Richmond Essential Plus 40-Gallon Electric Water Heater
Richmond Essential Plus 40-Gallon Electric Water Heater Review
The Richmond Essential Plus 40-Gallon Electric is the value-tier 40-gallon electric tank at Home Depot, sold under the Rheem-owned Richmond brand. Functionally equivalent to the Rheem Performance Electric line with cosmetic differences and slightly different sub-model naming.
Specs: 40 gallons stored, two 4500W heating elements (240V), UEF 0.93, 52-gallon first-hour rating, 6-year tank and 6-year parts warranty. Glass-lined steel tank, magnesium anode rod, polyurethane foam insulation. ENERGY STAR certified.
The Richmond Essential Plus line positions just above the Essential (entry) line and just below Rheem Performance. About $399 at Home Depot versus $499 for Rheem Performance — saves $100 with similar engineering. The trade-off is brand recognition; Rheem buyers know what they're getting, Richmond is less familiar to most consumers.
Right buyer: budget-constrained 40-gallon electric replacement, rentals, vacation homes. About $399 at Home Depot, $950 installed. Like-for-like 40-gallon electric replacement; about as simple as residential plumbing/electrical work gets.
- No combustion, no venting required — installs anywhere with 240V electrical access
- Strong UEF 0.92 efficiency — approximately 20% lower annual operating cost vs 0.62 standard
- 6-year warranty — below the 8–12 year average for premium models in this class
- Resistance electric has slower recovery than gas at comparable capacity — schedule heavy use to match tank recovery