Marathon Lifetime 85-Gallon Electric Water Heater
Marathon Lifetime 85-Gallon Electric Water Heater Review
The Marathon Lifetime 85-Gallon Electric is a large-capacity Marathon, sized for 5-6 person households or applications with overlapping demand requiring more reservoir than 75-gallon. Polybuthylene tank with lifetime tank warranty.
Specs: 85 gallons stored, two 4500W heating elements (240V), UEF 0.92, 96-gallon FHR, lifetime tank warranty + 6-year parts warranty. Polybuthylene fiberglass-reinforced plastic tank. About 56" tall × 30" diameter.
The 85-gallon Marathon serves the upper-mid range of residential demand. Marathon's lifetime polybuthylene tank advantage applies — no corrosion concerns over decades of use.
About $2,600 unit, $3,200 installed. Right buyer: 5-6 person primary residence in long-stay scenario (15+ years). For households this size with basement install supporting heat-pump, AO Smith Voltex Premium HPTU-80 (heat-pump operating cost 75% lower) is usually the better economic choice.
- 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
- Large 85-gallon reserve — comfortably serves 5+ person households in peak-use periods
- 115-gallon first-hour rating — handles morning-rush simultaneous demand without shortfall
- Resistance electric has slower recovery than gas at comparable capacity — schedule heavy use to match tank recovery