Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

GE makes great jet engines and MRI machines, but this is not their finest offering. I have been a HVAC and general contractor for 30 years and we install heat pump water heaters. At first we looked at the GE Heat Pump water heater with great interest when it first came to market in 2010. A lot of Rah Rah from GE then. At that time only one other company, Steibel Eltron, was offering a residential heat pump water heater, which was made in Germany. Like a Mercedes, it cost double what the Chevy-esque GE Geospring did at the time, which was retail about $1300. Mind, you, the Stiebel is a better unit with (80 gal storage capacity vs. GE's 50, and is much more energy efficient (does not use electric elements to recover water temp after a long shower but instead relies on the size of the water heater (30 more gals) to help recover water temps faster). But still it's several hundred dollars more. So we thought the GE concept was nice idea. Upon closer inspection we found the Geospring is basically a cheapie 50 gallon electric hot water heater (same one painted beige at Home Depot) painted blue/grey with a Chinese made heat pump unit slapped on top. No powered anode-as many of the new American manufacturers such as AO Smith and State now offer on their heat pump units, so its virtually guaranteed to rust out in 5-7 years because I have never seen a homeowner change or even check an anode rod in any electric hot water heater in all my time in the trades (I'm lazy and I dont even do it on mine!). Lastly, there is no local support for parts or repairs, so when it needs service or repair you are at GE's 1-800 mercy. Who knows how reliable those Chinese compressors are? These GE heat pumps have only been on market about 2 years. In sum, GE's Geospring is a good idea, but like many Corporate ventures, too many corners were cut in it's design to make price point and profit for Jeff Immelt in order for us to say its the best deal out there. Do yourself a favor and also look at State, AO Smith, Rheem, and Bosch before you buy one of these and make sure it has a powered anode. Also, if you have more than 2 people in the house get at least a 60 gallon unit to take true advantage of the bennies of a heat pump water heater. 50 gallons is just too small and the unit will run more on it's elements and defeat the idea of having the heat pump in the first place.