Portable Space Heater Reviews
Posted: Saturday, February 17, 2007
by Sam Streubel
Alternative-Heating-Info.com
The portable space heaters reviewed in this article are electric radiant or convection space heaters, cost less than $100, and offer a maximum heat output of 1500 watts.
All of the following space heater suggestions are rated an average minimum of 4 out of 5 stars by consumer reviewers.
Radiant heaters work like the sun by warming people and objects. Radiant heaters without fans are not designed to heat an entire room, but excel at providing instant heat for one or two people.
Radiant heat panels are constructed with the heating element embedded in the panel. By virtue of their simplicity, they are safe, reliable and maintenance free.
The Presto Parabolic Heat Dish is a cost effective choice for workshops or garages when you want to heat just you and not the entire building.
The Cozy Legs radiant heat panel, with only 100 watts of heat output is by no means a whole room heater, but performs admirably when installed under a desk or hung on the wall to warm a bird cage.
The next four categories of radiant heaters are equipped with fans to provide whole room heat.
Quartz Infrared Heaters
Quartz infrared heaters can cost as little as $50, or as much as $450 for the SunTwin or EdenPure heaters. The SunTwin brand features copper heat exchangers for consistent, non drying heat; a child and pet friendly cool to the touch exterior, fan assisted heat for larger spaces, and a lifetime washable filter.
The less expensive Marvin 1500 watt quartz heater uses replaceable quartz tubes in front of a reflector and a fan to project whole room heat. Quartz heating elements reduce positive ions in the air and consume very little oxygen. Reviews say this heater works extremely well. The security locked grill swings out for easy quartz tube replacement. Replacement tubes are readily available for $9.99 each.
Ceramic Heaters
Ceramic heaters come in a wide variety of models: fixed, tower, oscillating and pedestal. One of the most popular and inexpensive of these is the Honeywell HZ-315. Weighing in at only 3.3 pounds, it's the mighty mite of space heaters capable of quickly heating small to mid-sized rooms.
A specialized version of the ceramic heater is the remote controlled Soleus Air MS-20A. The cool to the touch exterior, even heat, and wall mounting feature make it a favorite for nurseries.
Electric Fireplaces
What are they? Expensive space heaters or a piece of furniture that also keeps you warm? Definitely a piece of furniture. If you went crazy and spent $2200 on an electric fireplace (they're out there), it still won't heat your room any better than the $299 model.
Electric Stoves
Similar to the electric fireplace, an electric stove is a radiant, fan assisted space heater installed in a decorative housing. The most popular model by far with consumers is the Dimplex CS3311 compact electric stove.
You can continue to read the reviews for convection heaters, micathermic heaters and oil filled radiators at Best Space Heater Reviews
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More commentsMy name is Brian Dempsy and Im an aspiring student who just left the temperate climes of my hometown of Northridge, California for the bone-numbing weather only found at Boston University where I left in search of a BS in Management. Upon arriving last fall I soon realized that my dorm, while carpeted and self-contained, didnt keep in heat during the waning throws of fall. This made me start really considering other options as the impending doom of winter loomed. I started asking around and some of my fellows were using a CZ Infrared 1000 model heater to warm their rooms. I have to admit, I was skeptical. I mean, how is a small and unassuming heater supposed to warm my entire 300 square foot dorm room? It didnt seem possible. After a week of listening to the testimony of my peers, I finally got enough nerve to make that phone call to my parents to buy me the heater.The unit arrived last month and man was it a life saver. Instead of focusing on staying warm, like I was doing, I can focus on cramming for exams and partyingthe important staples in a young students life. The unit simply works. By producing an even, comfortable heat that warms my furniture versus the air in my environment, I can focus less on my room being an oven (like my friends do with their units) and more on my room being an comfy, inviting place to study and live. Thank you Comfort Zone for saving my collegiate career.
In response to Mr. Roberts, the only issue I can see with your assertions is that I fail to see how a space heater can effectively heat an area of this magnitude comfortably or efficiently. Please explain to me how this unit can be as efficient as a standard central heat system. Thank you for your time.
Although I am happy that summer is approaching, I am a little disappointed I will not be able to use my CZ infrared this summer as the temperature outside will not allow it. My husband has mild joint pain and loved to rest his weary body in front of the heater. Although the manufacturer does not claim any health benefits, my husband notices that his joint pain has improved significantly.
Just poking around to see what other people are saying about the heater I jusr bought. It seems that 3 1500 watt infrared heaters would be able to handle 1800 square feet rather nicely at 1000 each. I have 2 of my own, and while my house is quite a bit smaller than Garrison's, I agree it's worth the money.
Good Morning, I purchased my CZInfrared 1500WT last winter to keep my townhome warm and toasty because I found that using clean and efficient electricity was a better environmental option versus our propane heat in Medford, Oregon. Being an active participant in the security of this planet’s future, I abhor the use of fossil fuels in any fashion. The burning of fossil fuels creates unnecessary amounts of greenhouse gas in our volatile environment which threaten the stability of our ozone layer causing unnatural climate change and limiting the amount of oxygen that we breathe. Due to my concerns, I needed a better option to heat my home that is powered by solar panel technology that produces the electricity I use. While I do save inherently on my power from our local utility, it still makes sense to find an efficient option to heat my home during the height of winter. My CZInfrared heater allows me to do just that. I kept it on constantly this winter heating my living room, study, and bedroom depending upon where I was. It did a fantastic job of maintaining an even 72 F in all of these areas mentioned while being unassuming and blending into my wood-toned décor seamlessly. In fact, my only regret was that I had only purchased one between all rooms in my home. Next year, before the big winter hits my local area, I plan to buy 2 more CZ1500 models for my study and bedroom to continuously keep all my rooms at a consistent and comfortable temperature.That just figures from such a greener, tree-hugging destroyer of the common man. The world has been used the same way, generation after generation, in just the same manner without incident so what will a few moments in the vast history of our planet change save for serving as a tool to separate the hard working coal miner or auto technician or logger or mill technician from his job at a time when the economy couldnt be in more dire of straights since the great depression of our fore-bearers. I get so upset when I see a man who has worked all his life for one particular industry only to be told just shy of retirement that due to environmental protections that his job has been made obsolete.just tragic. Now that being said, I have nothing to say about the CZInfrared product save for I wonder whose poor job was cut in the creation of such a perfect product. I have yet to see an environmentalist suggest something positive that didnt DESTROY something wholesome in the process. Thank you for your time.How do you think the power is generated to run your electric heater? More Importantly how do you get the damm filter off to clean it
It appears that this article turned into a posting of Comfort Zone. Actually Comfort Zone is now CZ heater for those unaware. They needed to change the name as there was already another heater out that had that name.
Another type of heater worth mentioning is the Solar Comfort Infrared Heater. The reason I mention it is that the article talks about Quartz Infrared heaters which are basically a halogen bulb. However, Solar Comfort uses a totally different lamp type.
The original Infrared heater created back in the 1980's that started the Infrared revolution is nearly the same as the Solar Comfort using Infrared heat lamps. They were not Quartz. The Infrared heat lamps are safer and used in farming for poultry, hog and lamb. They are also used in the food industry as well as saunas.
I have seen many issues with the Quartz as they get too hot. A tip is if you have an Edenpure, Comfort Zone (CZ heater) or equivalent, be sure to keep the filter clean. If you don't the air flow is reduced and cause for danger as the hot air can not get out of the unit. You might say though that they have a safety feature. Well not so fast. I have seen instances where it was too late and the plastic front melted.
Regarding the lifetime filters. These two units are not a quality filter in any way. So my advise is not to buy it based on the idea that is doing any kind of filtering. The filter will be less restrictive to debree than one used above a stove.
One thing I will say is that Edenpure has been around much longer than Comfort Zone which is currently having major financial issues. Best thing is to do your research.
I have to agree with Sam, the Presto heat dish is a great heater. I really like the idea behind quartz infrared heaters, but there are so many reports of them breaking down and being cheaply built, that I am unable to bring myself to pay that kind of money.While I do my homework on quartz infrared heaters, you can rest assured that I will be plenty warm with my Presto heater by my side. I have to wonder if it is even worth it to have a quartz heater since they do not produce a dry heat and I live in the pacific northwest.
My CZ heater worked fine........for about a month!
Called True Green Technologies, the folks I bought the unit from. They had me ship it back to them (UPS) and said I would have a replacement unit shipped to me in two days. Well, it has now been six days, and they will not even return my calls. All I want to know is when to expect to see my replacement heater! WATCH out if you plan on dealing with these people!!
People should know this and then they can make a sound decision on this heater choice.
CZ Heater is dead! In just three years Earthwise Technologies Inc. filed for bankruptcy and then changed their main name to True Green Technologies. They also changed their product name several times to avoid lawsuit. It was first introduced as Comfort Zone, then it went to CZ Heater and now it is Biosmart. I anticipate another name change as Bio-Tech is already out there in the industry.
We must ask ourselves, "Is this a stable enough company to buy from so that if anything goes wrong I can still get parts or fulfill my warranty needs?"
True story! I just plugged in my Solar Comfort after running the Edenpure. I could not feel confident leaving the eden pure plugged in when I was not around it. So I went through the effort of unplugging it every day and night. The plastic and quartz bulbs on the other units scare me! Also I know someone who fried his.
I totally feel safe with my Solar Comfort and just wanted to share my experience. I got it through solarcomfortheating . com
Thanks for the article and all the responses.
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