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Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense Review

Name: Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense
Brand: Rinnai
SKU: B0CNQFDB5Z

6.8Good · out of 10#3 of 5 in our High-Efficiency Condensing Tankless ranking

Written from the listing and 70 buyer reviews, not from our own use · How we rate

The Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense packs up to 9 GPM, a condensing design rated 0.97 UEF and a 15-year heat exchanger warranty into one indoor gas tankless heater. One of our top 5 high-efficiency condensing tankless water heaters, it is made for a busy house where two showers and the dishwasher overlap.

Variants of this model

These are sold as variants of one listing family. Each variant has its own page.

Rinnai RX130iN Condensing Smart Sense · RX130iN - 7.1 GPM · 6.5/10
Rinnai RXP160iN Condensing Smart Sense · RXP160iN - 9 GPM - With Pump · 5.4/10

Price$1,442.70Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Check the price on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · price and stock on Amazon

Compare side by side ↗

Specifications

Brand	Rinnai
Category	Gas tankless water heaters
Fuel	Natural gas
Stated mounting location	Indoor
Stated maximum flow	9 GPM
Condensing design	Stated in the listing title
Stated efficiency	0.97 UEF
Wi-Fi	With an optional module
Stated warranty	15 years on the heat exchanger
Buyer reviews	70 · 4.2/5
ASIN	B0CNQFDB5Z

Full listing title: Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense Tankless Water Heater

Listing evidence

Fuel	RX160iN Full listing title (Rinnai model suffix: N = natural gas, P = propane)
Stated mounting location	RX160iN Full listing title (Rinnai model suffix: i = indoor, e = exterior)
Stated maximum flow	up to 9 GPM Listing text
Condensing design	Condensing Full listing title

Updated October 2026

Exact listing, ASIN B0CNQFDB5Z

Rating from a published formula

Compared with its closest rivals

The two picks next to it in our high-efficiency condensing tankless water heaters ranking, with their rating and a dated price.

Compare side by side ↗

Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense

6.8Good · out of 10$1,442.70 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Stated: 9 GPM
70 buyer reviews
Gas tankless water heaters

This product ↑

Rheem RTGH 8.4 GPM Natural Gas Indoor

7.3Good · out of 10$1,168.99 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

Stated: 8.4 GPM · 157,000 BTU/h
60 buyer reviews
Gas tankless water heaters

See the review ↗

Takagi T-H3S-DV-N Condensing Indoor

4.5Fair · out of 10See current price ↗

Stated: 8 GPM
25 buyer reviews
Gas tankless water heaters

See the review ↗

Up to 9 GPM

That's the maximum flow the listing states, and headline flows are usually quoted at a mild temperature rise. In January the water comes in nearer 42 °F, so a 105 °F shower needs a 63 °F rise and the unit gives you less; the flow chart in the manual shows how much less. Counting 2 GPM per shower, as our calculator does, that's room for three showers at once, fewer when January water comes in cold.

Why it made our list

What changes in the morning shower rush

Condensing, 0.97 UEF. A second heat exchanger pulls heat out of the exhaust before it leaves, so more of the gas you pay for ends up in the water. The exhaust runs cool enough for plastic vent pipe, and the condensate needs a drain.

15-year warranty. 15 years on the heat exchanger, per the listing. Read what it needs from you: many makers ask for a licensed install and regular flushing to keep it valid.

One shower at a time, or two?

Two at once: up to 9 GPM, and our calculator counts a shower at 2 GPM, so that's two showers and a tap on paper. The maker's flow chart at a 63 °F rise tells you how much of that is left in January.

One at a time: you'd be paying for burner, gas line and vent you never use. A smaller unit is the cheaper answer.

Great for you if…

Two showers and the dishwasher run at the same time in your house
You care about the gas bill as much as the hot water
You want a long warranty: 15 years are stated

Skip it if…

You simply want our top pick: that's the Rinnai RU199iN Condensing (9.1/10)
The far bathroom already waits a minute for hot water: no built-in recirculation is named

Gas, venting and what's in the box

What the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense listing names:

Up to 9 GPM
Natural gas
Indoor mounting
Condensing, 0.97 UEF
Wi-Fi with an add-on module

Warranty & support: 15-year warranty on the heat exchanger, as stated in the listing.

That is the maker's promise, not ours. Keep the invoice, register the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense if the maker asks, and read the install conditions: many tankless warranties need a licensed install and regular flushing.

Read the installation manual for the vent, the gas line size and the clearances before you order; it overrides anything above.

Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense, view 3

Price and cost per GPM of stated flow

$1,442.70 Price on Sep 30, 2026 · may have changed

At the price on Sep 30, 2026, each GPM of stated maximum flow works out at about $160.30 (price ÷ stated GPM, our arithmetic). That puts it in the pricier third of the 45 indoor gas tankless heaters we have a price and a stated flow for.

The online price is the heater alone. Venting, a bigger gas line where needed and the installer's day are a separate bill, often as big as this one.

The button opens the exact listing (ASIN B0CNQFDB5Z), where today's price, stock and seller apply. Sizes and variants of the same family often sit at different prices.

Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense, view 4

A better fit for your house?

No easy route for a vent pipe? The A. O. Smith 10 GPM Natural Gas Outdoor (8.0/10) mounts on an outside wall, per its listing.

On propane, not natural gas? The Rheem RTGH 9.5 GPM Propane Indoor (7.8/10) runs on propane.

The far bathroom takes ages to run hot? The Rinnai REP199eN Smart-Circ (7.3/10) has built-in recirculation, per its listing.

Our take

The verdict

The Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense earns its place with up to 9 GPM and a condensing design rated 0.97 UEF. Only 70 buyers have rated it so far (4.2/5), so treat the score as an early read. Where it falls short: no word on the gas input. We'd pick it if two showers and the dishwasher run at the same time in your house; otherwise, put it next to the Rheem RTGH 8.4 GPM Natural Gas Indoor first.

Check the price on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · price and stock on AmazonSee the high-efficiency condensing tankless water heaters ranking →

Living with it

Install day

Old tank out, unit on the wall, vent through the wall or the roof. a licensed pro handles it, and often a permit.

The first shower

Hot water arrives after the cold already in the pipes, then stays. A trickle from a bathroom tap may not light the burner; open it a bit more.

The first winter

January water comes in colder, so the same unit gives fewer GPM. Stagger the showers if you sized it tight.

Once a year

Flush the heat exchanger with a pump and a descaler (the service valves make it an hour's job), check the condensate drain and the neutralizer, and clean the inlet filter. Our flushing and descaling guide has the checklist.

What buyers say

Buyers give it 4.2/5, a solid record, above this ranking's 4.1 average. 70 reviews is still a modest pile, so a handful of new ones can move it.

The numbers

Buyer rating: 4.2/5
Reviews: 70
This ranking's average: 4.1/5

The one thing we'd check first

Before you order the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense, check your winter flow: 9 GPM is a best case, so run your January numbers in our calculator first.

Before you buy

Your winter flow

Count the fixtures that run together on a busy morning (our calculator uses 2 GPM a shower, 1.5 for the kitchen), then compare with the maker's chart. Our sizing guide shows how.

Vent and gas line

A licensed plumber or gas fitter confirms the vent route, the combustion air and a gas line that can deliver its full input. Get that quote before you order; our installation guide lists what they will ask.

The condensate

A condensing unit drips acidic water that needs a drain, often through a neutralizer. Our condensing guide explains the extra parts.

Flushing

Hard water scales the heat exchanger. Service valves on the water lines turn the yearly flush into an hour with a bucket and a pump; our flushing and descaling guide shows the routine.

How it compares

How the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense stacks up against the closest alternative in our ranking, the Rheem RTGH 8.4 GPM Natural Gas Indoor.

Criterion	Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense	Rheem RTGH 8.4 GPM Natural Gas Indoor
Our rating	6.8/10	7.3/10
Max flow	9 GPM	8.4 GPM
Gas input	Not stated	157,000 BTU/h
Efficiency	Condensing, 0.97 UEF	Condensing
Temperature hold	Not stated	±1 °F stated
Buyer reviews	70 · 4.2/5	60 · 4.4/5

Pick the Rheem RTGH 8.4 GPM Natural Gas Indoor if you want our higher-rated option (7.3/10), with a bigger burner (157,000 BTU/h) and a stated ±1 °F hold; stay with the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense for more flow (9 GPM) and a condensing design.

Compare side by side ↗See the Rheem RTGH 8.4 GPM Natural Gas Indoor review →

The score in detail

How we rated it

Our score: 6.8/10

Buyer rating (45%)

37.8 / 45

4.2/5 average

Review volume (35%)

17.5 / 35

70 buyer reviews

Documented specifications (20%)

12.4 / 20

62/100 listing documentation score

Our rating is an evidence index on a 0–10 scale. It is not a buyer star rating, and we have not used the product ourselves.

Buyer rating (45%): the captured average shown on this variant's own listing page (not shared with the other Rinnai variants), damped when there are fewer than 50 reviews.
Review volume (35%): more reviews mean more reliable evidence, on a logarithmic scale up to 5,000 reviews.
Documented specifications (20%): how completely the exact listing documents the attributes that matter.

Our editors then look at how it compares with the other heaters we rate. A commission is never an input to the rating. Read the full methodology.

Read the methodology →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense any good?

We rate it 6.8/10 (good), #3 of 5 in our high-efficiency condensing tankless water heater ranking. It is based on 70 buyer reviews averaging 4.2/5 and the specifications stated in the listing.

How much hot water can the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense deliver?

The listing states a maximum flow of 9 GPM. The headline flow is a mild-weather number: with cold winter water coming in, the same unit gives you less. Read the maker's flow chart at your winter rise, or let our flow-rate calculator do the sums.

Can the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense be installed indoors?

Yes, the listing says indoor mounting. That means a vent route to the outside, combustion air and a gas line sized for the unit, all as the maker and your local code require. A licensed plumber or gas fitter sorts that out.

What do you get with the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense?

Its listing states up to 9 GPM, a condensing design rated 0.97 UEF and a 15-year heat exchanger warranty. These are the seller's figures, not our measurements: how steady the temperature is in your shower and how it copes with your winter water can't be read from a listing.

What should I check before ordering the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense?

Your winter flow: count the fixtures that run together on a busy morning (our calculator uses 2 GPM a shower, 1.5 for the kitchen), then compare with the maker's chart. Our sizing guide shows how. Vent and gas line: a licensed plumber or gas fitter confirms the vent route, the combustion air and a gas line that can deliver its full input. Get that quote before you order; our installation guide lists what they will ask. The condensate: a condensing unit drips acidic water that needs a drain, often through a neutralizer. Our condensing guide explains the extra parts. Flushing: hard water scales the heat exchanger. Service valves on the water lines turn the yearly flush into an hour with a bucket and a pump; our flushing and descaling guide shows the routine.

Where can I buy the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense?

We link to the exact listing on Amazon, where today's price, stock and seller apply. It is an affiliate link, and it has no effect on the rating.

Have you used the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense yourselves?

No, we haven't used it ourselves. Everything on this page comes from its listing and 70 buyer reviews, read line by line and weighed with our published formula.

Keep comparing

If the Rinnai RX160iN Condensing Smart Sense hasn't sold you yet, see where it ranks, read the guides that feature it or browse all gas tankless water heaters.

Where it ranks

Best High-Efficiency Condensing Tankless Water Heaters in 2026 →

Read this before you buy

Condensing vs non-condensing tankless water heaters: the difference →

Gas tankless water heaters ↗All Rinnai products Comparison tool All product reviews