12 Best Gas & Electric RV Water Heater Recommendations

Getting in touch with nature is one of the best parts of traveling in your RV, but so is the ability to get outdoors while still enjoying the conveniences of modern life. If you’ve camped without hot water before, you know how jarring icy cold showers can be. We consider a quality water heater to be an essential component of RVing, so we’ve compiled some of our top picks for you.

  Source: rvweb.net

Buying Guide

• Type of power. The two main types of energy for RV water heaters are electric and gas. Electric will require you to have your RV running to heat the water, and gas can utilize heat from the engine or simply uses a gas-powered pilot light. Some heaters have a battery backup or run on D-cell batteries.
• Capacity. There are “on-demand” water heaters, which warm water as it goes through the panel instead of heating and storing it in a tank. These usually just over a gallon per minute capacity, while tanks will store various amounts of hot water depending on their size.
• Portable or full system. Full system RV water heaters require installation, whereas portable heaters will also need to be hooked up, but some can be moved to other locations when desired.
• Thermostat. Most contemporary RV water heaters will have a way to adjust the temperature, but be aware that some do not. If your water heater lacks a thermostat, you will not be able to change the hottest setting of water, even if it’s scalding.

Buying Recommendations

Best Budget RV Water Heaters

1. Foruee Portable Propane Tankless Water Heater – Editor’s Pick

As far as budget RV water heaters go, Fouree is a fantastic option for a few reasons. This heater is the on-demand style, meaning as long as you only use hot water for one purpose at a time, in theory, you never run out of warmth. This model also runs on batteries, eliminating the need for the RV to be on, and it’s very portable.

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2. Barbella Electric Hot Water Heater

Barbella’s electric RV water heater is compact enough to install in your vehicle and affordable enough to be a reasonable option for those on tight budgets. This heater is best for those who don’t have large-capacity hot water needs but want to be able to warm some water for a shower or washing a handful of dishes.

Best Premium RV Water Heaters

1. Suburban SW12DE Water Heater – Editor’s Pick

Suburban is a notable name in RV water heaters, and they deliver with this higher-end unit. The 12-gallon capacity is the perfect size for many campers who want enough hot water for a quick shower or two, but don’t want an excessively bulky tank.

2. Atwood Mobile Water Heater

For such efficient production of hot water, the Atwood Mobile Water Heater is somewhat reasonably priced for what we would consider a premium unit. Sure, it’s not the cheapest out there, but if you don’t like “on-demand” heat and want a heater that consistently operates well, we’re a fan of this model.

Best Electric RV Water Heaters

1. Suburban Electric RV Water Heater – Editor’s Pick

Suburban makes some fantastic RV water heaters, and their combination gas/electric unit here is one of our favorites. This model utilizes electricity but also has a gas backup, so you don’t have to lose hot water if you lose power. The heating time on this one is excellent, and the entire tank can be warmed in around 20 to 30 minutes.

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2. Camplux Mini Tank Electric Water Heater

Camplux makes an excellent option for a compact yet efficient electric RV water heater. This smaller unit heats water to very high temperatures when turned up all the way, and stores four gallons—enough for a shower, but not so much that the tank will utilize too much space.

Best Gas RV Water Heaters

1. GASLAND 6L Portable Gas Water Heater – Editor’s Pick

For a portable gas water heater, this GASLAND unit combines the heating power of gas with the peace-of-mind of battery power. You don’t have to worry about running out of hot water when your RV is parked and off for a while.

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2. Atwood RV Gas Water Heater

For those who prefer gas RV water heaters, the Atwood G6A-8E model consistently puts out hot water at an efficient rate. We like the easy-install of this unit, and many issues that can potentially arise are simple to fix from outside of the heater. Overall, this is a quality water heater with helpful customer service behind it.

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Best Full-System RV Water Heaters

1. Suburban 10-Gallon Gas Water Heater – Editor’s Pick

  Source: homedepot.com

If you want reliable hot water and are not a fan of the “on-demand” heating style, or have more than a couple of people using water in your RV, Suburban’s full-system, 10-gallon gas model, is an excellent option. The water supply is high enough to take a couple of showers with the tank capacity, and the gas heating warms up to a toasting temp.

2. Atwood 94026 XT Water Heater

If you can’t get your water hot enough with current or previous RV water heaters, Atwood’s 10-gallon 94026 XT might be perfect for you. This unit does require a bit of electrical handiness to install, but once it’s in place, the water output is quite hot, and the tank capacity offers plenty. This model is fantastic for families or those who want piping hot water in their RV.

Best Portable RV Water Heaters

1. Eccotemp 2.5-Gallon Mini Tank Water Heater – Editor’s Pick

If you need a super compact and affordable water heater for your RV, the Eccotemp 2.5 gallon is one of our top picks. This small, portable unit utilizes electric heat to provide you with a small but efficient amount of hot water for those who want to save space in an RV or camper.

2. Bosch Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater

The small size and simple 120-volt plug-in design of Bosch’s portable water heater make this unit ideal for RVs. The heating is efficient, and with an adjustable thermostat, you can control how warm your water gets.

Final Thoughts

If you’re going to camp in an RV, you might as well have the convenience of hot water, even if you try to “rough it” with most other things. Hot water heaters can be incredibly expensive, but if you minimize your use of warm water, you don’t always have to spend several hundreds of dollars to get a decent unit. Using smart practices such as washing dishes in colder water or lathering up all over before rising off in the shower can extend the use of your hot water, and by doing so, you can often get away with a much smaller tank. Pick your favorite, and start enjoying warmer water in your RV today.

Last update on 2024-12-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API