Choosing the correct geyser for our needs and specifications is not easy, and it can be challenging to determine if a geyser is appropriate for instant or storage use.
Yes, the battle between the instant geyser and storage geyser is intense, and they are fierce competitors when it comes to customer desire. An instant geyser is suitable for short-term use, whereas a storage geyser allows you to save heated water for later use.
While instant geysers conserve electricity, storage geysers consume a lot of energy while saving water. As a result, selecting and comparing both instant & storage geysers is complex, and it becomes one of the crucial decisions you must take while planning one for your home.
What is an instant Geyser?
Instant geysers are also known as tankless water heaters, which are the most advanced in the market. Since these geysers do not have a tank, they are compact in size and consume significantly less electricity. Compared to traditional geysers, instant geysers can give hot water instantly with a reasonable flow rate.
Pros
Time-Saving: Since instant geysers do not have a tank, they can immediately supply hot water (within seconds) after turning on the geyser. On the other hand, storage heaters require more time to heat the water. It is best suitable for anyone with a busy lifestyle.
Saves Space: Most instant geysers come in a compact design, as they do not have a tank, and it is best suitable for anyone with small bathroom space.
Power Saving: Since the water is instantly heated, instant geysers do not consume a lot of electricity.
Safe to Use: The geyser gets auto cut off when the temperature goes beyond the limit.
Eco-Friendly: Since the geyser does not emit any greenhouse gases, it is eco-friendly.
Budget-Friendly: Instant geysers are budget-friendly compared to storage geysers. Moreover, instant geysers consume less electricity. Hence, in the long run, you will save more money.
Cons
No Storage: Since the instant geysers do not have a storage tank, you cannot store the heated water for later use. It is a problem if any power outage happens.
Single Outlet: Instant geysers can supply water to only a single outlet. You cannot supply the hot water to multiple outlets from a single source.
High Maintenance: Unlike storage geysers, instant geysers require high maintenance. Over the years of usage, lime deposits over the thermostat and makes it inefficient. Moreover, the water flow also becomes low.
What is a storage geyser?
Storage water heaters/geysers are also known as tank-type water heaters because they come with a storage tank. Moreover, the storage geysers have a good capacity (up to 35L) to store hot water for later use.
Pros
Easy Installation: Unlike instant geysers, storage geysers do not require additional installation costs.
User-Friendly Build: The storage geysers have a simple and user-friendly design that makes them easy to repair (in case of any). On the other hand, instant geysers have a complex build, making it challenging to identify the issue while repairing.
Convenience: One can enjoy a hot water shower during power cuts, as the storage geysers can store the hot water for a long time.
Capacity: Unlike instant geysers, storage water heaters have a good tank capacity which is sufficient for large families.
Supply to Multiple Points: A storage geyser can supply hot water to multiple outlets like the kitchen and bathroom. Moreover, they are cost-effective as only one geyser is required for the entire home.
Durable: Unlike instant geysers, storage geysers are more durable and require very minimal maintenance.
Cons
More Space: Storage geysers require more space as they come with a tank inside them. Moreover, this is not suitable for anyone with small bathroom space.
Time Consuming: Unlike instant geysers, the storage geysers require at least 10 minutes to heat the water.
Instant geyser vs Storage geyser
Size: The storage geysers are big in size due to the inbuilt storage tank. Moreover, they take up more space in your bathroom. One must be careful while installing the storage geysers, as they are very heavy. On the other hand, instant geysers are compact and very easy to install. Since they do not have any inbuilt tank, they are small in size and do not occupy much space in your bathroom.
Capacity: Storage geysers come in various capacities, ranging from 6 liters to 100 liters. Because of the large tank capacity, they can store hot water for longer durations. If you are a big family, it is recommended to pick storage geysers above 15L capacity. On the other hand, instant geysers come with a maximum capacity of 3L, which is best suitable for small families or people with a busy lifestyle.
Lifespan: Though factors like water quality, maintenance, etc., define the lifespan of a geyser, storage geysers still work efficiently for an average lifespan of 10 years. If the hardness of the water is more, then the lifespan might be relatively lesser. On the other hand, instant geysers can serve for up to 7 years if serviced regularly.
Power consumption: Storage geysers consume more power compared to instant geysers as they need to heat the entire tank capacity of water. However, if you have a storage geyser with a good star rating, you might reduce the power consumption. On the other hand, instant geysers require less electricity because they can instantly heat the water. Moreover, they do not have any inbuilt tank to store the water, so they need not heat any large volumes of water.
Price: The price of the instant water heaters varies from Rs.3000 to Rs.5000. On the other hand, a 10L storage geyser costs Rs.11,500, and a 25L capacity heater costs Rs.13,500.
Usage: Storage geysers can send hot water to multiple outlets in your home. In case you need hot water for the kitchen, bathroom, etc., at once, you can quickly get it with the storage geysers. On the other hand, instant geysers can produce significantly less volumes of hot water in one go, and hence they are not suitable for multipoint usage.
Safety: Some instant water heaters come with advanced safety features like a capillary thermostat, fusible plug, auto cut-off, etc. These safety features ensure that there are no accidents or risks that can happen due to the malfunctioning of the geyser. Even storage geysers are equipped with similar safety features.
Time to heat water: Since there is no tank, instant geysers can quickly heat the water as soon as you turn it on. On the other hand, storage geysers will take a lot of time to heat the water, as it comes with a large capacity tank.
Maintenance: If you have hard water, a lot of maintenance is needed for an instant geyser. You need to install a water softener to keep the instant geyser functioning properly. On the other side, storage geysers can even heat the hard water and require less maintenance than instant geysers.
Water flow speed: Instant geysers have a water flow rate of 3 liters per minute for tap, and showers have an 8 liters per minute water flow rate. On the other hand, storage geysers have a lesser water flow rate because of the large volume of water available in the storage tank.
Conclusion
After going through the holistic comparison between storage and instant geysers, you might have understood that both kinds of geysers cater to different water heating needs. Choose the one as per your requirement.
