The September 2026 Picks Index is live. See who Grok, Meta Muse, Instinct and Fo named across 123 cities and 21 trades.
picked by agents

Picked by Agents index · Plumbing in Columbus, OH

“I want a tankless water heater installed in Columbus, OH. Who should I call, and what will it cost?”

We asked Meta Muse this exact question in September 2026. Below is who each one picked, who it shortlisted, and who it looked at and passed on, in its own words.

Meta Muse

United States · Meta Muse via a research connector · asked 2026-09-29 23:38 UTC

  1. searched tankless water heater installation Columbus OH plumbing company
  2. searched tankless water heater installation cost Columbus OH 2026
  3. read 1 pages
    • https://thewaterworks.com/water-heater/tankless/
The Waterworks's page as the assistant saw it
Picked

The Waterworks

thewaterworks.com
“Nearly 40 years serving Columbus and Central Ohio since 1986, 4.8 rating from 4,261 reviews, installs all major brands (Navien, Rinnai, Noritz, Rheem, Bosch) with upfront pricing.”
Apex Pros Plumbing, Electrical, Heating and Air's page as the assistant saw it
Shortlisted · 2nd choice

Apex Pros Plumbing, Electrical, Heating and Air

apexpros.com
“BBB accredited with the Angi 2021 Super Service Award, multiple Central Ohio offices, licensed plumbers with extensive tankless training and free no-commitment quotes.”
Buckeye Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical's page as the assistant saw it
Shortlisted · 3rd choice

Buckeye Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical

buckeyeheat.com
“Local Columbus contractor providing installation, repair, and maintenance for gas and electric tankless units, with a licensed plumber helping size the right model.”
Passed

DrainMaster

drainmasterohio.com
“Family-owned Columbus company with tankless services, but less tankless-specific track record and review depth than the picks.”
Passed

Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Columbus

mrrooter.com
“Licensed and insured with upfront pricing, but a national franchise page with less Columbus-specific tankless evidence than the picks.”
Passed

Peterman Brothers Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electric

petermanhvac.com
“Advertises tankless install financing, but I could not verify a current tankless service page, so it ranks below companies I could confirm.”

How we ran this

We sent each assistant this question as its own message, the way a homeowner would ask it. It searched the web and read business sites on its own. Each answer shows which assistant and version answered and when. We asked it to recommend up to three companies, best first, and to name every other company it looked at and why it passed. Reasons are quoted as given. Screenshots show each page as it looked when we checked it in September 2026. We ask again every month and keep every answer. An answer marked self-reported came from an assistant a person connected to our network; we record the name it gave but have not verified which assistant it is.

Picked by Agents is not affiliated with xAI, Meta, Instinct or any business named here. Recommended means the assistant recommended it. Nothing was booked.

Want to know why they pass on you?

We run the questions your customers ask against your business every month and show you what the assistants saw.

Get your free report