Comparing Tankless Gas Water Heaters? Rheem or Rinnai?

[desert_fixer_2019]

Hello-

We are scrapping our old water heater and instead installing a natural gas tankless water heater on the patio outside. I am deciding between these two models, but it seems the *lower* GPM model will actually net a higher GPM when you consider temperature rise.

Any feedback on which is better? Seems like I'd get better GPM with the cheaper Rheem model, which is surprising. I guess that's due to higher BTU? Rheem also has a 3 year shorter warranty. Is either brand more reliable/last longer? Should I buy the cheaper one with better GPM or is the extra few years on Rinnai warranty worth the $225 extra cost?

Given our ground water temp in the high desert, I'm told a 55 degree rise is what we'd need. The outside weather does get down to 30s and 40s during winter.

Brand Rheem Rinnai
Cost $1,262 $1,485
GPM 9.5 10
BTU 199,000 180,000
Flow rate
@ 55 degree
rise 6.8 6.3
Heat Exchanger
Warranty 12 yr 15 yr

We have the following fixtures:
-Shower 1.8gpm
-bathroom faucet: 1.2 gpm
-Master shower /tub 1.8 for shower or 3-4 gpm for tub
-master faucet: 1 gpm
-kitchen sink: 1.8gpm
-dishwasher: ?? maybe 1.5 gpm? not sure - it doesn't say
-washer: estimated 2.0 gpm?

We won't run clothes washer when showering, but may run both showers at once, plus either kitchen sink or dishwasher. That would add up to approx 6.6- 6.9 gpm (1.8 shower, 1.8 second shower + either 1.5 dishwasher or 1.8 sink )

Rheem: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-P...Tankless-Water-Heater-ECOH200XELN-2/304820708

Rinnai: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rinnai-...erior-Tankless-Water-Heater-RU180eN/306655595

 

[John Schrader]

You can get a 199btu Rinnai for very little more cost. I would most definitely go with Rinnai over Rheem 100% of the time. Way better quality and they are much further along with the technology than Rheem. Have a great day and good luck

 

[desert_fixer_2019]

You can get a 199btu Rinnai for very little more cost. I would most definitely go with Rinnai over Rheem 100% of the time. Way better quality and they are much further along with the technology than Rheem. Have a great day and good luck

Thanks for the reply, John! Really appreciate it. I will nix all the Rheems, then. Do you have any opinion on Navien versus Rinnai?

For example this Navien: https://www.navieninc.com/products/npe-210a

or this Rinnai: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rinnai-...erior-Tankless-Water-Heater-RU180eN/306655595

The Rinnai is about $200 more but comparable GPMS when considering a rise of 45 or 55 degrees.