Are you looking for more information about gas vs electric tankless water heaters? Well you have come to the right place! In this article you will learn some important factors to consider when choosing and electric tankless water heater. We will also give you out top electric tankless water heater reviews.
What is an Electric Tankless Water Heater?
An Electric Tankless Water Heater is an electronically powered device which heats the water instantly when you turn the tap on. It is energy efficient, easy to install, user friendly and has minimum energy cost. Its compact size and silent operation makes it perfect to be installed in the sinks of kitchens, bathrooms, public lavatories, doctor clinic thus saving valuable space. Our choice for the best electric tankless water heater is the Bosch Electric mini tank that is made in Germany.
Gas vs Electric Tankless Water Heater:
Before deciding between a Gas water heater and an Electric Tankless Water Heater here are some of the factors that you need to consider…
Instant operation:
In gas water heaters after ignition we have to wait for 10-15 minutes for the water to heat up. This is not the case in the electric tankless water heater. Electric water heaters provide instant and consistent hot water.
Adjusting output temperature:
Remember the struggle of mixing the hot and cold water to make it the right kind of warm for yourself? Well the good news is that these electric tankless water heaters have external control to adjust the output temperature of water as per your requirement. This feature is not present in some Gas Heaters. Some gas heaters however have a maximum temperature control setting.
Easy to install:
Electric tankless heaters have a very compact size and are most of them are so easy to install that you don’t even need a plumber, unlike the gas heater where you need a lot of space for installation along with proper ventilation. Installing gas heaters is a tough and long job. Oftentimes you need to have the gas company or city inspect the installation of the gas heater for safety reasons. Some electric heaters will need electrical upgrades which require the help of a licensed electrician.
Upgrade requirement:
The Electric Tankless Heater usually drives current ranging from 12 A to 100 A while a home has an average supply of 12 A so if you need to run the system you need to upgrade your system. While this upgrade is not required in gas heaters. But it requires right gas supply and traditional gas lines aren’t enough in some regions. So before picking an option you need to check your areas gas and electrical supply specifications and decide accordingly.
More Efficient and Environment Friendly:
Gas Heaters have the efficiency in the range of 80-90% while the Electric Tankless Heaters can be efficient up to 99.8%. Also Electric heaters do not produce any gas which is harmful for the environment.
How much electricity does an electric tankless water heater use?
The electric tankless heaters are operated at household electric capacity with power wattage ranging from 1 kW to 24 kW. The operating voltage of these heaters is nevertheless the same 240 V while different kinds of electric heaters draws different amount of current varying from 12 A to 120 A. But an extra perk is that these tanks only uses power when you turn on the tap thus making it energy efficient. Although they have different kind of pre-installed protection but to make it more secure we have to connect it in the circuit via dipole circuit breaker whose rating depends upon the kind of electric heater you are using.
What size Electric Tankless Water Heater do I need?
The Electric tank doesn’t have a huge tank to store hot water that is why it is attached to a single water outlet be it any sink or shower. Although some of these heaters do have a bit of storage space and 2-3 showers can be used simultaneously. But the use of more than one shower depends upon the temperature of that area if the area is a bit warmer, more showers can be utilized with the same water flow. In colder areas, hot water may be reduced limiting it to one shower only.
Will you save money on an electric tankless water heater?
In conventional heaters a lot of power is lost when the water is not in use and is being stored in the tank. While in an electric tankless water heater, the heater is turned on only when the water is in use and by this way we save the standby energy and thus making it more economical. Also the price of these compact water heaters is far less than those previously used giant gas water heaters.
Electric Tankless Water Heater Reviews:
Most of the customers are very satisfied with the quality and leave electric tankless water heater reviews above 4 stars. They said it’s so easy to install that most of them installed these heaters themselves with the only help of provided instructions manual.
#1 Best Electric Tankless Water Heater
Bosch Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater Tronic 3000 T 4-Gallon (ES4)
The #1 bestseller is Bosch Electric Mini-Tank which has the capacity of 4 gallons and an efficiency of 98%. This electric water heater is easy to maintain and has premium glass-lined material which offers great insulation and added durability. Its fast recovery rate provides instant hot water without any delay. This heater is easy to install and can be mounted on floor, wall or cabinet. This model does not require any special cable and can be plugged right into 120 V. Moreover, this heater can be used along a larger hot water source to provide on demand use. An external dial gives an easy control of temperature and pressure range, and the temperature-and-pressure relief valve enhances your safety.
#2 Best Electric Tankless Water Heater
Rheem 240V Heating Chamber RTEX-13
Rheem 240V Heating Chamber RTEX-13 Residential Tankless Water Heater
The #2 bestseller is Rheem Heating chamber which have two copper heating long lasting elements and is 99.8% efficient. It also has an external adjustable digital thermostat control with LED display, making it easier for the user to adjust the temperature with increment of 1 ° F according to their needs. It is easy to maintain with easily replaceable threads. Its compact metal body can be installed under sink and can be used for home or industrial purposes for serving 2 closely placed faucets and a shower. It is an energy efficient heater but you need to upgrade your home electric supply to 240 V and 54 A.
#3 Best Electric Tankless Water Heater
Eemax EEM24027 Electric Tankless Water Heater, Blue
Eemax EEM24027 Electric Tankless Water Heater, Blue
The #3 bestseller is Eemax with efficiency of 99.8 %. It has the self-modulating technology that adjusts the input energy needs based on how much water is needed. Its stainless steel compact design can be installed anywhere you need and saves valueable storage space. This product can be used for residential as well as for commercial needs. In colder regions, it can provide hot water for up to 1 shower and 2 sinks simultaneously while in warmer climates it can produce enough hot water for up to 4 Showers simultaneously. But for installation it requires 3 turns of an additional wire of 8 AWG.
Electric Tankless Water Heater Comparison
Conclusion
All of the Electric Tankless water heater systems have their own pros and cons. While deciding you must consider your region, usage, electric compatibility and cost range to determine the best option.
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