5 Best Heat Pump Water Heaters of 2026, Tested in our Labs

Consumer Reports has tested 15 heat-pump water heaters, focusing on how quickly they heat cold water and how energy-efficient they are.

The majority of the water heaters we tested were hybrid models. That is, they were designed to operate in either heat-pump mode (the most energy-efficient mode) or as a conventional water heater with built-in resistance heating elements. In a real-world setting, a hybrid model would utilize the heat pump until it sensed it was not keeping up with demand and maintaining the desired hot water temperature. That’s when the electric resistance heaters would kick in. For our ratings, we tested water heaters exclusively in heat-pump mode. We also considered whether the model had a user-friendly control panel to switch between settings.

These models cost more up front than traditional water heaters. The units we tested range in price from about $1,500 to more than $5,000 (with most models costing $2,500 or less). If you have sticker shock, we get it. You can get a conventional electric water heater for under $1,000. 

But if you have an electric water heater that needs replacing, switching to a heat-pump version could offer you significant savings over time. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program estimates that a family of four can save approximately $550 per year with a heat-pump water heater that has an Energy Star rating, compared with a standard electric water heater. Those savings would offset the higher cost of the heat-pump water heater in as little as three years. 

Many states and even utility companies are also offering rebates as an incentive to choose a heat-pump unit. Plus, heat-pump water heaters tend to last a bit longer. While a traditional water heater has a lifespan of about 10 to 12 years, a heat-pump water heater is expected to last 13 to 15 years. 

Lastly, when deciding whether it’s worth it to go with a heat pump, part of the equation is considering what you currently have. If you have a traditional electric water heater, you’ll likely be able to easily convert to a heat-pump model, since both water heaters require a dedicated 240-volt line. 

Switching from a gas model to a heat pump is also a possibility, but that may require electrical upgrades, which can eat into any potential savings. There are also heat-pump models that run on 120 volts and can plug right into existing wiring. A 120-volt model may be a good alternative if you’re looking to switch from a gas water heater, as long as you’re aware that the lower-voltage model may take longer to heat a tank full of water.

Heat pumps generally take longer to heat water than conventional electric water heaters, an important consideration. But that doesn’t mean that a heat pump can’t get the job done in your home.

Because heat-pump water heaters work by moving air rather than heating water directly, they have a few distinct characteristics to be aware of. 

They need extra space. Heat-pump water heaters should be installed in a large enough room to allow for proper venting. Specifications for just how large can be found in the water heater’s installation guide. In most cases, they can be installed where you would typically place a conventional water heater, such as in a basement or garage. For instance, A.O. Smith, which makes two of the recommended models from our tests, says its hybrid electric heat-pump water heaters should be installed in a room that is at least 450 cubic feet. Some models can also connect to ductwork to use air from a different area, allowing them to be installed in smaller rooms. 

Heat pumps like warm air (but they still work in winter). Keep in mind that these water heaters operate more efficiently in warmer spaces, which makes perfect sense because they utilize the heat in the air to warm up the water in the tank. So installing a heat-pump water heater in a room with a furnace or boiler, where there’s excess heat, would help increase its efficiency. These water heaters will work in a room with a minimum air temperature of 40° F. But if you have a hybrid model and the room with the water heater gets too cold for the heat pump to work, the heating elements will kick in. 

They can be tall. Many models are taller than a typical storage tank water heater. That’s because you have a water heater in two parts: a heat pump and a water storage tank. So the all-in-one models, where the heat pump sits on top of the storage tank, give it extra height. There are also split-type models, such as the Sanden that came out on top in our ratings. The Sanden has an indoor storage tank and a compressor that can be placed outdoors.

You’ll need to address condensation. Heat-pump water heaters produce condensation as part of the process of transferring heat because they cool the air of the room that they’re in. The water that’s created needs to be routed to a drain, or you’ll need to install a condensate pump to remove the water. The amount of water produced could be significant: up to a couple of gallons per day, depending on the humidity and your hot water use. The condensate that’s collected is just water, though, so you can dump it down any drain or set it aside for your plants.

To come up with our heat-pump water heater ratings, we tested all models in heat-pump mode only. We filled each water heater tank with cold water of the same temperature and then set them to reach a desired temperature of 120° F. 

We measured how long it took for each model to reach the desired temperature, and we determined how much energy each model used by measuring the wattage.