7 Best Natural Gas Tankless Water Heater 2021

As their name suggests, natural gas tankless water heaters use gas burners to heat the water. Unlike ‘ordinary’ water heaters, they don’t use electric elements for heating. Instead, they use gas burners to heat the water. This usually translates into a higher rate of water flow.

The cost of operating the natural gas tankless water heaters also tends to be lower. That is because natural gas is usually less costly than electricity, when it comes to heating applications. The tankless design usually translates into greater efficiency. The water is only heated on demand. So there is no question of having pre-heated water that will never be used cooling down in the storage tank. With the natural gas tankless water heaters, the heating only takes place when the tap is turned on.

See Best Propane tankless water heater review

Why use a natural gas tankless water heater?

There are plenty of reasons to use a natural gas tankless water heater.

First is the fact that natural gas tankless water heaters usually last longer than electric water heaters. So this is a question of durability, and it is very important.

Second is the fact that natural gas tankless water heaters are energy-efficient. The amount of natural gas used to heat a gallon of water will tend to be much less. It will tend to be less than the amount of electricity necessary to heat a similar amount of water.

Third is the fact that natural gas tankless water heaters tend to have better water flow rates. With a natural gas tankless water heater, you get more gallons per minute. Indeed, when it comes to water flow rates, the natural gas tankless water heaters have the best output.

There is also the fact that natural gas tankless water heaters tend to be easier to operate and maintain. Their installation is also usually hassle-free.

If you want to learn more about water heaters, here is an article I wrote about water heaters. I encourage you to read it!

7 Best Natural Gas Tankless Hot Water Heater

1. Camplux 12L 3.18 GPM Indoor Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater

This is one of the most feature-rich natural gas tankless water heaters. Among its most attractive features is the LED digital display, its 3.18 GPM rating and its anti-flame capabilities. The LED digital display gives out put temperature in Fahrenheit. This is a good thing, because many other heaters only seem to give indications on the Celsius scale. The latter scale is something many people are not conversant with. The 3.18 GPM flow rate means that it delivers adequate hot water for most domestic needs. And its anti-flame capabilities translate into extra safety.

Features and capabilities

Like a typical natural gas tankless water heater, this one only activates on demand. That translates into efficiency: as you can be sure that it not using any energy in between. Its 3.18 GPM flow rate, while not the highest in the market, is still decent. It should be adequate for most people’s needs. This is the sort of heater that can supply both the dishwasher and the laundry machine simultaneously. It may even be capable of supplying a couple of showers with how water at the same time.

Pros

Relatively low price. This is one of the most reasonably priced natural gas tankless water heaters. Thus you can go for it if you are a low budget, yet you still want a decent heater.
Very easy to install. This water heater is sold with all components necessary for its installation. Consequently, you can start using it the very same day it is delivered. The manual is quite easy to make sense of. It is likely to be compatible with most of the plumbing fixtures you have.
Has LED display. It is one of those water heaters that actually have touch-screen controls. It helps too that it deals in Fahrenheit (as opposed to Celsius) units.
Has advanced safety features. Those include anti-flame and anti-freezing capabilities. They keep both the water heater and the user safe.
Very compact design. Thanks to this, the heater takes so little space that it is easy to forget its presence. In that regard, it is unlike other heaters – especially those with tanks. The latter tend to take so much space that owning them becomes uncomfortable.

Cons

Only delivers 3.18 gallons per minute. While adequate for small households, bigger households many find it inadequate. That is because it is the sort of heater that may struggle with running more than two showers simultaneously. It is, however, more than adequate for one or two showers.
Only designed for indoor use. On this account, it has to be permanently fixed at home. You can’t travel around with it.
Controls may be too complex for some. While some will perceive the controls as sophisticated, there are those who would find them unnecessarily complex.

2. Rinnai V65iN Natural Gas

This is one of the natural gas tankless water heaters with the longest warranties. Consider this, for instance: the warranty for the heat exchanger stands at 120 months. The warranties for labor and parts are 12 months and 60 months respectively. The long warranty can be seen as a vote of confidence in the product by its manufacturers. They are willing to vouch for it for that long. This is also one of the natural gas tankless water heaters that are capable of being remote controlled. That is possible through Control-R 2.0 mobile app. And with a 6.5 water flow rate, it should be more than adequate for most households’ needs.

Features and capabilities

For most practical people, the most important feature in a water heater is the flow rate. In that regard, the Rinnai Indoor Tankless Hot Water Heater in question here is quite well rated. It is capable of delivering 6.5 gallons per minute. That should be enough for 2 to 3 showers running simultaneously. Alternatively, it should be capable of providing enough hot water for a couple of showers and the dishwasher running simultaneously. It is also reasonably efficient in its usage of energy. And its compact design translates into a small (space) footprint.

Pros

Reasonably high flow rate. Most households will find the 6.5 gallons per minute delivered by this heater to be adequate. Thus with this heater, you no longer have to shower in shifts. It can support 2 or even 3 showers simultaneously.
Capable of being remote controlled. This means, for instance, that you can put it into ‘vacation mode’ from afar. Or you can schedule heating from afar. These are important features for many people.
Very generous warranties. The long warranties associated with this heater translate into votes of confidence in it by its manufacturers. You also have peace of mind knowing that you are covered, should anything go wrong during the warranty period.
Compact design. This means that the heater doesn’t take too much of your precious space. Unlike tanked heaters, which sometimes take as much as half a room, this one is hardly noticeable.
Easy to find parts. Because Rinnai is a ‘big name’ in the water heaters niche, finding replacement parts (when need arises) shouldn’t be hard.

Cons

First time installation is quite hard. Some of your existing fixtures may not be compatible with this heater. You may therefore find yourself having to buy one or two items, before you can proceed with installation. And the actual installation is best done by a plumber.
Core controls are rather rudimentary. When you compare this heater with others that even have LED touch-screen controls, you can’t help being slightly underwhelmed. But its rudimentary controls do serve the purpose.
Somewhat high price. Compared to some other heaters with almost similar performance, this is a slightly pricey device.

3. Takagi T-H3-DV-N

This is one of the natural gas tankless water heaters with the highest flow rates: at 10 gallons per minute. It is a condensing water heater, and that can translate into slightly extra efficiency. The safety features in it include surge protection, anti-freeze and overheat protection. It is also one of the few natural gas tankless water heaters that don’t come with a pilot light. That translates into even more energy efficiency and safety.

Features and capabilities

This natural gas tankless water heater is capable of serving big residences and even small commercial outfits. That is thanks to its 10 gallons per minute delivery rate: which can serve even 4 showers. For sure, its price is slightly on the higher side – but with numerous features to justify it. For all its power, it is quite a compact water heater, and its installation isn’t so hard.

Pros

Very high flow rate (at 10 GPM). This basically means that you don’t have to worry about hot water supply. 10 GPM can supply 3 showers, 2 dishwashers and perhaps 2 laundry machine at the same time.
Comes with integrated controls. On this account, it is very easy to use. And you get to control output to the highest precision.
Doesn’t have a pilot light. Most of the other natural gas tankless water heaters have pilot lights. Those consume a bit of energy and cause some safety concerns. The fact that this heater operates without a pilot light translates into more safety and energy efficiency.
Conserves energy. This is mainly thanks to its copper-alloy heat transfer mechanism. That is much better than the more common stainless steel heat transfer mechanism.
May work even with PVC vent pipes. This is because it is a condensing (as opposed to non-condensing) water heater.

Cons

Slightly higher price. This is a high scale, premium water heater — sold at a premium price. May therefore not be suitable for people on very modest budgets.
Needs professional installation. It is fairly complex, meaning that for most people, DIY installation is out of question.
Makes a bit of noise. While it is not exceptionally noisy, the little sound it makes may still be uncomfortable to some people.

4. Eccotemp i12-NG Tankless Water Heater (Best Budget)

This is one of the natural gas tankless water heaters that come with electronic ignition systems. It delivers 3 gallons per minute: modest, but adequate for most people’s needs. The heater has no pilot light: which means that it has higher safety and lower energy consumption. It can be used in households with young children (because it has child lock technology). And its LED display controls give it a sleek look, whilst also making it very easy to operate.

Features and capabilities

This heater is capable of delivering 3 gallons per minute: enough for one shower. Alternatively, the 3 gallons per minute should be enough for one dishwasher and one laundry machine working simultaneously.

It is one of those heaters that don’t require a pilot light to operate. This is an important feature, because pilot light usage has been a major concern in natural gas heaters.

The fact that it uses ½ inch fittings means that it is compatible with most plumbing systems.

Pros

Very low price. This makes it affordable even to people who are operating on modest budgets.
Compatible with most plumbing systems. On this account, it can be installed in most places without need for new fixture purchases.
Easy to install. This is the sort of thing that a plumber can fix for you in an hour or so. Then you start to use it immediately.
Child-friendly. This is mainly on account of the fact that it comes with child lock technology.
Easy to operate. The LCD digital controls make it very easy to operate, and to a high degree of precision.

Cons

Modest water flow rate. 3 gallons per hour means that this heater would struggle with even serving two showers simultaneously.
Shouldn’t be used above 5,500 ft elevation. On this account, people living at such elevations can’t benefit from it.
Takes slightly more time to heat water. This can come across as a form of inefficiency to some users.

5. Rinnai Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater, V65EN-Natural Gas/ 6.3 GPM

This is one of those natural gas tankless water heaters that are designed for outdoors use. And within that category (of outdoor natural gas tankless water heaters), it has one of the better water flows. The 6.3 gallons per minute delivered by this heater is quite high. It is lightweight and compact: making it easy to transport around. It doesn’t use too much energy, and installation is fairly straightforward.

Features and capabilities

This natural gas tankless water heater is suitable for use in 2-3 bedroom settings. Its 6.3 gallons per minute output should be adequate for such settings.

Though quite powerful, this water heater doesn’t make much noise in its operation. And it uses relatively little space. But its price may appear to be on the higher side for some buyers. It also has a rather decent warranty: better than what we typically find for water heaters.

Pros

Lightweight. This means that having it shipped to where you are won’t be a hassle. Neither is it likely to inconvenience you unduly when moving houses or rearranging things.
Compact design. Because of this, it doesn’t take too much space. Neither does it appear too conspicuous in your interior design scheme.
High water flow rate. At 6.6 gallons per minute, you can be assured that you won’t run out of hot water at inconvenient points.
Little operating noise. This is the sort of heater that is hardly noticeable, on account of its quiet operation.
High energy efficiency. You end up saving considerable sums of money on low natural gas usage.

Cons

Price slightly higher. This may put it out of reach for people who don’t have much money.
Error code indicator is somewhat too active. This can be disconcerting to some first-time users.
May be incompatible with some plumbing fixtures. Because of this, you may have to buy a few new fixtures, just to accommodate this heater.

6. FOGATTI Tankless Water Heater

This natural gas tankless water heater is capable of supplying the whole house with hot water. That is mainly thanks to its 4.2 gallons per minute rating. At 4.2 GPM, you can have two or even three people showering with hot water simultaneously. This natural tankless water heater has decent energy efficiency. It is also one of those that don’t make too much noise while in use.

Features and capabilities

In terms of water flow, this heater is rated at 4.2 gallons per minute. That should be adequate for small to mid-size homes. Besides showers, this heater should be capable of working with laundry machines, dishwashers and all appliances that need hot water. For a 4.2 GPM heater, it is very reasonably priced. It uses ¾ inch water fittings though. And that can be problematic for majority of people who use ½ inch water fittings. This is one of those water heaters whose heat exchange units are made of copper. That should translate into very high efficiency.

Pros

Very reasonably priced. For a natural gas tankless water heater that delivers 4.2 gallons per minute, it is very reasonably priced.
Compact design. On account of this, you don’t have to make too many adjustments in your home to accommodate the heater.
Efficient use of energy. This is mainly on account of its copper heat exchange unit, which enhances efficiency greatly.
Good safety features. These include the anti-dry-burning protection and auto cut-off. These are critical features in a modern water heater.

Cons

Only 4.2 GPM water flow rate. Some people may find this too modest, especially for bigger homes or business settings.
Works with ¾ inch fittings. Given the fact that most homes have ½ fittings, this can be a real challenge.
Installation can be tricky. It may prove hard for anyone who is not a professional plumber to install this heater properly.

7. Noritz NRC66DVNG

Here is one of those water heaters that use the condensing (as opposed to non-condensing) mechanism. At 6.6 gallons per minute, this heater should be adequate for most residential needs. It is the sort of heater that can supply as many as 4 showers simultaneously with hot water. That is as long as no other hot water appliances are running. Alternatively, you can run a combination of 2 showers, 1 laundry machine and 1 dishwasher at the same time. So it is adequate for most households. It is also (notably) one of those heaters that come with remote thermostats. The fact that it is a condensing technology water heater means that it can be vented using PVC.

Pros

Quite easy to install. This means that once it is delivered, you can start using it within an hour or so.
Decent water flow rate. At 6.6 gallons per minute, there is endless supply of hot water for the entire household.
Tankless design. This means that the heater only starts working ‘on demand’, which therefore translates into efficiency.
Low running costs. This is mainly on account of this heaters’ economical use of natural gas.
Takes very little space. The heater has compact design, meaning that it doesn’t require too much of your space.
Very good warranty. The warranty for this heater includes 12 years for heat exchanger, 5 years for parts and 1 year for labor. That is one of the best warranty offers in this niche.

Cons

Has a slight sandwich effect. This means that you have to allow for few seconds, before you can start receiving consistent supply of heated water. That takes getting used to.
Power cord is only 6 feet long. Some may therefore feel that this is inadequate for more elaborate installations.
Makes slight noise. While the noise is not enough to be disturbing, it can nonetheless be noticeable.

Buying Guide: How to Select and What to do with a Natural Gas Water Heater?

You could be planning to buy a new natural gas heater without a tank or replace the old one. So, you have to know the vital things to consider. You will find many gas heaters with features that you want. The advertisements do not reveal all the right things. Thus, we have a few pointers that can help you decide on the best heater.

Water Demand

Before you buy a water heater, you have to check how much is your hot water demand. It can be that you are a bachelor and require less hot water. However, the large-size families and households demand more hot water. So, you can buy a gas heater that has a high flow rate and more capacity.

Installation

You can hire a professional to install a natural gas heater. Also, some of the States require you to follow some installation codes. If you know how to install it and are aware of all the legal procedures, you can install it yourself. However, it is best to use the services of an expert.

Price

The smaller capacity gas heater is compact and budget-friendly. If you have a small family, you can use up to 3GPM or more capacity. In case you have a large family, it is best to use 4GPM or more capacity heaters. However, these can be a bit pricey.

Maintenance

Natural gas heaters do not require a lot of maintenance. If you get an expert to install it, you will not face any issues or repair costs. Also, these can last up to three or five years without any problems. The limescale and hard water can damage the heaters. So, you can use a water filter that softens water for the whole house.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best place for installing a gas heater?

You can install it inside the house. The pantry, baths, laundry room, or garage can be an idle place.

Can you install the water gas heater yourself?

It is best to get help from the experts. If you know how to install it and know all about plumbing, you can do it yourself. However, the professionals know all the best methods and expertise for installation.

How long does the heater take to heat the water?

Instant gas heaters quickly heat the water and have a high flow rate.

What kind of water heaters do the experts recommend?

Experts and plumbers recommend a tankless water heater that instantly heats the water. These cost you less for utility bills. It is because they do not hold hot water and will not waste energy.

How can I lower utility bills using a gas water heater?

The tankless instant gas water heaters only deliver hot water on demand. So, when there is no need for heating water, it will stop working and save energy costs.

Conclusion

Natural gas tankless water heaters offer you a chance to save money. That is because gas heating costs are usually much lower than electric heating costs. Natural gas tankless heaters also have the best water flow rates. Your specific choice of the best natural gas tankless heater depends on your circumstances. If you want a cheaper natural gas tankless water heater, you may consider Eccotemp i12-NG Tankless Water Heater. If you want the highest GPM/water flow rate, you may consider Takagi. That is Takagi T-H3-DV-N Condensing High Efficiency Natural Gas Indoor Tankless Water Heater, 10-Gallon Per Minute, 199,000 BTU. And if you want a feature-rich natural gas tankless water heater, you may consider Rinnai. That is Rinnai Indoor Tankless Hot Water Heater / V65iN / Natural Gas / 6.3 GPM, Large, V65iN-Natural 6.5.

On our part, we endorse the 7 covered here as the best natural gas tankless water heaters.

7 Best Natural Gas Tankless Water Heater

Why use a natural gas tankless water heater?

7 Best Natural Gas Tankless Hot Water Heater

1. Camplux 12L 3.18 GPM Indoor Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater

Features and capabilities

2. Rinnai V65iN Natural Gas

Features and capabilities

3. Takagi T-H3-DV-N

Features and capabilities

4. Eccotemp i12-NG Tankless Water Heater (Best Budget)

Features and capabilities

5. Rinnai Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater, V65EN-Natural Gas/ 6.3 GPM

Features and capabilities

6. FOGATTI Tankless Water Heater

Features and capabilities

7. Noritz NRC66DVNG

Buying Guide: How to Select and What to do with a Natural Gas Water Heater?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

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Why use a natural gas tankless water heater?

7 Best Natural Gas Tankless Hot Water Heater

1. Camplux 12L 3.18 GPM Indoor Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater

Features and capabilities

2. Rinnai V65iN Natural Gas

Features and capabilities

3. Takagi T-H3-DV-N

Features and capabilities

4. Eccotemp i12-NG Tankless Water Heater (Best Budget)

Features and capabilities

5. Rinnai Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater, V65EN-Natural Gas/ 6.3 GPM

Features and capabilities

6. FOGATTI Tankless Water Heater

Features and capabilities

7. Noritz NRC66DVNG

Buying Guide: How to Select and What to do with a Natural Gas Water Heater?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

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One Comment

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