We researched water heaters from the top brands, judging them on effectiveness, energy efficiency, and ease of maintenance. Our best overall picks are the Rheem Performance 40 Gal. Natural Gas Tall Water Heater and the Rheem Performance Plus 50 Gal. Electric Water Heater, both of which offer large capacity, durability, and longevity. Here are the best water heaters for your home. Easy to relocate Equipped with a fan-propelled exhaust system, the advantage of this gas water heater is its ability to vent to the outside either horizontally or vertically—up to 100 feet. This expands installation possibilities and means that you can more easily relocate your gas water heater. In addition, the water heater draws air in from the outside, rather than using ambient air for system functions. Energy efficiency is improved, and this model carries a uniform energy factor rating of 0.69—making it Energy Star qualified. Like many other gas water heaters, the tank of this model is lined with glass while an anode rod provides protection against corrosion from hard minerals present in your water supply. A 6-year limited warranty applies to the tank and parts, but take note that there is only a 1-year warranty on in-home labor. Price at time of publish: $549 Heating Source: Gas | Type: Tank | Tank Size: 40 gallons | Heating Power: 36,000 BTU per hour | Flow Rate: Not applicable Rheem’s Performance Plus water heaters also include an LED monitor, which makes it much easier to set your target water temperature and monitor element functions. The manufacturer’s limited warranty extends for 9 years on parts, and the in-home labor warranty is valid for 2 years. Price at time of publish: $689 Heating Source: Electric | Type: Tank | Tank Size: 50 gallons | Heating Power: 5,500 watts | Flow Rate: Not applicable A digital control panel allows you to adjust the temperature in 1-degree increments from 80 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it possible to adjust the water temperature to your precise needs. Measuring 17 x 17 inches, this smaller unit mounts on the wall in your basement or utility closet—leaving more floor space for cleaning supplies or other storage needs. Efficiency and space savings are two big reasons to choose a tankless water heater. Price at time of publish: $629 Heating Source: Electric | Type: Tankless | Tank Size: Not applicable | Heating Power: 27 kilowatts | Flow Rate: Between 2.7 and 6.5 gallons-per-minute A unique feature of this tankless gas water heater is ThermaCirc360 technology. This feature helps to improve hot water delivery rates by recirculating hot water through your pipes. Despite powerful heating capacity, it’s worth noting that this water heater has an ultra-low NOx burner. Price at time of publish: $1,255 Heating Source: Gas | Type: Tankless | Tank Size: Not applicable | Heating Power: 180,000 BTU | Flow Rate: 7.5 gallons per minute With the first-hour delivery of 53 gallons of hot water, the 40-gallon tank model is sized right for households of 2 to 4 people. It’s a popular pick for a budget electric water heater and includes a pair of 4,500-watt copper heating elements. While mid-range water heaters typically include at least one unit of stainless steel (usually the lower element), opting for a water heater with copper elements means more money saved upfront—but the potential for a shorter life of service from the heating elements. However, these screw-in elements can be replaced if the need arises in the future. Price at time of publish: $439 Heating Source: Electric | Type: Tank | Tank Size: 40 gallons | Heating Power: Two 4500-Watt elements | Flow Rate: Not applicable The features and specifications of this water heater are frills-free but meet the needs of most households. The interior of the water tank features a ceramic coating, while an anode rod provides additional protection against corrosion from hard minerals present in your water supply. This model also has a self-cleaning dip tube, which is not always seen on budget gas water heaters. The manufacturer backs the Signature series up with a 6-year limited warranty. Suitable for most 3 to 4 person households, the 40-gallon tank water heater supplies 65 gallons of hot water in the first hour and has a recovery rate of 38 gallons per hour, assuming that you need to raise the temperature of the water by 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For larger households or multiple bathrooms, you might consider upgrading to a model with a 50-gallon tank capacity. Price at time of publish: $569 Heating Source: Gas | Type: Tank | Tank Size: 40 gallons | Heating Power: 35,500 BTU | Flow Rate: Not applicable Part of the Signature Premier series, this short water heater carries additional features that homeowners will find helpful. For example, it features a digital control panel that makes it simple to see the water heater’s current temperature settings or make adjustments to the target temperature. It also has an Energy Smart® mode that can learn your hot water usage patterns and reduces the energy spent on heating water during periods of minimal use. In addition to these energy-saving features, this water heater is also designed with durability in mind. It has a self-cleaning dip tube to reduce the build-up of sediment in your water tank. The tank and components are backed by a 12-year limited warranty. Price at time of publish: $789 Heating Source: Gas | Type: Tank | Tank Size: 50 gallons | Heating Power: Two 5,500 watt stainless steel elements | Flow Rate: Not applicable Like most point-of-use water heaters, the Bosch Tronic 3000T plugs into a standard 120V outlet. Adjust the temperature of your water supply from 65 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. While not designed for whole house water heating, installing a mini-tank water heater is a simple way to boost the supply of hot water to a sink located far from your primary water heater. Price at time of publish: $400 Heating Source: Gas | Type: Mini-tank | Tank Size: 4 gallons | Heating Power: Not applicable | Flow Rate: Not applicable At the same time, this model is equipped with two 4,500 watt copper heating elements. During periods of high demand for hot water, these electric elements can ensure that you have enough hot water for showers, laundry, washing dishes, and more. Price at time of publish: $1,799 Heating Source: Electric | Type: Hybrid | Tank Size: 50 gallons | Heating Power: Two 4,500 watt copper heating elements | Flow Rate: Not applicable The portable water heater connects to a 20-pound propane tank and two D batteries—which power the electronic ignition. You’ll need to supply the hoses or piping to connect the heater to your water source. Keep in mind that if you’re drawing water from a non-pressurized source, like a rain barrel, lake, or tank, you’ll need to also purchase a 12V pump. Price at time of publish: $180 Heating Source: Connects to a propane tank | Type: Tankless | Tank Size: Not applicable | Heating Power: Not listed | Flow Rate: 1.5 gallons per minute
Tankless or Tank
Tank water heaters keep a certain amount of hot water in a tank at any given time, ready to send to multiple appliances at once. Tankless water heaters quickly heat incoming water as you need it, and take up less space than a water heater with a tank. However, one unit may not be able to provide hot water to multiple fixtures at once, so you may need to buy multiple water heaters for your home.
Tank Capacity
If you go the tank route, make sure that your water heater can store enough water hot to keep up with your family. While tank water heaters can provide water for multiple places at once, it will take longer to heat up new water than a tankless heater, which could leave you with an unexpected cold shower.
Why Trust the Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Erica Puisis, who is a professional writer that specializes in large and small home appliances, along with home improvement features and plumbing fixtures. Erica has been writing for The Spruce since 2017 and has covered everything from home saunas and infrared heaters to water softeners. To choose the best options for this article, she consulted dozens of customer and third-party reviews, considering each product’s heating source, heating power, and tank size. She also evaluated each model’s portability and durability before making her final selections. In electric water heaters, dual heating elements work to warm the water. Usually, the bottom element works harder to heat the incoming cold water while the top element only kicks on if the heated water in the top half of the tank becomes depleted. For gas water heaters, a pilot light or electronic ignition system ignites gas flowing to a burner. The burner heats the water within the tank to a target temperature before shutting off. This process produces exhaust, which must be vented to the outside of the home. Tankless water heaters don’t store water. Instead, they use either gas or electric heating elements to warm water as it passes through the unit. The flow rate of hot water will depend on how cold the incoming water temperature is, but most units can supply between 2 to 7 GPM. Next, shut off your water heater by disconnecting it from the gas or electric power supply, and turn off the main water supply. Then, with the drain hose still connected from your quick flush, open the drain valve. You won’t see much water flowing out until you allow air into the tank. To do so, you’ll have to disconnect the hot water pipe at the top of your water heater and move it to the side. The tank will begin to drain. Once your water heater tank is drained, flush it with fresh water. The manufacturer’s warranty periods vary depending on the model you choose. Common warranty periods are usually 6, 9, or 12 years.
