Electric water heaters are one of the most common appliances purchased by households today. Water heaters are necessary to provide basic needs, but bad equipment can lead to failures, flooding, and a host of other problematic events. By using informational electric water heater reviews to locate the best makes and models that are available, the negative outcomes don’t have to be an expected outcome any more.
Here Is the Best Chart for Electric Water Heaters
The best electric water heater can look different for every home. Tankless, portable, and traditional models all exist in today’s market. The chart below will help to make the selection process a little easier today.
| Picture | Name | Our Rating | Wattage | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ecosmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater | 4.3 | 27.0 kW | $$$ |
 | Stiebel Eltron Tempra 29 Plus Electric Tankless Whole House Water Heater | 4.3 | 28.8 kW | $$$$ |
 | Rheem RTE 13 Electric Tankless Water Heater | 4.0 | 13.0 kW | $ |
 | Stiebel Eltron Tempra 24 Plus Electric Tankless Whole House Water Heater | 4.6 | 24.0 kW | $$$$ |
 | Rheem RTE 9 Electric Tankless Water Heater | 4.0 | 9.0 kW | $ |
 | Reliance 6 6 SOMS K 6 Gallon Compact Electric Water Heater | 4.0 | 1.65 kW | $$ |
 | Stiebel Eltron Tempra 20 Plus Electric Tankless Whole House Water Heater | 3.8 | 19.2 kW | $$$$ |
 | Ecosmart ECO 18 Electric Tankless Water Heater | 4.1 | 18.0 kW | $$ |
 | King's Electrical KS-94 Electric Tankless Water Heater | 4.0 | 9.9 kW | $ |
 | EcoSmart ECO 11 Electric Tankless Water Heater | 4.5 | 13.0 kW | $$ |
| Picture | Name | Our Rating | Wattage | Price |
Why Choose the Best Electric Water Heater?
The most obvious reason to choose one of the best electric water heaters on the market today is because it eliminates the need for gas as fuel. Although electrical models go out when the power goes out, some gas models have the same problem. Instead of installing a new gas line, installing a new 240v outlet is more cost effective.
Electric water heaters also have more installation options in the average home. Vent free models can even be installed in a bedroom if desired since they are so quiet and emit zero emissions. Even when venting is required, the building code requires for electrical models are generally less restrictive than gas models.
The best electric water heater is also going to have less of an environmental impact. They can be run on solar energy, wind energy, and other renewable resources. Natural gas units all require fossil fuels and deposit carbon into the atmosphere. This means a household could potentially have a whole house system in place and still be off the grid.
What Are the Different Types of Electric Water Heaters?
Homeowners are able to select from three basic types of electric water heaters today.
- Traditional models. These water heaters are what many homes have right now. There is a large tank that is used, often 50 gallons or less, and water enters the tank and is heated from the top, bottom, or both. Some more modern units are using a heat pump system which operates similar to your refrigerator, but in reverse. When called upon, the hot water leaves the tank and heads to the faucet, shower, or bath. Expansion tanks may also be available.
- Portable models. An RV, a boat, or an outbuilding can all benefit from portable electric water heaters. Instead of running on 240v, these models typically run on 110v – a standard household outlet. They are generally low powered and have low capacities, but are perfect for 1-2 people in a wide variety of settings.
- Tankless models. These water heaters hook directly into a home’s plumbing and will heat the water when called upon instantly. They work because of an element that heats up when hot water is requested. This means a home can have unlimited hot water if the demand is within the charted flow rates of the equipment.
The advantage of the traditional water heater is that replacing a malfunctioning one is pretty easy. Just swap out the equipment and the job is done in an hour or two, even if some soldering is required. The advantage of the portable water heater is that they can go virtually anywhere to provide hot water and still function as a whole home solution for cabins, small 2 bedroom homes, and other limited situations. Tankless models have the advantage in the fact that they provide more hot water and have lower overall utility costs.
How To Find the Best Electric Water Heater For You
The first step in determining the best electric water heater is to determine what your needs may be. Are you consistently running the washing machine and dishwasher? If so, a water heater that can only support 1-2 faucets on simultaneously isn’t going to be the right investment to make. You’ll need an electric water heater that has a 6.0 GPM flow rate at minimum.
The size of your family also matters. The average person will use about 11,000 gallons of water per year in all uses. That equates to about 1.5 GPM in personal needs. A family of 4 will be able to use a 6.0 GPM water heater pretty easily. A family of 6, however, would likely need a 9.0 GPM water heater. By using the best electric water heater reviews, your home water center can be given the perfect make and model to meet its needs.
The style of water heater is also important. A 50-gallon tank will take up a lot of space. A tankless water heater can be difficult to install and expensive for a large family. By weighing the pros and cons with the information that the reviews can provide, the best water heater can be found.
What Are the Prices of Electric Water Heaters Today?
The best electric water heater could have a price tag that is above $2,000. Water heaters at this price point have a 9+ GPM, large tank capacities if a traditional model, or more efficiencies if a tankless model. In the $500-$900 range are most electric water heaters and these have different strengths in each make and model that make them attractive to specific homeowners.
Portable and entry-level whole house models are generally in the $200-$300 range. These have limited capacities, but also tend to work on standard 110v outlets. Sometimes two portable or entry-level tankless options could be cheaper than one upper level water heater and provide similar results if they can work in conjunction with each other. The online reviews here can help you determine if that is a possible with certain makes and models.
What Do Our Reviews Have to Say?
Ecosmart ECO 27 Electric Tankless Water Heater
The reason why hot water heaters cost so much to operate annually is because they are constantly heating the water in their tanks so that it is ready for use. The Ecosmart ECO27 provides hot water on demand instead by feeding the water through a heated element. This means when you don’t need hot water, your hot water heater isn’t running. It does usually require a 200-amp service, so some homes may need an upgrade, so be sure to speak with your utility agency about local service before purchase.
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Stiebel Eltron Tempra 29 Plus Electric Tankless Whole House Water Heater
This tankless water heater will sense the flow rates of the water coming through the system, allowing it to adapt to any use. Instead of being blasted with super hot water or intensely cold water in a shower should someone open up a faucet, the Stiebel Eltron Tempra 29 will automatically adjust the temperature of the water to match the flow rate that is being experienced. Its construction is tight and compact, giving homeowners an easy installation wherever their hot water source needs to be. For those who want a better hot water experience, this is the equipment to purchase today – there is no doubt about it.
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Rheem RTE 13 Electric Tankless Water Heater, 4 GPM
Instead of being forced to use the same level of power for all hot water needs, the Rheem 13 modulates power to meet needs. You won’t be forced to consume power just for the sake of consuming power. This means you’ll be conserving energy by only using the heating elements when you have a need for hot water and nothing more. It’s more of a point of use water heater for most homes, but smaller properties may be able to use this as a whole home solution if necessary. If there aren’t enough amps that are available, the lights of the home may flicker when the unit engages.
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Ecosmart ECO 18 Electric Tankless Water Heater
Many tankless water-heating systems will modulate the temperature of the water to work with the current demand of a flow rate. What the Ecosmart ECO 18 offers is one of the best temperature modulation systems that are available in the world today. Whether you’re using 10% of its capacity or 90% of the capacity, if you’ve used the digital remote to set the temperature at 106F, then that’s always the temperature you’ll receive. You’ll save money instantly, get more hot water, and eventually this system will pay for itself.
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Rheem RTE 9 Electric Tankless Water Heater
In practical terms, homeowners are going to find that for most plumbing installations, there will be about a 30 degree temperature rise in the water at the source when the Rheem RTE 9 is installed. That’s at 3 gallons per minute. If your source water is 50 degrees in winter, therefore, the maximum temperature to receive will be 80 degrees at the tap, which may not be suitable to meet some point of use needs. For the home, you’ll need a #8 wire, which is similar to an electrical stove. Installing it takes a couple of hours if you’re a DIY’er, but if there isn’t a tankless heater already on site, a professional installation may be necessary.
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The best electric water heater reviews will help you determine which unit will best meet your needs. Use this information today to select your next electric water heater and you will save time and money during the shopping process.
