Effects of gap sizes (3.9-44.3 mm) of vertical annuli on nucleate pool boiling heat transfer of water at atmospheric pressure have been obtained experimentally. Through the study, tubes of the closed bottom have been investigated and results are compared with those of a single unconfined tube. According to the results, the annular condition gives much increase in heat transfer coefficient at moderate heat fluxes. The increase is much enhanced 3s the gap size decreases. At the same tube wall superheat (about 3.1 K) the heat transfer coefficient for the least gap size (i.e., 3.9 mm) is more than three times greater than that of the unconfined tube. However, deterioration of heat transfer occurs at high heat flux for confined boiling.