If you’ve ever been the last one in your house to shower and found yourself, mid scrub, with freezing water pouring down on you, you know the importance of a robust water heater. They’re the powerhouses that quietly supply the hot water for when you do the dishes, laundry, give your kid a bath, wash your face, take a shower, so that your day can keep running smoothly. Traditionally, water heaters have either been electric or gas: the former heats the water in the tank via a burner and the latter, by electric coils. As a result, a water heater is responsible for about 20% of the average home’s energy costs—more than the refrigerator, dishwasher, laundry washer and dryer combined—making it one of the best places to look if you’re trying to cut utility bills without changing your daily routine.
That’s where hybrid heat pump water heaters come in. One of the biggest technological advances in home efficiency, they pull heat from the surrounding air and transfer it into the water tank, thus using significantly less energy while delivering the dependable hot water families expect.
One of the leading manufacturers of hybrid water heaters is A. O. Smith. The Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab has been a fan of their products for years, and now their latest model, the A. O. Smith Signature 900 Smart Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater with Hot Water Plus, has earned the Good Housekeeping Seal after meeting the Institute’s rigorous standards for performance and reliability. We asked Dan DiClerico, the Institute’s home improvement expert, for his top three reasons why this latest version stands out amongst others on the market.
It’ll save you money
“One of the biggest advantages of a hybrid heat pump water heater is its ability to reduce one of the home’s largest ongoing energy expenses,” says DiClerico. The Signature 900 stands out, he says, because it can reduce energy consumption by roughly 75% compared with a standard electric water heater, potentially helping households save up to $600 per year on energy costs.
The savings can begin before the water heater is even installed. Depending on where you live, utility rebates may reduce the upfront cost by as much as $1,800. DiClerico thinks those two reasons alone should be enough to consider hybrid heat pump technology when it’s time to replace a standard, aging water heater.
Beyond efficiency and performance, the Signature 900 also includes built-in connectivity that allows homeowners to monitor the system and adjust operating modes remotely via a smartphone. “We were particularly impressed with the smart Leak Watch technology, which sends an alert the moment a leak is detected,” says DiClerico. The heater’s Leak Shield shut-off valve will then automatically shut off the water supply—sparing you the headache (and expense) of a flooded basement or utility room.
No more cold showers
Whether you have a house full of weekend guests or it’s just a particularly busy Wednesday morning lineup for the shower, everyone will be able to enjoy warm showers thanks to the Signature 900’s Hot Water Plus and Guest Mode settings. Either option can boost hot water output by up to 40%: Guest Mode does it temporarily for up to seven days—perfect for when family is visiting—while Hot Water Plus will stay on until you tell it otherwise.
For DiClerico, it’s proof that homeowners don’t have to sacrifice performance to enjoy the energy-saving benefits of a hybrid heat pump water heater. “The Signature 900 was designed with busy households in mind,” says DiClerico. “The 80-gallon model has a first-hour rating of 95 gallons, meaning that’s how much hot water the unit can deliver during an hour of peak demand.” That’s enough capacity to handle back-to-back showers, the dishwasher running after breakfast, and a load of laundry without anyone unexpectedly running out of hot water.
It’s built to last
Replacing a water heater isn’t something most homeowners want to think about very often, which is why durability is every bit as important as efficiency. DiClerico says the Signature 900 earned the Good Housekeeping Seal because of its longevity: “All A. O. Smith Signature 900 units that we've installed in the homes of testers have continued operating reliably for years.”
DiClerico says several design features contribute to that durability, including copper heating elements and a ceramic-lined interior that help resist rust and corrosion over time. Proper installation is also key to help ensure the water heater performs as intended for years to come. “Because heat pump water heaters have different space and installation requirements than conventional electric models,” he says, “it’s critical to get a qualified installer who has experience with this type of system.”
