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Water Heater
The water heater you have might be up for replacement, here you find infos about the different water heater systems, their advantages and disadvatages.
Also, hot water can be prepared in many different ways, possibly you'll be better off buying a new kettle, or hot water dispenser?
Kettles - The fastest way to hot water
Both kettles have detachable cords, a must for kettles that are well designed, this allows you to use the kettle as hot water pitcher and makes handling the kettle a lot safer.
Proctor Silex K2070 1-Quart Automatic Electric Kettle, White
* 1000-watt electric kettle rapidly boils up to 1 quart of water
* Detachable cord and nonspill spout for graceful serving
* Immersed heating element; automatic shut off; boil-dry protection
* Dual water-level indicators; easy-open lid with security lock for safety
I bought this kettle for the sole purpose of making tea in my dorm room. For that it works great. Just put in some water and flip the switch (a handy light comes on to notify you that the kettle is in use). When the water's done boiling the kettle really does shut itself off. One other nice thing is that the cable that you use to plug this kettle into the outlet actually does detach (AC adapter style). This allows to you to use this as a pitcher, rather than keeping it plugged in all the time. -- Aaron Podolny (Exeter, NH USA)
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Amazon Price: $14.98 (as of 12/20/2009) 
List Price: $15.99
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Braun WK200W Aqua Express Electric Water Kettle, White
# 1,500-watt electric kettle quickly heats up to 7 cups of water
# Separate heating element and ergonomic handle provide easy pouring
# Anti-calcification filter ensures better tasting water
# Automatic shutoff for added safety
Not only does this improve upon the standard stove-based kettle, but it improves upon the previous generation of fixed-cord electric kettles.
The separation of kettle and corded base allows the former to be taken to the sink (or refrigerator if you're boiling pitcher-filtered water) without bother. It makes pouring at the table or in another room easy, as well. The cord can be wound inside the base so that only the needed length is exposed - neatening your countertop. The base has a "360-degree rotational connection," which means that you don't have to align the kettle in any particular way when replacing it. No buttons to press, no connector to snap.
The handle and kettle shell stay cool, obviating the need for a hot pad when picking it up, and the single control is as simple as can be: press it to start and it turns itself off when the water boils. If you forget about it, you needn't worry about boiling away all the water and leaving yourself with a burnt pot. (It will also turn off automatically if the pot is empty, the lid is opened, or the pot is removed from the base!)
The anti-calcification filter reduces scaling and thus the need to run a vinegar solution to clean out the buildup (something most people never do with their stove-based kettles). The design allows you to easily see the entire inside of the kettle, so you can keep an eye on things.
For those who regular drink tea or other beverages made with stove-boiled water, an electric kettle is a real convenience. This Braun kettle is about as convenient as they come. -- redtunictroll (Earth, USA)
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Amazon Price: (as of 12/20/2009)
List Price: $59.99
The Minimalist Solution: Immersion Heater for Water
Travel Immersion Water Heater - Dual Voltage
Amazon Price: $16.94 (as of 12/21/2009)
List Price:
Hot water anywhere you find an electric outlet! For a quick cup of hot water, this simple, time tried immersion heater is just fine.
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Hot Water dispensers
There are coutertop models or stand alone water dispensers, you'll have the choice according to your needs:
Vitapur Countertop Water Dispenser WHITE
* Enjoy refreshing water for hot or cold drinks anytime
* Energy saving "Insta-HOT" feature rapidly provides hot water without the cost of constantly re-heating water resulting in an average energy savings of 30%-40% over traditional water dispensers
* Features ready-to-dispense indicator lights; sized for convenient countertop use
* Easy-to-use piano-style push buttons
* 14.7Hx13.4" dia.
Just perfect for our needs. Compact and efficient. And very very quiet!! -- Christine A. Eunice
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Amazon Price: (as of 12/20/2009)
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Water Heating - a definition
Water heating is a thermodynamic process using an energy source to heat water above its initial temperature. Typical domestic uses of hot water are for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and space heating. In industry, both hot water and water heated to steam have many uses.
Domestically, water is traditionally heated in vessels known as water heaters, kettles, cauldrons, pots, or coppers. These metal vessels heat a batch of water but do not produce a continual supply of heated water at a preset temperture. The temperature will vary based on the consumption rate of hot water, use more and the water becomes cooler.
Appliances for providing a more-or-less constant supply of hot water are variously known as water heaters, boilers, heat exchangers, calorifiers, or geysers depending on whether they are heating potable or non-potable water, in domestic or industrial use, their energy source, and in which part of the world they are found. In domestic installations, potable water heated for uses other than space heating is sometimes known as domestic hot water (DHW).
In many countries the most common energy sources for heating water are fossil fuels: natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, oil, or sometimes solid fuels. These fuels may be consumed directly or by the use of electricity (which may derive from any of the above fuels or from nuclear or renewable sources). Alternative energy such as solar energy, heat pumps, hot water heat recycling, and sometimes geothermal heating, may also be used as available, usually in combination with backup systems supplied by gas, oil or electricity.
In some countries district heating is a major source of water heating. This is especially the case in Scandinavia. District heating systems make it possible to supply all of the energy for water heating as well as space heating from waste heat from industries, power plants, incinerators, geothermal heating, and central solar heating. The actual heating of the tap water is performed in heat exchangers at the consumers premises. Generally the consumer needs no backup system due to the very high availability of district heating systems.
Indoor Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater
Ariston 2-1/2-Gallon Point-of-Use Indoor Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater
Then a small point of use water heater is the solution!
Bosch GL2.5 Ariston 2-1/2-Gallon Point-of-Use Indoor Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater
Amazon Price: $159.00 (as of 12/20/2009)
List Price: $188.00
I live in the northeast. It gets cold here. My basement is warmer than outdoors, but, despite copiously wrapping my pipes in insulation, I get cold water in my kitchen sink for something like 8-9 seconds (at full blast) before the water becomes passably warm. Working from home, having rambunctious teenagers and more than a few dogs, I do a lot of cleaning and hand-washing. I wasted a lot of water (water which was previously heated at some expense) trying just to get a little warm water. Worse, the dishwasher didn't change water fast enough to keep the water in the line warm, so the dishes would get rinsed in cold water every time, even if you use the water heat option for the wash. Certainly this is not a big problem, but I lived with it for five winters and decided this was the time to do something about it.
I purchased this point-of-use water heater (the smallest of three versions) so that it would fit underneath my kitchen cabinet. I've been using it for a few days now, and am thrilled that I get warm water every time, day or night, whatever happens, in about 1-2 seconds, max.
Now the challenges. It was relatively easy to hook up, as long as you can, for instance, install a new faucet, and are passably familiar with plumbing sizes and patch cords, like between your water line and sink, or between the water line and toilet, etc. I bought a new one from the line to the heater, and another from the heater to the sink. The most time-consuming thing was the drive to the hardware store. Some relatively strong turns of the attaching points, a little contorting under the sink to reconnect the hot water faucet (and a little help from the "shop light",) and it's not an overwhelming task. Don't be shy or hesitant to look carefully for leaks. Better to make adjustments or do tightening sooner rather than later, after something gets potentially damaged.
Possibly more challenging might be having an electrical outlet that can be dedicated to the water heater, which takes 1500 watts, and will certainly blow your circuit every time if you try to combine it with a dishwasher, microwave, toaster, or anything else "thirsty" (most things are) in the kitchen.
I am very pleased with the thermostat in this product, and have done a lot of trial-and-error adjusting to make it the right temperature for me (warm, but it won't burn you.)
I do have a "main" water heater, which heats water for the house, so if I am using a lot of hot water, the main water heater takes over, basically. This is okay with me, as it's cheaper to use my main gas water heater, but not cheaper to run a lot of water trying to get it. This seems a good compromise and a good solution for me. I recommend this product for anyone with my situation who can resolve the challenges of the plumbing adjustment and electrical requirements.
While I have only used this product for a few days, I have not noticed a large spike in my electrical use, and it does not seem like this is going to cost me lots to use. Hopefully the savings from using less water and less hot water will cover some of the cost of the convenience. -- Michael L. Wiersma "ksmichael" (Springfield, MA United States)
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Tankless Water Heaters
PowerStar 4 GPM Indoor Electric Tankless Water Heater
* Provides 4 gallons of hot water per minute; average energy-efficiency rating of 94
* Includes solid-copper heat exchanger
* Includes 1 water heater
* 15-1/2 by 15-1/4 by 4-1/2 inches; 22 pounds; 10-year limited warranty on heat exchanger; 1-year on parts
PowerStar water heaters bring the performance of tankless models to situations where an electric unit is preferred. Compact and powerful, both the AE115 and the AE125 can supply enough hot water to support one major application (shower, dishwasher, etc.) at a time. The AE115 delivers up to 2.6 gallons per minute, while the AE125 delivers up to 4.0 gallons per minute.
With both units, an external temperature-control knob and an internal flow sensor help to ensure a constant output temperature. PowerStar heaters are built to last, save valuable floor space, and mount easily on the wall. The AE115 is not recommended in climates where annual groundwater temperature is less that 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you live in such a locale, consider the AE125 instead. Both models are covered by a manufacturer's 10-year limited warranty on the solid-copper heat exchanger and a one-year limited warranty on parts.
NOTE: The AE115 requires minimum electrical service to the home of 150 amps, and the AE125 requires a minimum of 200 amps.
Bosch AE125 PowerStar 4 GPM Indoor Electric Tankless Water Heater, White
We bought this for use in a 2000 s.f. cabin we are building, and it has lived up to all it's promises. The water comes out of the ground really really cold - we're up north in the mountains, but this gizmo heats it up in an instant. We have enough hot to wash dishes and take a shower at the same time. Just a word of warning - my husband is a do-it-yourselfer and installed it himself, with jsut a little bit of help from an electrician friend. Well, for the first few weeks, we were taking virtually cold showers. I was ready to rip the thing down and send it back. But then we realized we had the power turned all the way down. (We thought it was all the way up - instructions are not clear on this). Even turned all the way down, the water was still a little bit warm. Anyway, we turned it up (slightly) and the water is as hot as can be! We are loving not having to pay to keep a tank of water hot all winter, in a home we won't use until spring. -- A. Jenson "AJ" (Idaho)
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Amazon Price: $649.00 (as of 12/20/2009)
List Price: $791.00
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Solar Hot Water
Solar water heating or solar hot water is water heated by the use of solar energy. Solar heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage. The system may use electricity for pumping the fluid, and have a reservoir or tank for heat storage and subsequent use. The systems may be used to heat water for a wide variety of uses, including home, business and industrial uses. Heating swimming pools, underfloor heating or energy input for space heating or cooling are more specific examples.
In many climates, a solar hot water system can provide up to 85% of domestic hot water energy. This can include domestic non-electric concentrating solar thermal systems. In many northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems (solar combisystems) are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy.
Residential solar thermal installations can be subdivided into two kinds of systems: passive (sometimes called "compact") and active (sometimes called "pumped") systems. Both typically include an auxiliary energy source (electric heating element or connection to a gas or fuel oil central heating system) that is activated when the water in the tank falls below a minimum temperature setting such as 50°C. Hence, hot water is always available. The combination of solar water heating and using the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat waterHeating water with a wood stove can enable a hot water system to work all year round in cooler climates, without the supplemental heat requirement of a solar water heating system being met with fossil fuels or electricity.
Gravity-Fed Solar Water Heater
Use the Sun to heat your water!
Gravity-Fed Solar Water Heater - 53-Gallon Capacity, Model# 54122
Amazon Price: (as of 12/20/2009)
List Price:
* Heater consists of a series of evacuated solar tube collectors and a water storage tank
* Can be refilled manually or by low pressure source
* Aerospace technology produces higher water temperatures than other solar systems
* High-capacity heater can provide household hot water needs for most of the year, depending on location
* Operates in temperatures down to 28deg F
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