The 7 Best RV Tankless Water Heater Options – Ultimate Buying Guide (2023)

If you’re in the market for a new RV tankless water heater let us put our expertise to your service in picking out the best one for your RV!

Hot water comes in handy time and time again when you are living in a van. There is nothing better after a long day in the woods than a steaming hot shower.

Giving your next camping trip a splash of luxury is easier than you think, thanks to new advances in tankless water heaters. Whether you plan to build your campervan to incorporate a bathroom or not, having hot water on demand is priceless.

Most traditional homes have used tankless water heaters for ages, as they have proven to be more efficient and can heat more water than a tanked heater. 

That luxury is becoming more prevalent inside van homes as technology boosts have allowed tankless heaters to be small enough to fit in cramped spaces and still pump out the heat. 

A traditional RV water heater can’t handle multiple appliances running at once, and once the tank is empty, you may have to wait a while for the next shower.

No more rationing out a few gallons of heat per hour. Treat yourself to unlimited showers with one of the best RV tankless water heaters. 

Whether you’re thinking about upgrading your stock RV water heater or looking to install some warmth into your van conversion, tankless water heaters are the way to go. Quality options exist for every budget that demands only a tranquil installation process and one that you can expect to last for life. 

We’ll walk you through the industry highlights to ensure you don’t get burned by your purchase. While a great tankless water heater will pay for itself in the long run, they still require a considerable upfront investment, so it’s best to exercise caution when shopping around. 

Follow along with our ultimate buying guide, and you’ll have your new water heater hooked up in no time! 

The Best RV Tankless Water Heaters 

We set the kettle on and scoured the market to find the best tools for van life. These tankless hot water heaters provide an endless on-demand supply of water with easily adjustable temperature control, efficient fuel economy, plenty of safety features, and a user-friendly experience from set-up through heat-up. 

We’ve got the best in lightweight options, heavy-duty heaters, remote-controlled temperature monitors, and everything else the industry has to offer. 

Camplux Pro

The Camplux may be affordable, but this highly efficient heating source packed into a compact design did not skimp on the essentials. Your tankless hot water heater ships with a showerhead, and you’ll have it hooked up in no time.

User-friendly and affordable, your water heater also took care of the details. A built-in temperature limit and freezing protections help increase the lifespan of your tankless heater and ensure you have plenty of hot water pressure for years to come.

Link: https://amzn.to/3CKcp24

Rinnai V53DeN

With that out of the way, let’s get to the perks!

Natural gas is the most efficient way to pump a consistent supply of hot water into your life. These RV water heaters are so effective they are often used to heat up entire houses. But this model’s space-saving design qualifies it for larger motorhomes. 

This tank packs in a best-in-class flow rate and will produce hot water incredibly fast as long as you have a water source. 

You can easily control this on-demand water heater from a cell phone application, which allows a host of other perks. You can set your temperature range and let the water heater eliminate unwanted temperature fluctuations. 

With enough output for three separate appliances at once, you can expect to have enough environmentally friendly hot water for anything within the realm of RV use. 

The cherry on top is the 10-year limited warranty that guarantees the heat exchanger and other parts for a decade. If you have access to natural gas, this RV tankless water heater will take care of the rest.

Eccotemp FVI12

That’s a water flow range that spreads 3 GPM, allowing you to customize your energy consumption and water usage fully.  Run two showers simultaneously and enjoy plenty of water pressure or slow down the flow rate to turn your water tank into an endless supply of heat. 

 You can fit the slim tankless models underneath even the smallest bathroom sink, hook up an electrical connection and LPG, and you’ve got everything you need for a constant supply of hot water.

Easy-to-use temperature settings work with a digital display on the front of the model to help keep an eye on the health of your RV tankless water heater.

Link: https://amzn.to/3BJmhIt

RecPro Tankless

It’s perfect for any RV with a bit of free wall space. An extensive exhaust system and dust net link up with the outside of your RV to keep the interior mechanics of this tankless water heater.

The pressure relief valve filters out air as it enters and leaves the main combustion chambers to make sure nothing gets in the way of your perfect water temperature.

It may seem like a small detail, but it should drastically reduce any sort of maintenance or muck build-up. 

Control your flow rate, eliminate temperature fluctuations, and monitor safety features from the included remote control unit.

You can set the heater to the precise temperature you want your water heated to, which puts you in the driver’s seat. 

RVers focused on efficiency can adjust temperature settings based on need, and shower lovers can unleash the maximum water flow rate at the end of a long day. To get the most out of this unit, you’ll need an electrical connection as well as a propane hook-up.

Still, once your RV water heater is humming away, the Recpro tankless provides some of the best consistent temperature settings out of any heater on our list. 

Link: https://amzn.to/3bzN137

Girard 2GWHAM

The tankless water heater automatically monitors the surrounding air temperature and adjusts the heat output and water temperature accordingly. RV water heaters are put to the test in the dead of winter, but that’s when you need hot water the most! Trust in Girard to stay warm. 

Girard proves you don’t have to make a ruckus to heat water, keeping a whisper-quiet operation while it goes to work. It redefines the power of the British thermal unit, hitting 42,000 BTUs with ease.

The heater also promises to power up your hot shower using half the propane energy as standard water heaters, which keeps you toasty and in the woods longer.  

This unit now comes standard in many new RVs. If you’re looking to replace an old water heater, there’s a great chance this Girard model is the same size. 

Its hot and cold water storage tank gives it a mini tank feel, but don’t be fooled; it’s an instant, tankless option. These electric tankless water heaters pump out an on-demand consistent supply of warm water temperature no matter the conditions.

Link: https://amzn.to/3w3bk34

PrecisionTemp RV-550

There are efficient water heaters, and then there is this: A 20-gallon propane tank and this tankless water heater can combine to heat up 940 gallons of water.

This kind of water pressure makes the RV 550 a fantastic permanent solution. Unfortunately, the hefty price point makes this kind of tankless water luxury out of reach for some RVs.

This RV water heater is the most expensive option on our list by far, and anyone who doesn’t plan on living in their campervan through winter may not need all this power.

However, if you only want the best tankless RV water heaters powering your trip, or if you plan on spending next winter in your home on wheels, the value this beautiful unit provides will eventually outweigh the high entrance price.

Link: https://amzn.to/3BvrIdB

Excel Vent-free LPG

It’s not just a tankless water heater. There are also no vents in this unit, so you don’t have to carve out any holes in the walls to heat cold water.

This simplicity makes it the best tankless water heater for van conversions that don’t already have wall space available. 

Not only are these electric tankless water heaters primed for small spaces, but they also work well with low water pressure. To make life at sea a breeze, the unit has a built-in water flow sensor that adjusts the heat output to get optimal water temperature every time.

Co-opted for the RV life, this means that your home on wheels can heat up more water with less pressure. This RV water heater rounds out our list by serving as an efficient, powerful, and affordable, quick fix.

Its compact design will be up and running by the weekend and works great for smaller class b RVs.

Link: https://amzn.to/2Y1pdSI

Choosing the Best Tankless Water Heater

Now that we’ve highlighted some best-in-class units let’s look at which one will work best inside your rig. With so many high-quality options, how do you go about narrowing down your shopping list?

Each tankless water heater on our list will perform best in a different set of circumstances, so it all comes down to personal preference. 

Let’s walk through some factors that define different water heaters so you can get an idea of what you want your hot water source to do. 

Power Sources

Your tankless unit needs to get its power from somewhere. Most tankless water heaters will run off of some combination of electricity, propane or natural gas. 

Tankless RV hot water heaters excel at providing more heat for less energy. Most of these heating styles are about 25% more energy efficient than a tanked hot water heater because they don’t have to be running all the time.

You can save your resources for when you need them the most. However, there is no such thing as free heat. 

Natural gas is the most efficient but least accessible option. While this is a prevalent heating technique for stationary hot water heaters, you likely won’t have a pipeline hooked up to your RV.

Unless you’ve already got a great source of natural gas, we’d recommend looking towards propane for your power source. 

Propane is also highly efficient. Some of the best hot water heaters on our list can fire up almost 1,000 gallons of water off of one 20-pound tank, and you’ll never be too far from a filling station. 

Running your hot water heater of electricity only is very difficult to pull off unless you are plugged into shore power. Ten gallons of hot water can require about 4000 watts, which is higher than a typical air conditioning unit. 

That means that for most owners, the best power source is a combination of propane and electricity. Heaters use a minimal 12V draw to power up LCD screens and temperature controls and use propane to get things boiling. 

The critical thing to remember while on your search is to shop for the hot water heater that lines up with the capabilities already built into your RV.  

Water Consumption

Because these are tankless models, the only limit to your heating abilities is the flow rate of your water heater. The tankless water heaters on our list can produce between 2 and 6 gallons of hot water per minute.

Generally speaking, the higher the water consumption, the higher the cost, so you can save a few bucks if you’ll never need too much water at once. 

You can quickly calculate your consumption to figure out what kind of demand you’ll be putting on your heater. 

Shower	2 GPM
Bathroom Sink	.5 GPM
Dishwashing	1.5 GPM

So, RVers traveling in a pair won’t need more than 3.5 gallons per minute, while larger families shouldn’t trust less than 6. 

Temperature Control

What kind of control do you want over your unit? Heaters with flexibility will allow you to adjust the BTU’s of your water. Expect your heater to pump out between 30,000 and 50,000 BTUs per hour, and with the right tankless water heater, the controls will be in your hands. 

Modern water heaters can communicate with smartphones, and provide LCD screens or simple knobs and buttons that allow you to define how hot your shower will be precise. Without interference, most hot water heaters run up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you plan on taking your hot water heater with you into the heart of winter or want to save energy wherever possible, taking control of your water heater’s temperature is the easiest way to get the most out of your unit. 

Price

Unfortunately, all those extra features don’t come cheap. As you can see from our list, there is a vast range in prices for tankless RV water heaters. The most affordable options can be hooked up for less than $200, while high-end models will set you back over $1000. 

So what makes up that price difference? Mainly and energy efficiency. High-end water heaters promise to make your money back through years of low-cost heating, while cheap options may be a bit more propane crazy in operation. 

To decide your budget, take means into account first. But also consider what you need your water heater to accomplish.

If you plan on spending next winter inside your RV, you should invest in nothing less than the best to help get you through those cold days without making a gas station run. 

If you’re just expecting to take your RV out on a few trips a year, you’ll have the luxury of letting the weather report decide your trips and won’t always need gallons of scalding water at your disposal. 

Conclusion

You’ve got the facts, and now it’s time for action. Any one of the water heaters featured in this buying guide has proven effective across the country and turned many RVers from houses to homes on wheels.

Our editor’s choice, the Camplux Pro, packs the portability and efficiency to be helpful in adventures of all sizes. 

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