Bosch Powerstar AE125 electric water heater review

by Mika
(Wisconsin, US)

I have bought German Bosch PowerStar, model AE125 for my middle size home. This is a 4 gpm electric water heater and it cost me close to $600 from Amazon.com.

What I like the most is its size; AE125 dimensions is only
4.2 x 15.2 x 15.5 inches and saves my a lot of space now, since I removed an old bulky 40-gallon tank type water heater.

I am happy with my new Powerstar electric water heater as it produces enough hot water for my family of four, even when the incoming water is pretty cold during the winter time. Sometimes it can supply sufficient hot water for my shower and dishwasher at the same time, but there is some fluctuation and water heater needs some flow adjustment.

Tankless technology rocks, now I can have an endless hot water supply and on demand, when I want it. No need to heat water when you are not using it.

Tip: When using my AE125 for shower only I will adjust the controls to have the perfect water temperature so the cold water is not needed. But be careful if someone else is using the hot water you might get cold sandwiches.

The only thing I had to do during the installation is to meet the requirement specified by the manufacturer, which is 3x40 amp breakers, #8 AWG (6 conductors and ground), and recommended amperage for home is 200 amps. Keep in mind that there is a minimum activation rate that has to be met and which is 0.8 gpm.

The only drawback is when water pressure fluctuates. In this case the flow rate through the water heater varies so the temperature of the outgoing water. This is why I will have water for my shower from very hot to very cold.

Oh, the other thing I don't like is how Powerstar is sensitive to small water flow... when I need small amount of hot water for shaving, for example.

I recommend Bosch Powerstar AE125 for whole-house water heating, middle size homes and if planning to replace an old tank type water heater.

I hope my review will help.