Reliance and Richmond are the budget-channel badges from the two major manufacturers. Reliance = AO Smith for hardware stores; Richmond = Rheem for Menards. Direct head-to-head: which value brand should you pick?
Side-by-side
| Reliance | Richmond | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured by | AO Smith | Rheem |
| Primary retail | Ace Hardware, True Value, Do it Best (~13,500 stores) | Menards (~330 stores, Midwest-concentrated) |
| 6-yr tier name | Standard 6-NORT | Essential |
| 9-yr tier name | Extended 9-NORT | Encore |
| 12-yr tier name | Premium 12-50-NORT | Premium |
| Hybrid | HPHE (AO Smith Voltex platform) | Encore Hybrid (Rheem ProTerra platform — 4.0+ UEF) |
| Tankless | None | Encore Tankless (Rheem RTGH platform) |
| Mini-Tank line | SOMS 6-gal / 10-gal | None |
| Customer service | 1-800-365-4054 (AO Smith) | 1-800-621-5622 (Rheem) |
Geography matters
Menards is concentrated in the Midwest (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI). If you live in Menards territory, Richmond is a viable choice. Outside the Midwest, Richmond may not be reasonably accessible. Reliance through Ace/True Value/Do it Best has nationwide coverage with denser stores in rural and suburban markets — for many homeowners, Reliance is simply more available.
Where Richmond leads
- Encore Hybrid Heat Pump: Rheem ProTerra platform delivers 4.0+ UEF vs AO Smith Voltex 3.45 UEF. Significant operating-cost win
- Encore Tankless: Rheem RTGH platform — no Reliance equivalent. If considering tankless at budget pricing, Richmond is the path
- Menards pricing aggression: Menards prices Essential 50-gal Standard sometimes below the equivalent Rheem at Home Depot. Heavily promotional
Where Reliance leads
- Nationwide availability: Ace/True Value/Do it Best blanket the country; Menards is regional
- Point-of-Use mini-tank: SOMS line — no Richmond equivalent
- Same-day emergency swap at thousands of hardware stores
- Power Vent availability — 6-PVRT widely stocked at hardware-store channel
Pricing (volume 50-gal NG)
- 6-yr: Reliance 6-50-NORT $749-949 vs Richmond Essential $699-899 (Menards aggressive)
- 9-yr: Reliance 9-50-NORT $849-1,049 vs Richmond Encore $849-1,049 (roughly equal)
- 12-yr: Reliance 12-50-NORT $949-1,199 vs Richmond Premium $949-1,199 (roughly equal)
- Hybrid 65/66-gal: Reliance HPHE-66 $1,599-1,999 vs Richmond Encore Hybrid 65 $1,699-2,099 (higher UEF Richmond)
Which to choose
- You shop at Menards: Richmond is the default
- You shop at Ace/True Value/Do it Best: Reliance is the default
- Considering Hybrid Heat Pump: Richmond Encore Hybrid wins on UEF if Menards is accessible
- Need point-of-use mini-tank: Reliance SOMS
- Need tankless on budget channel: Richmond Encore Tankless (Reliance has no tankless)
- Emergency same-day in non-Menards territory: Reliance
Bottom line
Direct head-to-head, neither family is materially more reliable in standard tank tiers. Choose by which retailer you have access to. Richmond wins on Hybrid and Tankless if you have Menards access; Reliance wins on nationwide availability and the unique mini-tank line.