Kenmore Water Heaters

Kenmore is the legacy Sears appliance brand. Sears sold water heaters under the Kenmore name for decades, with units manufactured under contract by AO Smith and Whirlpool. After Sears\' bankruptcy and store closures, Kenmore-branded water heaters are no longer in new production through Sears — but tens of millions of units remain in service, needing replacement parts and eventual replacement.

The Kenmore water heater lineup

• Power Miser — standard residential gas. 40-gal gas, 50-gal gas
• Elite — premium tier including hybrid heat pump. Elite 40-gal electric, Elite 50-gal electric, Elite Hybrid Heat Pump 50-gal

The rebadge family tree

Kenmore water heaters were manufactured by:

• AO Smith — gas and electric tanks (most common, including Power Miser)
• Whirlpool — some electric tanks (Whirlpool itself is also AO Smith-manufactured)
• State / Reliance equivalent products — same manufacturing

For replacement of a Kenmore Power Miser 40-gallon gas, choose:

• AO Smith Signature 40-gal gas at Lowe\'s
• State ProLine 40-gal gas at Lowe\'s
• Whirlpool 40-gal gas at Lowe\'s
• Reliance 40-gal gas at Ace Hardware

All are functionally equivalent to a Kenmore replacement.

Kenmore parts availability

Replacement parts for legacy Kenmore water heaters are still available through:

• Sears Parts Direct (sears.com/partsdirect)
• AO Smith dealer network (compatible parts)
• Amazon — universal water heater parts that fit Kenmore
• Home Depot / Lowe\'s — universal anode rods, T&P valves, elements

Most Kenmore service parts are universal AO Smith-family equivalents — anode rods, elements, thermostats, T&P valves all interchange.

Decoding Kenmore model numbers

Kenmore model numbers start with three digits identifying the manufacturer:

Warranty status

Sears\' bankruptcy disrupted Kenmore warranty processing. Current status:

• Most field Kenmore units are now past warranty
• Residual warranty service handled through Transformco (current Sears holdings)
• Manufacturer warranty (AO Smith / Whirlpool) may apply for younger units — call AO Smith at 1-800-365-4054 with model and serial

Replacing a Kenmore

1. Decode the model prefix to identify manufacturer (153 = AO Smith family typical)
2. Match capacity and fuel type
3. Choose current production from AO Smith family (Signature, State, Whirlpool, Reliance) or step up to Marathon (lifetime composite tank)
4. Like-for-like cutout — Kenmore used standard footprints

Bottom line

Kenmore is a legacy rebadge brand. Current production discontinued; parts still available through Sears Parts Direct and AO Smith family. For replacement, choose any current AO Smith family product (Signature, State, Whirlpool, Reliance) at the equivalent capacity — same manufacturer, current warranty support.