GE 50-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater (Legacy)
GE 50-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater (Legacy) Review
The GE 50-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater (Legacy) is a discontinued GE-branded gas tank, built by A.O. Smith with GE licensing. GE stopped selling water heaters in the US around 2018; Legacy units remain in service in many homes installed 2010-2018.
Specs: 40,000 BTU input, UEF 0.58-0.62 depending on sub-model, 81-gallon FHR, 6 or 9-year tank warranty depending on sub-model. Atmospheric vent through B-vent.
Service support: parts available through A.O. Smith's network with the GE model number used for identification. The brand is discontinued but underlying A.O. Smith hardware support continues.
For replacement of existing GE units, the AO Smith Conservationist 50-gal Gas or Whirlpool 50-gal Gas (same A.O. Smith manufacturing) are direct replacements. About $549 at Lowe's, $1,300 installed.
- Natural gas combustion — faster recovery than electric resistance at comparable tank size
- 50-gallon capacity — right-sized for 3–4 person households with standard usage patterns
- Below-average UEF 0.6 — modern standard models reach 0.65+, condensing 0.95+
- 6-year warranty — below the 8–12 year average for premium models in this class
- Atmospheric venting requires vertical B-vent — less routing flexibility than power-vent or condensing alternatives