Infrared heaters save power and are ideally suited for heating small rooms. The reviews compiled in this article will help you choose the right one for your home or workplace.
Infrared heaters are based on a very fundamental principle of heat exchange, which is radiation. It’s an appliance which is in great demand nowadays due to its inherent merits, that include portability and energy efficiency. With a plethora of products out in the market, it can be tough to choose one that ideally suits your requirements. In the following lines, we have made your job easier with detailed reviews.
Buying Guide: The Essentials
So what are the most important features to look out for, when buying an infrared heater?
Here are the specifications:
Type: There are two prime types, which include high-wattage heaters that can be wheeled around and compact ones that can be used to heat small areas. Choose whichever best suits your heating requirements.
Wattage / BTU Rating/ Heating Radius: The most important factor to be considered is the maximum wattage of a heater or the BTU rating and the maximum area that it can successfully heat up. Go for heaters with high wattage that can cover at least a 1000 square feet.
Safety Features: An inbuilt self-regulating thermostat control system that can shut off the heater when temperature rises beyond set value, is a must. Besides that, a cool exterior surface and tipping-resistant design is essential. In fact, overheating and tipping switches are a must. A fan installation helps circulate the warmth uniformly.
Quartz Bulb Lifespan: Like a car is defined by its engine, the infrared heater is defined by the quality and lifespan of the quartz bulb or any other heating element installed within. Look for heaters with a lifespan of at least 20,000 to 60,000 hours, if you are looking at it as a long term investment.
Warranty: A long warranty period two or three years is another feature to look out for. Longer the better it is for you.
Price: Lastly, the most important factor is price. Cheap heaters priced around $40 are dime a dozen, but true quality products may cost more in the range of $250 or more.
Add-On Features: Inbuilt humidifiers, a remote control and replaceable air filters are value additions to look out for.
Best Infrared Heater: Reviews
After that brief overview of the working of infrared heaters, here are reviews of the best ones in the market. From the devices presented below, choose one which best suits your requirement and overall budget.
Comfort Zone CZ Portable Infrared Space Heater
Built with a polished wooden exterior, this Comfort Zone Space Heater is a solid performer with very satisfactory customer reviews overall. Easy to operate with a remote control, this infrared heater works well in heating large rooms and cuts down substantially on your central heating bills.
Pros: The 12 hour auto on/off timer, washable air intake filter, digital thermostat and the stylish Oakwood/Cherry wood external furnishing make it functionally safe and ambiance wise, a suitable choice.
Cons: While the overall customer experience is reportedly satisfactory, there have been some cases of the thermostat functionality not being accurate enough, with latency in response to changing temperatures.
Price: $198.79
LIFESMART Amish Inspired Power Plus Infrared Heater
With four powerful copper heat exchangers, a 1000/1500 watt heat output and a 25,000 hours rated quartz infrared heating element, this LIFESMART heater is currently one of the best choices in the market.
Pros: It can easily heat up a 1200 square feet room, with its six infrared quartz heating elements. Some of the added pros are the remote control operation, E-Z glide wheels, polished wooden exterior and silently operating scrolling fan.
Cons: Customer reviews indicate that the heater struggles when it comes to heating 1000 square meter plus room areas, though it works well for compact rooms.
Price: $128.99
Dr. Infrared Heater 1500W Dual System Portable Quartz Infrared Heater
One of the few dual system infrared heaters that use quartz and PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heating elements alternately, Dr. Infrared is one of the most recommended products, garnering positive reviews on most forums.
Pros: Its 1500 Watt rating, with a specified coverage range of 1000 square feet, makes it ideal for small apartments or office setting. The dual system mode makes it more energy efficient compared to most other heaters. With a 12 hour automatic shutoff timer and IR remote control the product is all the more appealing to any home buyer.
Cons: While most reviews were positive, there were some reported cases of the heater being slow in heating up, while also not creating warm enough an environment.
Price: $159.99
iHeater IH-1500W Quartz Infrared Portable Heater
An excellent product from iHeater that has garnered positive reviews overall.
Pros: This iHeater product has copper heating chambers, lifetime washable air filter and a tipoff switch that shuts down the device automatically.
Cons: It seems pricey compared to other models offering the same features. It may cause a pronounced spike in the electricity bill.
Price: US $299.99
Holmes Quartz Tower HQH319-U
This electric heater, delivers maximum power at 1500 watts and is best suited for heating a single room.
Pros: Comes with a 6 year warranty and it delivers heat quite fast compared to other conventional heaters. It has inbuilt safety features.
Cons: There have been reports of moving the device triggering an automatic shut off.
Price: $39.99
Soleus Air MS-09 Oscillating Radiant Heater
This is a very compact electric infrared heater, which comes with a halogen heating element and it’s one of the most popular models in the market. It’s inexpensive compared to most of the other models.
Pros: Extremely compact, this model comes in two heating levels and is ideally suited for small rooms. Comes with inbuilt safety features like automatic shut-off.
Cons: As it delivers heat at 400-800 watts, it may not be sufficiently hot in very cold climates.
Price: $49.48
Optimus H-5210 Infrared Quartz Heater
Pros: It is a very efficient device which heats up a room quite fast. Compared to other oil operated convection heaters, this one is very quiet. It has safety features like an automatic shutoff and tilt switch and at $25.42, it’s a steal.
Cons: It’s inadequate when it comes to heating large rooms. Uneven surface in the room can trigger its automatic shutdown function. The grill that covers the radiant heating tubes get too hot.
Price: $25.42
How Do Infrared Heaters Work?
Heating through radiation is fast compared to heating by a furnace. As you will see in the reviews presented below, most of these heaters can easily and adequately heat an area of 1000 square feet. These heating systems cannot replace centralized furnace heating, but reduce the load on them.
I would suggest that you use them along with central heating furnaces. You can keep your gas furnace heaters at a lower temperature and use an infrared heater as an accessory heating system, which will raise the temperature sufficiently. This will reduce your heating bills, and the money invested in a heater will be easily recovered in one winter season. The source used in these heaters is mostly electric. There are many types of heaters which differ according to the volume they are capable of heating. Two main types are patio heaters and space heaters.
Instead of settling for a cheap temporary solution, go for a heater that will pay good dividends in the future with its heating efficiency. A combination of central heating, with such an accessory heating device will help cut down your bills. Wish you a warm future ahead!