Space Heaters Reviews

Consumer Reports magazine has the best review of electric space heaters. Editors test 16 different models from eleven different manufacturers. The magazine also keeps readers updated on space heater recalls. Alongside Consumer Reports, owner-written reviews at Amazon.com and other sites are valuable for gauging long-term reliability and durability. We also relied on space heater reviews and information at Good Housekeeping magazine and Popular Mechanics, and a much longer buyer's guide from James Dulley, a syndicated columnist and environmental engineer. Dulley's website is one of the best sources of information on home heating and cooling, including portable electric heaters, but side-by-side comparison testing isn't included.

We found a large number of evaluations for the EdenPURE Quartz Infrared Heater (*est. $400), which is heavily advertised in newspaper circulars and on television. The manufacturer behind the EdenPURE, Bio-Tech Research, claims that his space heater can "cut your heating bill up to 50% while keeping you toasty warm." However, we read dozens of reviews at Amazon.com and InformercialRatings.com from owners who say the EdenPURE did not live up to its end of the bargain. Professional comparison tests also place this electric heater near the bottom. Many owners say their unit failed within a few weeks or simply did not heat a very large area. While some reported a small dip in their utility bills, it would still take several years of use to recoup the high purchase price for the EdenPURE space heater. We found better reviews for units costing far less.

We found some conflicting reviews for Vornado Vortex portable heaters. The Vornado VH2 (*est. $95) and Vornado EH1-0028-06 (also known as the DVH or DVTH) (*est. $115) are very similar. The main difference is that the DVH space heater has push-button controls and temperature readout, while the cheaper VH2 has knob controls. Both have a fan that circulates heated air (this type of heater is called forced convection). The Vornado DVH is a favorite at Good Housekeeping magazine, where editors say it heats a room quickly. However, owners posting comments to Amazon.com say the Vornado space heaters can be fragile. Some report breaking handles and knobs; others indicate that the fan stopped working. Reviews for the more expensive Vornado space heater are better overall.

Most electric heaters provide up to 1500 watts or 5120 BTUs (British Thermal Units) of heat. This is the maximum amount of wattage that can be used safely in a standard household electrical outlet. Many space heaters offer two settings. The low setting of 500 to 750 watts will warm a typical room. For larger rooms of up to 1000 square feet, the higher heat setting of 1500 watts is necessary.

For the best results, you should place an electric heater on a flat surface under a window so the unit can warm the cold air as it enters the room, whether this air is from drafts or the cold glass. If this is not possible, place the space heater in a safe location at least three feet away from all objects. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) says space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. If you must use an extension cord, use a heavy duty cord or a good surge protector.

Experts say a bathroom is the wrong place for an electric space heater, because water and electrical devices are usually a bad combination. However, a few models have special shock-resistant features that make them suitable for use in a bathroom.

Only electric heaters should be used inside your home. Unvented heaters -- such as those that use kerosene or propane fuel -- shouldn't be used in interior spaces. That's because these units use a flame to produce heat. The flame consumes oxygen in the room, reducing air quality and introducing flammable elements into the air. They can also be a carbon monoxide risk. Kerosene and propane heaters do produce more heat than electric space heaters, and they are a good choice for heating large areas like a garage or outdoor patio. Kerosene and propane heaters are covered in our Alternative Considerations section below.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

We didn't find a lot of professionally written reviews for space heaters, but we found many owner-written ones at Amazon.com and Epinions, which are a good indicator of ease of use and overall product reliability. We saw good reviews for many space heaters, but the new DeLonghi HPP1500 mica-based convection heater seems to be pleasing the most owners.