Come winter, everyone starts using water heaters at home. So water heaters or geysers are popular home appliances in almost every Indian home.
But do you know that geysers can consume a lot of power?
For example, a 3Kw geyser can consume up to one unit of electricity in 20 minutes.
Therefore, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has made it mandatory for water heater manufacturers to rate their products as per BEE requirements.
How do BEE rate water heaters and geysers?
BEE mandates the star rating of water heaters and geysers on a scale of 1-star to 5-star, with 5-star being the most energy-efficient. The rating process is complex. Fortunately, users need not break their heads over it because manufacturers are mandated to affix the BEE star labels on each product, making it easy for users to know the rating.
Let us understand how manufacturers rate water heaters and geysers.
The BEE star ratings are calculated using the Standing Loss concept. Standing Loss is the energy the geyser consumes when not in use.
For example, it is the energy the geyser consumes when remaining connected to a power source for 24 hours while containing a full tank of hot water at 450C. The reasoning is that the water gradually loses its heat when not consumed by the user. This concept demonstrates the water heater’s insulation or heat retention capacity.
As a user, how would you determine the standing loss? There is no need for you to calculate anything. The BEE star label provides this information.
BEE Star Rating For Water Heaters (from 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2025)
| Rated Capacity (Litres) | 1 Star | 2 Star | 3 Star | 4 Star | 5 Star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6L | ≤0.426 & > 0.387 | ≤0.352 & > 0.320 | ≤ 0.320 & > 0.291 | ≤ 0.291 & > 0.265 | ≤ 0.265 |
| 10L | ≤0.485 & > 0.441 | ≤0.441 & > 0.401 | ≤ 0.401 & > 0.365 | ≤ 0.365 & > 0.332 | ≤ 0.332 |
| 15L | ≤ 0.558 & > 0.507 | ≤0.507 & > 0.461 | ≤ 0.461 & > 0.419 | ≤ 0.419 & > 0.381 | ≤ 0.381 |
| 25L | ≤0.680 & > 0.618 | ≤0.618 & > 0.562 | ≤ 0.562 & > 0.511 | ≤ 0.511 & > 0.465 | ≤ 0.465 |
| 35L | ≤0.777 & > 0.706 | ≤0.706 & > 0.642 | ≤ 0.642 & > 0.584 | ≤ 0.584 & > 0.531 | ≤ 0.531 |
| 50L | ≤0.898 & > 0.816 | ≤0.816 & > 0.742 | ≤ 0.742 & > 0.675 | ≤ 0.675 & > 0.614 | ≤ 0.614 |
| 70L | ≤1.019 & > 0.926 | ≤0.926 & > 0.842 | ≤ 0.842 & > 0.766 | ≤ 0.766 & > 0.697 | ≤ 0.697 |
| 100L | ≤1.164 & > 1.058 | ≤1.058 & > 0.962 | ≤ 0.962 & > 0.875 | ≤ 0.875 & > 0.796 | ≤ 0.796 |
| 140L | ≤1.310 & > 1.191 | ≤1.191 & > 1.083 | ≤ 1.083 & > 0.985 | ≤ 0.985 & > 0.896 | ≤ 0.896 |
| 200L | ≤1.456 & > 1.323 | ≤1.323 & > 1.203 | ≤ 1.203 & > 1.088 | ≤ 1.088 & > 0.984 | ≤ 0.984 |
This table defines the star ratings based on standing losses (kWh/24 hour/45°C), which determine energy efficiency.
This rating is valid until 31st December 2025
Please note that the BEE star ratings do not apply to instant heaters and geysers with capacities of less than six liters.
What about solar water heaters?
Consumers have increasingly started using solar water heaters. So BEE has included solar water heaters in its voluntary appliances list. Therefore, manufacturers need not mandatorily display the star ratings on their appliances. However, they can do so if they wish to.
