warranty/1-year parts
Cons
- Doesn’t provide UEF or FHR information
- Only 1-year parts warranty
Westinghouse 80 Gal. 10 Year 13,500-Watt Electric Water Heater with Durable 316 l Stainless Steel Tank – $$
Technical Specs
- UEF (Energy Efficiency): 0.98 EF
- FHR (First Hour Rating): 84GPH
- Recovery Rate: 19GPH
General Specs
- Price: $$
- Dimensions: 69H x 23.75W x 23.75D inches
- Weight: 151 lbs
- Warranty: 10-year Limited Warranty on tank, 1-year on parts
Features
Westinghouse’s 3 Element Commercial Stainless Steel Electric Water Heater allows for flexibility with multiple wiring configurations.
The 3 elements provide quicker recovery between domestic hot water draws. With a single or 3 phase option, installation can be flexible.
It’s powered through 13,500 watts and is extremely efficient when it comes to energy efficiency, reaching approximately 98%.
The inlet and outlet have built-in heat traps, keeping the heat in the take for greater efficiency.
It comes with a 10-year take warranty (on tank), which shows how confident the company is of the high-grade stainless steel Incoloy elements, and the coated tank.
According to Westinghouse, their stainless steel tank design is superior to competitor glass-lined tanks, in both protection, preventing scale built-up and being lightweight.
There are no anode rods, as they are not needed.
It includes 3 elements for quicker recovery between hot water draws.
Subsequently, it has an FHR of 84GPH and a recovery rate of 19GPH, which is a substantial amount.
Pros
- Reputable Brand
- Required Gallon Capacity
- Energy Efficient
- High FHR & Decent RR
- 10-year limited warranty (Tank)
Cons
- Only 1-year parts warranty
Westinghouse 80 Gal. 10 Year 16,500-Watt Electric Water Heater with Durable 316 l Stainless Steel Tank – $$
Technical Specs
- UEF (Energy Efficiency): 0.98 EF
- FHR (First Hour Rating): 84GPH
- Recovery Rate: 19GPH
General Specs
- Price: $$
- Dimensions: 69H x 23.75W x 23.75D inches
- Weight: 151 lbs
- Warranty: 10-year Limited Warranty on tank, 1-year on parts
Features
Westinghouse’s 3 Element Commercial Stainless Steel Electric Water Heater allows for flexibility with multiple wiring configurations.
The 3 elements provide quicker recovery between domestic hot water draws. With a single or 3 phase option, installation can be flexible.
It’s powered through 16,500 watts and is extremely efficient when it comes to energy efficiency, reaching approximately 98%.
The inlet and outlet have built-in heat traps, keeping the heat in the take for greater efficiency.
It comes with a 10-year take warranty (on tank), which shows how confident the company is of the high-grade stainless steel Incoloy elements, and the coated tank.
According to Westinghouse, their stainless steel tank design is superior to competitor glass-lined tanks, in both protection, preventing scale built-up and being lightweight.
There are no anode rods, as they are not needed.
It includes 3 elements for quicker recovery between hot water draws.
Subsequently, it has an FHR of 84GPH and a recovery rate of 19GPH, which is a substantial amount.
Pros
- Reputable Brand
- Required Gallon Capacity
- Energy Efficient
- High FHR & Decent RR
- 10-year limited warranty (Tank)
Cons
- Only 1-year parts warranty
Rheem Ruud 80 gal. Commercial Electric Water Heater, 12000W – $$$$$
Technical Specs
- UEF (Energy Efficiency): 0.98 EF
- FHR (First Hour Rating): Not Supplied GPH
- Recovery Rate: Not Supplied GPH
General Specs
- Price: $$$$$
- Dimensions: 59H x 24.5W x 24.5D inches
- Weight: 200 lbs
- Warranty: 3-year Limited Warranty on tank, 1-year on parts
Features
Rheem Ruud’s 80-gallon capacity electric water heater is considered to be a light-duty commercial unit.
It is versatile enough to be used in a wide variety of applications such as retail stores and small offices.
The Maximum temperature on this unit is greater than 180° F.
It is built to last, with its proprietary steel formulation with a unique coat of high-temperature porcelain enamel, which helps maximizes the corrosion resistance of the tank. This also prolongs the effective life of the anode rod and in turn, the life of the tank.
The unit also has patented resistor elements, designed with a specially treated, double layer of magnesium oxide and copper to resist corrosion.
It features automatic temperature controls, with a surface mounted thermostat automatically cycles on and off to maintain the water temp.
Pros
- Reputable Brand
- Energy Efficient
Cons
- Premium-Priced
- Only a 3-year tank warranty
- The company don’t supply FHR in manual (“N/A”)
Westinghouse 100 Gal. Lifetime 5500-Watt Electric Water Heater with Durable 316 l Stainless Steel Tank – $$$
Technical Specs
- UEF (Energy Efficiency): 0.98 EF
- FHR (First Hour Rating): 92GPH
- Recovery Rate: 25GPH
General Specs
- Price: $$$
- Dimensions: 69H x 23.75W x 23.75D inches
- Weight: 151 lbs
- Warranty: 10-year Limited Warranty on tank, 1-year on parts
Features
The Westinghouse Electric water heater uses a combination of high-quality stainless steel construction and energy-efficient operation providing long draws of hot water without consuming large amounts of energy.
It requires a 240-Volt electrical connection for installation.
Its cleverly designed water connection directs cold water to the heating element near the bottom of the tank to minimize the mixing of cold and hot water.
Durable components, low standby heat losses, and high recovery rates make the Westinghouse Electric water heater an ideal choice for electric water heating needs.
The titanium elements with low watt density reduce the change of element burnout and ultimately provide a longer service life.
It comes with a lifetime warranty (on tank), which shows how confident the company is of the high-grade stainless steel Incoloy elements, and the coated tank.
According to Westinghouse, their stainless steel tank design is superior to competitor glass-lined tanks, in both protection, preventing scale built-up and being lightweight.
There are no anode rods, as they are not needed.
It includes 3 elements for quicker recovery between hot water draws.
Subsequently, it has an FHR of 84GPH and a recovery rate of 19GPH, which is a substantial amount.
Pros
- Reputable Brand
- Required Gallon Capacity
- Energy Efficient
- High FHR & Decent RR
- Lifetime warranty on tank, 6-year on parts
Cons
- None
Conclusion
It’s important to highlight that we realize everyone has different needs and requirements for an 80-gallon electric hot water heater, alongside an entirely different budget. Therefore we try not to make solid recommendations, as we don’t know your unique requirements.
However, based on features, reviews, and price, we personally like the Westinghouse 100 Gal. Lifetime 5500-Watt Electric Water Heater with Durable 316 l Stainless Steel Tank. It comes with a lifetime tank warranty and a 4-year parts warranty. It’s priced in a way which is still attractive for those who are looking at a more affordably priced unit – We say it’s great value for money for a mid-range unit.
FAQ
💧Is an 80-gallon capacity electric water heater enough?
The “draw efficiency” of both gas or electric heaters is generally calculated at approximately 70% of the overall tank storage size.
This is because as a tank is being emptied of hot water, it is also being filled with cold water, so approximately 70% of it is usable hot water.
This means that an 80-gallon unit has a draw efficiency of around 49 gallons.
This is enough to simultaneously maintain five baths running or four baths with an automatic clothes washer running.
🚰How long does it take an electric 80-gallon water heater to heat up?
There are a few different factors that come into play when talking about this, including the type of heating element inside the tank and the temperature of the water that is entering the unit.
However, hot water heaters will have two ratings that will help you determine the answer to this question, and these are:
First Hour Rating: The total amount of water in gallons that the heater can supply per hour, starting with a full tank of hot water.
Recovery Rate: The total amount of water in gallons that the heater can supply per hour, starting with an empty tank.
💧80-gallon electric water heater cost
These units vary in price, ranging from around $1200 through to $1800.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, we have listed the water heaters in order of cost, from the lowest price at the top ($) to the largest price ($$$$$) at the bottom.
