Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.
Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.8). The gap is mostly about whole-home electric tankless installs in mild climates — read the strengths below before deciding.
The ECO 27 is the high-flow pick — EcoSmart's best GPM-to-price ratio for households with multiple simultaneous hot-water demands.
The Tempra 36 Plus is the best-overall pick — Stiebel Eltron's flow control handles whole-home demand without cold-water sandwiching.
Highest GPM. Lifetime element warranty. Undersizes in deep cold.
Best whole-home pick. German engineering. Highest amperage required.
| Spec | EcoSmart ECO 27 | Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Electric whole-home | Electric whole-home |
| Power | 27 kW | 36 kW |
| Max GPM | 6.6 | — |
| Warranty | Lifetime elements | 10-year combined |
| Flow Control | — | Advanced |