A.O. Smith Brand Review: A Reliable Tank-Style Staple (2024)

By: Nicolette Forbes

August 29, 2022 6 min

Water Heaters

Are you interested in getting a tank-style water heater but are curious if A.O. Smith is the best choice for you and your home? We understand that choosing the right water heater can be an overwhelming task. There are so many different water heater brands on the market, and they all cater to different needs within a household.

A.O. Smith is a titan in the water heater industry, and their tank-style water heaters are loved by those who own them. In this article, we will:

Discuss the different types of A.O. Smith water heaters
Share some of the popular A.O. Smith models on the market, along with their benefits and drawbacks
Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of having an A.O. Smith water heater
Help you decide if A.O Smith is right for you

Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric has been helping clients with all their water heater questions for over 15 years. We are dedicated to giving you all the answers you seek regarding tank-style water heaters, or in this case, A.O. Smith water heaters, so that you can make the best choice for your household needs.

What are the Different Types of A.O. Smith Water Heaters?

A.O. Smith offers several types of tank-style water heaters, including natural gas water heaters, propane water heaters, and electric water heaters. The manufacturer is Energy Star certified, dismissing any doubts surrounding the brand’s efficiency.

A.O. Smith Natural Gas Water Heaters

More homeowners use natural gas to heat their home’s water than any other fuel, possibly due to the convenience of using the main gas supply line. Natural gas also costs less than both propane and electricity. On the downside, natural gas water heaters produce more toxic emissions, such as carbon monoxide, into the air.

A.O. Smith Propane Water Heaters

Propane provides a cleaner fuel option since it does not produce pollutants like natural gas. It also generates more power using less fuel, making it the more efficient option. On the other hand, propane comes with a higher cost and requires regular delivery. Plus, you need to regularly change the propane tanks.

A.O. Smith Electric Water Heaters

Despite heating water slower and at a higher cost than the gas models, electric water heaters are actually more efficient. The efficiency can be attributed to electric water heaters using heating rods that are submerged in the water in a sealed tank. This design leads to low amounts of heat loss. On the downside, electric water heaters do have high operating costs and will not work if there is a power outage.

A.O. Smith offers about 60 various models of natural gas and liquid propane tank water heaters. Most gas and propane tank-style water heaters can hold up to 40 gallons of water, which is suitable for three-person households. Additionally, A.O. Smith offers more than 30 models of electric water heaters, and most have a warranty of up to six years.

Top A.O. Smith Models

With the two different types of A.O. Smith water heaters on the market, you must be wondering, “What are some of the top models out there?”

Signature Premier Series

The A.O. Smith Signature Premier series of tank-style water heaters is one of the best gas water heaters the brand has to offer.

Best suited for families of three or more
Water heaters come in 40–and-50-gallon sizes
Delivers between 72 and 76 gallons of hot water within the first hour, meaning it will give you lots of hot water to splash with
This is a standard water heater, so if you are searching for a water heater with electronic specs like a touch-display screen, this may not be the water heater for you.

A.O. Smith’s Signature Premier water heaters are built to last as they have a protective anode rod, along with a special tank shield to reduce corrosion and provide ultimate tank protection for your water heater. It also has a self-cleaning dip tube to reduce sediment build-up and extend the overall life of the water heater.

As for protection, A.O. Smith’s Signature Premier comes with a six-year limited warranty to give you additional peace of mind, and it’s Energy Star certified, so it’s guaranteed to save you money on your energy bills.

A.O. Smith ProLine XE

When it comes to electric water heaters with A.O. Smith, look no further than the ProLine XE series.

Models range in size from 40 gallons to 55 gallons
Each ProLine water heater comes with an electronic display to give you better options for temperature control and monitoring
Has Energy Saver or Vacation options, meaning that if you feel as though you are using too much electricity to run your water heater, you can always switch to Energy Saver, which will only run the water heater when you need hot water. Additionally, the “vacation” option can help save you money on energy costs while you’re away
Great for apartments or single-family households

ProLine XE also comes with heating elements made of stainless steel, which can give your water heater a longer lifespan, and heating pumps, which means that electricity moves heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. In other words, it works as a refrigerator in reverse. While a refrigerator pulls heat from inside and sends it into the surrounding room, the heat pump takes the heat from the surrounding air and uses it to heat the water coming into your home. As for warranty, these models have a warranty of 10 years.

We recommend maintenance on your water heater at least once a year to get the most out of not only your warranty but your water heater. Check out this article here as we dive into the kind of maintenance needed for a tank-style water heater.

Benefits and Drawbacks of A.O. Smith Tank-Style Water Heaters

A.O. Smith water heaters come with both benefits and drawbacks that can help you determine if A.O. Smith makes the right products for you.

Benefits

A.O. Smith water heaters have several benefits, including:

Between 5-to-10 years warranty on all models
Come in different sizes, making them suitable for all households
Has electric, natural gas, and propane models
Some models are Energy Star certified, saving you money on energy bills
Great customer service; questions about your water heater can be easily answered by an AO Smith customer service agent

Drawbacks

Every company has room for improvement and with A.O. Smith, and some drawbacks to having A.O. Smith are:

Limited reliable electric models compared to its competitors like Rheem
Shorter warranty than competitors like Rheem, which offers extended warranties that cover up to 12 years
No water conservation technology
Not all models are Energy Efficient; which could mean higher gas or electricity bills

Is A.O. Smith Right For You?

A.O. Smith tank-style water heaters stand up to the competition in numerous ways. New models provide advanced features, but all models heat water effectively and efficiently. You can also trust A.O. Smith tank-style water heaters to run properly for up to 10 years. While you may be limited with your electric choices, if you like gas-powered tank-style water heaters (whether that be natural or propane gas), you can’t go wrong with A.O. Smith as they are suitable for both large and small households with lots of options.

Want to learn more about the costs involved with a tank-style water heater and some of the other top water heater brands on the market? If you have decided that you are ready to move forward with A.O. Smith but want to know what to expect with the costs involved, check out the first article below. Or, if you’d like to consider other brands on the market, check out our article for the top water heater brands of 2023, as it shares the pros and cons of the best of the best out there.

How Much Does a Water Heater Cost?