DoesTheMath

A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1** vs RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1**: which uses less energy?

At the low draw pattern the A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1** uses 2,466 kWh a year and the RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1** 2,494 — 27 kWh (1%) less, about 274 kWh over ten years. Both are filed as an electric tank, so the comparison holds. Enter your ZIP below to price the difference.

Side by side

Compared within one class only: models filed as an electric tank at the low draw pattern.

Filed and computed figures
A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1** RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1**
UEF (Uniform Energy Factor) 0.91 (better) 0.9
Energy use per year (kWh) 2,466 (better) 2,494
First hour rating (gal) 43 44
Rated storage volume (gal) 26 26
Installed cost range not published not published
ENERGY STAR certified not matched not matched
DOE CCD · 2026-09-19

What it costs to run

A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1**: 2,466 kWh a year RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1**: 2,494 kWh a year

A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1** — 2,466 kWh a year RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1** — 2,494 kWh a year

A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1** is 28 kWh a year lower than RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1**.

DOE CCD · 2026-09-19

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Enter your ZIP to price both units on the same rate where you live.

Reliability

Not published: Reliability, failure rates and each model’s actual warranty term.

The registries these figures come from certify energy performance under a federal test; none of them records how long a unit lasts or how often it fails, so this page does not rank the two on reliability.

What is here instead:

  • The filed efficiency, capacity and tank size of both models, side by side below.
  • The actual warranty term is printed in each model’s documentation, not in any registry.

Which should you pick?

  • Pick the A. O. SMITH ENJ-30 1** if running cost matters most: it uses 27 kWh less a year on the same test.
  • Pick the RELIANCE WATER HEATERS ENL-30 1** if you need more hot water in your busiest hour: it lists a first hour rating of 44 gallons against 43.
  • Neither if your household's busiest hour needs more than 44 gallons of hot water — neither lists more. Check whether a 30-gallon heater is enough.

Each model on its own

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