DoesTheMath

A. O. SMITH TK-510U-I 2** vs RINNAI REP199E (REU-VEP2730WD-US): which uses less energy?

At the high draw pattern the A. O. SMITH TK-510U-I 2** and the RINNAI REP199E (REU-VEP2730WD-US) use the same energy, 209 therms a year each, on the same federal test. Both are filed as a gas tankless unit, so the comparison holds; what separates them is below. Enter your ZIP to price either one on your own rate.


Side by side

Compared within one class only: models filed as a gas tankless unit at the high draw pattern.

Filed and computed figures
Figure A. O. SMITH TK-510U-I 2** RINNAI REP199E (REU-VEP2730WD-US)
UEF (Uniform Energy Factor) 0.81 0.81
Energy use per year (therms) 209 209
Max flow (GPM) 5 4.9
Installed cost range $1,698–$2,632 $1,698–$2,632
ENERGY STAR certified not matched not matched
DOE CCD · 2026-09-19

What it costs to run

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 TK-510U-I 2** if its price or availability suits you — on energy the two are level.
  • Pick the RINNAI REP199E (REU-VEP2730WD-US) if it is the one you can get installed sooner or for less — on the filed figures it has no advantage over the A. O. SMITH TK-510U-I 2**.
  • Neither if you need more than 5 GPM at the same time — neither unit lists more. Check how to size a tankless unit by GPM.

Each model on its own