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Start with how your home uses hot water
Answer two questions first.
- How many people bathe, one after another? This decides the size.
- Where will it go? A bathroom needs a very different geyser from a kitchen sink.
Storage or instant?
| Question | Storage geyser | Instant geyser |
|---|---|---|
| Usual size | 6 to 25 litres | 1 to 6 litres |
| Usual power | About 2000 watts | About 3000 watts |
| Waiting time | About 10 to 25 minutes | A minute or so |
| Suits | Bathing, families | Kitchen sink, one quick wash |
| In a power cut | Tank stays warm for some hours | No heating without power |
| Wiring | Normal geyser point | Ask an electrician to check it first |
The word "instant" can mislead. It heats a small amount of water quickly. It does not give you a long hot bath. Once its few litres are used, the water coming out starts to cool.
How many litres?
These are rough guides. You mix geyser water with cold, so the hot water goes further than the tank size suggests.
| Household | Size to look at |
|---|---|
| Kitchen sink, or one person | 3 to 6 litres |
| Two people | 10 litres |
| Three or four people | 15 litres |
| Five or more people | 25 litres, or one geyser per bathroom |
Bigger is not always better. A larger tank takes longer to heat and holds heat you may never use. In a small flat, also measure the wall. A 25 litre tank may not fit above a bathroom door or a shower.
Hard water
Many homes on borewell or tanker water have hard water. Look for these signs: white marks on taps and buckets, and soap that does not lather well.
Hard water leaves scale on the heating element and inside the tank. Scale slows heating, and over time the tank can corrode. Here is what to check.
- Tank lining. Glass-lined tanks are made to resist corrosion. Read what the listing says about the lining.
- Anode rod. This metal rod corrodes so the tank does not have to. It wears out, and hard water wears it out sooner. Ask how often it should be checked.
- Tank warranty. Read what it covers, and if it depends on regular service.
- Yearly service. Get the geyser flushed and the anode checked. In a hard water area, do this before winter starts.
What BEE stars tell you
On a storage geyser, the star label is mostly about standing loss. That means how much heat the tank loses while it sits. More stars means better insulation, so the water stays hot longer.
Stars do not make the water heat faster. Check the year on the label too, because star tables are revised over time.
Top 5 geysers to look at
We have not tested these. The details come from each Amazon listing, and the pros and cons are our reading of those details and of this type of product. This is a shortlist, not a ranking. We picked popular listings on Amazon.in, so the order does not mean one is better. All five are 15 litre listings, so check the current price, warranty and reviews on Amazon, and look elsewhere if you need another size.
| Product | Type | Listed detail |
|---|---|---|
| Crompton Arno Neo | Storage | 15 litres, 5 star, 3 level safety |
| Havells Instanio Prime | Storage | 15 litres |
| AO Smith VAS PLUS | Geyser | 15 litres, 5 star, 2KW |
| Crompton Amica Pro | Geyser | 15 litres, 5 star, glassline tank for hard water, free installation |
| Orient Electric Enamour Classic Pro | Storage | 15 litres |
1. Crompton Arno Neo
This is a 15 litre wall-mounted storage geyser with a BEE 5 star label. Two others here use a glass-type lining, while this tank has an anti-scale coating. It is aimed at a family of three or four on hard water.
Key details
- Type: 15 litre storage geyser, wall mounted
- Power: 2000 watts at 220 volts
- Energy label: BEE 5 star
- Tank: anti-scale coating, listed for hard water up to 2000 ppm TDS
- Pressure: listed as up to 8 bar
- Warranty: 5 years on the tank, 2 years on the product
- Thermostat, thermal cut-out, safety valve, shockproof body and fire proof cable are all listed
- The tank is listed for hard water, with a figure you can check
- A knob, temperature dial and heating lamp are listed
- The title says 3 level safety and the description says 5 level, so confirm what you get
- The details show a maximum of 45°C, against 75°C on three others here, so confirm it
- Installation and pipes are not listed, so ask about both
Good for: A family of three or four on hard water.
2. Havells Instanio Prime
This is a 15 litre storage geyser with LEDs that change from blue to amber as the water heats. It is the only one of the five with no BEE star label listed. It is aimed at a family that wants a simple sign of when the water is hot.
Key details
- Type: 15 litre storage geyser, vertical
- Power: 2000 watts at 230 volts
- Tank: thick cold rolled steel, listed as corrosion resistant
- Pressure: listed as up to 8 bar, for high-rises and pumps
- Included: geyser, multifunction safety valve and wall mounting kit
- Warranty: 5 years inner container, 4 years element, 2 years comprehensive
- The LEDs show how hot the water is without a dial
- A 4 year heating element warranty is the longest listed here
- The safety valve and wall mounting kit are listed in the box
- No BEE star label listed, so confirm it
- The title mentions hard water, but no glass lining or anode rod is named, so ask
- Installation and pipes are not listed, so ask about both
Good for: A family in a high-rise that wants an easy sign of hot water.
3. AO Smith VAS PLUS
This is a 15 litre storage geyser with a Blue Diamond glass-lined tank and an Incoloy heating element. It has the longest tank warranty of the five. It is aimed at a family who want long cover on the tank, including in hard water areas.
Key details
- Type: 15 litre storage geyser, wall mounted, ABS outer body
- Power: 2000 watts at 230 volts
- Energy label: BEE 5 star
- Tank and element: glass-lined tank, Incoloy element, PUF insulation
- Safety: factory set thermostat, thermal cut-out and multifunction valve, listed as up to 8 bar
- Warranty: 7 years tank, 3 years element, 2 years overall
- The 7 year tank warranty is the longest listed here
- The glass-lined tank is listed for hard water areas
- PUF insulation is listed to keep water hot for longer
- Hose pipes are not in the box and must be bought separately
- Fitting is not listed, so confirm who does it and the charge
- The thermostat is factory set and no knob is listed, so confirm if you can adjust it
Good for: A family on hard water who care most about tank cover.
4. Crompton Amica Pro
This is a 15 litre storage geyser with a glassline tank, and it is the only one of the five that lists free installation. It is aimed at a buyer on hard water who wants fitting arranged with the purchase.
Key details
- Type: 15 litre storage geyser, wall mounted, plastic body
- Power: 2000 watts at 240 volts
- Energy label: BEE 5 star
- Tank: glassline coating, listed for hard water up to 2000 ppm TDS
- Safety: 5 level, with thermostat, thermal cut-out, safety valve, shockproof body and fire proof cable
- Warranty: 5 years tank, 2 years element, 2 years overall
- Free installation is listed
- The glassline tank is listed for hard water, with a stated limit
- It is listed as up to 8 bar, with a valve and fasteners in the box
- Pipes are not included, even with free installation
- The 2 year element warranty is shorter than on two others here
- At 11.71 kg and 41 cm wide it is the heaviest and widest listed here, so measure your wall
Good for: A home on hard water with wall space, where you want fitting arranged.
5. Orient Electric Enamour Classic Pro
This is a 15 litre storage geyser with an HPE coated tank and a Whirlflow design, which limits direct mixing of hot and cold water. It is the only listing here that states an IPX2 splash-proof body. It is aimed at a family who want a 5 star label and splash protection.
Key details
- Type: 15 litre storage geyser, wall mounted
- Power: 2000 watts at 240 volts
- Energy label: BEE 5 star
- Tank and element: HPE coated tank, nickel-coated copper element, PUF insulation
- Safety: IPX2 shock-proof and splash-proof body, multifunction valve, listed as up to 8 bar
- Warranty: 5 years tank, 2 years element, 2 years product
- IPX2 splash protection suits a wet bathroom
- A knob plus power and heating lamps are listed
- A valve and mounting fasteners are listed in the box
- The listing calls the body both pre-coated metal and polymer, so confirm which it is
- No hard water figure is given, so ask if your water leaves white marks
- Installation and pipes are not listed, so ask about both
Good for: A family who want splash protection on a 5 star geyser.
What it costs to run
One unit on your bill is one kilowatt-hour. This table uses ₹8 per unit as an example. Your rate depends on your state and your usage, so check your bill.
| Geyser power | Time on | Units | Cost at ₹8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 watts | 15 minutes | 0.5 | ₹4 |
| 2000 watts | 30 minutes | 1 | ₹8 |
| 3000 watts | 10 minutes | 0.5 | ₹4 |
| 3000 watts | 20 minutes | 1 | ₹8 |
A higher wattage does not mean a higher cost for the same water. It heats faster and switches off sooner. What you pay for is how much water you heat, and by how much.
If a 2000 watt geyser runs for 30 minutes a day, that is 30 units a month, or about ₹240 at this rate. Expect more in December and January, since the incoming water is colder. Low voltage also makes heating slower.
Safety at home
- Earthing. Get an electrician to confirm the point is properly earthed.
- RCCB or ELCB. This device cuts the power if current leaks. Check that your bathroom circuit has one.
- Wiring. Use a socket and wire rated for the load. Never use an extension board.
- Safety valve. Do not block or remove it. It lets out excess pressure.
- Cut-out. Look for a thermostat and a separate thermal cut-out.
- ISI mark. Look for it on the listing and on the product.
- Pressure rating. On the lower floors of a tall building, or with a pressure pump, check that the rating suits your line.
- Switch off. Many families turn the geyser off at the wall before bathing. It is a sensible habit and saves units.
This guide covers electric geysers. A gas geyser needs proper ventilation and should not be fitted inside a closed bathroom.
Before you buy
Ask who will install it, and what the price of pipes, stand and valve will be. Installation is often charged separately. Check that a service centre covers your area too.
Read next
We read the Amazon listings, compared the details and noted what they leave out. We have not tested these products, and brands do not pay to be listed.
Common questions
What size geyser does a family of four need?
A 15 litre storage geyser is a common choice for three or four people. If everyone bathes one after another in the morning, or you have a larger family, look at 25 litres.
Is a 5 star geyser worth it?
Stars on a storage geyser mostly show how well the tank holds heat. They matter more if water sits in the tank between baths. If you heat the water and use it at once, the saving is smaller.
Should I keep the geyser on all day?
There is no need. Switch it on before you need hot water and off once it is heated. A tank left on keeps topping up the heat it loses, and that costs units.
Can a home inverter run a geyser?
Usually not. A geyser draws 2000 watts or more, which is too much for most home inverters. A storage tank that is already hot will still give warm water for some time during a power cut.