Best Tankless Water Heaters In Cold Climates (shop in 2024)

When you live in an area or country with a cold climate almost all year, you know the struggle behind getting the hot water supply at home every time. The people mostly living in those areas enjoy the hot water for baths as it is a satisfying and soothing thing in winters.

For this purpose, the tankless water heater cold climate is available, also known as on-demand and instant water heaters. These water heaters are convenient and proved to be the best helpers in the houses. Moreover, they come up with plenty of advantages, making them the best choice for winter.

Before buying a tankless water heater, most people thought they were suitable only for warm places, but it is not true. The tankless water heater cold groundwater works out effectively in cold climates by preventing your home from hot water supply problems.

These tankless water heaters save space and money, too, as they consume less energy and room in your home. Moreover, they come up with many innovative features that are especially created to cope with cold climates. There are many types and brands which are manufacturing these heaters today.

That’s why we are here to help you find out the best tankless water heater for your home in cold climates so that you can easily choose the one you think suits you. In this guide, we have offered you a list of top products from the market reviewed properly.

So let’s move towards the top water heaters in the town!

Top 6 Best Electric Tankless Water Heaters for Cold Climates:

1. Rinnai V65iN Indoor Tankless Hot Water Heater, 6.5 GPM, Natural Gas:

This water heater is considered one of the best and high-quality water heaters, which proved to be best for cold climates. You can install it indoors, but it needs a condensate collector for the fewer temperature climates. This water heater has the capacity of holding the temperature up to -22F.

If you can maintain its power, then it will not freeze in cold climates. And to heat the water, this unit uses natural gas. Moreover, it has the 0.82 energy factor, also known as the efficiency factor. The best thing about this indoor unit is that you can control it even by applying it on your phone.

You can regard this one as the best natural gas tankless water heater, which does well for small to medium-sized houses. Its maximum power is about 6.5 gallons per minute that is very effective for your home. The features and the performance of this water heater are very great and innovative that will help you.

Quick features:

• Space and energy-efficient: This indoor water heater has an amazing and innovative design designed especially for small homes. It also saves energy as it heats only when essential. Therefore, you wouldn’t need to worry about the maximum energy consumption.
• Optimal water pressure: Its high output (GPM) offers it to effectively supply hot water in the home. It gives you a continuous stream, which will help you in an extremely cold climate, making it extremely easy for you to continuously use hot water.
• Scale detection: It has improved scale detection that reduces the chances of any long-term and serious damage to the water heater unit. It will also aid you in the way.
• Leak detection technology: It comes with innovative technology that can watch over any gas leakage from the unit by preventing you and your home from any type of accident.

Pros:

• High-efficiency factor
• Maximized output
• Innovative technology
• Wi-Fi control
• Value good for the money
• Great temperature control

Cons:

• Double-walled vent pipe needed

2. Rinnai V53DeP Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater, 5.3 GPM, Propane:

This water heater is regarded as the outdoor tankless water heater in cold climate, which proves good for you and your home. We know that living in cold climate areas requires such type of facility. This outdoor unit for hot water is tankless and performs well in extreme types of cold climates surely.

This tankless water heater can hold the temperature up to -4F when you maintain its power properly and accurately. One thing with this unit you have to keep in mind that you have to keep it safe from the wind as it will be installed in the outdoor of the home. So remember before buying this.

It provides you the maximum output of about 5.3 gallons per minute, and as the former model offers, you can remotely control it by having a Wi-Fi connection on your phone. Additionally, you can also put it on vacation mode whenever you are out from home for a long time. Isn’t it great?

Quick features:

• High energy-efficient: The water heater has a thermal efficiency of 0.82, which is considered very high. Moreover, it can save your energy and money too, so you should give it a try. You wouldn’t need to be worried about your electricity bills.
• Remote control: The best thing about Rinnai water heaters is that they come up with remote controls such as you can control them by using your phone. So now you don’t have to go out for temperature setting in the cold.
• Flow rate: It has the average flow rate that suits almost two bathrooms simultaneously. That’s why this outdoor tankless water heater is considered best for small to medium homes in cold areas.
• Long time warranty: The water heater comes up with a long warranty in the water heater industry. It gives you a 12-month warranty for labor and parts, heat exchanger, etc., which is very helpful.

Pros:

• Freeze protection
• Uses propane
• Remote control function
• Space saver design
• Easy to install

Cons:

• Definite to safe from wind

3. Stiebel Eltron Tempra 15 Plus Electric Tankless Whole House Water Heater, 240 V, 14.4 kW:

This tankless water heater has all the things to fulfill your hot water needs in cold climate areas. It can provide you a constant flow of hot water supply in your home. In addition, it comes up with great performance and flow rate, making you fall for it in an affordable price from the market.

Its power is high enough to supply the hot water in your whole house without any hurdle. Moreover, its completely silent function allows you to take a bath in a soothing and relaxing mood. Furthermore, the water heater design is made in German, which comes with great electric on-demand water heater reviews.

These electric tankless water heater power requirements are very minimal, and it is specially created to save your money and effort at the same time. This system also increases the span of the water heater. Its electric system is entirely safe and efficient as it converts the electrical energy into heat with no loss.

Quick features:

• Compact shape: The shape and design of this water heater are unique and attractive. It comes with the classic grey color that beautifies your home décor, even if it’s just a water heater. So enjoy.
• Advance technology: Being an electrical tankless water heater saves energy consumption as it only converts the electricity into heat when needed. Otherwise, it reduces the heat loss, which is standby.
• Sleek design: This water heater’s thin and slim design makes it convenient for every home, either small or medium. It can fit anywhere you want, and it will also look very great in your home as it cannot take much space.
• No venting needed: this feature makes this water heater another great reason to purchase. Its affordable price and simple installation process make it very easy for you to take it in your home for facility.   

Pros:

• Great size
• Very easy to use
• Value good for the money
• Simple and sleek design
• Energy efficient
• Superior performance

Cons:

• Not suitable for hard water

4. Tankless Water Heater Electric 5.5kW 240V, ECOTOUCH:

This is another amazing and best tankless hot water heater for cold climates available in the market with such an affordable price range. The performance, features, and qualities are all very great and safe to use. It’s like you can say it’s an all-in-one water heater that can fulfill your needs.

The best and noticeable thing about this water heater is that it is extremely safe to use because of its manufacturing style. For safety and maximizing the heater’s life span, the company has made the lines of electricity and inner water separate. That’s why they provide you the longest life span of this water heater.

The price label of this water heater is considered cheap but not every cheap product is bad. In return, it cost you nothing but provides you the high performance, making it the best electric tankless water heater for cold climates. Moreover, it can hold the temperature up to 116 degrees F.

Quick features:

• Instant hot water: This efficient water heater has a high-power heating system that provides you a rapid and constant flow of hot water in your bathroom or kitchen. So that now you can get consistent flow.
• Point of use: This tankless water heater has a compact and sleek design just as the size of an oatmeal box so that you can install it anywhere you want in your home. Now this space saver is your companion.
• Durable heater: Every layer used in the manufacturing of this heater goes through the test to ensure your safety. Additionally, it also comes up with a durable structure that you can use for years.
• Smart self-adjustment: This heater adjusts the power dependent on the temp setting and flow rate in real-time. It means that it will give you the ideal temperature of hot water without burning your hand.

Pros:

• Value great for the money
• Very easy to install
• Energy efficient
• Premium quality
• Amazing performance

Cons:

• Some temp issues

5. Takagi T-H3-DV-N Condensing High-Efficiency Natural Gas Indoor Tankless Water Heater:

This water heater is regarded as the most powerful indoor tankless water heater, consuming natural gas for its operation. In addition, it has the great ability to handle the hot water supply in cold climate areas with ease. The water heater has the capacity of providing the maximum output of about 10 gallons per minute.

The advantage of having this water heater is that its thermal energy factor is about 0.95, making it perform more efficiently than other water heaters in town. The design and shape of the heater are also very decent. Moreover, it comes up with extra safety measures so that you will feel safe by using it.

The Takagi water heater doesn’t use the pilot light, mostly common in water heaters with natural gas consumption. The strength and life span of the water heater are also great. This is because the company used the copper alloy in the heat exchanger, which provides long life for the unit.

Quick features:

• Endless hot water: The high thermal energy efficient factor provides the constant flow of hot water without any problem. So that now you can do your chores or take a shower in the cold without any difficulty of water.
• Safety features: This water heater comes up with additional safety measures, including over-heat protection, freeze protection, troubleshooting, etc. You will feel extra safe after having it in your home.
• Copper alloy: The water heater uses the copper alloy in heat exchanger manufacturing, which provides 25 times extra safety between the stainless steel lines inside the water heater.
• Temperature control: The water heater has a high capacity to control the temperature of the water whenever you are using it in the bathroom or kitchen. This feature makes it very useful for you in a cold climate.

Pros:

• High efficient condensing
• Maximum output
• No pilot light
• Easy to install
• Value good for the money
• Great temp control

Cons:

• Hardly find Takagi installers

6. Noritz NRC66DVNG Indoor Condensing Direct Tankless Hot Water Heater, 6.6 GPM, natural gas:

This water heater is the best hot water system for cold climate because it comes up with freeze protection that keeps your unit safe from cold climates. It uses natural gas to properly work, and its indoor structure can be installed anywhere you want. In winter, it provides the maximum output of 6.6 GPM.

Although you think that its output is low, it is powerful enough to greatly facilitate one or two bathrooms. The automatic freeze protection quality enables it to protect the unit from temperatures less than 30F. If the temperature rises above 30F, it will take further protection measures on its own.

Moreover, for installing it in your home, you need low-cost PVC pipes for venting, making it a money saver. The performance and features of this water heater are unique and different from other water heaters that make you fall for it every moment. It has a remote control thermostat which is very convenient.

Quick features:

• Dual heating exchanger: It comes up with double heat exchangers that you can choose. One is made up of stainless steel, and the other is made up of copper alloy material, and both are highly heat resistant.
• High thermal efficiency: The great thermal energy efficient factor of about 93% makes it a great choice. So now you can take a shower with great ease and comfort even in the cold climate areas.
• Low NOx: The water heater’s design has the low NOx feature, which helps the unit emit the reduced greenhouse gas. That feature makes it very useful and eco-friendly. So now you can use and save the earth too.
• Remote control: The unit comes up with a remote control feature to adjust the temperature or on/off the unit whenever you want by sitting on the couch. It makes life easier and comfortable.

Pros:

• Easy to install
• Highly efficient
• Vented with simple PVC
• Extra freeze protection
• Remote control

Cons:

• A bit noisy

Buying Guide of Best Tankless Water Heaters In Cold Climates

Generally, tankless water heaters are considered the best alternatives for tank-style water heaters. The biggest reason behind this is that the tankless heaters never run out of water supply. In addition, these heaters work out perfectly under some definite conditions in cold climates, which you should keep in mind before buying.

There are some types of fuel used by water heaters, and then all of these have different aspects to consider before buying, so let’s get into it.

Electric tankless water heaters:

The electric tankless water heaters are used in cold climates as they consume less energy and then save your money. Once you have to pay for the unit and installation, you will facilitate it for a long time. However, there are some important aspects which you should consider before choosing the electric tankless water heater.

· Usages:

This factor is very important as it depends upon your requirements in the house. For example, some water heaters proved to be the best electric tankless water heater for one bathroom or two, and some are ideal for washing dishes and hands only.

So if your family has 3 or 4 persons and you want it for shower purposes, you should choose the one with the high flow rate. On the other hand, if you need a water heater only for the sink, the low flow rate will work out well.

· Size:

If you want to get the size of an instant water heater, you have to keep in mind two things, i.e., flow rate and temperature rise. In this case, the flow rate is easily understandable that it refers to the amount of water needed.

The temp rise means that the difference b/w the temp you set and the groundwater temp. So if you want to run your heating device on high, its flow and temp rise will also be high. So you can calculate the size of the water heater by sizing maps available for every country.

· Installation spots:

If you want to properly fit your heater in your house, you need to identify the installation spot first. Then, you can install it either indoor or outdoor. Mostly the electric water heaters used for showers are installed indoors, especially in cold areas.

Its compact design works like a space saver, which you can install even on the bathroom’s wall. The usually recommended installation spots for cold climates are indoors as they provide high temperatures compared to outdoor ones.

Natural gas tankless water heaters:

This water heater unit is mostly used and preferred because these are highly efficient in cold climates. In addition, they cost less as compared to electric tankless water heaters because gas is less expensive than electricity.

· Water heater capacity:

Usually, the capacity of the water heater you are going to buy is very important to consider before. Mostly the water heaters have the capacity of 40 to 60 gallons. It depends upon how many family members you have and how much amount you needed at once.

The gas water heaters have a high capacity and provide you an accurate amount of water anywhere you want. You can choose the water heater with 50 gallons capacity heater. But in tankless, they come with a gallon per minute.

· Safety features:

The gas tankless water heaters usually come with additional safety measures. For example, it includes automatic freeze protection in case your unit is installed outside or outdoor. These features prevent you from any kind of mishap.

The automatic freeze protection will automatically start saving the unit from a cold climate if the temp falls from a certain temp setting. So it proves to be very useful.

· Thermal efficiency:

The gas water heaters come up with high thermal efficiency, making it another reason to take over the electric ones in cold climates. For example, thermal efficiency tells you about the speed of flow in your bathroom sinks or kitchen.

If you choose a water heater with a high thermal energy factor, you will get the instant and constant flow of hot water in your home appliances. So always look for this factor in your water heater.

Additional factors to consider:

Many aspects are similar in the different fuel types of water heaters. Therefore, you can regard them as the extra things to consider after keeping the primary ones in mind for sure. These include:

· Remote control:

Nowadays, most of the models of water heaters come up with innovative technologies used in their manufacturing. One of the most common and convenient features is the remote control or control by having the app on the phone.

You can on/off the water heater, or you can adjust the temperature according to your preference by just using the remote. This proves to be help full as you don’t have to go out for temp settings.s

· Warranty:

When you buy any technical device, this factor plays a key role in that case. Same the case goes with water heaters available in the market or online. Mostly the water heaters come up with a long period of warranty.

The water heaters, on average, have the range of warranty between three to twelve years. But in most cases, the long-term warranty product is a bit expensive compared to others in the market.

So it’s up to you that either you want to pay a high price and get the long time warranty or not to pay as much they want. It is recommended to buy the device with a long time warranty to help you in the future.

· Smart technology:

This is the least important factor in the whole list of buying guides. But if you choose the water heater with smart technology, it will be convenient for you for sure. Today, the newer models come up with digital displays.

Not only the digital displays, but they also have the customized modes which you can set according to your preference. You can put your water heater into vacation mode so that it consumes less energy.

FAQs:

1. I live in an area of extremely cold climate, so will my outdoor tankless water heater work well or not?

Although tankless water heaters have some kind of restrictions, they can work effectively in the winter months. This is because the tankless water heaters use the condensers that preheat the water to not wait long for water.

Don’t worry; your outdoor tankless water heater is not dependent on the outside temperature. But one thing you should keep in mind that by having an outdoor water heater, you need to take precautionary measures before the temp falls.  

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the tankless water heater as compared to tank heaters?

You already knew that every product has some pros and cons at the same time, same with the water heaters. The tankless water heaters known as instant heaters take less space in the house, and they provide a consistent hot water supply in your home.

Moreover, they also consume less energy as compared to tank-style heaters. But the main con or downside of these heaters is that you have to pay a lot for the installation and unit. On average, it’s about three times higher.

3. Which type of tankless water heaters work more effectively in cold climates, Natural gas VS electric?

When you talk about the comparison between gas and electric water heaters in cold climates, the winner of this argument is the gas ones. In cold temperatures, these heaters work more effectively and efficiently as compared to the electric heaters working.

Moreover, the natural gas tankless water heaters come up with a freeze protection feature that saves your unit from freezing when the temperature falls quickly in your area. Therefore, they are considered as the best option for people living in cold climate areas especially.

4. What is the average life span of tankless water heaters usually?

The answer to this question depends on the type of tankless water heater that either you have the electric or gas or propane water heater or install it indoors or outdoors. Mostly the expected life span of a tankless water heater is almost 20 years.

The reason behind this is that the parts of the tankless water heaters are easily replaceable. So if you have a damaged part of your water heater, you can change that part rather than change the whole unit of the water heater.

5. Can I ever run out of hot water by installing the tankless water heater in my home?

No, it is quite impossible to run out of hot water from your tankless water heater. As you know, water heaters are also known as instant water heaters, which means they are built to provide you constant supply.

It can heat the water according to the temp you have set on it and then bring it to your bathroom or kitchen sinks in no time. That’s why this rapid tankless water heater is mostly preferred to use in cold climates.

Conclusion:

The tankless water heater is a good helper for people living in a cold climate. That’s why we provided you a list of the best and reliable water heaters in the market so that you can pick the one you think suits you. All of these water heaters are amazing in their own as compared to one another.

In our reference, the best one is the Takagi T-H3-DV-N natural gas indoor water heater which has all the qualities to help you and fulfill your needs in your home. Moreover, you can trust it anyway as it will provide you a constant water supply in a cold climate.

But remember that you have to make sure that which heater you are buying will suit your home conditions or buy the water heater that never gets cold. We just hope that the product you choose will not disappoint you in any way.

Happy shopping!