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240-volt integrated heat pump water heaters compared on official ENERGY STAR certified ratings. Uniform energy factor (UEF) is the current official efficiency number; first-hour rating is the certified gallons available in the first hour. Certified storage volume can be lower than the marketed tank size (for example a unit sold as 50 gallons may certify at 45 or 46 gallons). This table is limited to 240-volt integrated models. 120-volt integrated units have their own comparison, because they use a different circuit and often certify at a lower first-hour rating. Split-system heat pump water heaters such as SANCO2 tank-plus-outdoor-unit combinations appear on the ENERGY STAR list but are not ranked here, because mixing a split system with an integrated tank would make installation type dominate the story we can tell from these fields.
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Top pick
GP
GE Profile PH80S10BNY01
Score 9.9/10 · Check price
Why it wins: Official UEF 4.5, first-hour rating 101 gallons, 80 gallons certified storage, ENERGY STAR connected-capable. Highest official uniform energy factor in this comparison (4.5). Highest official first-hour rating in this comparison (101 gallons).
"Not listed" means the official ENERGY STAR, DOE or manufacturer record we used does not publish that figure. Prices show "Check price" until a retailer feed provides a current price.
Buying guide: how to choose the right 240-volt heat pump water heater
Use the certified UEF and first-hour rating, not an older energy-factor claim
ENERGY STAR publishes uniform energy factor (UEF) and a first-hour rating for these models. Older “energy factor” figures and brochure first-hour claims can differ. We score only the official UEF and first-hour rating on the ENERGY STAR record, and we show the certified storage volume even when it is lower than the marketed tank size.
A 240-volt circuit is part of the official listing
Every model in this table is listed as a 240-volt integrated heat pump water heater. That typically means a dedicated 240-volt branch circuit, a condensate drain, and enough surrounding air for the heat pump. We do not infer breaker size, wire gauge or closet clearance from the ENERGY STAR record. Follow the maker’s installation instructions and local code. 120-volt models are compared in a separate table.
Larger certified storage is not automatically the right unit
We give certified storage volume a weight in the score because it is a complete official field and it is related to how much hot water the tank can hold. A higher volume still has to match the household and the space. Use the official first-hour rating to compare delivery, then match tank size to the location and the load.
Safety and installation
Heat pump water heaters in this set commonly use a flammable or mildly flammable refrigerant in a sealed system. Do not puncture the sealed system. The tank needs a working temperature-and-pressure relief valve and a discharge path as the maker directs. Set the temperature to reduce scald risk, especially where children or older adults use the hot water. Provide the clearances, condensate drain and electrical circuit the installer and the manual require. This is not a substitute for the product manual or a licensed installer.
How this ranking is calculated
Score = weighted average of normalised specs, out of 10. Full method
Uniform energy factorOfficial ENERGY STAR uniform energy factor. Higher means more hot water delivered per unit of electricity. Missing values take the category minimum. Scale: 3.2 → 4.5.
36%
First-hour ratingOfficial ENERGY STAR first-hour rating in gallons. Missing values take the category minimum. Scale: 55 → 101 gallons.
28%
Certified storage volumeOfficial ENERGY STAR certified storage volume in gallons, which can differ from the marketed tank size. A larger tank is not automatically the right unit for a small household. Missing values take the category minimum. Scale: 36 → 82 gallons.
18%
Connected capableYes when the official ENERGY STAR record lists the model as connected-capable. Unstated counts as no.
Why is the certified storage volume lower than the 50- or 80-gallon name I see in stores?
We use the official ENERGY STAR certified storage volume, not the marketed tank size. A model sold as a 50-gallon heat pump water heater may certify at 45, 46 or 47 gallons. The table shows the certified number and labels it as certified storage volume.
Why aren't 120-volt heat pump water heaters in this ranking?
They have their own comparison. Official first-hour ratings and UEF values on 120-volt integrated models are often lower than on 240-volt models of a similar marketed size, and they use a different circuit. Mixing them in one table would bury that distinction in a single score. The 120-volt table is built from the same ENERGY STAR dataset.
Why aren't SANCO2, Smart Solar or other split-system units ranked here?
They appear on the official ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater list as split-system combinations (an outdoor unit plus a storage tank). We did not put them in this integrated-only table, because the installation is different from a single 240-volt tank. We also did not fetch a complete official specification table for every split-system catalog page in this pass.
Did you test these water heaters or list prices?
No. HeatPick ranks official ENERGY STAR certified ratings only. We do not test units, and we do not show prices or customer ratings.
What if the ENERGY STAR record uses a model number with asterisks, such as A. O. Smith CAHP-80 2**?
ENERGY STAR uses wildcards for color, wiring or finish suffixes of the same basic model. We show the certified model number in the details, display a cleaned name (for example A. O. Smith CAHP-80), and search Amazon with that cleaned name. The UEF, first-hour rating and storage volume are the ones on that official record.
Why do noise, warranty and closet clearance say Not listed?
Sound pressure level is on some ENERGY STAR records and is shown when it is present; otherwise we show Not listed. Warranty, closet clearance, breaker size and installation cost are not in the ENERGY STAR certified-product fields we used. We did not fetch a maker product page for these models in this pass, so we leave those extras as Not listed rather than copying them from a retailer listing.