Gas water heaters are the ultimate go-to when you are looking for an economical efficient heater for a family’s water heating needs.
If you are here, then you have already decided you want to get a water heater. What you need to know now is how to get the best there is on the market that’s suited for your needs.
In this guide, I have put together reviews for the best gas water heaters to make your choice easy!
Best Gas Water Heaters Reviews
This is a list of the best natural gas heaters on the market. Here is all you need to know about them to pick one that’s best suited for your needs.
Rheem RTG-84XLN-1 Gas Grey Tankless Water Heater
No one likes getting into the shower and getting hit by a burst of cold water because your water heater takes so long to get the water hot. I do not like it one bit, and I’m sure you don’t either.
Apart from the inconvenience of having to wait for the water to heat up, it’s also wasteful. Think of all the water wasted! This will be a thing of the past if you get this water heater.
This heater instantly heats the water the moment you turn on the faucet, which means you will be saving a lot of water.
With an energy efficiency rating of 82 UEF, this heater is also economical when it comes to energy consumption. The heater is designed to work even with a low-pressure flow of 26 gallons per minute, so you won’t have to go without hot water even when there is scarce water.
You can get an output of up to 8.4 gallons per minute with this heater, but this may be lower depending on the temperature of the incoming water. With the remote control system, you can accurately adjust the water temperature.
Rheem’s tankless water heater has a heat output of 157,000 BTUs that can provide water for several simultaneous outputs. With the low NOx function, you don’t need complicated venting as this heater produces minimal toxic fumes.
With freeze protection of up to -30°F, you know this heater is good for use even in extremely low temperatures.
Pros
- Instant hot water
- Multiple simultaneous outputs of up to 3 bathrooms
- Minimal toxic fumes
- Functional even in low supply of water
- Remote control
Cons
- Only for outdoor installation
Rinnai V65IN 6.5 GPM-Tankless Water Heater
If you are looking for a heater that you can install indoors instead, then this is the ideal choice for you. It has a compact design too, which means you don’t need much space for its installation.
Unlike traditional tank water heaters, you don’t need to wait for the water to get hot when you turn on the faucet. This helps save a lot of water because you no longer need to run the taps before you start receiving hot water.
You get an unlimited amount of hot water at any time. You will no longer need to schedule activities like showering, laundry, or dishwashing around a limited amount of hot water. Plus, with an efficiency rate of 96%, you can be sure that this heater will consume the least amount of energy while giving you the service you deserve.
The heater can run a flow rate of up to 6.5GPM of hot water but this rate can vary depending on the incoming water temperature. Colder water temperatures mean you will have a lower output rate.
Unlike conventional tank water heaters, the life expectancy for this water heater is up to 20 years. This is almost double the life expectancy of conventional tank heaters. This is reflected in the heater’s 10-year warranty for the heat exchanger, 1 year for the labor, and 5 years for the parts.
Unlike other heaters that might require you to replace the whole system when one of the parts fails, this heater’s parts are readily available and easy to swap to keep enjoying it for longer.
With the mobile app, you have great control over every detail of your water heating needs.
Pros
- An unlimited amount of hot water
- 0.96 energy factor
- Impressive warranty
- Mobile app for remote control
- Compact design that doesn’t take up much space
- Budget friendly price
Cons
- You need a specialist for the installation
Marey GA10LP 3.1 GPM Tankless Water Heater
Get an unlimited supply of hot water when you need it with the Marey GA10LP tankless water heater.
The heater features a compact design that means you don’t need much space to install this heater in your home.
If you prefer doing the installation of your home appliances yourself, then you will love that this heater is easy to install and you can comfortably do it yourself.
You can control both the water output and the gas used, which allows you to control the water temperature in return. The 87% energy efficiency rate means this heater is highly efficient. And with the 3.1 gallons per minute flow rate, you can get hot water at different output points simultaneously.
If you are shopping for a water heater for your home on a tight budget, then you will love the price at which this heater is sold. The 5-year warranty on this heater means that you will not be taking a risk by getting one.
Pros
- Heats water when needed which saves energy
- Unlimited supply of hot water
- Compact design takes up minimal space
- Easy to install
- Affordable price
Cons
- Needs venting which is not included
Rinnai V Series Tankless Water Heater for Outdoor Installation
This is another excellent heater you can get for home use. You will always have an unlimited supply of hot water for your hot water needs.
The up to 5.3 gallons per minute water flow allows you multiple simultaneous access points. While you may have to wait for the water to run for a while as you wait for hot water to start running with conventional heaters, with this tankless heater you get hot water as soon as you turn on the faucet. This helps greatly in conserving water in your home.
The mobile app that comes with this heater puts this heater’s control at your fingertips. You can conveniently schedule hot water production. And the compact design of this tank means you just need a small space to install it. There is also minimal CO2 emission, and since you will be installing this heater outside, you will not need any venting.
Rinnai water heater parts are readily available, which means you can easily swap them when you need to, instead of having to buy a whole new system. While traditional water heaters have a life expectancy of about 10 years, this heater’s life expectancy is double that at 20 years. You will be enjoying it for a long time while using up to 40% less energy than you would use with traditional water heaters.
You have a low risk when you get this heater for your home’s hot water needs, and that is reflected in its impressive warranty of 10 years.
Pros
- Impressive warranty
- Unlimited supply of hot water
- Helps you reduce your heating energy consumption by up to 40%
- Mobile app for convenient remote control
- Instant hot water when needed
- 5.3-gallon water flow for possible multiple simultaneous access points
Cons
- You can only install this heater outdoors
Considerations for Getting the Best Gas Water Heater
If you are looking to get a gas water heater that’s best suited for your home’s hot water needs, then there are some guidelines that you should keep in mind to help pick the most suitable one. Here are the most important considerations.
The Flow Heater’s Flow Rate
A heaters flow rate indicates how much hot water you can get from a heater at one given time depending on the temperature of the groundwater. It’s normally indicated in terms of gallons per minute.
A high flow rate means you will a bigger volume of hot water for your domestic use. If you have a large family, you might need to get a heater with a higher flow rate than if you had a small family.
Energy Efficiency
Most gas heaters will indicate information on the energy efficiency rate. This refers to the percentage at which the energy supplied is converted to heat. Ideally, the efficiency rate should be at 100%, but this is not always the case.
When you are shopping for a gas water heater, you should get one with a figure closest to 100%, while not compromising on other important considerations.
Are the Parts Replaceable?
Sometimes a part of a heater can break, and if the parts are not readily available, you might be forced to replace the whole heating unit.
If the parts are readily available, on the other hand, you just swap the damaged part and continue to enjoy the heater. This is important to keep in mind when making your purchase decision.
Warranty
A heater’s warranty is an important consideration to have in mind. Heaters can cost a lot and when you finally get one for your home, you want to get one that can last for a long time and remain in good condition. You may not always tell which one can do both those things, but it’s good to have one where you are cushioned from the loss that can be caused by damage.
A long warranty also means that the manufacturers believe in their product and are willing to help customers with issues regarding their product.
Size
You should also have the size of the heater in mind. If you don’t have much storage space for the heater, then you need to get a small heater that can fit into the available space you have.
Mostly, tankless heaters don’t take up much space because they don’t have the holding tank which makes traditional heaters bulky.
Energy Cost
The running cost of a heater is the cost of heating the energy required to run it. Most heaters indicate the percentage of energy costs you will be saving in comparison to old heaters. The best indication, however, is the energy factor. The higher the energy factor, the lower the running cost in most cases.
You should avoid a heater with a high running cost even when they are cheaper. This is because, in the long run, this heater will be expensive.
Best Water Heater Frequently Asked Questions
1) What’s the best water heater to buy?
As I have already explained, getting the best water heater requires you to consider some factors. This mostly depends on an individual home hot water needs. For instance, when you have a large family, you might want to get a gas water heater, because they are much more cost effective when it comes to heating a large volume of water.
2) How long should a water heater last?
A heater’s life expectancy depends on many factors, such as the type of water heater. Tank water heaters are more prone to corrosion, leakages, and sediment build-up. Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, are not prone to these issues and therefore last longer.
3) Tankless water heaters are expensive. Are they worth the price?
In comparison to tank heaters, tankless heaters can be more expensive. So, are they worth the extra cost? Yes. While the initial cost of a tankless water heater is high, you will recover this money in the long run in terms of the running cost.
A tankless water heater heats water as it runs through the system which means there is no standby energy required like in the tank heaters. This significantly lowers the running cost.
Conclusion
Choosing a great gas water heater can be hard sometimes because of the many options available for you to choose from. I hope this guide helped educate you on how to pick the best water heater and also provided you with a suitable choice for your home’s hot water needs.
All the heaters reviewed on this guide are great choices but I think that Rheem RTG-84XLN-1 is a solid choice. You should check it out!