Electric Tankless Water Heaters

First things first; we’ve dedicated this entire write-up to help you pinpoint the best tankless water heater 2019. And, we’ve covered everything you’d want to know from how the best water heater looks like to the considerations to make when scouting for a tankless water heater and why you to need to have one in your home. Think of this as your all-in-one, in-depth resource for everything and anything tankless water heaters. Are we together? Great! Let’s move to the next point.

Best Tankless Water Heater 2019 – Top 10 Reviews

1. Stiebel Eltron Tempra Plus 36 kW

Starting our best water heater reviews is this model by Stiebel. A high-end unit and one of the most powerful tankless water heaters you can get, it is a great pick if you live in cold areas where the temps of incoming water can drop to as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a brilliant choice if you’re looking for a heater with a high flow rate (this thing can hit up to 8 gallons per minute depending on the temperature of the incoming water).

2. EcoSmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater

The EcoSmart ECO 27 is a compact, highly efficient model with enough capacity to heat water for two showers running simultaneously. Reasonably-priced, it is arguably the best electric water heater if you’re on a tight budget. Ideal for a small household, cottage or cabin, it will save you up to 50% on electricity bills thanks to the patented modulation system which increases its energy efficiency by up to 99.8%. For those asking, this water heater has a flow rate of up to 6 gallons per minute

3. Rinnai RUC98iN Ultra Series Natural Gas Tankless Water HeaterElectric Tankless Water Heater
The Rinnai RUC98iN is the best gas tankless heater on the market. Its ability to heat water is on another level too, making it a good option for busy commercial settings and large homes with lots of demand for heated water. While costly, this unit has a flow rate of 7.5 gallons per minute to justify its lofty price tag. With such capacity, it will easily provide a constant supply of water for two to three bathrooms.

4. Rheem RTG-64DVLN Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater
Here’s another top-rated tankless water heater, this time by Rheem. It is a perfect alternative to the Rinnai RUC98iN if you don’t want to splurge. The RTG-64DVLN is, however, less powerful than the Rinnai RUC98iN so it will work best for small homes with one or two showers.

5. Takagi T-KJr2-IN-LP Indoor Tankless Water Heater, Propane
The Takagi T-KJr2-IN-LP is a mid-priced propane tankless water heater with a maximum flow rate of 6.6 gallons per minute. While its capacity isn’t enough for large needs of hot water, it is sufficient for a home with up to three bathrooms. Now, that’s a competitive performance when pitted against other high-end models such as the Rinnai RUC98iN.

6. Eccotemp i12-NG Indoor tankless heater, 1/2 inch NPT water fittings
The Eccotemp i12-NG is sleek, with a five-star performance to match. It is the best tankless water heater if you’re looking for a model that allows the point of use. It is compact too, but don’t let the size fool you. This unit has an impressive water flow of 3 gallons per minute. And oh, it uses natural gas, so you may want to take note of that.

7. Rheem RTGH-95DVLN 9.5 GPM Indoor Direct Vent Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater
A hot contender for the best tankless water heater 2019, the RTGH-95DVLN is the latest model by Rheem with an energy efficiency of 94%. A brilliant pick for indoor and outdoor use, this is a high-altitude performance model that can operate perfectly at 8,400 feet above sea level, unlike most tankless water heaters.

8. Bosch Tronic 3000 T 7-Gallon Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater
Our best tankless water heater reviews wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the 300T by Bosch Tronic. A cost friendly option, this is a perfect pick if you don’t have the money to splurge on the more expensive models. Make no mistake about it though; this unit may be affordable but doesn’t fall short when it comes to what it can do.

9. Takagi T-H3-DV-P Condensing High Efficiency Propane Indoor Tankless Water Heater
The Takagi T-H3-DV-P is the best tankless water heater in this collection if you want a model that can rival the traditional tank heater. Propane-powered, this unit has a flow rate of whopping 10 gallons per minute – the higher of any water heater on the roundup. If you’re scouting for a single tankless heater that can take care of all your hot water needs, this one is it.

10. Rinnai V65EP 6.6 GPM Outdoor Low NOx Tankless Propane Water Heater
Wrapping up our tankless water heater reviews is this model by Rinnai. Ideal for both commercial and residential use, this workhorse has a maximum flow rate of 6.6 gallons per minutes, which is enough for two bathrooms. You can fine-tune its residential temperature from 98 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit while for commercial applications it can reach up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Benefits of a Tankless Water Heater

The number one reason you’d want to install a tankless heater in your home is cut down energy bills. You see, the best tankless water heater will help you save up to 40% on your monthly utility bill. Now, that’s more than 30% efficiency in comparison to a tanked water heater.

Other than being healthy for your wallet, tankless water heaters bring forth a myriad of benefits including;

You’ll Never Run Out of Hot Water
Tankless water heaters, by design, are on-demand heaters. In essence, this means that they’ll provide you with hot water whenever you need it. Think of them as heaters that allow you to enjoy the hot water at the press of a button.

Besides, you’ll never experience standby heat loss with these models. It is also worth noting that these heaters only require enough power to heat the amount of water needed at any given moment.

Unmatched Durability
A standard tankless water heater will last you five to ten years longer in comparison to a tanked water heater. While most models are high-end with high-end prices, the durability, by extension offers value for your money in the long run.

Compact Design
One of the major differences between tankless and tanked water heaters is that you don’t need a lot of space to mount the former. In fact, the best water heater should save you space and offer multiple placements on your wall. Most models that we’ve reviewed above offer indoor and outdoor installation complete with an anti-freeze kit. You can even opt for a smaller unit that can fit under your cabinet or closet for closer point of use.

Eco-Friendly Operation
Gas tankless water heaters have near zero emissions and are, therefore, safe for the environment. Most gas-powered models use low NOx technology to keep emissions as low as possible. Even the electric tankless water heaters don’t generate harmful greenhouse gas. Moreover, these heaters come with innovative features to prevent scalding water from reaching your showerhead or faucet.

Easy to Operate
It doesn’t require a lot of knowledge to operate a tankless water heater. The hardest part of using these models is installation. Once you’ve mounted yours all you need to do is to set the temperature on the unit’s dial and you’re good to go. You may even choose a model that supports remote control for hands-free operation.

No Possibility of Flooding
Unlike tanked heaters, you’ll never have to worry about possible flooding caused by a ruptured tank. This goes back to the point that tankless heaters are safe for you and your household. Speaking of safety, some models come with an integrated system that detects internal faults as they occur and give you a warning in advance.

See? There’s indeed more than one reason you should purchase a tankless water heater. The only thing you should remember is to check the flow rate of the unit you plan to get before spending your money on it. At the end of the day, you want a model that can handle your hot water needs, whether it is for residential or commercial applications. Note – We will explain about water flow and why it is important in greater detail in our buyer’s guide below.

How Does a Tankless Water Heaters Work?
In order to make the most out of your tankless water heater, you must understand how it operates. But before then, let’s start by breaking down how a tanked water heater works. The traditional heater system has a large tank that holds and heats the water. To give you hot water, the tank heats continually to ensure that the water stays at a constant temperature. The energy needed to keep the water hot when you’re not using it is known as standby heat loss.

Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, only heat the water when you need it, which means that there’s no standby heat loss. In fact, it is the lack of standby heat loss that makes tankless heaters more efficient.

The Heat Exchanger
A tankless water heater uses a heat exchanger to increase the water’s temperature. A heat exchanger is a device that works by transferring heat from one source to another and is common in car radiators, air conditioners, and refrigerators. In this scenario, the incoming flow of water activates the heat exchanger. In other words, when you turn on your hot water tap, it triggers the incoming water to circulate through the exchanger which in turns heats the water at your preferred temperature.

The Lag Time
Tankless water heaters are available in two options; whole house and point of use heaters. Whole house heaters are typically large, costlier and can work with more than one outlet at any given time. Point-of-use heaters, however, are small with the capacity to heat one or two outlets. Due to their size, they can fit in your closet or under a cabinet.

One benefit of this type of heater is that you can install it close to your water outlet to avoid water loss caused by lag time (the amount of time it takes for your water to reach to the faucet). In big households, the lag time can run up to several minutes. Theoretically, this means that while your utility bill may be going down, your water consumption will be going up. So, consider pondering about the lag time and how it affects your budget before deciding to go tankless.

As you may have already figured out, tankless water heaters come in either electric, natural gas or propane models. Almost every other point of use unit on the market is electric. Whole house models are natural or propane powered. Of course, the model you go with and the heating source that best works for you depend on a host of factors. Again, we shall look at these factors in our buyer’s guide that’s coming right up.

Conclusion
Tankless water heaters have their place, now and in the future. With the world shifting to green and sustainable energy, it is almost impossible to imagine that tankless water heater will become obsolete. The best part is the fact that these units not only heat the water relatively fast but also do so without using a lot of energy which means more money in your pocket. And hey, who wouldn’t like to make some savings, especially if it is on recurring bills such as utility? The point that we are trying to make here is that you’re better off getting a tankless water heater, now more than any other time.

As is the case with any home appliances though, you have to shop right. Add the fact that most tankless water heaters don’t come cheap means that you have every reason to exercise due diligence before splurging. After all, you want to be sure that you are investing in a model that will indeed meet your hot water needs for years to come.