white rv in the road

As with any home or apartment, water is key to keeping you hydrated, while also allowing you to clean yourself off after a hard day’s work.

The same need for water also applies to RVs. You need water to keep things like your sinks and toilets running smoothly. Without water, it can be hard to keep your camper clean and in good shape.

Another key piece of water inside an RV is hot water. Just like those nice, warm showers you get inside your home, hot water can also be used within an RV.

How do you get hot water in that small space? Simple: a smaller water heater, of course. Yet, even if you have a solid 6-gallon water heater installed, you can be out of water quickly. So, what’s the solution then?

Going Tankless

Yes, tankless water heaters have an advantage over your standard heater, and you can really see the benefits once you get into the details. No one likes to run out of water, anyway.

We’ve decided to round up the best tankless water heaters around, allowing you to pick the best one for your needs. Let’s check them out.

Why You Should Consider Tankless Over Standard

couple sitting outside the rv

A lot of people may be wondering, “Why should I upgrade my RVs water heater?” and that’s certainly a valid question. But, for a family of 4, that coveted hot water can be burnt through fast.

There are plenty of benefits to grabbing the best tankless water heater you can find. The first thing you may notice when comparing the two types of water devices is wait times. With a standard 10-gallon tank, you’ll be waiting close to an hour for that hot water to arrive.

Switching to a tankless allows you to receive hot water on-demand, as the tank only operates when water is flowing. These tankless versions also use 50% less propane to operate, allowing you to save money over time.

Plus, they’re about half the size as your standard cylinder-shaped tank.

Sure, they may cost a little more up front, as even the cheapest. Long story short: It’s better to go tankless. A water heater can’t be ignored in for your recreational vehicle, so picking the best one for your portable space is crucial.

Comparison Table

How We Picked Our Favorites

To rank the best tankless water heaters around, we had to set up rating guidelines.

One of the first things that any potential tankless heater adopter will want is for their new toy to be reliable. Honestly, if a water heater isn’t reliable then why even consider it? You wouldn’t want to try and shower out in the woods, fully expecting hot water, only to find out your tankless heater is broken, right?

This category alone had the most baring on all our ranks, with industry leaders taking the top marks.

After that, we had to think about the dimensions and energy usage, along with drainage. Some tankless water heaters don’t have easy access to a draining system, which means it’s all manual from your end. Some people won’t’ mind doing this from time-to-time, but others will.

It’s preference, but one that did affect ratings.

Also, we had to consider the materials used and build quality. This went in-line with the reliability factor, as both come together in the end, but we still liked to see quality parts used.

Lastly, all our heaters are ranked on a 5-star scale, with the score coming at the end. No product scored less than a 3.5 for use.

All that said, let’s dive into the top choices.

Ranking The Best RV Tankless Water Heaters For You

person holding the best tankless water heater for rv

Before we get into our ratings, we just wanted to remind you that everyone’s experience with a water heater may be different.

So, while your neighbor may have a wonderful time with one model, you certainly could hit the bad egg of the bunch and be left with a piece of machinery that doesn’t function. Water heaters are a finicky area, especially when being put into an RV.

Thus, just remember that there are always going to be people that didn’t enjoy their experience with a certain brand or model.

That said, here are our top choices.

1. Girard 2GWHAM Water Heater

Girard Tankless RV Water Heater, 12V Power, 42,000 BTUs, Quiet...
  • POWERFUL PERFORMANCE — At 42,000 BTUs, this continuous hot water heater provides optimal performance for RV plumbing....
  • CONSISTENT TEMP — The onboard microprocessor monitors incoming cold water temperature, flow rate and outgoing hot...
  • HIGHLY EFFICIENT — The Girard RV tankless water heater consumes half the LP gas that a six-gallon tank water heater...

The best tankless water heater on the market for RV use is the Girard 2GWHAM Tankless.

Why does it take home our number-one spot?

For starters, you get a quality company in Girard, which is a well-respected water heating company.

In terms of hooking everything up, it shouldn’t be too hard as the Girard 2GWHAM doesn’t require any special gas or plumbing lines. This allows you to hook it up to all the existing pipework, which should already be installed. Plus, it just plugs into a standard 12V outlet.

On the performance side, you’ll find a capable 42,000 BTU output, allowing for optimal heating from RV piping. Girard also includes freeze protection, which is a must if you find yourself in colder temps at times.

The tank is small at 21-pounds and 13-inches high by 13-inches wide, making it easy to carry around and install.

Overall, it’s hard to beat the balance of performance and value here. Girard throws in a two-year warranty, and the 2GWHAM retails for $509.

It’s the top-rated tankless heater on our list, with a full 5-star rating.

Price

2GWHAM retails for $$.

Warranty

Girard throws in a two-year warranty

Rating

2. Camplux BD264 Portable Water Heater

Camplux 16L Outdoor 4.22 GPM Digital Display Propane Gas Tankless...
  • Easy To Install -It only takes you 5 minutes to set up and it comes with all necessary accesories.To avoid gas leakage...
  • 4.22 Instant Hot Water-It only takes you a few minutes to get 4.22 gallons per minute of instant hot water. The camplux...
  • 6-in-1 Protection Ensure Your Safety-Flame failure device, anti-freezing protection, over heating protection to ensure...

At first look, you’ll probably think that the Camplux BD2664 Portable Water Heater is a small device. Indeed, at only 21-inches tall and 13-inches wide, it’s easy to pass over. Yet, if you’re looking for a good value among tankless heaters, this may be one of the best.

On the performance side, you’ll find that this heater delivers 2.64 GPM of hot water, with up to 68,000 BTU per-hour.

The beauty of this machine is that it’s a fully-portable hot water heater. What does that mean? Well, instead of having to hook up everything inside your RV, you can simply bring this with you wherever you go.

Sure, it’s not the traditional tankless heater you may be used to, but it works almost the same. Hook up all the piping to your gas line and instant hot water can be yours. Plus, like we mentioned, you can move it around your campsite or vehicle.

Or, if you’d rather, you can power the unit by two D-sized batteries, for the ultimate off-grid hot water. Battery life is rated at 180-days in case you were wondering.

So, outdoor showers and baths are an option.

It’s our favorite portable tankless heater and can fit right in with your RV gear. You can find it for $ retail, and we rate it at 4.5-star

Price

You can find it for $ retail,

Rating

3. Ecotouch

Tankless Water Heater Electric 240V, ECOTOUCH 5.5KW On Demand Hot...
  • 【INSTANT & SUFFICIENT HOT WATER】Applied with 5.5KW at 240 Volts heating system, the tankless electric water heater...
  • 【SMART SELF ADJUSTMENT】The hot water heater adjusts power input based on flow rate and temp setting in real time....
  • 【CONVENIENT USE】The tankless water heater comes with digital display & touch control panel so temp setting is easy...

At first look, you’ll probably think that the Ecotouch Portable Water Heater is a small device. Indeed, at only 21-inches tall and 13-inches wide, it’s easy to pass over. Yet, if you’re looking for a good value among tankless heaters, this may be one of the best.

On the performance side, you’ll find that this heater delivers 2.64 GPM of hot water, with up to 68,000 BTU per-hour.

The beauty of this machine is that it’s a fully-portable hot water heater. What does that mean? Well, instead of having to hook up everything inside your RV, you can simply bring this with you wherever you go.

Sure, it’s not the traditional tankless heater you may be used to, but it works almost the same. Hook up all the piping to your gas line and instant hot water can be yours. Plus, like we mentioned, you can move it around your campsite or vehicle.

Or, if you’d rather, you can power the unit by two D-sized batteries, for the ultimate off-grid hot water. Battery life is rated at 180-days in case you were wondering.

So, outdoor showers and baths are an option.

It’s our favorite portable tankless heater and can fit right in with your RV gear. You can find it for $$ retail, and we rate it at 4.5-star

Price

You can find it for $$ retail,

Rating

4. Takagi

Takagi T-H3-DV-N Condensing High Efficiency Natural Gas Indoor...
  • Endless hot water, On-demand usage, Compact, Space saving, Energy conservation
  • Computerized safety features, No pilot light to have to worry about
  • Safety features include freeze, overheat, surge protection, and troubleshooting diagnostic codes

Another solid option for those in search of their first tankless water heater is the Takagi.

This is the heaviest and largest unit on our list, coming at 38 pounds and over 26-inches tall, it’s going to take up some space. Why is it so big, you ask? For the performance.

Overall, this is one of the best performing tankless water heaters on our list, as it can pump out 6.8 GPM of flow, all while throwing in 140,000 BTUs as well. This means the water can get very hot, very fast, if needed. You need at least 0.8 GPM to activate the heater, but if your RV has this, the heater will work.

One more note: this heater won’t produce optimal results at elevations above 3,000-feet. So, if you are a mountain family, you may want to pick something else.

The Eccotemp is a 22-liter tank, and the hot water output is the best on our list. It’s bigger than anything else, though, so isn’t rated higher.

That said, it’s worth the $$$ investment, and we gave it 4 stars.

Price

That said, it’s worth the $$$ investment,

Rating

5. Woder

Woder WD-S-8K-ADV-DC Ultra High Capacity Under Sink Water Filter with...
  • MADE IN THE USA - NO PLUMBING REQUIRED – Comes with ‘Direct Connect’ hoses that fit standard 3/8” water valves...
  • MADE IN THE USA - NO PLUMBING REQUIRED – Comes with ‘Direct Connect’ hoses that fit standard 3/8” water valves...
  • MADE IN THE USA - NO PLUMBING REQUIRED – Comes with ‘Direct Connect’ hoses that fit standard 3/8” water valves...

The last heater on our list will still be enough for most people. In fact, it may be perfect if you don’t need much out of one.

The Woder looks to provide you with hot water wherever you are, as the heater doesn’t require any electrical power to run. As for the performance, you’ll still get 3.2 GPM and up to 85,000 BTUs from this small unit.

This is another portable model, which makes it perfect for anyone on-the-go in their RVs. The 101 is battery powered, using two D-cell batteries, and weighs only 14-pounds. EZ throws in a one-year warranty, which is standard.

Even though we gave it 3.5 stars, it’s still up there with the best tankless water heaters you’ll find.

Price

That said, it’s worth the $ investment,

Rating

Finding The Best Tankless Water Heater For You

man holding the best tankless water heater for rv

In the end, everything comes back to the needs you have. If you notice that your RV is churning through hot water like nobody’s business, it could be a good time to consider going tankless. Likewise, while there are certainly benefits to switching, there are considerations that should be taken before investing.

Remember that with any technology, you need to have the right components installed for it to run smoothly. Even the best tankless water heaters need the right setting to be properly utilized.

So, we ask again, is tankless right for you?

These heaters need to be installed closer to the inside of the RV, as their condensation is acidic. If those fluids were to catch on to your outer walls it could be bad news for your siding. Also, while they save space and are smaller than a tank, there are more functioning electronics and onboard computers needed to include.

This means more parts to consider, which may or may not be RV-proofed for driving use. Even worse, who knows how they may perform on any off-road activity.

If you’re considering going tankless, be sure to have someone who knows what they’re doing, or an RV dealer themselves, install the heater. There are many different items to consider when switching, even to the best tankless water heater around.

Last update on 2023-05-06 at 08:29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API