7 Best Outdoor Tankless Water Heater Reviews
“Winter is coming” might be a common dialogue from Game of Thrones, but when winter does come, getting hot water is one of our biggest problems.
Outdoor water heaters are not very common in the market and it is even rarer to find a good one.
And most importantly, many of them do not function properly if the weather is extremely cold or hostile. But a need is a need, right? The first development in water heaters happened in 1868 in London, England.
Now it has been more than almost 2 centuries, and water heaters have changed their appearances as well.
In this article, we will talk about the outdoor tankless water heater, how they work, what they do, and the 7 best products you should consider buying.
If you want to learn more about water heaters, here is an article I wrote about water heaters. I encourage you to read it!
Why Should You Buy an Outdoor Tankless Water Heater?
If you want some good reasons to buy an outdoor tankless water heater, I can provide you with some important ones.
First of all, do you live in a small house? Do you always feel everything is very congested and you don’t have enough space to install a water heater, even a tankless one? Guess what you can do? You can buy an outdoor tankless water heater.
The first benefit is, it will be mounted outside of your living space.
The second one is, it is tankless. So even being installed outside, it will take the minimum space possible.
If you have a bad piping system in your house but have a good drainage point, buying an outdoor water heater will be another reason for you.
If you have problems in your house where pipe blockages are not so uncommon. You will not be able to use an indoor water heater properly.
But if you have a good drainage point, you can have a smooth hot water experience with outdoor tankless water heaters.
7 Best Outdoor Tankless Water Heater Reviews
1. GASLAND Outdoors BE158 1.58GPM 6L (Best Outdoor Propane)
The body of the Gasland outdoor tankless water heater is made of alloy steel and copper. This water heater works on propane and propane only. The product dimensions are 11.8 x 6.1 x 17.3 inches.
This water heater is very energy saving. It can save up to 11.5% of your electricity bill. Please install a gas leak detector before installing the heater for your own safety.
This heater also requires a battery to function which by the way is not included in the product package. It weighs 10.36 Pounds.
Features and Capabilities
This Gasland gas water heater comes with all the necessary protections to ensure you and your family a safe experience every time you use the heater.
These protections include Flame failure devices, anti-freezing protection, and overheating protection. The body is made of rust-proof and corrosion-resistant metal which only makes the product durable and long-lasting.
There are some using notes that come with the product manuals.
Read them carefully. As it is a gas water heater, it will need venting. Though it is an outdoor water heater, you also install it indoors if you have a good enough piping system in your house.
2. Bosch Electric Tankless Water Heater Tronic 3000 T 2.5-Gallon
To be honest, this Bosch electric water heater is not totally tankless. It comes with a mini tank that can contain 2.5 gallons of hot water which is a little less than 9.5 litter.
The dimensions of this product are 13.75 x 10.75 x 13.75 inches. It is made in the USA.
The power rating is voltage: 120V and wattage: 1440 watts. It weighs 15.5 pounds which is a little heavier than other outdoor tankless water heaters.
But the size is very compact. So you can fit it anywhere.
Features and Capabilities
The Bosch Electric water heater provides instant hot water. It can raise the temperature of the water instantly.
It has a high power efficiency that also makes it energy-saving and a green product.
The product comes with a 6-year warranty on the unit and a 2-year warranty on the parts which is a huge advantage. It does not require any battery to function.
The installation process is very easy as well. Connect the inlet and outlet pipes and plug the electric cord into a socket and voila! You have got hot water! The heater starts to work at the exact moment it feels the cold water flowing through the inlet. It is capable enough to use in a bathtub and shower.
3. Camplux 5L 1.32 GM (Best Outdoor Propane)
The first outdoor tankless water heater on our list is from Camplux. It is an Amazon’s Choice product and has over 21 5 star ratings. It is a propane-driven; water heater with dimensions of 11.42 x 4.33 x 14.8 inches.
A lithium battery is needed for the machine to work. The average battery life is 3 months. Of course, the battery is only required if you are using the heater outdoors without any power source nearby.
This water heater can withstand pressure up to 110 PSI. The lithium battery is not included in the package. You have to buy it additionally.
Features and Capabilities
Complex 5L 1.32 GPM is an outdoor tankless water heater. Though it contains a liquid propane gas tank. It is considerably light in weight.
The product weighs only 10 pounds.
The heater can raise the water temperature by more than 45℃ in no time as soon as it feels the water flow. It can deliver 1.32 gallons of hot water per minute and the water consumption rate is 5 Lpf.
This water heater can be used for outdoor purposes with no worries. If you have a lot of pets or own a farmhouse, you can use this water heater to give your animals a comfortable wash.
This water heater can also work in both high and low water pressure.
4. Rinnai V53DeN RV53DeN (Best Natural Gas)
Rinnai is one of the most popular and trustworthy brands in the field of water heaters. The Rinnai V53DeN is made in China.
It is a gas water heater which means you have to fill the gas tank from time to time. It weighs 33 pounds. This product is available in Euro white.
Features and Capabilities
Rinnai V53DeN is a gas outdoor tankless water heater that runs on Propane, Natural gas, or V65in. The product weighs more than other products because of the gas tank capacity.
This also makes this water heater long-lasting. The outer body is made of Stainless steel which makes it rust-proof and corrosion-resistant.
This water heater is so strongly built that it can function effortlessly even in the cold hostile weather of Alaska. It is a factory-grade product which is more than enough for a house.
Moreover, the warranty offer is outstanding.
This water heater comes with a 12-year warranty on the heat exchanger, a 5-year warranty on the parts, and a whole year of full service from plumbers starting from the purchasing date.
5. VIVOHOME 1.6GMP 6L Portable Outdoor Digital Display Propane Gas Tankless Water Heater
VivoHome electric water comes with a 6L gas tank for liquid propane. This water heater requires at least 3 PSI of water pressure to function.
This product is very lightweight and has a flexible ergonomic design.
It has LED indicators to show the gas level, water temperature, and water flow rate.
The water heater requires a battery to function. This means you will get hot water even in a power outage. The dimensions of this product are 172.8 x 73.2 x 111.6 inches. The product also comes at a very reasonable price and it is available in three different colors.
Features and Capabilities
The VivoHome propane water heater works in the simplest way. You can just connect the inlet pipe to any flowing water source. The outlet pipe.
On the other hand, you can connect with just a showerhead and you will get hot water. It is very light in weight and compact in size. It has a handle on top of the body. You can carry it anywhere holding the handle.
This water heater can work at a maximum of 145 PSI of water pressure. It comes with four layers of protection methods— overheating protection, anti-freeze protection, flame-out protection, and anti-dry protection.
These protection methods save the water heater and its users from any kind of harm. This water heater can raise the water temperature up to 65°C.
6. EcoSmart ECO 11 Electric Tankless Water Heater (Amazon’s Choice)
Our lost product on this list is from EcoSmart. EcoSmart has launched a very good quality water heater over the last few years. This particular water heater of the series ECO 11 is a smart water heater.
It has the highest power efficiency possible. The dimensions are 3.75 x 8 x 11.5 in inches from which you get the idea that this product is very compact.
Features and Capabilities
The EcoSmart ECO electric tankless water heater has a power efficiency of 99% which is more than any other product. This is an Amazon’s Choice product that is shipped internationally.
It delivers water endlessly, instantly, and on-demand. It has an LED display.
You can easily know the water temperature and flow rate from it.
This product also comes with a lifetime warranty on electronics, heat exchangers, and elements. This electric water heater even works on hard water.
7. Gesail Electric Immersion UL-Listed Bucket with 304 Stainless-steel Guard Submersible Bucket Water Heater
The Gesail electric immersion water heater is a portable device. You can use it like any other water heater. The dimension of this product is 3 x 3 x 14.7 inches and it weighs only 1.8 pounds.
It requires 120 volts and 1500 watts to function. Please remember this when plugging the machine.
It has over 1400 ratings on Amazon. The product includes one electric immersion heater and a user manual.
Features and Capabilities
The Geasail water heater is made of stainless steel. So you don’t have to worry about corrosion or rust. It does not require any installation.
Just plug it into an electric power point and dip the head in the water. Wait a few minutes. You will get your hot water. It is extremely lightweight and takes minimal space.
You can even carry it in your backpack. This water heater can heat the water of a bathtub (approximately 20 gallons or 60 liters of water) in 10 minutes.
It comes with a 2-year warranty. If you are a camper, this water heater could not be more suitable for you.
Buyer’s Guide
Before buying an outdoor tankless water heater, you need to consider some factors first.
Most outdoor water heaters may not function well if the outdoor temperature is very low. So if you are living in countries like Canada, Finland, etc. an outdoor water heater might not be the best option.
Secondly, you will not be satisfied with your outdoor tankless water heater if you do not have a good drainage point.
If you are buying a water heater that is also tankless, you must remember that these water heaters are instant. They do not store any hot water.
So, if you live in an area where power outage is a common phenomenon, there is a big possibility you will not have access to hot water in these types of situations.
After considering these scenarios if you think that an outdoor tankless water heater suits you, then congratulations! Now let’s come to the point of what you should do to buy one of those.
These heaters are not that expensive. But still, you should determine a specific budget. If you have to buy a gas tankless water heater, give attention to the tank.
As long as the gas tank is not empty, the heater will run.
So get the heater with the right tank capacity according to the number of your family members.
There are some gas heaters that work on batteries. If you have a hobby like hiking, camping, these water heaters will really come in handy.
Some water heaters come with free installation from the company.
If the heater you are buying has that kind of facility, take full advantage of it. Also, buy an outdoor tankless water heater that has a good guarantee or warranty offer.
How an Outdoor Tankless Water Heater Works
An outdoor water heater can be either gas-driven or works on electricity. It has the same function as an indoor water heater. Let’s know how both types of water heater work in short—
Gas Outdoor Tankless Water Heater: This type of water heater is called tankless because it does not have a tank to store hot water. But in reality, this water heater does come with a tank.
The purpose of this tank is to contain gas. Propane is mostly used in outdoor tankless water heaters.
In a gas tankless water heater, there is a component called the heat exchanger.
When the cold water flows through the inlet pipe, there is a motion sensor in the heater that signals cold water entering the heater. This is what triggers the whole heating process.
As soon as the heater gets the massage, propane is burned in the burn chamber and heats the heat exchanger very quickly.
The cold water passes through the heat exchanger which raises the water’s temperature. Then now hot water goes through the outlets and thus you have hot water.
Electric Outdoor Tankless Water Heater: The function of an electric tankless water heater is very easy. It does not have a heat exchanger. What it has in a metal coil.
There are some portable, easy to use, electric water heaters you will see in the market. The function of a tankless electric water heater is quite the same.
The cold water enters the water heater through the inlet pipe, and the flowing motion alerts the heater to start working. There is a metal coil inside the heater that has a high resistance.
This coil hardly lets any electricity pass through it. And while resisting the electricity, it becomes hot, very hot.
An electric heater lets the water in contact with this hot metal coil which exchanges heat with cold water. In this process, the water gains temperatures and passes through the outlet pipe.
In portable electric heaters, you have to dip the coil in the cold water. That is how it works. It is basic thermodynamics.
FAQ
Between outdoor and indoor water heaters, which one is better?
Both water heaters are good. But one of them might suit your needs better than the other.
What is the best outdoor tankless water heater?
There are many good brands in the market. Among them, Rinnai is doing a very great job according to the customer ratings and reviews.
How much does an outdoor tankless water heater cost?
The price of an outdoor tankless water heater starts from 140 USD.
Conclusion
So this was our article on Outdoor tankless water heaters. I hope you have found the article helpful and encouraging. Stay safe, save a lot of water, and don’t forget to use green energy.
