Electric instantaneous water heater - which is better to buy?

Difficulties with the supply of hot water in apartment buildings in the summer, unfortunately, are not uncommon. Scheduled repairs, for which utility services are so generous, are delayed for a long time and are not always effective. What to do? I do not want to give up the usual comfort. In this regard, experts advise installing an instantaneous electric water heater - which one is better to buy, we will analyze in this article.

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Advantages of flowing devices:

• Fast heating of water.
• Compactness.
• Light weight (easy to mount on the wall).
• Ease of controls.
• There is no need for draining and cleaning procedures.
• There is no inconvenience associated with the end of hot water and you need to wait again until it heats up.

Important! This is a great option for those who use heated water irregularly. For example, if you spend most of the day at work.

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Are there any disadvantages?

• With regular and significant consumption of hot water, it costs a significant amount.
• If you are using a powerful device, you need a thick cable. And if you often have power surges, it’s better to purchase Voltage regulator.
• A device with a small capacity does not provide sufficient heating of the water, especially in winter.

Important! Instantaneous water heaters with significant power are not even equipped with a cord with a plug, so that the owner does not decide to use a conventional outlet.

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Classification

All water heaters are divided into 4 groups.

• Cumulative. The water in the tank is heated.
• Flowing. Heats the water that passes through the device.
• Mixed. It can be used in both operating modes.
• Bulk.

Important! Outwardly, all water heaters are similar. Their shape is rectangular or cylindrical, it is possible to control the temperature of the water. The peculiarity of the storage equipment is its impressive size. Especially if the boiler is designed for a large volume of water. Flowing water heaters are more compact.

But before choosing water heaters - storage or instantaneous, you need to know all their pros and cons, to study all the technical characteristics in detail.

Features of instantaneous water heater:

• Compared with the storage device, the dimensions of the flowing hot-water device are more modest.
• In appearance, the equipment resembles a small drawer, which is fixed to the wall.
• Inside is a tank with a small heater. To quickly heat running water, the heating elements are made in the form of a spiral.
• An important structural element is a flow sensor that monitors the appearance of water in the device and sends a signal to turn on the heating device.
• Instantaneous water heaters are also equipped with temperature controllers.

Important! Due to the poor quality of the water, a scale forms inside the water heater, which adversely affects the technique. The use of filters will extend the life of the water heater. In our article you will find information about which water filters are better.

Pressure and non-pressure instantaneous water heater: connection features

There are flowing electric water heaters of the system and individual type. The system device (also called pressure head) crashes into risers. Such a heater can serve several points at once:

• Washbasin.
• Shower.
• A sink in the kitchen.

Important! Low-power pressure units, designed for 8-9 kW, are able to heat a small amount of water. More powerful devices (up to 32 kW) are rated at 380 V (three-phase).

Individual heaters are connected to cold water. They are equipped with a flexible hose at the outlet with a nozzle or a sink tap. This is a good option for a summer residence or as a temporary measure for the period of shutdown of hot water supply. Follow the link with instructions for connecting a flowing water heater in the apartment.

Varieties of control

Control of flow type heaters happens:

• Hydraulic At the input of the device there is a flow sensor that sends a signal to turn the heating element on and off. The disadvantage of this system is the inclusion of one power. There are devices with power control (push-button switching).
• Electronic. The operation of the device is controlled by a microprocessor. Monitoring the status of the device is carried out by several sensors that maintain a given temperature.

Important! A flowing water heater with hydraulic control heats the water quite weakly. The temperature increase is 20-25 degrees. This means that in summer you get water with a temperature of about 40 degrees, and in winter the temperature of the water that passes through the device will be slightly higher than 20 degrees, because the temperature of the incoming water is very low.

Models of greater power are system ones, have electronic type control and successfully cope with the task of maintaining a given temperature. The disadvantages of these water heaters include:

• Relatively high cost.
• Great value of power consumption.

But if you have acquired such an installation, you can use water with the temperature you set at any time of the year.

Which water heater to choose for the apartment: manufacturing materials

The internal filling of flow heaters can be:

• Copper. Copper heaters, thanks to the excellent thermal conductivity of the metal, quickly heat the water.
• Steel. This is a reliable and fairly durable option if the water is not too hard.
• Plastic This is the most budget option with a short work resource. Despite the fact that durable plastic grades are used for manufacturing, buying such a groove is quite a dubious matter.

Important! A copper wire is used to power the device. The cross section of the wire is:

• With a power consumption of up to 7 kW - at least 3.5 mm.
• For power consumption up to 12 kW - 4 mm.

With the right choice of wire for power and good grounding, the device will work stably.

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Criterias of choice

Choosing a flowing electric water heater to understand which is better to buy, pay attention to the following indicators:

• Variation of working pressure - minimum and maximum values.
• The amount of power consumption.
• The material of the tank and heater.
• Degree of protection (possibility of location near the tap and shower).
• What water the device can work with.
• The degree of heating of water for 1 minute.

All these values ​​are given in the technical specifications for the device.

Important! It is also useful to see reviews for a particular model. If we talk about the manufacturing country, then the leaders in quality are German and Italian companies. Chinese products are “as lucky”, but the percentage of high-quality goods is rather big here, as many European companies transfer their production to China. In this case, the label indicates the original birthplace of the brand and the place of assembly.Most of this equipment works well, as well-known companies value reputation and tightly control the quality of products.

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Browse Popular Brands

These are the most common models with an optimal ratio of quality, functionality and value. The given rating will help you choose the best instantaneous water heater for your apartment.

Timberk WHEL-7 OC

Affordable electric instantaneous water heater reliable and efficient:

• Power consumption - 6.5 kW (there is a three-stage regulator with which you can reduce power).
• Productivity - 4.5 L / min.
• There is a temperature controller, a reusable water filter, automatic switching on and off the device.
• The case is made of plastic.

According to customer reviews, the main advantages of a water heater are:

• Fast heating of water, even with an average power value.
• Stable work.
• Compact size.
• Easy installation.

Electrolux NPX6 Aquatronic Digital

Compact powerful instantaneous water heater with stylish design:

• The device is equipped with an LCD display, which displays the parameters of the device.
• Power consumption - 5.7 kW, productivity 2.8 l / min.
• TEN is made of high quality steel alloy.
• With the passage of water, a vibration is created, which prevents the appearance of scale on the heating element.
• There is protection against overheating of the device, as well as a controller for the intensity of the water flow.

The advantages of this model include:

• Beautiful design.
• Compactness.
• Stable work, long working resource.

AEG RMC 75

Practical, easy to use and connect the device:

• Power consumption is 7.5 kW.
• Productivity - 4-5 l / min.
• TEN is made of copper.
• There is protection against ingress of water and from overheating. It can be used for several points of intake.

According to consumer reviews, the advantages of a hot water device are as follows:

• Compactness (the model takes up the least space).
• Effective water heating.
• Durability.
• Solid assembly.

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Consumer Reviews

In this regard, there is no consensus among consumers. Some use and are quite happy with the ease of installation and operation. Others believe that water heating is insufficient. Powerful models are praised. Leave out the plugs outside the brackets (this does not happen if the device is connected correctly). In general, consumers, tormented with basins and buckets, evaluate the operation of the device to “excellent”. Now there is no problem with washing dishes or with a hot shower.

Important! Often the cause of consumer dissatisfaction is factory defects. Therefore, a quality guarantee is required. Plus, there may be small problems with regulating the temperature of the water.

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Instantaneous water heater VS accumulative

How to choose an electric water heater for an apartment - cumulative or flowing, it is easy to make a decision:

• The main limiting factor is power consumption. If you want to heat water to high temperatures and in large quantities, think about whether you can install a powerful flowing device in 7-8 kW? Will your wiring stand?
• Decide how often you will use hot water: periodically or continuously. For periodic use or as a temporary measure during repair, a flow device is more suitable.
• If you use heated water regularly, it is better to use a storage (boiler) device. Modern models hold the temperature well, so there is an opportunity to save electricity.

Important! If a instantaneous water heater is not your option, and you plan to buy a storage one, we will help you choose the right model. Find out in our separate review,how many liters to choose a water heater for the family.

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Stock footage

Now we have examined all the nuances regarding how and which is better to buy a flow-through electric or storage water heater. We hope you were able to make the right decision, and now there are no problems with hot water in your home.