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Best Water Heaters that Are Cost Friendly and Energy Efficient

When it comes to activities involving water, either bathing, dishwashing, or swimming, most of you would agree that the preferred option would be warming it up before use, right? More so during the cold winter season. It’s biology. The water is simply more in tune with our body temperatures, healthier, and frankly, hot water is just way more enjoyable to use.

In the old days, people also enjoyed the privilege of hot water, achieving this using coal heaters or firewood. Technology eventually came to haste the process with the invention of gas heaters, and now we have the much faster electric water heaters. These heaters use an electrical component to make the water hot, and can also be either tank-less or tanked. Tank-less work by rapidly heating water as it passes through the system. Tanked, on the other hand, have some kind of container storage where water is heated up before being let into your taps.

With recent regulations, it has become mandatory that these heaters operate with less electrical demands. To help you in the quest for the most efficient, yet cost-friendly water heater out there, we’ve done our research and compiled a list of the best water heaters out there. There’s an option for everyone!

Top 10 Water Heaters of 2020 Reviewed

1. Camplux ME25 Mini Tank Electric Water Heater

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2. American Standard CE-12-AS 12-Gallon Point Of Use Electric Water Heater

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3. Stiebel Eltron Tankless Water Heater

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4. Rheem 240V 2 Heating Chambers RTEX-18 Residential Tankless Water Heater

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5. Tankless Water Heater ECOTOUCH 9KW 240V

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6. EcoSmart ECO 11 Electric Tankless Heater

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7. Thermoflow UT10 2.6-Gallons Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater

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8. Camp Chef HWD5 Triton Water Heater

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9. Bosch Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater

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10. ECOTOUCH Electric Tankless Water Heater

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Choosing The Best Water Heater – The  Ultimate Buying Guide


Are you in need of a water heater? It is something you cannot do without, especially when it comes to the provision of hot water in your bathroom or kitchen. But you cannot simply go to the market and pick just any water heater.

You need to consider a number of factors including the type, energy source, size, and cost considerations. Here is a detailed buying guide that should take you through what you need to know as you go to the market searching for a good water heater.

The Type Of Water Heater


Before you settle on a particular water heater model, you need to be sure what type it is. There are five types of water heaters, but for this review, let’s cover the three most common ones you might want to consider. They include the conventional heater, solar-powered heater, and tankless water heaters. Let us look at each of these water heater types in greater detail.

  • Conventional Water Heater: This type of water heater usually has a pressurized storage tank. It heats the water externally using natural gas, oil, propane or electricity. The tank holds the water at the given temperature levels waiting to be drawn through a tap. Usually, a conventional water heater is less expensive. Since it stores water in a tank, it enables you to get all the water you need when you want it. Unlike the smaller heaters, this particular machine can channel water through several pipes.
  • Solar-Powered Heater: In order to avoid spending money on electricity or gas, you might want to consider buying a solar-powered one. It comes with a solar panel, which converts sun rays into an electric current. The electricity produced is used to power the water heater. Because of the way they work, solar-powered water heaters might be slightly costlier. It uses renewable energy and is, therefore, good for the environment.
  • Tankless Water Heater: From its name, this is a water heater without a water tank. When cold water leaves a pipe, it enters the machine. It is heated using propane, gas or electricity and released through a faucet. Tankless water heaters provide hot water within the first few seconds of getting turned on. In short, you don’t have to wait until the water fills the tank for it to be heated. They also ensure that you are able to save a lot of money in terms of energy costs.

Energy Efficiency

Since you need the energy to operate a water heater, the extent to which it is energy-efficient is an important consideration. Given that a heater can last for between 8 and 10 years, the energy saved over time will result in substantial savings.

Most water heaters have their energy efficiency rating stated in terms of a percentage or decimal. For example, most energy-efficient models can save energy by up to 98 percent or a factor of 0.98. If it is gas-powered, then it should burn without producing smoke for it to be considered energy-efficient.

Type Of Fuel It Uses

Electric heaters may be powered using fuel types such as electricity or gas. Electric water heaters rely on electricity to operate. They have heating elements, which convert electricity into heat. The heating elements are usually immersed in a tank of water to do the heating. To use them, you need to have access to an electric outlet.

Still, there are water heaters that use natural gas as a source of fuel. This can be in the form of kerosene, oil or LP. If propane, it will be channeled through a pipe to the machine itself. When it comes to affordability, gas is considered to be better than electricity. Also, operations in your home will continue, even when there is a power outage. That means you can have your shower as usual without having to wait for power to be restored.

Size And Capacity Of Water Heater

While some water heaters come with tanks, others don’t. When considering the size of the tank, the capacity of water heaters varies from one model to another. Thus, it is important to consider just how much a water heater will be able to hold in its tank. But that is not enough. Another important aspect of capacity is the device’s recovery time, which refers to the speed with which a heater can heat water.

Water heaters with storage tanks may have a capacity of between 2.5 to 120 gallons. Thus, you can pick a water heater size depending on your needs. If you have a large family, then the tank needs to be of a higher capacity. However, if you have a few people going to use the water, you can have a smaller tank. Take note of the fact that large capacity water tanks may take longer to heat.

Now, let us look at the recovery time. When it comes to the gas-powered machines, the recovery time is defined in terms of the BTU. For example, the propane water heater might have 32000 BTU for 12 gallons. This defines how efficient the water heater is. Thus, a water heater with a higher BTU and greater efficiency will have a higher recovery time.

As for the electric heater, they may have one element with a wattage of 5500 or two elements with the wattage of 4500 each. In that case, two elements with lower wattage can heat the water faster than one with a higher wattage. Recovery time refers to the number of water gallons a water heater can release in a given time at a temperature of 90°F. So, as not to be caught unawares, you should look carefully at these metrics. Also, remember to consider the amount of water you need in your home.

Safety And Warranty

It is foolish to buy a water heater just because of what it can do for you. Another thing to consider is how safe it is to use. There are several safety features that a water heater might have. For example, some have the self-modulating function, which changes the inlet power depending on the flow of water and set temperature. Other safety features include an automatic shut-off function, temperature lock, and free protection.

Even as you consider safety, you also must pay attention to whether the product has a valid warranty or not. If it has a warranty, you will be protected from possible loss when the water heater fails to work as expected. For example, the manufacturer would repair and maintain a water heater under the warranty. If it stops working for no apparent reason, you will receive a replacement water tank without paying for it.

How Affordable Is It?

When all is said and done, the biggest determinant on whether you can afford a water heater or not is the price. Once you have several products that tick all the right boxes, you should narrow down to the price. In the same category, pick a model you can truly afford.

While the more expensive ones that can handle more capacity tend to cost in thousands of dollars, smaller models, especially those designed for counters are a bit affordable, shooting a few hundred dollars.

It’s all about what you want, but again you shouldn’t compromise on key features just because you want to buy a cheaper product.

Conclusion

With the reviews and buying guide above, you should find the process of buying a water heater to be a little straightforward. Sift through the ten products we have reviewed to see if what you are looking for is listed there. If not, then the buying guide should take you a long way in your quest for the best water heater.

Written by Erin Porteous

For the past ten years Erin Porteous enjoyed the freedom of being an independent purveyor of creative services. I specialize in crafting and producing scripts for radio and TV commercials for businesses of all sizes. Moving into the web past 2 years I've been part of LR family driven by a passion for finding simple solutions to complex problems.

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