For these reasons we are recommending a portable room heater with fan that is very quiet. The has several other features we admire. The heating element is well protected inside the heater housing making it one of the few forced air convection heaters we recommend for use in households with children. The upright design and the low surface temperatures allow the unit to be places out of the way against a wall, and the footprint is small compared to the typical oil filled heaters. This video demo of the at the top right of this page will give you a a more complete picture of the size and features of the unit.

There are two model variations of this heater. The Lasco 75800 has an adjustable thermostat, 2 power heating settings of 750 and 1500 watts, while the version listed as the cyclonic ceramic room heater comes with a remote control. Personally I find the remote control unnecessary (too many remotes to keep tract of already), but many do like the convenience of a remote, and it only adds $5 to the cost. I can see the remote could be desirable in a bedroom as there would be no need to get out of bed to make adjustments or turn the heater on or off.

We feel that the Lasco 75800 is a versatile heater in that one of the major drawbacks of fan heaters (noise) is addressed. However many still will be bothered by the tendency of this heater to dry out the air in the room. The two primary advantages we see to the heater over the passive convection heater such as the Delonghi oil filled heater are the smaller footprint and the ability to generate heat instantly. We still promote oil filled heaters for as being the best space heaters for general room heat throughout the day or for extended periods.

Paul Eden

We all want to spend less on winter heating costs. Portable space heaters can be utilized to help in this cause provided they are used in an appropriate manner and we have realistic expectations. Space heaters are limited in heat output to 1500 watts or the equivalent of about 5000 BTUs of heat per hour. Considering that many central heating systems are rated for at or more than 30,000 BTUs per hour, it is not reasonable to expect the same level of heating throughout a typical house with one or even several portable room heaters as with a central heating system. One of the keys to using portable heaters effectively is to not expect to heat your entire house, but rather just heat the room or space within a room effectively.

Almost all portable electric heaters fall within two primary categories. They either are convection are radiant heaters. Convection heaters heat the air by placing the room air in contact to a heated surface. Forced convection heaters use a fan to move the air while passive convection heaters such as oil-filled heaters rely in the natural movement of air within a room. Small ceramic fan heaters are an example of a forced convection heater.

Radiant heaters do not heat the air in the room but rather transfer heat from one warm object (in this case the heater), to a cooler object or objects such as furniture and occupants in a room. Radiant heat warms your skin and cloths in the same way as standing in the sun. The Optimus Infrared Quartz heater is an example of a common portable electric radiant heater.

With a basic understanding of the types of portable heaters on the market it is easier to make decision on the type of heater to purchase based on the intended application. For short- term heat like warming up a bathroom for showering and dressing in the morning a ceramic box fan heater is the best choice. The heating coils heat up instantly and with the fan you will have an immediate source of warm air. In my opinion forced air convection heaters are less than ideal for heating up a room throughout the day. The fans tend to be noisy and they have a tendency to dry out the air in the room. For clean quiet heat over several hours or all day a passive convection heater is your best bet, the most common being oil filled heaters. Once the oil and heater surface is heated they will produce an even supply of heat and are safe around children because the surface temperatures are modest. For localized heat, try a radiant heater. If you are sitting at a desk and need localized heat, a low powered Soleus Air radiant heater is a good choice.

There options when selecting portable space heaters. The key to using these heaters to save money on your annual heating bill is to have realistic expectations and use the most effective style of heater for the task at hand. The best space heaters are the ones that suit the power and confort requirements of the occupants.

Paul Eden

Soleus Air Oscillating Reflective Heater with 2 heat settings and 2 hour timer, replicates the sun, heating surfaces instead of the air. Heats is immediate upon turning on the unit. A very safe and healthy method of heating. 400W to 800Watt – Excellent for spot heating. Warranty claim and Customer Service; Soleus International Inc., 1-888-8Soleus or www.Soleus.com

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No more worrying about overheating or starting a fire, a ceramic thermal cut-off mechanism shuts the heater down if it’s accidentally tipped over or covered with curtains, blankets etc. A dual heat-flow setting makes it easy to regulate. Choose the “hi” setting for 1500 watts or the “lo” setting for 750 watts. And, an adjustable thermostat helps fine-tune temperatures and conserve energy. When winter is over, the fan operates without heat for summer cooling. A buil (more…)

The Ceramic Tower Heater with Digital Display is a great way to keep a room or space warm during the winter months without burning a hole in your pocket. Its elongated ceramic heating element, powerful air penetration and widespread oscillation combine to deliver optimum warmth throughout your entire room. Its convenient carry handle makes it easy to transport to any room in your home. With digital controls, programmable thermostat and an 8-hour timer, staying warm has never been s (more…)

The DeLonghi Ceramic Heater features 2 heat flow settings. Choose the HIGH (1500 Watts) or LOW (825 Watts) setting. Adjustable thermostat lets you easily select and maintain a desired level of comfort. The Anti-freeze settings allow you to never get bitter cold again. The anti-freeze setting automatically turns the heater on when the room temperature drops below 44 degrees Fahrenheit. A power indicator light for safe operation the power light indicates when the heater is on. This h (more…)

• Because oil filled heaters are convection heaters that rely on the natural movement of air created by temperature differences between the heater surface and the ambient temperature, they do not rely on a fan. Many people find fan heaters objectionable because of the noise and the tendency to dry the air.
• Oiled filled space heaters are considered safer by many because of the modest temperatures of the heater surfaces. The actual heating element is housed within the metal housing and merely heats the oil which in turn heats up the surface of the unit.
• Because of the large surface area, once the heater is brought up to the correct temperature, the heat produced tends to be steady and not as prone to temperature swings that one might experience with a small fan heater for example.

Of course there are a few downsides to an oil filled heater. Because they do not employ a fan, they require a larger surface area to transfer the heat from the heater into the room. If you are short on space you might consider a panel heater that may be wall mounted or possibly a ceramic or quartz fan heater. Also if you desire a quick blast of heat for a short period of time, then a fan heater would be a better choice. For example if you would like to have a source of heat in the bathroom while showering and dressing in the morning, and do not want to leave it on all day. use a fan heater.

Since the maximum rating for a portable electric heater is restricted to 1500 watts of power, all models of portable oil filled heaters rated for 1500 watts will produce the same heat. What you are paying for in the pricier models are such features as remotes, timers and more advanced thermostats. There are a few lower powered models and one advantage is that they are physically smaller.

Oil filled heaters are the best space heaters to use where heat is needed in a small to medium sized room over an extended period of time. For short blast of heat or for heating a small area within a larger space, other types of portable electric heaters are better suited.

Amazon.com
Effectively heat any room in the home with this 30-inch space-saving pedestal heater. Its elevated design and widespread oscillation combine to deliver warmth evenly throughout the entire room while only using one square foot of floor space. The unit includes a multi-function remote that controls the digital thermostat, eight-hour timer, and three quiet-comfort settings. The settings include a 1500-watt high setting (5118 BTUs), a 900-watt low setting (3070 BTUs), as wel (more…)

When it comes to portable room heaters, it is important to know that the power usage is limited to 1500 watts. Further, most electric heaters are very efficient at converting electric energy to heat, in fact, for comparative purposes, we can assume they are all 100% efficient. Since 1 watt will equal 3.4 BTU’s, the maximum heat output of any portable electric heater will produce is approximately 5100 BTU’s per hour. So, the $15 heater that is rated at 1500 watts will produce just as much heat as those $300 designer fireplace heaters that are featured in full-page newspaper ads.

Portable electric heaters fall into two general categories: radiant and convective. Convection heaters are characterized by the movement of air across a heated surface. Forced air convection heaters use a fan to drive the air, while natural convection heaters use the natural pattern of air movement. Examples of forced air heaters are the electric fan heaters and ceramic heaters (also with fans). Two examples of common natural convection heaters would be the oil-filled heater that looks very much like the old radiator heaters you see in many vintage homes, and panel heaters that may be wall mounted.

Radiant heaters use light energy to transfer heat from a warm heat source to a cooler object (or person). They provide warmth in a way that is similar to standing in the direct sunlight. Even though the air temperature may be the same in the sun or shade, you feel warmer in the sun due to the radiant heat transfer to your skin and clothes. Examples of radiant heaters are quartz infrared heaters, halogen heaters and parabolic heaters.

The most efficient way to determine the best space heater for your needs is to first acquire an understanding of the most common classes of space heaters and some of the terminology that is used in product literature. After becoming familiar with the types of electric room heaters, the next step is to learn where each type of heater excels and where is performs poorly.

Delonghi is well known as a manufacturer of reliable oil-filled space heaters. Portable radiator type heaters are not only great for heating small to medium sized rooms but work well for augmenting central heaters in high occupancy areas in larger spaces. The radiator construction features rustproof metal for even heat distribution and resilience wi (more…)