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Nobody wants to give up the comfort of a hot shower or bath, especially during winter, but if you’re looking for ways to live more efficiently when it comes to energy, you may be hoping for a solution.
A tankless water heater is just one option you have, and it’s an easy enough system that you can install one for yourself at home to reap the benefits.
Finding the best propane tankless water heater to help you achieve your energy efficiency goal can be overwhelming though.
With many of these products coming onto the market as people look for ways to live a greener lifestyle, just trying to sort your way through all of the specifications and features can be tough.
What is the best tankless propane water heater on the market, then?
A quality water heater should be efficient in how fast it heats water, a good hot water flow rate, and other features like app control and easy installation to sweeten the deal. Depending on your home and its hot water requirements, you’re likely to find one that suits your needs exactly.
To make matters easier, we’ve compiled some of the best propane tankless water heater reviews to come up with a definitive list.
From this list, you’ll be able to find the system that’ll work for your household and help you achieve energy efficiency in your water heating, allowing you to reduce your impact on the planet even further.
The market for energy-efficient alternatives is booming, and when it comes to finding the best rated propane tankless water heater, it can be hard to narrow them down.
We’ve hand selected our favorites for the best water heaters, and a bit about what they have to offer, so you no longer have to search far and wide just to be more energy efficient.
Best Propane Tankless Water Heater – Reviews & Buying guide for 2020
Winner: Rinnai V65IP Tankless Water Heater
- Size: 14.04 x 9.27 x 26.90 inches
- Wattage: 120V
- Type: Propane
Rinnai offers endless hot water for your home with an energy efficient touch thanks to their V65IP Tankless Water Heater.
Powered by propane, this tank would suit a smaller family of three or four or a single or couple, and it measures 14.04 x 9.27 x 26.90 inches for a much more compact way to keep your home’s water heated.
This one tank can provide hot water for up to five fixtures at home, which should be more than enough for smaller households.
The best thing about this tankless water heater, according to reviewers, is how quickly it heated water.
At some times, and depending on the temperature of the water going through the pipes, you’ll be waiting at maximum of 60 seconds for it to reach full heat, but considering how little energy it uses to get the job done, you’ll be amazed at how fast it works.
The only downside people mentioned with this water heater from Rinnai is that you had to purchase an additional venting kit, which was never in the initial description.
If you’re planning on setting the whole thing up, you’ll want to purchase this at the same time, otherwise, you’ll be in for a long part to get all of the parts at your house on time and ready for installation.
The Rinnai V65IP Tankless Water Heater has a hot water flow rate of 6.5 GPM depending on the temperature of the groundwater. There’s also a control app that lets you change schedules and other features from your smartphone, which further adds to this water heater’s efficiency.
This tankless system uses 40% less energy than a standard hot water tank, and it’s smaller than the size of a standard suitcase.
As the pipes heat the water as they go, and not in the tank before they even start traveling, it’s a simple and effective way to cut a lot from your utility bills and do your part for the planet at home.
Rinnai offers a residential factory warranty for 120 months on the heat exchanged, 60 months for parts, and 12 months for labor. The V65IP is the best propane tankless hot water heater for smaller households and one of the most efficient on the market.
Runner Up: Camplux 12 Indoor Natural Gas Water Heater
- Size: 14.4 x 4.7 x 25.4 inches
- Wattage: 42 watts
- Type: Natural gas
When you want to be eco-friendly but economical at the same time, the best tankless water heater propane doesn’t power is the Camplux 12L Indoor Water Heater.
This heater relies on natural gas to do its work and has an average efficiency rating of 3.18GPM which is great for its price, and it comes with an easy installation process that is ideal for tiny houses, cabins, and remote apartments.
Customers loved this water heater for how safe it was, and there was no need to feel concerned with all of the safety measures they had in place.
Even installing the system yourself is easy and with features like dry combustion and anti-freezing protection, it’s very hard to do any harm with it. Camplux is one of the only brands to have round the clock customer service as well, for even more peace of mind.
As a smaller heater, it’s not the most capable of delivering hot water to a whole house so don’t expect anything too powerful.
Some customers noted just one faucet at a time would reach the higher temperatures so if you plan on switching to any kind of gas water heater to provide for a large house or family, you’ll be sorely disappointed with this one.
The Camplus 12L Indoor Natural Gas Water Heater comes with a black glossy front panel and glossy touchscreen, making it easy to adjust the settings as you need.
The unit measures 14.4 x 4.7 x 25.4 inches so it’s a good compact size and ideal for smaller homes and cabins who don’t want anything overpowering. You’ll get all of the parts you need to mount it to the wall and keep it hidden away while it does its work.
Camplux has included everything you need to install the system, including ½” NPT water fittings and a 2.3-inch horizontal venting pipe.
Customer service representatives are available around the clock from Camplus, with 24/7 hour availability, and they can walk you through troubleshooting issues and installation processes, so even beginners won’t have any issues with their first tankless water heater.
The 3.18GPM on-demand tankless water heater from Camplux is great value for money and ideal for people wanting to use natural gas and not take up a lot of space.
There’s no word about a warranty offered by the brand which may be a risk for some. If you want to make an energy-efficient change without breaking the bank, the Camplux Tankless Water Heater is one of the best.
Alternative: Rinnai RL Series HE+
- Size: 14.02 x 10.00 x 22.99 inches
- Wattage: 115V
- Type: Propane
For the biggest, baddest, and most expensive tankless hot water heater on the market, our favorite choice has to be the Rinnai RL Series HE+.
This powerful 115 voltage system provides enough water for a large household and family, without having to make any sacrifices, but as one of the costlier options, you’ll have to save for a while to get it.
According to customers, the speed at which this water heater did its job was the most impressive feature.
People noted that in mere seconds they were able to enjoy hot water, and not just at one faucet, and this is thanks in part to their revolutionary system that learns your family’s habits and ensures your water is ready when you need it.
On the downside though, it’s an expensive unit, and for that cost, it’s disappointing to find that there were some flaws with the warranty.
Customers reported that after some years of use, when they faced a problem, there was a lot of fine print that made their warranty void. For such a costly tankless water heater, it’s a risk to take, but one many are happy to do given the Rinnai reputation.
The Rinnai RL Series HE+ is achievable of up to 9.4 GPM hot water flow rate, but this depends on the groundwater’s temperature as well. With its special Circ-Logic technology, it sets automatic recirculation patterns that mimic what your household uses.
When you go to take a shower or wash the dishes at around the same time every night, there’ll be minimal waiting to get the water hot.
This indoor unit can be installed without taking up much space, and its dimensions are 4.02 x 10.00 x 22.99 inches with the entire system weighing just 44lbs, which is pretty impressive for all it’s capable of.
According to Rinnai, can be connected to your home’s wi-fi to make it even easier to control, and it’s capable of recirculating water to give you faster access to hot showers and more.
To equip your home with the all might Rinnai RL Series HE+, head to Amazon for the best price of around $1,400.
This includes free shipping and the lengthy warranty offered by Rinnai, including 120 months for parts. If you have a larger home and want something capable of handling the heat, this tankless water heater is one of the biggest and best.
Best Outdoor Propane Tankless Heater: Gasland 6L Tankless Water Heater
- Size: 11.80 x 6.10 x 17.30 inches
- Wattage: 3 volts
- Type: Propane
If you have an off-grid cabin or are looking for a way to install an outdoor tankless water heater, the Gasland 6L Tankless Water Heater is our favorite choice.
This lightweight and portable water heater can be taken anywhere you need hot water, with some of the most popular uses being campsites, cabins, tiny houses, and RVs.
Simply hang the water heater on top of your existing gas water heater as it takes up minimal room, and enjoy the energy efficiency and sustainability.
For such a small tankless hot water system, people were thrilled at just how hot it got the water.
Once it was ready to go people reported temperatures over 160 degrees Fahrenheit which is pretty impressive for its size, and meant they could have showers that were hot enough to enjoy, a rarity when you’re out in the wilderness.
However, you must keep in mind that it’s a basic system, and not assume you’ll use this to provide hot water to a regular-sized home or anything larger than a small cabin.
Some customers felt let down by this fact, so if you need a tankless water heater that will provide hot water to more than just one faucet, this won’t be the one.
This simple tankless water heater features a range of safety features including anti-freezing protection, flame failure device, and overheating protection, giving you peace of mind when using it around your family.
The hot water protection will come into play at around 167 degrees, which proves just how high the temperatures can get.
The Gasland 6L Tankless Water Heater has a maximum power output of 41,000BTU per hour, and it will give you almost instant hot water when you need it.
It delivers even in low-pressure water systems, needing just 2.5PSI to be effective, and will pump through 1.58 gallons of hot water each minute after that.
You can fully adjust this tankless water heater to suit your needs and it’s compact enough to put anywhere. As an outdoor system, it works in all settings, and it uses battery power to get its energy so you don’t even need electricity.
Both the propane water heater exchanger and main burner use combustion technology that reduces how much gas it uses, further improving its energy efficiency.
This is our favorite choice for an outdoor tankless water heater that you can use just about anything, and it’s reasonably priced at around $140 on Amazon. The Gasland 6L Tankless Water Heater is portable, efficient, and affordable, making it a great way to see what this eco-friendly system is all about.
Runner Up: Camplux 5L Outdoor Tankless Water Heater
- Size: 11.42 x 4.33 x 14.8 inches
- Wattage: 3V
- Type: Propane
The Camplux 5L Outdoor Tankless Water Heater is one of the best choices for a small and affordable way to get hot water on the move. Whether you’re out camping, visiting the beach, or in your cabin and living off the grid, this portable water heater only needs 2.5PSI of pressure to get working.
The best thing about this tankless water heater is its compact size and a folding handle that makes it easy to keep it out of the way. Unlike others, it can be carried on your back if you want to and connected when you get on sit to deliver hot water wherever you need it.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the most efficient tankless water in terms of wait time, so don’t expect hot water in seconds.
Customers found it a long wait sometimes, especially in colder climates where the groundwater was cooler than usual, so if you’re someone who likes piping hot water as soon as you turn the faucet, this isn’t the system for you.
The Camplux 5L Outdoor Tankless Water Heater can deliver up to 114.8 degrees Fahrenheit on top of the groundwater’s temperature, so as long as you’re not anywhere too freezing, it’ll be ample heat to keep you comfortable.
There are plenty of features like oxygen depletion safety shut off and anti-freezing protection, keeping the system and your family safe in all conditions.
With 1.32 gallons of water outputted per minute, this is a competent unit for its size. The total dimensions are 11.42 x 4.33 x 14.8 inches, so you can put it anywhere, and it uses two D cell batteries to operate so there’s no need for electricity either. As far as efficiency goes, the Camplux does a lot for such a compact unit.
If you regularly travel off the grid and don’t want to give up on the comforts of hot water, the Camplux 5L Outdoor Tankless Water Heater is a cheap way to do it.
Priced at around $130, it’s slightly more than comparably sized models but makes it easy to never have to go without a hot shower after a long day of adventure, and a lot better for the planet as well.
FAQs of Propane Tankless Water Heaters
Installing a tankless water heater into your home is a great way to cut costs on water heating bills, but it might not be the right one for everyone.
To get some more insight into how these systems work and whether they could be helpful in your household, we’ve answered a few FAQs to give you all the knowledge that you need.
Why Propane Tankless Water Heaters Are Eco Friendly
A propane tankless water heater can be a costly investment, but their energy efficiency is what makes them so popular.
These are more eco-friendly to run because they only generate hot water as it’s needed, and also require less space and materials to work and be installed in the home.
How Much Propane Does A Propane Tankless Water Heater Use?
The amount of propane your tankless water heater will use depends on how many members of the household there are and how much water is required on a daily basis.
The average family of four will use around 20 gallons of propane per month, and this will provide enough hot water for chores and bathing.
What Is The Downside Of A Tankless Water Heater?
Although significantly better for the environment, a tankless water heater does come with some disadvantages. Firstly, they have a higher purchase cost compared to average tank water heats, and it can cost further to have them installed correctly.
Finally, determining their maximum usage is important, otherwise, you could underestimate how much output was needed and be without the hot water you need.
How Long Will A Tankless Water Heater Last?
Good quality tankless water heaters are built to last a long time, with the average lifespan being 20 years on the better models.
Some models have replaceable parts that will extend this lifespan even further, but it depends on the product you purchase and how easy this replacement process and the acquirement of available parts are.
What Are the Disadvantages Of Propane?
There are a few disadvantages of using propane for your water heater tank, with the biggest being the need for ongoing maintenance. Propane tanks sometimes require fixing, so it’s up to the homeowner to inspect them.
Propane is known as a heavier alternative than natural gas, but still a good choice for home water heating systems.
Eco-Friendly and Hot Water on Demand
As every family and household looks for ways to be more energy-efficient, it’s nice to have something as simple and effective as the tankless water heater come along.
With minimal setup required and a real change you can make without losing any of your creature comforts, it represents one of the easiest ways you can do your part. With our selection of the best tankless propane hot water heaters, it’s now even easier to do your part.
Whichever of these you choose for your home, you’ll reap the instant benefits, and know that you’re taking small steps one at a time to make a true difference for the betterment of the planet.
