iCOMM Connectivity

If you’re like me and you only want/need to check on your water heaters via the app once every few weeks or so, then this app is useless, quite frankly! If you don’t use the app every few days, you get auto-logged out because the app is incapable of retaining your credentials+added equipment (literally, what normal, regular folks/users would be monitoring their new water heaters every day or every few days via the app to even prevent this app/design flaw from causing headache and grief every time). And, NO, this has ZERO to do with security; my banking apps that I’ve had for YEARS and years ALL retain my creds with zero issues. Once you get auto-logged out by the app, your water heaters are GONE. Literally, deleted/removed/however you want to put it. This app and the server do NOT store your connected water heaters as part of your login. Which is absolutely insane. So, if you don’t log in every few days or so, or if your app receives an update (yep, same nightmare here, too), be prepared to have to add back your water heater(s) EVERY SINGLE TIME. Congratulations: You ‘thought’ you were buying quality and convenience… instead, you bought gimmicks and massive headache. And, just for reference, the last app (the actual A.O. Smith app before it moved to iCOMM) was exactly like this, too. This is a longstanding issue. What a horrible app and pitiful company to not have this fully figured out by now. Utterly horrid and utterly infuriating. Guys, do better! A LOT better. Please!

If you are having issues connecting. You need a 2.4Ghz channel on your router. 5ghz only channel will not work. You need to press the WiFi button on your water heater. That will make the WiFi button blink. When the button is blinking, you are in pairing mode, that is when you need to try to connect to your network. Once you have connected the button will stay on solid and no longer blink. I had to hold the button for 3 seconds and reset a few times, but eventually I was able to select my WiFi Network, and enter my password. Once you get to that point, it may take a minute or so for you water heater info to show up. My heater information eventually populated and I was able to see the temperature my water heater was set to, and select the temperature myself. The setup is definitely buggy, but if you are tech savy, and your router has a 2.4ghz channel, you should be able to get it set.

It is genuinely disappointing that a high-quality A.O. Smith water heater is hamstrung by such a poorly executed app. While the heater itself performs well, the iCOMM app is easily one of the worst user experiences I’ve encountered. The Main Issues: • Zero Reliability: The app is "Out of Service" or offline more often than it is functional. It is incredibly glitchy and fails to connect when you need it most. • Dated Technology: In an era of seamless smart home integration, this feels like a decade-old beta project. It’s a shame that a company like A.O. Smith hasn't invested the necessary resources into their software. • Missing Essential Features: Even when it does work, the functionality is bare-bones. It lacks basic data points like the current water temperature vs. the set point or an estimated time to reach the target temperature. What it Needs: To be competitive, this app requires a complete overhaul. I’d love to see: 1. Consistent Connectivity: It needs to work 100% of the time, not 10% of the time. 2. Energy Tracking: Clear graphs and tracking for electricity usage. 3. Real-Time Data: Better transparency on what the heater is actually doing in the moment. At this point, I’d settle for it just being functional. If you are buying an A.O. Smith heater specifically for the "smart" features, be warned: the app is a major drawback.