Space Heater Reviews

When the chill of winter spreads around and mercury dips below zero, survival without central heating or space heaters is really tough, if not impossible. They are much sought after for the spot heating that they provide for small rooms.

There are many benefits of using these portable heaters. Unlike central heating panels, these heating systems provide uniform heating of small enclosed spaces quite thoroughly and have an added advantage of being portable. That's the reason many people opt for these heaters. If you live in a big house but use only a few rooms, it makes sense to use a space heater, instead of turning on central heating for the whole house. Space heaters can save you a lot of money that way.

Choosing One
Let us get acquainted with the main points of consideration while buying a space heater. There are various types for you to choose from. Here are the prime types:

• Radiant: These use a quartz or ceramic heating core and are powered by electricity. Direct heating can be achieved using these devices. They radiate heat through the infra red band of electromagnetic spectrum.
• Convection Based: These kinds of heaters transmit heat through convection. Fans are used to aid heat transfer through convection.
• Fuel Based: Fuel based space heaters use kerosene or propane for heating.

Solar heaters are now being developed that utilize solar power for heating. They are the most eco-friendly option. Fuel based heaters, that use kerosene, can be polluting and toxic due to carbon monoxide emissions. So, radiative and convective heaters should be preferred.

You need to check out for a couple of inbuilt safety features, before you go in for a purchase. See to it that it has a topple shutoff mechanism and a guard for heater coil. Also check out for a overheat shutoff mechanism that can prevent fire hazards due to overheating. Read all the safety guidelines and follow all precautions presented in the product manual.

Reviews
There is a wide variety of space heaters for you to choose from in the market. Some of the prominent brands are Optimus, Lasko and DeLonghi. Here are four of the best products available in the market today.

Optimus H-5210 Infrared Quartz Heater
Optimus H-5210 is an electric heater that heats up your room through radiative heat transfer. Consuming about 400 to 800 watts of power, it heats up quickly, works very quietly and is priced at only $30! It is an energy efficient heater. This one is not meant for large rooms but will work well for a small enclosed space like a dormitory room.

Lasko 754200 Ceramic Heater with Adjustable Thermostat
Another $30 convection heater, Lasko 754200 comes with an adjustable thermostat and is popular because of its compact design and excellent all round heating. The only minus point seems to be that it's noisy.

DeLonghi Mica Panel Radiator HHP 1500
DeLonghi's HHP Mica Panel radiator costs only $90 and has a facility to be wall mounted. It creates very little noise and heats real fast. Good heater for a single room with all the recommended safety settings in place.

Lasko 5367 16-1/2-Inch Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater
This $40 Lasko product is one of the best space heaters in the market today. It has a 1500 watt ceramic core that heats a room quite quickly. The oscillation feature ensures uniform heating of a room which makes it quite popular among consumers.

These heaters are great energy cost saving alternatives to central heating, but certainly not a substitute for house heating. They are well suited for compact spaces. Choose whichever suits your requirements.