The State Censible is a discontinued water heater which was available in gas-fired and electric models, as well as a power vent unit. It was available in 40-, 50- and 75-gallon capacities and was discontinued in the late 1990's.
I don't know if they changed designs or sold out to a new company that's building crappy hot water heaters but my state 510 has been amazing. It was built in 1986 and just now I am having to replace it, in 2017. That's an unheard of 30 years of continuous use. Very satisfied with the product.
BP Hall
Norfolk, VA
"31 years and still going"
5.0 rating
Very Satisfied
This State electric water heater came with my new home 31 years ago. I've only replaced the heating element once. No other problems whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I've never maintenance drained it as suggested by water heater manufacturers. Simply amazing.
James Bussey
Fort Washington, GA
"My water heater: Reliable but not perfect"
4.0 rating
Somewhat Satisfied
My hot water heater is about 15 years old. The water heater has never required any repairs and has operated well for 15 years, which I do appreciate. At the time I bought it, the manufacturer had promoted it as energy efficient, and it might have been for the time. However, I think our standards of energy efficiency have changed over time, and I do worry that the water heater is costing me a lot of extra money as it is so old. The whole idea of having to heat water even when you are not using it seems wasteful to me. The only other issue I have with the water heater is that it is somewhat inconsistent. Sometimes my water is pleasingly hot and at other times it is more or less tepid. I think it has to do with where the heater's thermostat is and the heating cycle. I would wish for more consistency in water temperature. If I had to replace this water heater, I believe I would look into one of those on demand hot water heaters. If that did not prove reasonable then I would look for the features of energy efficiency, reliability, and consistent water temperature.
Rochester, NY
"State worked for me"
5.0 rating
Very Satisfied
Just had my first hint of trouble from my State water heater today, 8/14/2015. It is a Censible model-40 gallon natural gas water heater installed 5/15/1995. The pilot light went out last night. Cannot get it to relight, but after 20 years and no problems I think I got my moneys worth. Am thinking of replacing it with a State tankless. State water heaters seem to be built to last.
John Swearingen
Winnsboro, SC
"Lasted from 1991 to 2015"
5.0 rating
Very Satisfied
We had the original gas water heater. We didn't know yearly flushing was recommended. Therefore, maintenance wasn't performed. Finally, the top hot water pipe rusted loose and it had a lower crack. Big mess and a lack of homeowner knowledge, although in 24 years there wasn't an issue. That's why we replaced that with a newer State Select.Trademasters Service Corp., Inc. installation and the product was nearly $1,000 less than both neighbors who used Lowe's and Home Depot. We just hope this newer version will last as long since yearly maintenance will be performed on regular basis.
There are several comments on HVAC forums such as thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com regarding problems with the Censible, such as faulty anode rods and pilot lights not staying lit. Most of the problems are minor and easily fixed and are due to the age of the units.