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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: FastStache on December 17, 2013, 07:09:01 PM

Title: Room heater recommendation
Post by: FastStache on December 17, 2013, 07:09:01 PM
Looking for a room heater recommendation with some sort of temperature readback capability.

http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-754200-Ceramic-Adjustable-Thermostat/dp/B000TKDQ5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387332349&sr=8-1&keywords=room+heater

Something along those lines.

Size: about 80 sq ft room
Floor: carpet
Space: don't want to take up too much space
Safety: eventually the baby will walk..... any special safety features?
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: arebelspy on December 17, 2013, 07:44:20 PM
The Wire Cutter is my favorite tech review site, and The Sweet Home is their sister site for home stuff.

I trust their reviews.

Here's what they have to say about space heaters:
http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-space-heaters/

I actually own the small recommendation (have had it for a year or two, well before they wrote the article), and it's exactly what they say: great for a very small space.

Probably all you need if it's about 80 sq ft.

There's a larger recommendation as well.
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: Another Reader on December 17, 2013, 08:16:40 PM
The oil filled heaters are generally safe, although they can get too hot to touch.  The heating ability seems to vary between samples.  They are not totally quiet - they make radiator noises as the metal expands and contracts.  They also click as they cycle on and off.  The DeLonghi model recommended in the article is no longer available at Amazon.  At Home Depot, it's $89.99.  The off brands have poor ratings.  About $30 a month seems accurate to run one as supplemental heat in a bedroom at night, that's at current PG&E kwh rates.

I still have a 30 year-old Intertherm portable baseboard radiator.  If a cat hadn't chewed through the cord (unplugged in the summer), it would still be in use.  Best space heater ever.  I still have it in hopes someone will be able to replace the cord someday.
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: adesertsky on December 17, 2013, 08:36:04 PM
I have two of those Delonghi's and they are great.  They really warm up a room very well.  They oil pops and smells funny the first time you turn it on but it is mostly very quiet and good at delivering an even heat.

Many years ago, I lived in a tiny apartment with thin walls that got very cold.  I got an EHeat wall mounted heater and it worked nicely.  It doesn't take up floor space and is cool to the touch for wee ones or clumsy adults.  That said, my model was way more basic looking than what they offer now so I can't give testimony to it: http://www.eheat.com/
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: catccc on December 17, 2013, 10:34:36 PM
another vote for the oil filled heaters.  We have 2 delonghi brand ones, purchased for $39.99 at lowes (that was the regular price) last year and a year prior.  They are great, and we use them around little ones no problem.  They get hot to the touch, but not like burning hot.  I really prefer them over the fan type ceramic heaters because those are so drying.  Then you need to run both the heater and the humidifier.  No digital controls on our model, but we have it plugged into an outlet timer to help regulate, and enough manual options to set it to an appropriate heating level.  We had popping noises from oil settling initially (and again after a kid knocked one over), but no funny smells.

The little ceramic ones are good for heating my cube at work, and the bathroom.  That's about it.
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: dragoncar on December 18, 2013, 02:52:26 AM
It really depends on the features you want.  I'm a huge skeptic whenever anyone starts talking about heater efficiency or operating cost -- with electric resistance heaters (everything you will be looking at) they will all provide the same amount of heat per dollar spent on electricity.

Everything else is a tradeoff:

Heat output vs. operating cost
Circulation rate vs. noise
Size vs. noise

I must say I don't see the appeal of oil heaters -- the oil is there I guess to provide thermal mass.  So why don't they just use less thermal mass and cycle the power less often?  Who knows?

I have the Solus micathermic one (well, similar) and I like it a lot.  It's tall and wide, but thin so it slides away pretty easily. 

With a toddler, I'd say get something you can place high up -- no heater worth buying will be sufficiently cool to the touch.
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: FastStache on December 18, 2013, 11:01:14 AM
Thanks all for the recommendations.

I think the eheat one since it has plenty of safety features and I like that is mounted on the wall.  But the price is quite high and being in Florida it will take a long time to recoup the cost difference, if ever on a unit that cost 30 versus 140. So, I will contemplate the decision a bit more and see if there are any other options out there.
Title: Re: Room heater recommendation
Post by: dragoncar on December 18, 2013, 11:46:55 AM
Thanks all for the recommendations.

I think the eheat one since it has plenty of safety features and I like that is mounted on the wall.  But the price is quite high and being in Florida it will take a long time to recoup the cost difference, if ever on a unit that cost 30 versus 140. So, I will contemplate the decision a bit more and see if there are any other options out there.

You will never recoup the difference in electricity due to conservation of energy.