State Select 50-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater

The State Select 50-gallon Natural Gas water heater is a residential atmospheric gas tank manufactured by AO Smith and sold under the State brand. State is one of AO Smith's mid-tier brands, positioned between the budget Reliance line and the full-margin AO Smith ProMax/Conservationist tiers. It is commonly stocked at plumbing supply houses and through some hardware stores, less commonly at the big-box channels.

Specs: 40,000 BTU input, UEF 0.60, 81-gallon first-hour rating, 6-year tank and parts warranty. Atmospheric vent through B-vent. Standard residential gas control with electronic ignition (requires 120V outlet). Self-cleaning dip tube, magnesium anode rod, polyurethane foam insulation.

The Select branding identifies the mid-tier positioning. State's higher tier is the Premier (longer warranty, slightly higher efficiency); the lower tier is the State ProLine (commercial-leaning value pricing). The Select sits in the middle at the price-quality balance most plumber-installer channels prefer for routine residential replacements.

Versus the equivalent-spec AO Smith Conservationist (GCR-50): essentially the same unit. State and AO Smith share production lines for these mid-tier residential tanks. The differences are cosmetic (different paint, different label) and channel (State through plumbing supply, AO Smith through Lowe's). Plumbers often default to State because supply houses stock it readily and the trade pricing is competitive.

About $599 plumber-channel price, $1,400 plumber-installed. For homeowner DIY purchase, State availability through hardware-store channels varies by region; Home Depot does not stock State, while many Ace Hardware and True Value locations do.