Marathon Lifetime 50-Gallon Lowboy Electric Water Heater
Marathon Lifetime 50-Gallon Lowboy Electric Water Heater Review
The Marathon Lifetime 50-Gallon Lowboy Electric is a short-form-factor variant of the standard Marathon 50-gallon. "Lowboy" designation reflects the shorter, wider configuration designed for clearance-restricted installs.
Specs: 50 gallons stored, two 4500W heating elements (240V), UEF 0.92, 62-gallon FHR, lifetime tank warranty + 6-year parts warranty. Polybuthylene tank. Approximately 35" tall × 28" diameter — versus standard Marathon 50-gallon at 50" tall × 22" diameter.
The lowboy form factor fits in: under-counter installs, basement crawlspaces, mobile home water heater compartments, low-ceiling utility rooms. The trade-off: wider footprint requires more horizontal floor space.
About $2,099 unit, $2,700 installed. Right buyer: install scenario where standard Marathon dimensions don't fit, particularly mobile home or basement crawlspace applications. The lifetime polybuthylene tank advantage applies the same way as standard Marathon — no corrosion concerns, lifetime warranty.
- No combustion, no venting required — installs anywhere with 240V electrical access
- Strong UEF 0.93 efficiency — approximately 20% lower annual operating cost vs 0.62 standard
- 99-year warranty — top-tier coverage for residential water heaters
- 50-gallon capacity — right-sized for 3–4 person households with standard usage patterns
- Resistance electric has slower recovery than gas at comparable capacity — schedule heavy use to match tank recovery