What is a Vertical Geyser?

Join our Telegram to get free shampoo worth ₹360

When talking about geyser orientation, most people are aware of the vertical geysers that are commonly available in most households. If you do not know what I’m talking about, every geyser you see generally in bathrooms are vertical geysers – the ones that are hung on the wall upright? No? There are actually two kinds of geysers that you can find in the market based on orientation – Vertical Geyser and a Horizontal Geyser. While vertical water heaters are commonly available, horizontal ones are neither commonly seen, or used by general consumers.

Let us take a look at what either of them bring to the table, and how they differ from each other.

On this page

What is a Vertical Geyser and is it any Good?

Most geysers you see online, the ones that are commonly used in most Indian households are vertical geysers. They are called so because of their counterpart the horizontal geyser, which has a niche market of its own.

Now, you may why aren’t horizontal geysers so common? The fact is, vertical water heaters are a lot more efficient and effective for the job they are made to do. Horizontal geysers can be very great to look at, and do not even take a lot of space, but functionality wise, vertical geysers remain the popular and correct choice.

There are advantages of horizontal geysers however. Let us look at the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of these two different types of water heaters in India.

Vertical Geyser vs Horizontal Geyser – Which one is better?

The difference between horizontal and vertical water heater is slightly more than just their orientation. Vertical ones are generally used in most bathrooms, while horizontal ones you might only see in hotels and such.

As a rule of thumb, the top 10 best water heaters are generally vertical.

Horizontal geysers do not take up a lot of space and can even be set in a bathroom with a lower ceiling. This makes them ideal for the hotel situation, where they can easily be installed right above the false ceiling to conserve bathroom space. That said, they are not very efficient and effective. Their life expectancy is also much lower when compared to vertical geysers.

Vertical water heaters on the other hand, can take up a lot of space and cannot be installed in a bathroom with a low ceiling. In a home situation however, where they fit, they function incredibly well and for a long time. Most of them are also quite efficient and do not cause your utility bills to soar when used. Also, since they are so common, there are a lot of innovations already been done to them. You can find a fully-featured geyser easily on the market, with all the bells and whistles, including great safety features, thermostats, heavy duty heating elements and such.

Also read: Best Geysers Guides, Reviews & Comparisons

Most times than not vertical ones perform better than the horizontal ones. While you can always invest in a horizontal geyser, we suggest you do only if you cannot install a vertical one instead.

Feature	Vertical Geyser	Horizontal Geyser
Space	Takes vertical space. Depending on the capacity, could take a lot of space.	Installed horizontally. Generally compact in size due to horizontal orientation, but bulky and big in higher capacities.
Price	Quite affordable	Can be a little expensive
Design and Aesthetics	Basic design	Come in various designs. Very posh aesthetically.
Energy efficiency	Highly efficient. A 5 star model can save you a ton on electricity and water bills.	Moderately efficient. Does consume a lot of electricity.
Installation	Very easy to install. Can be installed by yourself.	Tricky to install. Mostly requires professional help.

When to choose Horizontal Geysers?

There are only a handful of situations where buying a horizontal geyser might become inevitable. Firstly, they are not that bad, let us get that straight. However, if you have the option to get a vertical water heater installed, better go with that instead. They always prove better than horizontal ones.

That said, if you lack space in the bathroom, or the ceiling is too low, a horizontal geyser could really work for you. There is also the case where if you have a false ceiling in your bathroom, you can easily install the horizontal geyser above it to conserve space in the bathroom.

Horizontal geysers actually look quite luxurious and classy in a bathroom. Their design aspects are quite aesthetic, hence their use mostly in hotels and such.

Can Vertical Geysers be used as Horizontal Geysers?

Well, no. That is not how they are built to function. We do not suggest tipping a vertical water heaters on its side and hoping it would function like it is supposed to. Make sure you do not commit to that and ruin your geyser. Vertical water heaters will fail if tipped on the side since their make and build and not in accordance to what you are subjecting it to.

📌 Also Read: Top 10 best instant geyser

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is horizontal geyser better than vertical?

No. Vertical geysers are common due to a reason. They are efficient at heating, take lesser electricity, heat quicker, and are cheaper to purchase and maintain. Horizontal geysers are good only if you have a low ceiling in your bathroom, otherwise, there seems no reason to purchase them over a vertical water heater.

Which geyser is best for shower bath?

For shower baths you need quite a lot of hot water. For those, we suggest you invest in a 4-5 star storage water heater of at least 15L capacity and vertical mounting. This makes sure you have enough hot water in one go and the appliance is also functional and efficient.

How do I choose a geyser for my house?

There are only a few things you need to look for in a geyser. Capacity, orientation, energy rating, brand, and type. Capacity depends on the amount of people in the family, check for vertical or horizontal geysers, energy rating should be greater than 3, a good brand, and either a storage or an instant water heater. These are the things you need to give note to while buying a water heater.

Conclusion

So, you may not find our normal geysers being called vertical geysers much, the reason being horizontal geysers are incredibly niche and are not as widely available or used. There are hybrids in the market nowadays as well, but they are relatively new and rather un-reviewed. The best of both worlds have been merged, but until that becomes mainstream, the better option is still the vertical water heater. All for its varieties in capacity, efficiency and functionality.