Different people have different needs on choosing a tankless water heater, some need point of use type, while others need to get the best whole house tankless water heater. Compared with the point of use heater, whole house type helps to save much energy for you, you need only one to meet the demand of daily hot water use, instead of buying several heaters at home and install them anywhere.
Top 5 Best Whole House Tankless Water Heaters
What Is Whole House Tankless Water Heater?
Whole-house tankless water heater refers to the heating machine used for the whole house, it is able to support the hot water for multiple uses. When you are taking a bath at the bathroom, someone is still able to use kitchen faucets to wash dishes or doing laundry. It means you need to get only one best whole house tankless water heater, then two or three people in your home can use water for different matters at the same time. With it, you won’t get trouble in scrambling for hot water in the busy morning.
Features Of Whole House Tankless Water Heater
1. low costs
One high-quality whole house tankless water heater equals three or even four-point of use or small tankless water heaters. Though the price of whole house type is much higher than the point of use type, in long term use, using costs of point of use tankless water heaters are much more expensive than whole house one.
2. Space saver
The whole-house tankless water heater is normally designed with a large flow rate, but do not be fooled by the name, the size of the whole house type is smaller than imagine because no tank involves. With the small and stylish compact size, it is capable of saving a large amount of space in your home.
3. Long service life
The service life of a high-quality whole house tankless water heater reaches as long as 20 years, which is quite long when compared with tank water heater. And many top rated tankless water heaters brands promise to keep 10-15 years warranty on the heat exchangers.
4. Long waiting time
This might be a common problem of whole house heater, it needs to support hot water for different spots, either for bathroom or for kitchen faucets, especially when you have a large family, the hot water needs to flow a long way through the pipe to the tap. Therefore, compared with point of use tankless water heater, whole house type may take a longer waiting time for hot water. But do not worry, it usually takes no more than 2 minutes for the best types.
Best Whole House Tankless Water Heaters Reviews
In order to help you get the most suitable whole house tankless water heaters for you, we picked several best whole house tankless water heaters, they are of different types and have different flow rate level. You can choose one based on your situation.
1. EcoSmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater
Features:
- 6 GPM flow rate
The flow rate of this unit reaches up to 6 gallons per minute in warm areas, but in cold regions, it drops to 3 gallons per minute. It supports two showers simultaneously in warm places. It is capable of providing constant hot water for you.
- Less heating cost
EcoSmart boasts that this unit saves about 50% on water heating costs, and self-modulating technology equipped inside ensures heater draws energy only when using it, thus the large sum of energy is saved.
- High-quality parts
The unit is made excellent, copper and stainless steel components enable its high corrosion resistance performance. The temperature goes up and down with one increment so that you can easily get the temperature that you want. But according to customers’ reviews, it can still not be set as right as EcoSmart promises.
Pros:
- Save 50% on water heating costs
- Perfect for whole-home use
- Space saver, save about 12 cubic feet after installation
- The digital control system makes it easy to operate
- Heating elements are easy to be replaced
- Endless hot water supply
Cons:
- Unable to produce pipe hot water at a high flow rate
- Temperature can not be set right
2. Stiebel Eltron Tempra Plus 24 kW Tankless Water Heater
Features:
- 5 gallons of water flow
This unit is able to consume 5 gallons of water per minute, it supports full power modulation, thus it is powerful enough to support whole-home use. It shows excellent performance where supplied water is under 45 degrees F. And it is capable of raising the water by 54 degrees at 3 GPM.
- Advanced technology
It is praised as the most technologically advanced electric water heater, the self-modulating technology avoids standby heat loss to save energy. Built-in advanced flow control modules are used to regulate the water pressure automatically.
- Stable temperature
The advanced flow control system is adopted to control constant water temperature in different flow levels, which makes it perfect for people in demand for occasional hot water. It can also be used for commercials.
Pros:
- Quiet working situation
- High level electronic parts and reliable cover
- Stylish compact design
- Supports full power modulation
- Most technological advanced heater
- 99% energy consumption
Cons:
Difficult to install, need 240 v power and heavy duty wiring
3. Rinnai RL94eP Propane Tankless Water Heater
Features:
- 98-185 degrees F
The temperature range of the unit is between 98 and 185 degrees F, which perfectly meets the demand for daily family hot water use. And it can also be used commercially. The digital temperature setting makes it easy to turn to the temperature you want most.
- 9 gallons of flow rate
This is a high flow rate tankless water heater, reaching 9 gallons per minute. Thus it supports multiple bathrooms uses the same time easily. The self-modulating system controls the machine heat water only when using it, in this way, much energy is saved accordingly.
- Digital control
The dial is easy to use, temperature, and error codes show on the screen clearly. The internal construction is clear, you can change the temperature you want easily.
Pros:
- Save money in utility use
- Easy operation
- High temperature range
- High quality construction
- Energy efficient
Cons:
- Difficult for installation
- Waiting time for hot water is a bit long, takes about a minute or two
4. Rheem RTG-95XLN 9.5 GPM Low NOx Outdoor Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater
Features:
- 9.5 GPM flow rate
The flow rate of this unit reaches as high as 9.5 gallons per minute, it supports 3 or 4 bathrooms at the same time in warm places, and 2 bathrooms use in cold regions. It is able to provide constant hot water for residential or even commercial use.
- High energy efficient
The energy rating is 94%, which means less energy is wasted in the using period. And low NOx design makes it highly environmentally friendly. Both natural gas and propane are available for this.
- Remote control
You can control the machine via the app with its EcoNet smart home technology so that you can easily control it indoor. Because of outdoor installation, no ventilation facilities are needed.
Pros:
- 10-year warranty for heating parts
- Compact shape
- Stainless steel heat exchanger
- Propane and natural gas available both
- High energy efficient
Cons:
Need to be installed by professional
5. Takagi T-H3-DV-N Natural Gas Indoor Tankless Water Heater
Features:
- Huge flow rate
Among all the top 5 best whole house heaters, this one has the largest flow rate, reaching 10 gallons per minute. Thus you can easily use it anywhere for both residential and commercial. But the flow rate will be lowered in cold regions.
- High-temperature range
The released hot water temperature can be as high as 185 degrees F, and it demands 199000 BTU per hour to perform in the best way. Thus it is a powerful tankless water heater, can supply constantly hot water for whole-home use.
- Remote control available
You can integrity it with remote control, but the controller needs to buy separately. The installation of it is super easy, just adding several gas line. Two exchangers give you more choice.
Pros:
- High flow rate
- Commercial & residential use
- Large temperature range
- Weight light
- Set up easy
- Remote control available
Cons:
- Waiting time for hot water is quite long
- The flow rate will be lowered in cold regions
Tips On Choosing Best Whole House Tankless Water Heater
There are many different types of whole house tankless water heaters, some of them have a large flow rate, while others are designed with advanced technology. Before selecting the best whole house tankless water heater, here we offer some tips to help you get the most suitable and cost-effective one.
1. Flow rate
As a whole-house tankless water heater, the flow rate must be large enough for the whole family use. Therefore, in choosing the best whole house tankless water heater, you should estimate the average amount of hot water for your daily use. If you have a small house with only one bathroom, a low flow rate around 3-5 GPM meets your daily life easily. If you intend to use three or four bathrooms in warm places at the same time, then you need to get a large flow rate type such as 9 GPM heater.
2. Power
Even though with a large flow rate, some whole house tankless water heaters are still lacking enough power, making it hard to support constantly hot water, or the temperature is not stable in using. Large power whole house tankless water heater is able to provide constant hot water for you. Of course, compared with gas and propane tankless water heaters, electric types are less powerful, but there are still many excellent types for you to choose from.
3. Home location
Performance of one same whole house tankless hot water is different in various using situations and weathers. In warm areas, the temperature range and water flow are high, while in cold regions, it turns into a low rate heater. Therefore, you should choose the most suitable one based on your home location. If you live somewhere cold, you need to get one with freeze protection.
4. Energy efficient
Whole-house tankless water heater needs to consume a large amount of water each minute, therefore, if you are able to find high energy efficient type, you can save much money each month on your heating bills and also your water bills.
Top 3 Best Whole House Tankless Water Heaters
- EcoSmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater – Perfect one for middle-sized home
- Rinnai RL94eP Propane Tankless Water Heater – A most powerful type
- Takagi T-H3-DV-N Tankless Water Heater – Best one for commercial use
Types Of Whole House Tankless Water Heaters
Whole-house heaters can be divided into three kinds according to the power source, which includes whole house gas tankless water heater, propane tankless water heater, and electric tankless water heater.
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Whole house gas tankless water heater
The whole house gas tankless water heater is powered mainly by natural gas, it is the most powerful types among three kinds. Ventilation facilities are required for safety using. It is able to heat water from cold incoming water temperature and using costs are relatively low. If you intend to get more information on it, we have made detailed reviews for you, please check freely.
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Whole house propane tankless water heater
The propane tankless water heater is quite the same as natural gas type, for most of the time, they can be available both, and ventilation facilities are required also. It can be installed indoor and outdoor-based on the product requirement. Also, much other detailed information of best whole house propane tankless water heaters can be found from our reviews.
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Whole-house electric tankless water heater
The whole electric tankless water heater uses electricity only, so it suits the family’s lack of extra pipeline, and of course, no ventilation is needed. The installation spots are rather flexible, you can install it anywhere you want. But the using cost of it will be a bit expensive. It is said that the electric type is able to save 60% of energy costs for you. If you have an interest in the item, please feel free to get more information on our best whole house electric tankless water heater review.
Attention:
As the whole house heater is used for supporting the large sum of hot water for multiple uses, therefore, you need to install it near the point of use, for electricity type, you’d better install it near the main electrical panel for clear installation. Or it may take a long time for hot water flowing out of the pipe and that means much cold water is wasted, water bills will be added accordingly.
Summary:
| Best Type | Tankless Water Heater |
| Perfect one for middle-sized home | EcoSmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater |
| Most powerful type | Rinnai RL94eP Propane Tankless Water Heater |
| Best one for commercial use | Takagi T-H3-DV-N Tankless Water Heater |
Above the top 5 best whole house tankless water heaters are all in good performance through our test. Compared with the point of use types, whole house tankless hot water heater price is definitely higher, but the high quality and brilliant performance are sure worth the price. Each of the above heaters is at different price levels, you can check out the detailed price on Amazon.