Adrian Dimakis
The cold season is here. Since a bowl of soup can only do so much, an additional source of heat is extremely important for your home. Traditionally, we used to rely on fireplaces that require firewood, which ended up producing all that unnecessary smoke. Thankfully, the good scientists brought us the air conditioners, which, in turn, brought us warmth, joy, and painful electricity bills at the same time. Luckily, space heaters are here to the rescue.
Space heaters come as the most efficient way to quickly bring warmth to a drafty room. They work by giving concentrated amounts of warmth to a particular space they are in, and since they complement or can even act as a substitute to an air conditioner, they will easily save on the extra cost that would go to energy bills. These machines are also portable and compact, meaning you can roll or carry them into any other room or when you want to warm up your camping tent when out having fun.
There is a wide variety of heaters out there, each one using a unique means of distributing the heat, we have convection heaters, which are often ceramic and use fans for heat distribution. We also have infrared heaters, which use infrared rays. Infrared rays are considered to be more energy efficient because they use infrared ray, which moves more quickly and silently. However, to get the toasty feeling throughout the whole space, you may need to combine the two. We have done our research, presenting you with some of the best space heaters in the market.
Top 10 Space Heaters of 2020 Reviewed
1. Lasko 754200 Ceramic Portable Space Heater with Adjustable Thermostat
[wt_products id=”2757″ template=”5″]2. Space Heater, Quiet Personal Mini Electric Ceramic Heater
[wt_products id=”2766″ template=”5″]3. Honeywell HHF360V 360-Degree Fan Forced Surround Heater
[wt_products id=”2771″ template=”5″]4. Space Heater, 1500W / 750W Portable Oscillating Ceramic PTZ Electric Heater
[wt_products id=”2775″ template=”5″]5. 1500W / 750W Ceramic Space Heater
[wt_products id=”2779″ template=”5″]6. KOOLWOOM Portable Electric Space Heater Infrared Zone Heating Systems
[wt_products id=”2787″ template=”5″]7. Lasko aw300 Air Logic Bladeless heater
[wt_products id=”2789″ template=”5″]8. VIPEX Space Heater, VIPEX 1500W Electric Heater
[wt_products id=”2791″ template=”5″]9. Pelonis Infrared Quartz Heater
[wt_products id=”2793″ template=”5″]10. Ceramic Space Heater,1000W Electric Personal Portable Heater
[wt_products id=”2794″ template=”5″]Choosing The Best Space Heaters – The Ultimate Buying Guide
Winter is here, and much as we may go out and enjoy the winter sports activities, you’ll agree that nothing beats the feeling of retreating to the uncompromised serenity of the warm indoors. When winter comes you need to employ all possible methods to provide warmth to you and your family. One of the most convenient ways to do that is by using a space heater. The best space heaters are designed to be used in specific rooms and can help you save on the cost of energy. A space heater is also a convenient way of heating a room that feels colder due to wind blowing through the window or because of the HVAC system not reaching there.
However, you need to know how to buy a space heater before you can even start enjoying its benefits. In this write-up, we provide a comprehensive buyers’ guide to help you get the best product to meet your heating needs.
Type Of Space Heater
There are four main types of space heaters on the market, namely personal heaters, room heaters, portable heaters, and outdoor heaters. Below is a detailed look at each of the four types of space heaters.
- Personal Heaters: Portable heaters are designed for use by one or two people in a small room. They are compact, portable, and easy to use. After turning it on, give it 10 minutes or less and it will warm up a small room. Their design allows them you sit on a table, nightstand or floor. You can basically place it according to the part of the body you intend to warm.
- Room Heaters: Even though small and compact, room heaters have the ability to adequately heating up an entire room. You can place the heater in one of the room’s corners. The heater will have a fan, which spreads the warm air throughout the room.
- Portable Heaters: So as to be able to get warmth from one room to another, you need a portable heater. It is easy to carry around the house and you can even carry it to the office if you must. In most cases, portable heaters are electric, small, and easy to carry. However, this can only be used in the house where you have electrical outlets. If you need to carry it off-grid, then a heater that uses gas will do fine.
- Outdoor Heaters: If you often host parties in your backyard, an outdoor heater is what you need. With such a heater, the winter weather will not be able to interfere with the party. In that case, it should be a gas heater. You may want to buy a portable propane heater which is suitable for a small group of people. A portable heater will do very well if the party is on your patio. Alternatively, you may buy a wall-mounted heater. However, this will require a professional to install a gas line.
What Type Of Fuel Does It Use?
Space heaters may use two types of fuel, either electricity or gas. The following is a detailed explanation of the two types of fuel for space heaters.
Electric Space Heaters
From the name, electric space heaters rely on electricity to turn it into heat. As such, they require an electric outlet to work. The power provided by an electric space heater is measured in terms of watts. The wattage of a space heater basically indicates the size of the room you can effectively use it in. electric heaters can further be broken into four types – the convection, panel, infrared, and radiator.
- Convection Heaters: If you intend to heat an enclosed space, a convection heater is what you need. After the heat is produced, it is spread throughout the room thanks to a built-in fan. Since it keeps moving, the fan tends to produce some noise. Thus, if noise is an issue, you may want to consider a model without a fan. Only that without a fan, the heat will be spread around through the natural airflow, which may not work very well.
- Infrared Heaters: If you want to channel heat directly to you or the people in your house, you should buy an infrared space heater. As such, this type of heater is great for heating small spaces, where few people are gathered. The heat is directly channeled to the target object or person without necessarily warming up the air. When it is shut off, the air grows cold once again. In order for you to get warm, you have to directly face the heater.
- Panel Heaters: Panel heaters make use of the best of both the infrared and convection heating systems. They start quickly and evenly distribute warm air in the entire room. If you are looking for the best of both worlds, make sure you buy a panel heater.
- Radiator Heaters: Radiator heaters use internally stored oil to produce heat. The oil is heated and circulated through the machine. As it moves around, the machine radiates heat to the rest of the room. Radiator heaters are small and compact. Thus, they save a lot of space, can be carried from one room to another, and can warm a whole room given time. These are the best space heaters for leaving in a room for longer. They circulate warm air in the room and warm your space in the process. Even if you turn the heater off, the room will still be warm enough.
Gas Space Heaters
Gas space heaters rely on gas as fuel. To start it, you may need an electric starter or match. It heats up the area around it, circulates it throughout the air, and warms up the entire space. The best space heaters for the outdoors are those that use gas. You can use it on your patio or porch to provide the warmth you and your people need. With gas space heaters, you have to make a choice between the portable and stationary ones. They can be categorized as propane or natural gas heaters.
- Propane Heaters: As the name suggests, propane space heaters used propane as a source of fuel. The heater usually comes with a standard propane tank. Thus, these heaters are mostly portable, given that they do not need a connection to a gas line. Unlike electric space heaters which are affected by power outages, this particular type keeps burning.
- Natural Gas Heaters: With a natural gas heater, you will require the services of a professional to do the installation. The initial cost of installation for this particular type of space heater is usually high. However, it costs less in the long run. If anything, you will not need to replace the gas tank. However, you have to provide adequate ventilation in your home.
Energy Efficiency Of The Heater
A space heater needs to be energy efficient for you to be able to save money in terms of energy bills. But you may not know the right space heater to choose unless you first compare several models. Look for the efficiency ratings of the various models you find. Only that portable electric heaters might not be as efficient as normal AC systems.
So, you might be forced to look at the wattage of the electric space heater you want to buy. The less wattage, the more energy-efficient the model will be. Also, make sure that the heater is just the right one for your space. Check it for other features such as programmable timers, adjustable thermostats, and energy-saving modes. Alternatively, you might want to avoid electric space heaters in their entirety and instead buy a gas-powered one.
Safety
A space heater produces heat, which is the reason you must consider how safe it is to use in your home. If you do not pay attention to that aspect, you might have to deal with a fire accident. That’s especially when the heater comes into contact with flammable materials. But safety is not just about whether a space heater can start a fire or not. It is also about whether it can burn you when you touch it.
The good thing with electrical heaters is that they have surfaces that are cool to touch. Others have an automatic shut-off feature, which is triggered when it is tipped. Some even feature an overheat protection.
How Noisy Is It?
If you buy a portable electric space heater, then you should expect some level of noise. The ones that produce convention heat have fans and are the noisiest. To prevent noise, you might have to buy a model without a fan like the radiant heater. Quiet space heaters are best for use in the bedroom or office.
However, if noise is not an issue, then an electric heater with a fan will do great. That’s because a heater with a fan might be noisy but it spreads heat throughout the room.
Other Features
Apart from the aspects we have already discussed above, there are additional features that define how efficient the water heater is. They include the following:
- Automatic Shut Off: As part of ensuring safety, most electric space heaters come with an automatic shut-off feature. Its work is to prevent overheating and accidental fires when it falls. That way, you can be sure of you and your loved ones remain safe.
- Length of Power Cord: If you intend to move the space heater around, you should pay attention to the length of the power cord. If you have a small room, a short power cord will do just fine. However, a long cord will be suitable in a large room with a single power outlet.
- Thermostat: It makes sense to want to maintain the level of heat produced by a space heater at a certain level. The feature that ensures the temperature does not go above a set maximum is the thermostat.
- Timer: A timer is necessary, especially if you intend to be using your heater for a given length of time. It comes in handy when you go to sleep while your heater is still on. This feature will ensure it shuts off at the set time.
- Remote: If you need to control your space heater without touching it, buy one with remote control. A remote is good for use to turn the heater on or off while in bed. No need to get up and walk to the heater.
- Mobility: Features that may determine whether a space heater is mobile or not include a handle and wheels. To move the heater from one point to another, simply push it by the handles and it will go where you want it to be.
Conclusion
The best space heaters are those that can serve your needs without compromising safety. So, don’t make a rush buying decision. Take time to compare several types and models of space heaters to know the one that is best for you. It also makes sense to look for a model being sold for a bargain price. After all, you can only buy what you can afford.
