With our mini tank water heater ratings, you can compare units side by side using our Head To Head tool.
You can compare 49 models from 31 brands in ten categories such as warranty, efficiency, capacity, & cost.
You can also read the individual reviews of each brand below.
Our simple rating system gives each brand a color code and a star rating. If the card is green, then, that is one of the top picks from HvacRepairGuy. If the card is yellow, then, that would be a budget pick from HvacRepairgGuy. If the card is red, then, the brand is not recommended by HvacRepairGuy. With our water heater reviews you can cut through the sales hype and find value. It truly is like you were taking a repairman shopping with you! These reviews are for units that are electric and typically store less than 30 gallons of hot water.
This brand is from AO Smith and is sold in home improvement and hardware stores but the guarantee on the tanks is not as good as other brands. The Proline Compact models have a glass lined tank that uses self cleaning technology to limit sediment buildup and they are available in 6, 12, or 20 gallon sizes. The water heaters have a 0.94 efficiency rating and a enhanced flow brass drain valve for easy periodic maintenance.
These water heaters are made in the USA but are only sold through their authorized dealer network. They are available in 2.5, 6, 12, or 20 gallon sizes and feature factory installed heat traps to minimize the standby heat losses through the water lines. The units use a basic magnesium anode for corrosion control and use self cleaning technology to reduce sediment buildup but their guarantee is not as good as some of the other brands. The water heaters use durable incoloy low watt density elements and have a full port brass drain valve for quick and easy draining for maintenance.
This brand is made in the USA and is backed by a decent warranty but they are only available through their limited dealer network. The ProLine Compact water heaters have a glass lined tank that uses self cleaning technology to limit sediment buildup and a heavy duty stainless steel core anode rod for corrosion control. The units are available in 6, 10, and 20 gallon sizes and have a durable commercial-grade brass drain valve.
This brand is made in Mexico and can be purchased through home improvement stores such as The Home depot and Menards as well as through their Amazon store. They are available in 6, 12, or 19 gallon sizes and feature factory installed heat traps to minimize the standby heat losses through the water lines. The units use a basic magnesium anode for corrosion control and use self cleaning technology to reduce sediment buildup. Their guarantee, especially on the electrical parts, is not very good when compared to other brands. The water heaters use durable incoloy low watt density elements and have a full port brass drain valve for quick and easy draining for maintenance.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through dealers or their Amazon store. The units use a basic magnesium anode for corrosion control and use self cleaning technology to reduce sediment buildup. Their guarantee, especially on the electrical parts, is not very good when compared to other brands. The ES2.5 models have a 2.5 gallon capacity while the Es4 models have a four gallon capacity and the ES8 models have a 7 gallon capacity. The units can be shelf, wall, or floor mounted and have an appliance cord so that the units can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet.
This brand is made in the USA but the units are only sold through dealers for professional installation and the warranty is not as good as some of the other brands. The water heaters have glass lined tanks for corrosion resistance and they have built-in microban antimicrobial protection. The RE1-2U6 water heaters have a two gallon capacity with factory installed heat traps to minimize the heat loss through the water pipes when hot water is not being used.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their website or Amazon store. The brand offers five sizes of mini tank water heaters from 1.3 to 10 gallons in capacity and feature basic enameled tank technology. They feature durable stainless steel heating elements but the guarantee on the units is not very good when compared to other brands that are available. The 1.3, 2.5, 4, & 6.5 gallon models have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet while the 10 gallon model requires hardwiring. The brand is relatively expensive when you consider their lack of features and warranty.
This brand is a part of Morris Group International and the units are made in the USA. The CMT models can be purchased at The Home Depot and they are available in four sizes for wall or floor mounting. They have mechanical temperature control but durable stainless steel heating elements. The units have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet but the warranty is very minimal when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store. The brand offers a 2.5 gallon water heater with a durable stainless steel tank that resists corrosion but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls. They have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet but their guarantee is minimal.
The EM series water heaters are available in 2.5, 4, & 7 gallon sizes for under sink mounting but they use basic electromechanical controls. The ESH Smart Home water heaters are available with either a 2.5 or 4 gallon capacity and they are Wi-Fi enabled for control through a smartphone app or with voice commands from Google or Alexa. The units have an appliance cord for quicker and easier installation and they can be purchased directly through their website or Amazon store but the warranty is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is built by Rheem Manufacturing which is a part of the Paloma Group and the water heaters use basic tank technology. The Eco Mini models come with a cord to plug them into a regular electrical outlet which makes them easier to install but they use basic electromechanical controls. They are available in 1, 2.5, 4, and 6 gallon sizes with mechanical dials for temperature control. The units can be purchased at hardware and home improvement stores as well as through their Amazon Store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is built by Rheem Manufacturing which is a part of the Paloma Group and the water heaters use basic tank technology. The EMT models come with a cord to plug them into a regular electrical outlet which makes them easier to install but they use basic electromechanical controls. They are available in 1.5, 2.5, 4, and 6 gallon sizes with mechanical dials for temperature control. The units can be purchased at hardware and home improvement stores as well as through their Amazon Store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store. The brand offers a 2.5 gallon water heater with a durable stainless steel tank that resists corrosion but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls. They have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet and they are relatively inexpensive but their guarantee is minimal.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store. The brand uses basic enameled tank technology but has durable stainless steel elements that resists corrosion. They have basic electromechanical temperature controls and an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet. The FDES-ET25G model has a 2.5 gallon capacity while the FDES-ET40G model has a 4 gallon capacity and the FDES-ET80G model has an 8 gallon capacity. The water heaters are relatively inexpensive but their guarantee is minimal.
This brand is made in China by Haier and the units can be purchased through the GE Appliances website as well as their Amazon Store. The water heaters have glass lined tanks for corrosion resistance and durable stainless steel heating elements and come with a cord to plug them into a regular electrical outlet which makes them easier to install. The RealMax models are available in either 10 or 18 gallon sizes and they are backed by a very good guarantee.
This brand is made in China by Supergroup Tech and can be purchased through their Amazon store. The brand offers a 3 gallon water heater with a durable stainless steel tank that resists corrosion but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls. They have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet and they are relatively inexpensive but their guarantee is minimal.
These water heaters are made and sold in Canada through a dealer network but their guarantee is not as good as some of the other brands. The water heaters use basic glass lined steel tank technology with a magnesium anode to resist corrosion. The 103ETE model has a cord to plug them into a regular electrical outlet which makes them easier to install and a 2.5 gallon capacity but they have a plastic drain valve which is not very durable. The SEO models are available in 6, 12, or 19 gallon sizes.
This brand is made in Canada and is owned by A O Smith. The water heaters are sold through hardware and home improvement stores throughout Canada but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. The SpaceSaver models feature basic glass lined tanks but their styropour base minimizes heat loss through the floor. They are available in 2.5, 4, 6, 12, & 19 gallon sizes but they have plastic drain valves which are not very durable.
This brand is made in Canada by GSW which is owned by A.O. Smith. The water heaters are sold through their dealer network in Canada but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. The SpaceSaver models feature basic glass lined tanks but their styropour base minimizes heat loss through the floor. They are available in 2.5, 4, 6, 12, & 19 gallon sizes but they have plastic drain valves which are not very durable.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store and the units can be wall mounted or floor mounted with the included bracket. The water heaters feature a durable stainless steel tank that resists corrosion but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls. They have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet and they are relatively inexpensive but their guarantee is minimal. The 0050 model has a 2.5 gallon capacity while the 1027 model has a 4 gallon tank.
This brand is made in the USA and is sold through a very limited dealer network. The Junior Electric models are basic water heaters with glass lined tanks and zinc anodes for corrosion resistance. They are available in 6, 10, 19, 19.9, & 28 gallon sizes and have factory installed heat traps to minimize heat loss through the water pipes when hot water is not being used. The guarantee on the units is only average when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in China by Fogatti and can be purchased through their website or Amazon store but their guarantee is not as good as other brands. The units can be wall mounted or floor mounted with the included bracket and feature a durable stainless steel heating element that resists corrosion but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls. They have an appliance cord so that they can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet. The Etech 25 model has a 2.5 gallon capacity while the Etech 40 has a 4 gallon tank and the Etech 80 has an 8 gallon capacity.
This brand is a part of AO Smith and is available at hardware stores. The SOMS K models are available in 6, 10, or 19 gallon sizes and they are only backed by an average guarantee. The units use basic glass lined tank technology and have a plastic drain valve which is not very durable. The inlet and outlet connections are on the side of the tank for easier installation in tight spaces.
This brand is a part of the Paloma Group and the water heaters can be purchased at home improvement stores such as Menards and The Home Depot. The Marathon Point-of-Use models are made of fiberglass so they do not face corrosion problems and they have a bowl shaped bottom which allows the sediment to be completely drained during maintenance. They are available in either 15 or 20 gallon sizes and are backed by a very good warranty. The Performance Mini Tank models are available in four sizes from 1.5 to 6 gallons and they have an appliance cord for easy installation. They are about half the price of the Marathon models and can be purchased through their Amazon Store. They use basic metal tank technology and their guarantee is only average when compared to other brands.
These water heaters are made by Rheem Manufacturing and they can be purchased at home improvement stores such as Menards and The Home Depot. The Essential Series Point-of-Use models are available in four sizes from 1.6 to 6.1 gallons but they use basic enameled metal tank technology and their guarantee is only average when compared to other brands. They have an appliance cord to plug into a standard electrical outlet which provides for easy installation. They can be wall or floor mounted with a bracket that is included but they use a basic electromechanical temperature control.
This brand is made by Rheem Manufacturing which is a part of the Paloma Group but they are only sold through their dealer/plumber network. The Marathon Point-of-Use models are made of fiberglass so they do not face corrosion problems and they have a bowl shaped bottom which allows the sediment to be completely drained during maintenance. They are available in either 15 or 20 gallon sizes and are backed by a very good warranty. The Professional Achiever Series offers units in six sizes from 2.5 to 30 gallons and they have durable stainless steel elements. They are about half the price of the Marathon models but they use basic metal tank technology and their guarantee is only average when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in the USA and is backed by a decent warranty but they are only available through their limited dealer network. The ProLine Specialty water heaters have a glass lined tank that uses self cleaning technology to limit sediment buildup and a heavy duty stainless steel core anode rod for corrosion control. The units are available in 2.5, 4, and 6 gallon sizes but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls.
This brand is made in Germany and can be purchased at home improvement stores such as The Home Depot. The SHC units are available in 2.5, 4, or 6 gallon models that are wall-mounted and plug into a standard outlet. They have a durable stainless steel dip tube and brass water connections but the guarantee is not very good when compared to other options. They use basic glass-lined tank technology and have basic electromechanical temperature controls.
This brand is made in India and can be purchased through their website or their Amazon Store but the guarantee on the tank is not very good when compared to other brands. The units feature durable stainless steel tanks but they have basic electromechanical temperature controls. The UT15 models have a 4 gallon capacity while the UT10 has a 2.5 gallon tank.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their website or their Amazon Store but the guarantee on the tank is not very good when compared to other brands. The ES models have three temperature settings and include a power cord for plugging into a standard electric outlet but they use basic mechanical controls and glass lined tank technology. The units are available in four sizes from 1.3 to 6.5 gallons and have a built-in freeze protection setting which is good for vacation homes.
These units are available in four sizes 1.3, 2.5, 4, and 6 gallons and they have an appliance cord that plugs into a standard electrical outlet. They use basic glass-lined tank technology and are only sold through dealers. The guarantee on the tank is not very good when compared to other brands. They have basic electromechanical temperature controls.
| Select Heater | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brand | N/A | N/A |
| Model | N/A | N/A |
| Self Cleaning | N/A | N/A |
| Wi-Fi Enabled | N/A | N/A |
| Efficiency Factor | N/A | N/A |
| Leak Detection | N/A | N/A |
| Electronic Thermostat | N/A | N/A |
| Dealer Required | N/A | N/A |
| Parts Warranty | N/A | N/A |
| Tank Warranty | N/A | N/A |
| Price | N/A | N/A |