Water heaters have been around for a very long time and they have gone through many iterations, particularly in recent years as technology has improved and made tankless water heaters a viable option. Many will be familiar with the concept of having a hot water tank that has heated water ready to be used, but we believe there is a strong case for choosing an electric tankless water heater.
The core design feature is summed up pretty well by its name – it is an electric system that doesn’t rely on a tank of water but only provides hot water when you require it, as it starts working the moment a hot water faucet is turned on.
When a tap is turned on, the cold water feeds through the electric element in the water heater, heating the water to the required temperature, offering a constant flow until the tap is turned off. This has the potential to minimise wastewater, reduce the impact on the environment and reduce energy costs, all great reasons to choose an electric tankless water heater.
Our Top Picks
Best Electric Tankless Heaters of 2021
Electric Tankless Heaters that are worth mentioning:
Our Top 7 Electric Tankless Water Heaters
We’ve put together the top 7 electric tankless water heaters on the market, with a brief description of their features, designs and any potential pitfalls. Each of the systems on this list would be a perfect addition to your property and we hope our guide will help you choose the right one based on your requirements.
1. Stiebel Eltron 15 Trend Tempra, Tankless Water Heater
First on our list is a sleek and stylish tankless water heater from Stiebel Eltron, with fantastic reviews and a high rating by our team of experts.
Design:
It will fit easily in even the smallest of rooms and features a clear, stylish display to help you manage the temperature and make changes where needed.
Features:
It utilises technology to control the flow of the water and ensure the water is at the correct temperature at all times, even if the demand suddenly increases in the house. Add in being entirely silent, quality manufacturing and an impressive warranty, and you have a great product.
Installation:
The only real issue we’ve found with this model is that it can be very difficult to install, particularly for those on their own or without any experience, so you may need to get some help with this one.
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2. EcoSmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater
The EconSmart is another on our list that offers a slim, stylish design that will fit easily into smaller properties.
Controls:
Its digital display will let you control the temperature through increments of 1 degree, perfect for those who want to get their hot water just right.
Design:
The build quality is impressive too, with many of the internal parts made from stainless steel and copper to improve efficiency and durability. The manufacturers provide a limited lifetime warranty and if replacement parts are required, these are relatively easy to procure and install.
Performance:
It has been reported that this model can save up to 50% of a households heating costs, which is a bold claim and great news for customers, but do be aware that it can struggle to produce very hot water at high flow rates, so for the busier households, it may not stand up to your requirements.
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3. Stiebel Eltron Tempra 24 Plus Whole House Electric Tankless Water Heater
Another from the experts at Stiebel Eltron, this whole house electric tankless water heater just screams quality and efficiency.
Technology:
You know you can trust this manufacturer to produce quality equipment and the Advanced Flow Control technology and Tempra labels mean it not only provides fantastic energy savings but maintains the required temperature throughout its use.
Features:
A clear, easy to use control panel on the front will make it easy for you to monitor or change the temperature and where demand increases beyond the capacity of the unit, it will automatically reduce the flow to make sure it maintains your selected temperature. A pretty nice touch!
Installation:
Important to note here though, that it does require a sediment filter prior to installation and we have had reports that when using multiple faucets, the hot water doesn’t flow from all of them evenly.
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4. Rheem RTEX-13 Residential Tankless Water Heater
What makes this model stand out is a combination of energy efficiency and easy installation, two of the big requirements for any household purchasing a new water heater.
Efficiency:
So let’s start with the energy efficiency, with Rheem claiming it is 99.8% energy efficient, a fantastic result which means you’re barely wasting any energy you put into the system.
Installation:
Compared to some of the other models, this is simple to install, coming with everything you need to install and offering a simple digital display that allows you to change the temperatures whenever you need.
Maintenance:
Maintenance won’t be an issue either, as the manufacturer has designed it so that any servicing can be done on-site, without having to uninstall the system.
Power:
Some customers have reported that this unit can drain plenty of power, as it requires a 60-amp service, but due to its energy efficiency, we don’t believe this will be a major concern for most.
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5. EcoSmart ECO MINI 2.5 120V Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater
A second water heater on the list from EcoSmart and this one is all about size, designed for those with limited space but who still want a fantastic electric tankless water heater solution.
Efficiency:
Important to note is that they haven’t sacrificed efficiency for this reduced size, with the ECO MINI range offering energy efficiency rates of 99.8%, making it an incredibly popular and cost-effective solution.
Maintenance:
It comes with a 5-year limited warranty for leaks and 1-year for parts, so you can be assured of support and see this as a good long-term investment.
Installation:
It does lack a digital display, like many of its competitors and feedback has suggested you may need some additional fittings for installation. For those that are comfortable installing these devices, this lack of support may not be an issue but for those who are new to this type of system, you may require extra assistance.
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6. Rheem RTEX-24 Residential Tankless Water Heater
We’ve chosen this model as our next recommended water heater and it certainly won’t let you down.
Features:
A nice design, with the usual quality digital display for controlling the temperature, this system uses technology that allows you to adjust the power, in order to match the hot water demand at the faucet.
Performance:
Its straight-forward installation makes this a popular choice for many households, as well as a flow rate of up to 5.9GPM. Its performance is due in part to utilising copper immersion in its heating elements, a different design to some of the other Rheem systems.
Capacity:
We do feel it important to remind consumers that this and many other models are single faucet water heaters, so you need to make sure you don’t require a whole-house solution. If you do, it is worth looking at alternatives.
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7. ECOTOUCH Electric Point-of-Use Hot Water Heater
The last electric tankless water heater on our list comes from ECOTOUCH and is another fantastic system that uses technology in an intelligent way to provide consistent water at the right temperature.
Controls:
It has a simple digital display for you to change the temperature to your preferred level and you don’t need to wait for the water to heat up when you want to use the tap.
Features:
This model has an interesting feature that not many others offer and that is a self-adjustment feature, whereby it will alter the power depending on the flow rate and temperature. What this means is that if the flow of water is reduced, then it will reduce the power it is using, a great energy-saving solution.
Installation:
This sleek and compact design will fit into most kitchens or bathrooms, mounted any way that is required, but it has had reports of water pressure dropping on occasion, though there is no real proof as to why or how frequently this occurs.
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8. Ecosmart ECO36
One of the best electric tankless water heaters to make it onto our list is the Econsmart ECO36.
Efficiency:
The stand out detail here is how energy-efficient it is, possibly the most efficient on the market right now thanks to its Ecosmart technology which claims to reduce heating bills by up to 50%.
Performance:
Away from the energy-efficiency, it is a small, compact system which is far smaller than the industry standard. In terms of flow rates, it has a 0.3 GPM activation flow and overall, a 6 GPM supply of hot water.
Maintenance:
We always appreciate when a manufacturer provides a lifetime warranty with their heaters as this signifies just the confidence they have in it as a long-term investment for their customers.
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9. Bosch WH27
Next up is this electric water heater from Bosch and whilst it comes at a premium price, its performance is second to none, topping many charts for the best tankless water heater on the market right now.
Efficiency:
This electric water heater has a thermal efficiency of 97%, delivering incredible efficiency and temperature control.
Installation:
Thanks to it weighing only 20 pounds, this tankless electric water heater will fit easily into almost any location, whether that is a wall or countertop. Taking on average about an hour to set up, it started to run without issue. You get all the usual warranty and support as well.
Budget:
Clearly, this performance and quality comes at a price and so it is at the higher end of the market. However, it should not be ignored that this can deliver fantastic savings on water bills, potentially up to two-thirds.
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10. Titan SCR2 N-120
The last of the electric water heaters to make it onto our best tankless electric water heaters list is this one from Titan, a manufacturer with great history and pedigree.
Design:
Made from high-quality materials, a 220-volt power system and entirely tankless, you know it will deliver hot water for households. It weighs only 8 pounds and so there isn’t anywhere this can’t go.
Installation:
Thanks to its size and weight, it is very easy to install and it is tailored to most environments so you can use them in your office or home. An added bonus is that they have put some effort into the design so it won’t look awful or out of place in a room.
Performance:
It will deliver a continuous supply of hot water and will only do so on-demand, saving any necessary energy spend when compared to tank heaters.
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Summary
Thank you for taking the time to read our article on the best electric tankless water heaters on the market right now, and we hope it has helped answer any questions you had about this type of system.
These water heaters can be a cost-effective, space-saving solution that many households have been searching for and our guide has been designed to help narrow down your search, to the most suitable system for your specific requirements.
What types are there?
We believe there are four main types of electrical tankless water heater that you should consider for your household and it will very much depend on your circumstances and requirements.
Whole-house electric tankless water heaters
The first type to choose from is the whole-house option, a heater designed to support your whole family with their hot water needs and not just a specific room or faucet. If you imagine a busy morning, with people showering, breakfast being made etc, then you will be using multiple water points at any given moment.
A whole-house solution is perfect for this kind of requirement, but it is important to think about water usage in your property. If you have a large home or high water usage, then you need to make sure the unit can cope with that.
Point of use electric tankless water heaters
As the name suggests, these are electric tankless water heaters designed for a single room or water dispenser, for example, if you had one bathroom that you wanted to ensure had hot water on-demand. These are fantastic solutions for smaller properties but you do need to make sure you have thought through your water requirements, otherwise, you could end up having to buy multiple units instead of one whole-house solution.
Portable electric tankless water heaters
The next type on our list is a portable version of an electric tankless water heater, a fantastic solution for those who travel in a campervan or go camping. These lightweight units do suffer from a relatively small flow rate but for the needs of the average traveller, they will do the job just fine.
External electric tankless water heaters
For households lacking space, you can get external heaters that fit on an outside wall of the bathroom. These ones will generally come with safety features such as rain covers and freeze protection systems, to ensure they don’t suffer from being exposed to the elements. Given the size and style of some heaters nowadays, these are less likely to be of interest to most, for as a space saver, they are still a reasonable option.
How efficient are the best electric tankless water heaters?
In short, they are a very efficient system to have installed in your household, with reports suggesting the average thermal efficiency is around 80%. If you also consider that these models don’t require a water tank and only heat water when it is required, a household could save $100 a year or more on their energy bills.
The pros and cons
As with any kind of purchase, there are pros and cons to choosing this kind of system over other water heating systems, but we do feel the pros far outweigh any initial concerns.
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