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The 5 Best Electric Tankless Water Heaters Reviewed
If you are looking for the Best Electric Tankless Water Heater search no further. You have come to the right place. We have tested a lot of units and we have come up with the best 5 Best Tankless Electric Water Heaters for you.
There are very few things that annoy me more than running out of hot water during a shower.
As a busy mom, I spend most of my days running after kids and taking care of my home and family.
One of the
few times I get to myself is in the shower or tub, so when I get there I want to enjoy the experience for as long as I can.
And getting cold water instead of hot kills the experience.
I finally found the solution to the freezing shower: an electric tankless water heater.
This little wonder is a gift from God, as it lets me stay in the shower as long as I need without fear of frigid water. It was fairly easy to install (we replaced an older electric tank model), and relatively inexpensive. Honestly, I would happily have paid twice as much for all the warm relaxation it has added to my life.
And since I love to share our experiences here at Circuits At Home, we decided to do a roundup of the top tankless electric water heaters. Our goal was to save you time in researching a great solution, and to give you some of the warm happiness I have enjoyed since upgrading our heater.
We review each of the electric hot water heaters in detail below, but here is a quick comparison table for those of you in a hurry:
Best Electric Tankless Water Heaters
Since many people are discovering the advantages of tankless electric water heaters, more and more manufacturers are bringing new models to the market. We’ve combed through the latest models, and here are our picks for the best electric tankless water heaters:
1. EcoSmart ECO 36 Electric Tankless Water
- Sleek and compact design with digital output temperature display
- ECOSMART tankless water heaters are 99.8-percent energy efficient
- Manufactured in United States
Our top choice for best electric tankless water heater is the Eco 36 from EcoSmart. EcoSmart offers several different models in this line, with the ECO 36 being the largest.
It offers an endless stream of hot water at up to 6 gallons per minute, which means that shower can go on as long as your tired muscles require.
The unit features a digital temperature control that allows you to adjust the output in one degree increments. This means you can adjust it to be just right – warm enough for a steamy shower but not so hot it scalds your little ones.
As an on-demand heater it only works when you need it to, and doesn’t keep your electric meter spinning heating a tank of water when no one is home. That makes for a better experience in the shower, and also when the electric bill arrives each month.
If you are looking to dump your old tank water heater, the ECO 36 is the perfect unit for an upgrade.
2. Rheem RTEX-18 Residential Electric Tankless Water
- External digital thermostatic control with LED display (+/1 degree accuracy)
- Most advanced self-modulation, adjust power to meet hot water demand
- Durable Copper immersion two heating elements, field Serviceable. Flow Rate- up to 4.4 GPM
The runner-up in our roundup of tankless water heaters that run on electricity is the Rheem RTEX-18. Rheem is another well-respected brand of heater, and the RTEX-18 is one of their more popular models.
This heater provides on-demand hot water at the rate up to 4.4 gallons per minute. While that is less than the 6 gallons per minute from our top choice, it is more than enough for the typical household usage.
The Rheem unit is state of the art, and offers very simple digital controls that make adjusting the output water temperature a breeze. And compared to other units it simple to install, which means less work for you or a smaller bill from your installer.
The RTEX-18 also comes at a very competitive price, which makes it a good option for those of you on a tighter budget. Given that, along with the various features offered by Rheem, the RTEX-18 should be on your shortlist if you are planning to put in a new water heater.
3. Stiebel Eltron Tempra Plus Electric Tankless Water
- On demand a continuous and unlimited supply of hot water
- Sleek design saves space and no venting required
- Requires hard-wired 240 or 208-volt electric service, with a maximum draw of 28,800 watts at 240 volts or 21,600 watts at 208 volts
Our next choice in our guide to the best electric tankless water heaters is the Stiebel Eltron Tempra Plus. The Tempra Plus is the most expensive unit in our group, mainly due to the quality and features it offers.
The Tempra Plus is a whole-house unit, and is designed for maximum efficiency and minimum heat loss. That means you can be sure you are getting hot water when you need it, for as long as you need it.
The unit itself is very compact, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space when you install it. The design allows for near silent operation, so you won’t have to worry about annoying sounds coming from the heater whenever someone takes a shower. All you get is plenty of hot water.
If performance and engineering mean more to you than pinching pennies, the Tempra Plus is a great unit to consider.
4. Titan N-120 Waterless Heater
The fourth entry in our water heater review is the Titan N-120. While Titan doesn’t offer all the digital controls and name brand recognition of the other units in our roundup, it does offer what you really want – solid performance at an excellent.
The N-120 is roughly the size of a phone book, and can provide unlimited hot water for you and your family. And like the other heaters we reviewed it will provide a lower electric bill than standard water heater, as it only uses electricity when you are calling for hot water. That makes it a great choice for a home will intermittent use.
People who purchased the N-120 laud the unit’s longevity and performance, but do suggest you check the temperature of your incoming water supply, as very cold water will affect the outflow. And several pointed out that it does require a 60 amp breaker and proper wiring, so that could mean some added costs at installation.
But given the positive reviews and competitive price, the Titan N-120 is a good little heater.
5. Bosch Tronic 3000 Electric Tankless Water Heater
- CONVENIENT HOT WATER HEATER: 2.5 gallon point-of-use mini-tank fits under your sink to provide hot water right where you need it. Thermal efficiency is 98%. Dimensions : 13.75 W x 13.75 H x 10.75 D Inches
- LONG LASTING QUALITY: This electric water heater is easy to maintain and has premium glass-lined material for a long service life. (Amps 12A, Volts (VAC) 120)
- INDEPENDENT INSTALLATION: 36-37" cord plugs into a 120 volt outlet for independent installation or in-line with a large hot water source
The final entry in our review isn’t exactly an electric tankless water heater. Instead, we decided to include the Bosch Tronic 3000, which is a point-of-use mini-tank water heater. The reason why is that for specific situations it does what you want a tankless heater to do – give you hot water when you want it, where you want it.
Unlike the other heaters we looked at, the Tronic 3000 can be installed exactly where you want it – usually under a sink. To provide hot water, simply connect the heater to the cold water line and install it directly under the sink. If you have a sink in a remote location where the water takes forever to heat up, the Tronic 3000 is a quick and easy solution.
The Bosch is visually appealing and mounts easily with a bracket. And since it is a 110V device, you can simply plug it into a standard outlet. That means no electrician and no expensive installation costs.
So while the Bosch Tronic 3000 isn’t exactly an electric tankless water heater, it is such a handy device that we felt it deserved a spot in our lineup.
What are the Advantages Of Tankless Water Heaters
1. They are smaller sized than traditional storage heating units, are wall installed, and do not use up flooring area. Their size can make them particularly appealing in homes where square video footage is at a premium.
2. They can assist you to minimize your energy expenses. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating water accounts for about 30 percent of a family’s energy costs. Utilizing a tankless hot water heater can decrease these costs by approximately half, for a typical annual savings of $80.
3. They are durable and less likely to stop working, triggering potentially catastrophic flooding in your home. Tankless systems have an average life-span of about twice that of a traditional hot water heater– 20 years or more.
What are the Disadvantages Of Tankless Water Heaters
1. Tankless systems are more pricey. An electric tankless unit will cost about $500 to $700, approximately the like a standard tank model, while the expense of a gas tankless heating unit runs about $1,000 to $1,200. Beyond the preliminary cost, the national average for the installation of a tankless system is a little over $1,700.
In a lot of cases, existing piping must be extended or moved, and for a gas unit, a safe vent must be installed to prevent carbon monoxide gas from accumulating inside the home. Even when taking savings in energy expenses into account, it takes many house owners about twenty years to completely recover these costs.
2. “Tankless” does not indicate “instantaneous hot water.” Contrary to popular thought, a tankless hot water heater does not always provide warm liqiud to your tap any faster than a traditional hot water heater. In fact, a tankless unit might be slower. It takes time for the tankless unit’s heating element to very first heat water before providing it to the tap.
3. The flow of hot water is limited by the system’s capacity to warm the water. Usually, warm water streams from a tankless heating system at the rate of 2-5 gallons per minute, and that may not suffice for several simultaneous uses of hot water in your home. For instance, showering and running the dishwashing machine at the same time might stretch a tankless hot water heater to its limit. If you live in a multi-person household, compare tankless models, paying specific attention to the gallons per minute (GPM) circulation of each model. The more people and the more synchronized use possibilities, the greater the GPM needs to be. One service is to install multiple tankless systems to meet the demands of a large family, but that can end up being really costly.
4.Tankless units will not produce hot water if the power goes out. Unlike traditional water heaters, there is no backup warm water source during an emergency situation.
Due to difficult aqua, tankless units are prone to failure. Hard water is a problem for all hot water heaters, but tankless systems in particular.
They should be drained pipes entirely and their filters changed monthly. They also require to be flushed on a regular basis. (Tank systems require only be flushed every year or so.) If you don’t take these steps, hard water can ruin a tankless hot water heater in just about two years. Likewise, failure to follow these upkeep requirements can void the maker’s guarantee.
5. Tankless units are complicated. Examine the internal operations of a typical tankless system. You can rapidly see how much might possibly go wrong with all the complex innovation tankless water heaters employ.
FAQ Electric Tankless Water Heater
Can I install an electric tankless water heater myself?
You will need permits. As a homeowner, you are usually allowed to set up a water heater yourself. However, in the majority of states, you must still pull submit a permit to have it checked for safety. This likewise for changing an old hot water heater
Is it hard to install an electric tankless water heater?
Electric tankless water heaters are more affordable than gas versions. Setup is much easier and more economical, and they’re generally not as hard to keep as gas designs.
Do I need a plumber to install a tankless water heater?
Tankless water heaters are should be installed by a plumbing technician but you can choose to install it yourself but will need permits. It will cost between $45 and $200 an hour, depending upon location. Installation can take between 2 to 8 hours, depending on the type of heating system, place, and fuel source. … They likewise need proper insulation for the pipes running to the heating system.
Does electrical tankless hot water heaters require a vent?
Electric tankless units do not require any type of venting, however, they do need a substantial quantity of electrical power. … Outside gas tankless hot water heaters do not need venting, however, they do need a minimum size area around the system.
What size breaker do I need for a tankless water heater?
What are the disadvantages of tankless water heaters?
Why are tankless water heaters so expensive to set up?
Tankless hot water heater normally has a greater purchase cost, when compared with conventional tank water heaters. Installation can be more expensive, based on just how much (if any) retrofitting is required. You could be “output challenged” if maximum usage was computed improperly.
Can a tankless water heater fill a tub?
Please remember that tankless hot water heater also can be found in various sizes, and you need to get an unit that will deliver a strong flow to the tub. A small tankless water heater can take a long time to fill a big tub. Second, bite the bullet and just install a bigger hot water heater in place of your present hot water heater.
Why are tankless water heaters so expensive to install?
In general, acquiring and setting up a tankless water heater costs about 2 to 2.5 times as much as a standard water heater because of the greater production expenses of the unit, venting, and resizing the gas line and gas meter needed to support the unit’s demand.
Can you put a tankless water heater in a closet?
How much does it cost to install a tankless water heater from Home Depot?
How many amps does an electric tankless water heater draw?
Installing An Electric Tankless Water Heater
In case you are wondering how difficult it is to install one of these heaters yourself, here is a good YouTube video outlining the process:
