What Is the Best Electric Tankless Water Heater for RVing?

RVing with hot water is a luxury that isn’t always as readily available as you might want. 

At least, not as quickly as you’d want– which is where an electric water heater comes in.

Reviews of electric water heaters are mixed in the RV community, with some reporting that they don’t necessarily provide faster hot water (or for longer). 

However, others swear by them and the added convenience of unlimited hot water. 

So, it’s important to look into the brands you’re considering and read online reviews before buying.

With that said, below we’ll break down what an electric water heater is, how they work, as well as the best electric water heaters and tips for choosing one.

Let’s take a look!

What Is an Electric Water Heater?

An electric water heater uses electricity to heat your water supply as opposed to the traditional gas power.

Electric water heaters can use tanks like normal water heaters, but there are also tankless variants that heat water right on the spot.

How Do Electric Water Heaters Work?

An electric water heater uses either a 120 or 240-volt electrical current to generate heat via the heating apparatus that then transfers that heat into the water tank.

This process is super fast compared to the traditional propane powered water heater, which means you can typically get hot water within a matter of seconds.

And while that might be oversimplifying things a bit (some propane water heaters heat water just as fast), in general electric water heaters are known for heating water very fast and with a continuous flow. 

3 Best Electric Tankless Water Heaters

Now, let’s talk about some good choices for electric water heaters.

1. Bosch Mini Tronic 3000

The Bosch Mini Tronic 3000 electric water heater is the best reviewed water heater on the list and comes in at under $240, which is middle of the pack in terms of price. 

It offers virtually everything you’d want from an electric water heater, though the GPM may be a little low for some at 1.8. Thermal efficiency is high which is great for energy efficiency and it is EnergyStar certified. 

It’s also one of the most compact electric water heaters around, so it takes up very little relative space.

2. EcoSmart ECO

The EcoSmart ECO electric tankless water heater is a great pick if you have a large family that need lots of power (i.e. GPMs). 

At over 3 GPMS and 75,000 BTUs, it will be sufficient for most moderately-sized family’s needs. It also has features like manual temperature control.

Despite its power, it’s still surprisingly affordable at under $190 making it the best all-around choice on this list.

3. Ariston Aures Slim Multi

The Ariston Aures Slim Multi is our final option on the list and takes its spot as the most affordable at under $130. 

It doesn’t have quite the rating and dependability that the others have, but it does come with a two year parts warranty and six-year warranty to protect from leaks.

While the Ariston Aures is another compact electric water heater, it actually pushes out above 2 GPMs, which is surprisingly high for its size but still a bit low for large families.

4 Tips for Choosing a Water Heater

Before you invest in an electric water heater (or a new water heater of any kind), there are a few things you should consider. 

Don’t invest in a new water heater before knowing the answer to these questions:

1. What is the flow rate of the water heater?

Flow rate refers to how much water can pour out of the water heater in a specific period of time, measured in GPMs (gallons per minute). 

This isn’t really relevant with sink use but it does come into play when showering, where you’ll need a GPM of 2.5 or higher.

2. What is your consumption level?

Consumption level refers to how much water you use on a regular basis, not just over the course of a day but more importantly the highest amount of water you pull from your tank at any given moment in time.

If you’re sometimes running the sink and shower simultaneously, you’ll want to know how much total GPMs you’re using on those occasions to determine a more accurate and comfortable flow rate for you rather than just taking each water source individually.

3. Is the water heater energy efficient?

As we’ve touched on already, not all water heaters are created equal. This is one of the major ways they can differ.

It’s important to know how much available power you have and how energy efficient you need your water heater to be. 

In general, we suggested several tankless water heaters above because they tend to be more energy efficient.

4. How effectively does the water heater heat water?

Electric water heaters are sought after because of their ability to quickly heat water, but even among electric water heaters that differs.

BTUs, or British Thermal Units, refers to a water heater’s ability to heat water. The higher the BTUs the better, with something around 10,000 being low, 20,000 possibly being sufficient if your water needs are low, and 30,000 being more optimal for the average RVer wanting to heat their shower.

Consider Your Options 

If an electric water heater is something you’d like to invest in, make sure you take note of the points we just covered and take the time to study your options. There are a lot out there, but they don’t all perform equally. 

Find the one that fits what you’re looking for, read online reviews, and watch showcases of the electric water heater you want.

The more research you do ahead of time, the more likely you’ll be happy with your investment and find an electric water heater that performs.