If you are looking for a room heater, you might have not considered the points that actually make or break the appliance. Room heaters are crucial during the winters and you simply must invest in the best kind available. Appliances are one-time investments and getting the best one as your first purchase is something to talk about.
So, let us see what really makes a good room heater.
There are mainly three kinds of room heaters that are easily available in the market. These three kinds are, Fan Heaters, Oil heaters and Radiant heaters.
Radiant heaters, or infrared heaters are the most commonly found and some of the cheapest ones in the market. They however are only capable of heating their immediate environment. They also take a lot of electricity to heat up and stay in that state. Radiant heaters are great for you if you see less than 3 months of winters, have a small room to heat up, or is required by only one occupant.
Oil Heaters are probably the best ones. They do not use oxygen to heat up, make no noise and are relatively reasonable to purchase. They also do not use as much electricity as the other heaters. You could invest in an oil heater if you endure over 6 months of cold. Oil heaters also can retain a lot of heat and keep the room warm long after you have switched it off.
Fan heaters are good too, but they can be noisy. If you have a big room you want heated up, fan heaters are the best, quickest and easiest ways to get there. Fan heaters do take a lot of electricity, however.
You can also find the likes of EcoHeat, a room heater combining the functionalities of a radiant heater and a fan heater into one. These kinds use a heating element, mostly ceramic and uses internal fans to blow out the heat into the surroundings. They are relatively cheap, portable and can last you multiple winters. Read EcoHeat detailed review for more details.
Features to look for
- Timer: Heaters can allow you to set a timer for the duration you want your appliance to stay switched on. This helps you conserve electricity and is also convenient during sleep hours.
- Noise levels: Noise levels can be an issue while using appliances. Similar to an AC during summers, heaters during winters allow us peaceful sleep and the noise can be really disturbing. For this purpose, you want to make sure you get a noise-free appliance.
- Humidity and Oxygen levels: Radiant heaters especially, burn oxygen inside room while they are switched on. This can cause suffocation if you are not careful. You can of course keep your doors and windows open while the appliance is under use, but you can also invest in a fan heater or oil heaters than burn quite less to no oxygen while under use.
- Aesthetic: The aesthetic of your heater is important too. Matching it with your existing furniture can even enhance the look of your living room.
- Portability: If you want a portable room heater, you will not face too many issues. However, if you are buying a bigger heater, you need to make sure transporting it is possible either by wheels or handles to lift your appliance up.
- Oscillation: Automatic oscillation can help distribute heat evenly around your room. Some heaters allow you to even set the speed of this oscillation.
- Thermostat: Given you use your room heater for different rooms, you can find the heater that allows you to set the temperature accordingly.
- Wattage: The greater the wattage of your heater, the better its heating capacity. Though keep in mind, greater the wattage, higher your electricity bills as well.
- Heating Speed: The efficiency of the appliance to heat a room is also something to take note of. The wattage can somewhat give you an idea, but I suggest you look at proper reviews to get the gist of the same.