Simple yet effective, the Lasko 5538 Ceramic Tower Heater is a great option for quick heat when you need it. It’s not the fanciest model on the market, but it’s a great little heater for the office, garage, or to have for emergencies. Ceramic heaters are usually chosen for their ability to safely heat a small space because they are less of a fire hazard than other types of heaters.
Heat Up the Lazy Way
This model comes with a remote control, so you can turn it on from your office desk or cozied up in bed. The range probably isn’t long enough to use from another room or level of your home, so it’s not ideal for pre-heating the shed before you go outside. It’s good enough to be lazy from the couch, though.
How Much Power Does it Pack?
The Lasko has a maximum heating power of 1.5 kW. For those of us that aren’t science wizards, that’s enough power to heat a medium size room or a two-car garage. It’s the perfect amount of heat to warm up a chilly room, but it shouldn’t be depended on to provide your main heat in the winter or for large spaces.
Temperature Specific Controls
The digital controls on the Lasko allow you to set it to a specific temperature. This is a step up from the generic “high, medium, or low” settings on your dad’s old garage heater. On the flipside, there is not a specific control for how hard the fan blows,
The only two settings for the fan are high and low. The fan is quiet, so that gets some brownie points. Unless you’re one of those people who like having a fan for white noise – then the Lasko probably won’t suffice.
Eco Feature
This fan redeems it’s less than fancy fan settings with its eco feature. When operating in this setting, the fan will automatically drop down to low once your selected temperature has been reached. This is a great electricity saving feature and keeps the room from getting too far above the temperature that you want.
Safe Heating Element
As we mentioned before, ceramic heaters are known for their safety. Ceramic surrounds the heating elements, so fires are much less likely. It also does not get hot to the touch. The grill in front of the fan does get warm, but not enough to burn skin. That’s a big plus if you have pets or kids. It does not, however, have an auto shut off feature. Other fans with this feature will automatically turn off if they are knocked over. So it’s not ideal for a space with lots of activity happening.
Timer Settings
A little bit cooler than the average space heater, the Lasko has a timer that you can set at one-hour intervals, up to eight hours. You can’t program it to start up at a certain time, but it will only run for the specified amount of time with this setting, It will stay within a few degrees above the temperature you select.
Easy Mobility
The grand thing about small space heaters like this one is that you can move them around easily. It doesn’t have to dedicate its life to one room. The Lasko even features a handle to carry it with and, at a whopping two pounds, it doesn’t take but a quick grab and sweep to move it wherever you need it. It also has a six-foot cord, so it can reach a fair distance from the outlet.
Lasko 5538: The Final Verdict
While the Lasko 5538 Ceramic Tower Heater is nowhere near the top of the line heater on the market, it does the job just fine for small spaces and short periods of use. It’s most commonly used for offices, garages, and bedrooms. The remote control and specific temp settings do kick it up a notch in its class, though. If you’re going for something simple, but effective, this is a great choice.
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!