If you’re hunting down the best outdoor tankless water heater to add to your home, make sure you stop to consider a few important factors first: GPM, size, installation, and price and warranty. I have searched far for the best in the business right now and have them listed and reviewed below. If you want to find out what made the list and why, go ahead and read along!
I’ve had my fair share of cold showers during the colder months and very early mornings. Growing up, we didn’t have any water heaters at home. All we would do is boil some water and mix that with a bucket with water and use that to shower. We live in a fairly warm place. It does get cold for a few months out of a year but it’s tolerable enough to not have a water heater installed for regular use.
Right now, I’m thinking of installing one for better showers and baths in the mornings and nights. If you’re also looking to install one and an outdoor tankless one at that, I’ve got you covered right below!
What is an Outdoor Tankless Water Heater?
An outdoor tankless water heater is a device that heats and warms up water as it passes through it when in use.
What makes it stand out from a water heater with a tank is that it provides continuous hot water. Simply turn it on and you’re good to go. Another unique feature an outdoor tankless water system offers is weatherproofing. Because they are meant for outdoor installation, these are made to withstand different weather conditions without breaking down.
The best ones in the market are highly-efficient and help users save on energy consumption and on energy bills.
Who should get it?
If you’re living somewhere with constant cold weather, an outdoor tankless water heater is definitely a good addition to your home. If you want efficient hot water flowing through your home – from the shower, sink, bath, and even your backyard – this will help you achieve that as well.
If you have a storage-tank water heater installed in your home and have noticed a spike in your electric and utility bills, you might want to consider switching to a tankless option. A tankless water heater is more energy-efficient than a storage-tank water heater. Tankless water heaters are also more space-saving due to it being tankless. If these things sound appealing to you, consider making the switch.
Our Top Picks for the Best Tankless Water Heaters
| Product Image | Product Name | Price | |
| Our Pick |  | Rinnai V53DeN Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater | Check Price |
| Best Safety Features |  | Camplux BW422LP Propane Gas Tankless Water Heater | Check Price |
| Best Heating Adjustments |  | GASLAND BE158 Outdoor Portable Gas Water Heater | Check Price |
 | Noritz NR50OD Outdoor Tankless Water Heater | Check Price | |
 | Eccotemp L5 Portable Outdoor Tankless Water Heater | Check Price |
The Best Outdoor Tankless Water Heater
1. Rinnai V53DeN Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater – Our Pick!
Our number one pick for the best outdoor tankless water heater is the Rinnai V53DeN Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater! This is sure to provide your household with unlimited hot water all day, every day of the year. This supports 2 to 6 fixtures anywhere in your house all the way to your backyard. This is available in 5.3, 6.5, 7.5, and 9.8 GPM options. and runs on natural gas.
Many have praised this unit for its high quality build that is sure to last long and will last you for a good few years. This dependable tankless water heater is guaranteed to last for 5 to 10 years. The company offers a 1-year residential factory warranty for many of the unit’s parts. This provides a very quiet operation so you’re sure it doesn’t disturb anyone in your house no matter when you decide to run it.
With optimal water pressure, this works to keep your hot water flow powerful and constant. While you enjoy showers, baths, and laundry with warm, hot water, you never sacrifice your bills. Many would agree that this helps lower their utility bills, cutting it almost in half! Its suitcase-sized compact design doesn’t take up much space in your home.
This comes with a separate remote control for adjusting your temperature settings as you see fit. It also shows the current temperature it’s running on and provides accurate and easy to set temperature. A few downsides some have shared about this is that it can be a little slow getting hot water to the farthest area from the unit. Installing it can also be a challenge if you’re not someone who’s handy. You can always turn to a professional to install it for you.
Pros:
- Supports 2 to 6 fixtures
- Available in 5.3, 6.5, 7.5, and 9.8 GPM
- High-quality build is reliable and made to last
- Energy-efficient unit helps save on bills
- Powerful and constant water pressure
- With a separate control for temperature settings
Cons:
- Can be slow in getting hot water to the farthest area
- Challenging DIY installation
1. Camplux BW422LP Propane Gas Tankless Water Heater – Best Safety Features!
If what you always like to focus on when it comes to adding new tools and devices to your home is safety, make sure to check out the Camplux BW422LP Propane Gas Tankless Water Heater! With 6-in-1 protection, this assures your and your family’s safety with every use. This includes overheat, anti-frozen, low water flow, flame failure, dry combustion, and high water pressure protection.
This was designed to cycle for a good 20 minutes and then automatically shut off. When it shuts off, you can always turn it back on to use. This also works to auto shut off the gas supply when it goes over 167° F thanks to its high water pressure protection. This works to provide 4.22 GPM of hot water. This provides a continuous and stable hot water source all day, at an almost instant rate!
This also regulates your water’s pressure to make sure it’s powerful and consistent. The unit’s propane water heater exchanger and main burner use less gas with lesser burning noise. This offers up to 88.5% thermal efficiency. This comes in a compact and easy to travel with design and comes with an included shower head – perfect for outdoor activities.
This includes an anti-freezing drain to discharge residual water. This prevents freezing the inside of the unit in much colder months. Though classified by the brand as portable and easy to carry, some have noted that this can be a bit bulky and heavy. No worries though as the breeze installation of the unit makes up for the bulkiness and heaviness, still making it ideal for travel. And some also found the 2-minute safety shut off feature inconvenient and a bit annoying.
Pros:
- 6-in-1 safety features
- Automatic shut off after 20 minutes of use or when pressure goes over 167° F
- 4.22 GMP water heater for stable and powerful pressure
- Uses less gas and produces less noise
- Anti-freezing discharge drain
- Very easy to install and comes with shower head
Cons:
- A bit bulky and heavy
- 20-mites shut off feature can be an inconvenient
3. GASLAND BE158 Outdoor Portable Gas Water Heater – Best Heating Adjustments!
The GASLAND BE158 Outdoor Portable Gas Water Heater is our top pick for the best heating adjustments on an outdoor tankless water heater! With 3 dials at the front of the unit, this offers easy to set and customize temperature settings. You can adjust a variety of settings to get the best out of your shower or bath time. The farthest left is for gas volume, the middle dial for the number of burners with summer or winter options, and the farthest right for the water flow and pressure.
This comes with its own shower head with its own on/off switch buttons for when you need to use it. This provides consistent hot water and temperature throughout your household and even for camping trips and outdoor activities. The unit’s heater exchanger and main burner are designed to lessen gas consumption and operate with lesser noise. You can rest assured that not only do you shower and bathe with warm water, but you also save on your utility bills.
This one is very easy to install and comes with all the necessary parts. This includes an LED display screen so you can see your water’s temperature at a glance. This is lightweight, compact, and is very easy to carry.
This is packed with tons of safety features. This includes overheating, low water flow, anti-freezing, dry combustion, and high water pressure protection. If it reaches 167° F, it will also auto shut off. There is also an anti-freezing drain plug to discharge residual water to prevent freezing the unit in the cold. The only drawback some have shared about this is the lack of clear instructions of what the 3 dials in front are for. Lucky for you, we’ve found some helpful tips and we’ve laid that out right above.
Pros:
- 3 dials provide versatile heating adjustments
- Consistent hot water and temperature
- Comes with shower head with its own on/off switch
- Consumes less gas with less noise
- Anti-freezing drain plug
- Auto shut off feature for safety
Cons:
- No clear instructions on dials
4. Noritz NR50OD Outdoor Tankless Water Heater
The next item to make it into our list of the best outdoor tankless water heaters is the Noritz NR50OD Outdoor Tankless Water Heater! A 5 gallon per minute water heater, this provides you and your family endless hot water for days. This uses natural gas to warm up water before it reaches your house. This handles higher water temperature well and with much ease compared to others.
With a resin-coated PC board, this can withstand outside elements and will remain durable no matter the weather outside. This is very easy to install as well with very straightforward instructions. Many have praised this unit for its energy-saving performance. They noticed decreases on their electric and utility bills since adding it to their homes. This has been built with great quality that is sure to last for a good few years.
With a modulating burner designed with the unit, this works to automatically adjust the burner level according to how you use it. The thermal fuse also serves as an automatic overheat protection system. With this unit installed in your house, you can keep your peace of mind that it’s safe for your family.
Many would agree that this is very easy to maintain as many of its individual parts are readily available in many hardware stores. You can opt to get yourself an optional freezing protection kit to prevent freezing your unit when it gets cold out. Keep in mind though that this is sold separately. The valve kit that is needed for installation is also sold separately. The reason behind this is to give you the freedom to choose between the 2 options – threaded and copper sweat.
Pros:
- 5 GPM water heater unit
- Handles higher temperatures well
- Withstands outside elements and weather
- Helps save on utility and electric bills
- Quality build is made to last
- Automatic burner adjustments and overheat protection system
Cons:
- Freezing protection kit and installation valve are sold separately
5. Eccotemp L5 Portable Outdoor Tankless Water Heater
And our last favorite outdoor tankless water heater is the Eccotemp L5 Portable Outdoor Tankless Water Heater! A tankless water heater rated at 1.5 GPM, you can trust this one to provide you and your family hot water throughout the house. This runs on liquid propane and with an electronic ignition. This is lightweight, compact, and easy to carry for your camping trips and outdoor activities.
This has adjustable gas knobs to allow you to set your preferred temperature – whether for showering, bathing, or doing laundry. This also gives you the option to adjust the water flow and temperature. It comes with a user-friendly on/off switch for convenience of use. This is very easy to set up and install and includes all needed components and parts.
This promises to withstand outside elements and various weather conditions without breaking. This works to ignite the propane as soon as it detects water flow and turns off the ignition as soon as the flow stops for almost instant hot water. This makes sure that you save on your utility bills as well. This comes with a shower head with its own on/off switch for ease of use and convenience.
One downside a few have shared about this is that the heating coils can freeze when left outside in very cold weather. This can cause the heating coils to break. No worries though as the relief valve comes in handy to prevent this. Some also found the unit’s flame to be blown out easily even with the slightest of wind. Many have tried to resolve this issue by constructing a housing for the heater to prevent the wind.
Pros:
- 1.5 GPM water heater
- Lightweight, compact, and easy to carry
- Comes with a shower head with its own on/off switch
- User-friendly on/off switch and dial knobs
- Easy to install with included parts
- Relief valve to discharge water
Cons:
- Heating coils can freeze
- Wind can easily blow out flame
How to Choose the Best Outdoor Tankless Water Heater
GPM
The first thing you’d want to look at in looking for your new outdoor tankless water heater is the GPM. GPM or gallons per minute is the flow rate and how many gallons of water and liquid your unit can handle every minute. This will let you know how much water flow your new unit can handle at a given temperature. If your water is usually colder, you might want to consider leveling up on the GPM as well.
Size
Outdoor tankless water heaters take up space. Make sure that you have enough space in the area you’re looking at to avoid problems when it’s installation time. Some tankless water heaters are small and compact while some can be heavy or bulky.
Installation
Some heaters are a breeze to install and can be done in 5 minutes tops while some units need a more professional hand to get it done. Easy to install heater units also work great if you’re planning on taking it with you for camping trips and outdoor activities as they are so easy to install for use.
Price and warranty
Outdoor tankless water heaters come in a range of price points. From our list of favorites above, they come in as low as $150 to as high as $1,500. You can definitely find more in between and even with a higher price point. Generally, they can be a bit more expensive than their tank storage counterparts.
And because these units can be a bit expensive, you would want to be protected with warranty so make sure to keep an eye out for that.
Conclusion
Installing an outdoor tankless water heater to your home is a great way to get unlimited hot water flowing through the household.
Our number one pick for the best outdoor tankless water heater is the Rinnai V53DeN Outdoor Tankless Hot Water Heater! This is able to support 2 to 6 fixtures and comes in a variety of GPM options for all your needs. It also promises an energy-efficient performance to help you save on electric and utility bills. If it’s safety features you’re prioritizing in your new water heater, check out the Camplux BW422LP Propane Gas Tankless Water Heater! With 6-in-1 protection including overheat, anti-frozen, and flame failure protection, you are sure to keep your family out of harm’s way with this one. It also features an automatic 20-minute shut off if that’s more up your alley. And the GASLAND BE158 Outdoor Portable Gas Water Heater offers the best heating adjustments from today’s list! With 3 dials for adjustments, this provides so much versatility to fit your personal water preference. It also comes with its own shower head and an anti-freezing drain plug.
And that has been our favorite outdoor tankless water heater list and review! Let us know which one fits the bill for you!
