120 V plug-in heat pump water heaters
Heat pump water heaters that plug into an ordinary 120 V outlet. They replace a gas tank without running a new 240 V circuit, which is often the most expensive part of switching, and many homeowners install them themselves. 10 models from 5 stores, with prices checked daily.
Check the size your household needs and what it costs to run.
Best value ($/gal)
$34.98
Rheem Performance Platinum ProTerra 80 Gal. 120V Plug-in Heat Pump Water Heater (Shared Circuit) · The Home Depot
Cheapest heater
$1,875
Rheem Performance Platinum 50 Gal. 120V Dedicated-Circuit Plug-in Heat Pump Water Heater · The Home Depot
Typical $/gal
$44.14
Median across 12 in-stock listings
All stores
All brands
$/gal is the price divided by tank capacity. Compare the first-hour rating (FHR) too: it is what decides whether a tank keeps up with your busiest hour. The sizing calculator works out the FHR your household needs and the running cost.
Shared-circuit models can share an existing 15 A or 20 A outlet circuit with other loads and pause heating when the circuit is busy; dedicated-circuit models want a 15 A circuit of their own. Even for shared-circuit units, some inspectors and local codes still require a dedicated circuit, so check before you buy.
The trade-off is recovery. The Rheem 120 V units have no backup element at all and the A. O. Smith and GE units only a small 900 W one, so a drained tank reheats at roughly 12 to 30 gallons an hour against 40 to 60 for a 240 V hybrid. A. O. Smith reckons a 50 gallon 120 V unit replaces about a 30 gallon gas tank, so buy at least one size up and compare first-hour ratings, not tank sizes.
Like every heat pump water heater, they pull heat from the surrounding air: plan on a space of about 700 cubic feet or a louvered door, a condensate drain, and a little cooling of the room.