Best Electric Space Heater?

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Aug 16, 2019
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I shut down my 41 year old heat pump until it gets above freezing on Monday or Tuesday and am running a quartz heater and disc furnace.
I think it would be good to get a bigger space heater and shut the heat pump down on nights when it goes under 32*F and run the space heater to give my old heat pump a break.
It has to be an electric one, I can't tolerate kerosene or gas indoors.

Or maybe another electric radiator is what I should get.
I've had a couple of them and I gave my last one away to some needy neighbors a few years ago, darn it.
I was looking at the Dr infrared heaters here. Dr Infrared heater
 
There all pretty much the same amount of heat - since your residential outlets are maxed at 1800Watts - which is why you end up with all of them being 1500 watts - which is the max there ever supposed to get to due to line loss, etc. So just because you pay more your likely not getting more heat.

Do get ceramic - they heat more evenly. And make sure it has a auto off switch if it tips over. And if you can't plug it directly into the wall, get a heavy enough cord - like a 12 gauge or so.

Never had one of the oil filled ones. Those sound intriguing, but I have also noticed there pretty expensive.
 
I second the recommendation for an oil filled radiator, specifically one which cycles quietly and can maintain a set temperature. Anything with a fan is way too disruptive while sleeping, especially if it cycles on and off.

We have a Presto Heat Dish in our TV room, and it's nice for that use. It's quite cheap looking, so I wouldn't exactly have it on display for company, but sitting on the couch with it on is very pleasant.
 
dont let your pipes freeze.

They all are about the same 1500w can be an overload on wiring if used continuously for days..
make absolutely sure nothing else is on the circuit(well maybe an alarm clock etc)

or if you are buying one they sell models with low-600w/high-1200w that are better on a 15amp circuit.

Radiant or fan type are nice for when you are sitting in a chair.. for sleeping the oil filled radiator imo.

In a cold room radiant is more efficient it heats you up and less of the cold air.
 
Electric oil filled radiator style.
Once they get hot, then they cycle off and keep kicking out the heat.
Indeed. I've been using these since buying my first one around 1981 or so. Prices have come way down since then, choices and quality have increased. I'd use nothing else. Sweetie used 'em. Friends in Nevada use 'em. Sweetie and I have given them as gifts to folks who needed more/better heat.
 
I second the recommendation for an oil filled radiator, specifically one which cycles quietly and can maintain a set temperature. Anything with a fan is way too disruptive while sleeping, especially if it cycles on and off.

We have a Presto Heat Dish in our TV room, and it's nice for that use. It's quite cheap looking, so I wouldn't exactly have it on display for company, but sitting on the couch with it on is very pleasant.
Or those that glow - it’s pitch dark at my camp and some were too bright/noisy … Got the radiators - never looked back
 
They all are about the same 1500w can be an overload on wiring if used continuously for days..
make absolutely sure nothing else is on the circuit(well maybe an alarm clock etc)
Yes ......run your 1500 watt heater about 20 minutes then unplug it and feel the prongs . If hot you should replace with a higher quality outlet like a Industrial Grade .
 
I forgot to mention that my wife has a parabolic dish style heater from Costco that she loves. It casts heat directionally so she can feel warm without cooking everyone else out of the room.

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Yes ......run your 1500 watt heater about 20 minutes then unplug it and feel the prongs . If hot you should replace with a higher quality outlet like a Industrial Grade .
or you plug into your 20 amp circuits typically found in the kitchen and dining. good for 2400watts
 
I shut down my 41 year old heat pump until it gets above freezing on Monday or Tuesday and am running a quartz heater and disc furnace.
I think it would be good to get a bigger space heater and shut the heat pump down on nights when it goes under 32*F and run the space heater to give my old heat pump a break.
It has to be an electric one, I can't tolerate kerosene or gas indoors.

Or maybe another electric radiator is what I should get.
I've had a couple of them and I gave my last one away to some needy neighbors a few years ago, darn it.
I was looking at the Dr infrared heaters here. Dr Infrared heater
I got a DeLonghi 1500 watt oil filled several years ago. Seems to radiate heat very well. Rolls easily. We also have 2 old Kenwood 1500 watt oil filled heaters that held up well and still run well. For a while all I could find were smaller 1500 watt oil filled heaters. Did not perform as well and wore out quickly. Found out they were really 1200 watt. I prefer the oil filled electric heaters. Sees like size matters. More mass radiates heat better.
 
or you plug into your 20 amp circuits typically found in the kitchen and dining. good for 2400watts

Only 1920 watts if the 80% rule is applied. (A continuous load must not draw more than 80% of rated circuit ampacity. A continuous load is defined as one that will draw power for 3 hours or more, as I recall.)
 
You can’t go wrong with a DeLonghi oil filled radiator. I recently picked up 2 of these, direct from their website (out of stock at the moment). I also have 2 older DeLonghi’s that are in the bedrooms. These new ones I’m using in the kitchen and living room.

Propane went up a lot this year around here but electric didn’t, so I’m using them to help supplement the furnace. Once they’re up to temperature, this model (on eco) will go on and off using the low setting, and automatically increase to medium or high if needed. Low is only about 600-700 watts so it’s really not that bad.

 

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