I'm considering switching to the AO Smith HPTS 80-gallon hybrid water heater, but I've come across some reviews mentioning problems with the sensor and compressors failing within 1-2 years. While the parts are covered by warranty, labor costs aren't, which has me a bit worried. A lot of these reviews are a couple of years old, so I'm curious if the product quality has improved since then. Has anyone here purchased one in the last year or two and noticed similar issues? How do these failures compare to mechanical problems with other non-heat pump water heaters?
3 Answers
I had two of these water heaters, and both failed within a year. I got the first one about two years ago, and I switched to a Rheem model. Fingers crossed that this new one lasts longer than a year!
A cousin of mine has had the AO Smith hybrid for about six years now, and I’ve ended up replacing it twice under warranty due to compressor failures. It’s just been a huge hassle for me.
I bought a 66-gallon unit about 20 months ago, and so far, it’s working great! The only hiccups I’ve faced are with the app integration, which isn’t a big deal for me, and I had one backup heating element that wasn’t functioning right. I fixed it for around $15, and it wasn’t a tricky part to replace. Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with the heater!