Mid range space heater. It's winter time.
November 4, 2022 12:53 AM Subscribe
What are the options I have for space heaters these days?
My furnace does little because high ceilings and poor insulation. Most space heaters only warm my legs in direct heat. I have to point whatever heat they give towards my frozen limbs. What will actually warm a small (10' x 15') room and not require me to stand in front of it to feel warmth generally in my room?
My furnace does little because high ceilings and poor insulation. Most space heaters only warm my legs in direct heat. I have to point whatever heat they give towards my frozen limbs. What will actually warm a small (10' x 15') room and not require me to stand in front of it to feel warmth generally in my room?
I used a Lasko 1500W Electric Digital Whole Room Ceramic Console Space Heater with Remote Control, CC18306 last winter in my medium-sized bedroom when the heat had to be turned off and then continued using it even when the heat came back on because it worked so great. Approx. $70.
posted by SomethinsWrong at 4:23 AM on November 4, 2022
posted by SomethinsWrong at 4:23 AM on November 4, 2022
Wirecutter has a nice review of their tested and preferred space heaters. I have an oil-filled in my bedroom, completely silent except for a few low ticks when it adjusts, but it tends to dry out the air faster than a fan heater, so I always have to run a humidifier in there at the same time.
I bought the recommended Vornado that I move with me from living room to office — I like it a lot. It warms the entire room quickly, it’s not too noisy, and it has three power settings, so I can do a quick high heat first thing in the morning and then maintain warmth on the lower setting the rest of the day.
The oil-filled can be expensive, but I’ve had great luck finding them on CraigsList when I’ve needed them.
posted by Silvery Fish at 4:55 AM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I bought the recommended Vornado that I move with me from living room to office — I like it a lot. It warms the entire room quickly, it’s not too noisy, and it has three power settings, so I can do a quick high heat first thing in the morning and then maintain warmth on the lower setting the rest of the day.
The oil-filled can be expensive, but I’ve had great luck finding them on CraigsList when I’ve needed them.
posted by Silvery Fish at 4:55 AM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
I also have an oil-filled radiator heater, and can confirm that once it gets going it radiates a lot of heat.
The best thing about it? It's completely silent other than the occasional click or pop as the thermostat turns it off or on. Not having that constant background fan noise is really, really nice.
posted by ralan at 4:56 AM on November 4, 2022
The best thing about it? It's completely silent other than the occasional click or pop as the thermostat turns it off or on. Not having that constant background fan noise is really, really nice.
posted by ralan at 4:56 AM on November 4, 2022
I second jeremias. I bought one of the Delonghi radiators in early 2020 and it has been keeping my home office toasty warm flawlessly.
posted by hilaryjade at 6:32 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hilaryjade at 6:32 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Not answering your question, but in a lot of circumstances an electric blanket is the best choice. They heat your body, not the air.
posted by metasarah at 10:06 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by metasarah at 10:06 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Space heaters are (almost) all the same as each other for a given Wattage. Pick the type you want (forced air vs. radiator-style vs. infrared-oriented) then buy the cheapest one you can find of the desired type.
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:17 AM on November 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:17 AM on November 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I haven’t been around an oil filled heater for 10+ years, but prior to that, in every room I entered that had an oil filled heater in operation, I could smell the oil — including from the Delonghi I bought for my own use. And it gave me a headache.
My level of sensitivity to such things is apparently very unusual however, yet not so unusual that I couldn’t find a 'non toxic' ceramic panel heater that catered to people like me. The brand I bought was subsumed in a takeover and I can’t find them any longer, but I would try ceramic based heaters such as the one SomethingWrong recommends before I went with anything oil filled.
posted by jamjam at 1:01 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
My level of sensitivity to such things is apparently very unusual however, yet not so unusual that I couldn’t find a 'non toxic' ceramic panel heater that catered to people like me. The brand I bought was subsumed in a takeover and I can’t find them any longer, but I would try ceramic based heaters such as the one SomethingWrong recommends before I went with anything oil filled.
posted by jamjam at 1:01 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Last year we got a wall-mounted ceramic panel heater in our bedroom (this brand). In terms of converting electricity into heat, all space heaters are equally efficient, but what makes this type more efficient is it uses conduction to move air instead of a fan: cold air comes in the bottom, is warmed by the heater, then passively rises out the top. The effect warms the whole room without much directionality to it. You can't move it around, but the footprint is really tiny. We stuck ours on the wall behind our bedroom door, which doesn't change how it opens or closes at all. I like it a lot. Might get another for the home office.
posted by deludingmyself at 2:21 PM on November 4, 2022
posted by deludingmyself at 2:21 PM on November 4, 2022
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The nice thing about oil-filled (versus electric) is they do exactly what you're asking: they create an enveloping heat, that actually feels cozy. The downside is that it takes a bit of time for them to get up to the desired temp, but it's a worthwhile tradeoff.
posted by jeremias at 4:13 AM on November 4, 2022 [9 favorites]