Space heating appliances have become the most hunted appliances by the customers during winter. They are needed to ensure indoor temperature is at a warm but comfortable level for the whole family. In this guide, we’re talking specifically about radiant electrical space heaters. If you’re struggling to find the best radiant electric space heaters for your home, don’t worry; we’ve got a few top picks for you.
Radiant Electric Space Heaters Buying Guide
Not all radiant electric space heaters are made for the same conditions and settings. So, if you’ve decided to buy it yourself, this buying guide will help you to find the best heater for your family. As we stated earlier, we have the best suggestion for your space heater needs, we’ll give you a clear description of what radiant electric space heaters are and how to find the best one for your home.
Types of Space Heaters
One of the most confusing factors when a consumer needs to buy a new appliance, particularly a space heater, is the type. There are four types for you to know; convection heaters, ceramic fan-forced heaters, radiant heaters, and mica-thermic panel heaters, each with their own sets of advantages and disadvantages. In this section, we’ll briefly explain what each type is and which is best for you.
Convection Heaters
A convection heater is using the principle of currents convection to heat and circulate the air. The heating itself will still affect the space even if you already switch the power off before it finally stopped and being cold. However, this is old-school technology and thus, takes a lot longer to heat up a room.
FYI. Just because it’s an older piece of technology doesn’t mean that it’s bad. In fact, this type of heater is ideal for larger spaces (living rooms, dining rooms) despite their longer heating times.
Ceramic Fan-Forced Heaters
This type of heater works by heating threads of wires passing through ceramic-based plates to warm the space. They come in a wide range of shapes and sizes and are highly sought out for its modernity, multiple features, and versatility. Ceramic heaters are best used in either in living rooms or small offices. Unfortunately, ceramic heaters are not suitable for bedrooms or any private spaces since they produce a ton of noise.
Radiant Electric Space Heaters
Radiant electric space heaters irradiate infrared rays to heat surrounding objects. They hardly generate any sound and come with lower-wattage motors, making this type the most widely-used by consumers.
Did You Know. Radiant space heaters are a lot more energy-efficient than the previous types of heaters. This is because they use energy to heat up individual objects with infrared rays that lose little to no heat when passing through air. If operation costs are your greatest concern, then a radiant electric space heater is most likely your most cost-efficient option.
Mica-thermic Panel Heaters
This type of heater works similarly to convection heaters and produces little to no noise. However, because of the material, it can be hot to the touch and lead to burn accidents. Keep a tube of burn ointment on hand if you get a mica-thermic panel heater.
Additional Info. Mica-thermic panel heaters are the most efficient in terms of energy consumption and heating times. However, they’re generally more expensive and delicate but a lot more eye-pleasing. Just some additional information for you to digest.
When Should You Replace Your Radiant Electric Space Heaters?
Most people are unaware of this issue. They will say as long as their appliances are still working, as usual, then they don’t have any reason to buy a new one. This answer might be correct, but this doesn’t apply to many products, especially electronics. The older an electronic is, the more you’ll pay for repairs in the future.
Radiant space heaters have a finite age of between 30 and 45 years. If you inherited your space heater from your grampa or gramma, it might be time to upgrade to something more modern.
For Your Safety. Older models—i.e., those made before 1990—cost a lot more to run due to their inefficient motors. Plus, they were not subject to thorough energy testing as modern electronics are, so they most likely use around twice as much energy to heat up a room as a modern space heater would. Space heaters are quite inexpensive and last for a long time, so upgrading to a new model today is a smart decision.
Factors to Consider when Shopping for a Radiant Electric Space Heater
Here are the most important factors you need to consider.
Size Matters!
The smaller the device is, better-suited it is for smaller spaces. Radiant electric space heaters come with all of the advantages that a modern heater could have. They can be suitable for large or small spaces, depending on the space heater’s BTU output.
Helpful Tool. This handy online calculator should help you determine how large or small a space heater you need for your personal space.
Energy Consumption
Take a look at the motor’s wattage rating. Radiant space heaters typically consume between 800 and 1,500 watts, where a higher wattage rating means quicker in smaller spaces. A lower wattage, on the other hand, symbolizes an energy-efficient model that will take longer to heat up larger spaces.
Pro Tip. After a room has reached your desired temperature level, you can crank the thermostat down slightly to save energy while losing very little heat over time.
Temperature Range
If the device has a thermostat, then you can set it up to different heating levels based on the size of your room. A wider temperature range is supported by a larger motor and operates at different energy levels based on heating output.
Another Pro Tip. Make sure that your bedroom/living room/whichever room the space heater is located does not allow heated air to escape. Close all doors and windows and consider installing draft stoppers beneath your door (or use a towel). This not only helps maintain the optimal toastiness of a room but can also improve energy efficiency.
Tip-Over Detection
Built-in sensors constantly keep track of whether the device is standing upright or not. If a pet or child collides with the space heater, the tip-over detection sensors will send a signal to the motor, telling it to stop all operations ASAP. This is a must-have feature to ensure the safety of your household.
Caution. Tip-over sensors are not 100 percent reliable. There’s a slight chance that falling over can ruin break the sensor and render the auto-shutoff switch completely useless. Keep your space heater out of reach of children and pets and do not leave it unattended for any reason. It’s better to switch it off and turn it back on when you return than to leave it running for hours on end.
Overheat Protection
Overheat protection shuts off the motor after it reaches a certain temperature. If you’ve ever used a space heater before, you’ve probably let it run far longer than you intended. Without overheat protection, the device would surpass its optimal working temperature range and potentially cause irreparable damage to the motor.
Timer Function
A built-in timer is something many shoppers take for granted. Before falling asleep in your heated bedroom, turn the timer feature on, so the motor will automatically shut off after a couple of hours of running. The timer feature will also help users stay in full control over how much energy the space heater uses.
FAQs
No, they do not. Electric space heaters do not release toxic fumes, thereby making them ideal heating devices to have indoors. However, like gas heaters, they can be a burn or fire hazard if left unattended. Keep the device away from fire, wood, and other flammable objects. Use the timer to make certain that it does not run for longer than you need it to.
If price is your greatest concern, then you’ll be happy to learn that the best time to get discounts on space heaters is between April and September. These are the months where manufacturers generally roll out new models. With winter coming at us in full speed, now is the best time to consider your home-heating options.
Even though a space heater can last up to 45 years without failure, you’ll want to keep an eye out for certain signs of trouble. For instance, a smoky motor, longer heating times, misfunctioning sensors, uneven heat distribution, and cracks in the exterior are all signs that you need to swap out your old space heater for a new one.
It depends. If you live in an apartment with just one spacious area, then a bigger space heater is the better option. However, if you need to heat up multiple rooms at once and don’t want to get in a tug-of-war battle with your husband/wife/kids/second-cousin-first-removed, then investing in multiple space heaters will solve any internal conflicts in your household while keeping everyone nice and warm.
If you have any questions or comments, please add them below in the comment section. Similarly, please let us know if you spot any mistakes or omissions. Thanks!
Sources
Best Freestanding Patio Heaters – Householdme.com
Best 15 Garage & Shop Heaters – garageheaterexpert.com
Last Update: 2024-04-23 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
