Guys don't bother with this. Get an oil filled radiator. They are pure awesome! They hold the heat, have multiple settings, and work really well for heating a cold room. Works well in Pittsburgh for the winter, wait make that fall, mine is on right now!

Here is one on Amazon for $70(same max wattage):
http://www.amazon.com/Delonghi-TRD0715T-Safe-Oil-Filled-Radiator/dp/B000A33B1C/

ernesto47 wrote:1500 watts? it needs at least 20 amp dedicated circuit.

1500 Watts / 120 Volts = 12.5 Amps.

So, a 15 Amp circuit is fine, iff you don't have much else on it.

You will need a 20 Amp circuit if you also have a desktop computer, 100W desk lamp, and a TV on the circuit.

alexsiwiec wrote:Don't be fooled that this is more "efficient." It's exactly as efficient as all electric heaters: 100%. It turns 100% of the 1500 watts it burns into heat, exactly like any other heater. Discussion of whether it feels warmer or cooler than other heaters is inane, as we can quantify EXACTLY how warm it is. 1500 watts.

In other words, this will add the exact same 5200 btus to your room any other electric device of 1500 watts would add (yes, including light bulbs, TVs, etc). This is just basic physics.

Lies! Light that escapes outside won't turn into heat!

But seriously, that's just the efficiency of turning electric power into heat. As far as the power to room temperature ratings will go, you're likely to get a more even distribution of heating if the energy travels away from the generating source before converting to heat, and almost everything will absorb IR.

In fact, I've taken several IR spectra today. Water absorbs in a large region, HOWEVER, you will notice that if the entire emitted spectrum of IR is NOT absorbed and passes wavelengths through the material it is pointed at, this will not work very well and will waste a whole lot of energy, however IR is pretty well absorbed by a whole lot of compounds.

Having said that, only what you point it at will be warm. Once that wall warms up slightly, the warm air will rise up away from that wall, so really it's the same at best. At worst, it penetrates far enough into the wall (maybe a mm, or a tenth) to warm the wall without warming the air in the room much. Since the coldest places in cold houses are the WALLS, this is bad, and they are constantly cooled from outside. Why waste energy warming the walls?

I see nothing conceptually better than a ceramic with fan.

:P

[qoute]Seems like you'd be happy to pay $104.99 for an infrared heater if you already paid $250 for one. If you want a real bargain, get a $20 1500 Watt heater anywhere.[/quote]

This is somewhere in the middle for me. Granted heaters are needed for all types of purposes so that is why they make so many different kinds. I was professionally advised to use an infrared heater to use as my homes main heating source. While this entire purchase seemed like a no brainer to someone who wants an infrared heater. Now I have to do even more research and I'm going to be really mad if I was right in the first place, and they are sold out in the morning

ernesto47 wrote:1500 watts? it needs at least 20 amp dedicated circuit.

Nope a 15 amp breaker can handle 1800 watts of power, just multiply 15x120....you wouldn't be able to run much else but you won't trip the breaker.

I would vote for an oil filled radiator as well.
They are inexpensive (you can find one for 50$), they last a long time (I guess because there is less thermal shock that wears it down) and they are silent.

It takes longer to heat up initially, but really heats a room evenly. But what I like most is that it maintains temperature very well. Once you set the thermostat at the level you like that's it. I don't get the fan heaters - you constantly feel either too hot or too cold - kind of like your car heater, you always have to adjust it.

Alright, so I bought one and then read the comments and decided maybe I should get a second one and two of these should get the job done.
The problem is I can not figure out how to buy the second one. It just tells me that I already purchased this item and wont let me have another one. Help Please.

Does anyone have any idea how loud the fan in this is?

NortonsArk wrote:This unit actually uses only 750 watts when set to a temperature below 77F (according to the description - at the end). The wattage cannot be manually adjusted except by changing the temperature setting. Raising the thermostat higher kicks in the full 1500 watts. That actually seems like a smart way to work it. As long as you keep the thermostat under 77F you're less likely to trip your circuit breaker.

A jumper wire (do not solder; it will melt and come apart from overcurrent. Use wire nuts) across one of the elements will fix that.

Any type of resistor/potentiometer hacked into this is stupid (i KNOW someone will say to modify the heater and use one). 1500W is 1500W (or the lesser someone mentioned). Adding any resistance will only INCREASE the current.

1500W divided by 120 = amps

1500 watts is what a blow dryer puts out. Save your money and put a blow dryer on a non-flamable surface and get the same heat output.

Or spend $20 on a ceramic or other heater with the same heat output.

meow57 wrote:Does anyone have any idea how loud the fan in this is?

Looks like 39dB for a very comparable model. Some where around there for this deal. 39dB is also the same as a whisper quiet library.

These are probably decent supplemental heat if you have a particular room that is always cold in the winter. And if you happen to find the remote a convenient way to adjust the unit, so much the better.

However, for those that think you're going to significantly reduce your heating bill with this unit, (say, by turning down the heat to 55 degrees in the rest of the house) ask yourself it it's worth it. Do you REALLY want to only be comfortable in 1 room in your entire house?

Also, it's generally MUCH cheaper to heat with gas than electricity. A therm of gas (100,000 BTU) is equivalent to running one of these on the highest setting for about 20 hours. This heater will use about 29.4KWh of electricity in that time. So, if your electricity is about 12 cents per KWh, you're talking about $3.53 worth of electricity. The cost of a therm of gas in my area is about $0.73 for natural gas. So heating with electricity is about 4.8 times more expensive than using natural gas. I'd take the "Save money on heating costs!" written on the box with a large grain of salt.

This thing is a beast! Unfortunately if you chain Christina Ricci to it she may get away...

deasterbrooks wrote:Nope a 15 amp breaker can handle 1800 watts of power, just multiply 15x120....you wouldn't be able to run much else but you won't trip the breaker.

Yes and no. Per NEC code, 1800VA (for practical purposes, call VA 'watts') total per branch circuit is all that is allowed for receptacles. So, 1800/receptacle rating = max number of receptacles (rounded down).

I dont think anyone has just one receptacle on a branch circuit unless they did it themselves.

That being said,
NEUTRAL IS NOT GROUND unless you want to die.

Sharing a neutral between two circuits is also a nice way to get between 1% and 199% of the line voltage on everything plugged into either circuit, should you lose a circuit or drop a neutral somewhere (neutral in 1-phase isnt really a neutral, either; it's a grounded conductor and just a return path for the hot).

Dont die hacking this thing, Wooters.

sixiam wrote:Guys don't bother with this. Get an oil filled radiator. They are pure awesome! They hold the heat, have multiple settings, and work really well for heating a cold room. Works well in Pittsburgh for the winter, wait make that fall, mine is on right now!

Here is one on Amazon for $70(same max wattage):
http://www.amazon.com/Delonghi-TRD0715T-Safe-Oil-Filled-Radiator/dp/B000A33B1C/

I'm doing that right now, thanks!

I'd be in, but I live in Los Angeles and it doesn't get below 70 here. Oh wait, I probably shouldn't complain about that...

seanlee wrote:i have a number of heaters, and IMO, those Infrared does a very poor job of actually raising the temperature unless it is point directly toward you.

do not get it if you want to heat up a room.

We have a half dozen of these type I/R heaters.
They work VERY well to heat even our 20' X 30' rooms.

We have a natural gas well that drops in pressure only a few times throughout the winter. These heaters do an excellent job of taking over when the temps start to fall.

There are plenty of previous panel and radial style I/R heaters that aren't very good. These heaters do not fall into that category.

tesla33 wrote:No, a 15 amp circuit can handle up to 1800 watts. This will "hog" a 15 amp circuit, but you can still use it on one, along with maybe a couple of lights.

"Cool touch" heater?? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose, lol? No circuit should ever be used continuously at more than 80% of it's rated capacity. 15 amp circuits should not exceed 1400 watts @ 120 volts. To be safe, put it on a 20 amp dedicated circuit and then all you have to worry about is having overpaid for this plastic pos in the first place.

rxbike@gmail.com wrote:Is this like the Eden Pure ones that Bob Villa always try to sell ?

Which he's doing on TV right this moment as I'm reading this. And only for 4 easy payments of $39.99 (plus shipping & handling).

I'm not sold on these things. I may be better off getting one of the Amish fireplaces...at least then I get a light show while I run up my electric bill.

ckaminsk wrote:I own an EdenPure, bought it Refurb for $250... just saw that SEARS is selling them now new for almost $400. Has worked great through two COLD winters, purchased replacement bulbs off eBay just-in-case. But lifeSMART? Never heard of them. I looked at the PDF someone posted, the design in no way matches that of EdenPure (each bulb in its own copper tube... a metal that best exchanges heat).

Anyway I'm on the fence on this one. Is $99 really a good price if you can buy from Amazon for $160? I want at least 50% retail if I'm buying from Woot, so no deal today for me.

My mother in law swears by the eden pure scam even though I have pointed out the following:

1. Heat is heat
2. any heater will lower the relative humidity in the room, no exceptions
3. while the bulbs may be infrared, you defeat the purpose by wrapping them in copper. you in effect make a half ass convection heater.
4. you had 30$ worth of parts and edenpure changes 100's.

Not sure I understand the "does not dry out the air" feature. Anything that raises the temperature of air will lower the relative humidity making the air "drier" in a practical sense.

jsoko wrote:"*From the makers of the Amish fire-less fireplace, we bring you...*"

That is the very first thing I thought of!

It's a lot of money for a $29 dollar heater. There may be a few differences in the way a heater delivers, but 1500 watts is the limiting factor no matter how much you spend.

Some advice for those thinking about oil-filled electric radiators: we have those as well as fan-forced heaters, and the radiators are only good in *moderately* cold weather. The fan-forced heaters are much more effective at heating rooms. I suspect that the people swearing by (instead of "at") the radiators either live in mild climes or have draft-free, well-insulated homes. That doesn't mean I endorse buying this heater, because I don't. If you're going to buy Made In China products, don't get extremely expensive ones (or extremely cheap ones, either). There are plenty of $30 heaters out there that will work as well as or better than this one.

mbus wrote:Not sure I understand the "does not dry out the air" feature. Anything that raises the temperature of air will lower the relative humidity making the air "drier" in a practical sense.

I guess they can claim that (they have to claim something) because it does not actually collect water vapor from the air in a pan. Because it is not an air conditioner or dehumidifier.

So this item would not work best in an average two car garage, correct? My garage is setup as a game room with pool table, bar etc. What kind of portable heater/s would work best in an average garage?

You can't see it
It's electric!
You gotta feel it
It's electric!

khanmo01 wrote:Alright, so I bought one and then read the comments and decided maybe I should get a second one and two of these should get the job done.
The problem is I can not figure out how to buy the second one. It just tells me that I already purchased this item and wont let me have another one. Help Please.

You will be half as unhappy if you don't buy the second one.

saleenxp8 wrote:So this item would not work best in an average two car garage, correct? My garage is setup as a game room with pool table, bar etc. What kind of portable heater/s would work best in an average garage?

I use an oil filled radiator, as others have suggested. Slow to heat up, but effective (2 car garage). I put a small desk fan behind mine to aid in air circulation.
Mine is not finished, and has lots of chemicals stored in it. I feel more comfortable with no glowing elements exposed.

The Chronicles of Narnia is today's theme for the writeup if no one has picked up on that yet.

WOW - the information here is awesome. I have a 1200 sq/foot basement that the kids play in. It is wide open. Poured concrete walls, unfinished. 4 small windows that i plastic up in the winter. It is like 55 degrees down there and am looking for something just to keep it reasonable - like 62 - 65. I still can't figure out what is best? We have hot water radiators, but I don't wat to go through the expense of adding more until I actually finish the basement. I'd rather have some inexpensive, portable heat that I can toss when we actually finish it. Think these things will work or should I look at other alternatives? I like this idea because my wife always complains about forced hot air heaters....

seanlee wrote:i have a number of heaters, and IMO, those Infrared does a very poor job of actually raising the temperature unless it is point directly toward you.

do not get it if you want to heat up a room.

I don't need it to heat my room. I just need it to sit beside my lounge chair so I can rest my coffee cup on it.

About a month ago we got some of these for resale at my store. Same brand same model. I set one up and left it running with the boxes behind it. We sold them all at $149 and didn't get any returned. In fact, one couple had one for a couple days and came back to buy another. Personally, they are too expensive for me, but it seemed like a solid product.

ionman wrote:
Also, it's generally MUCH cheaper to heat with gas than electricity. A therm of gas (100,000 BTU) is equivalent to running one of these on the highest setting for about 20 hours. This heater will use about 29.4KWh of electricity in that time. So, if your electricity is about 12 cents per KWh, you're talking about $3.53 worth of electricity. The cost of a therm of gas in my area is about $0.73 for natural gas. So heating with electricity is about 4.8 times more expensive than using natural gas. I'd take the "Save money on heating costs!" written on the box with a large grain of salt.

By the end of this day, if all goes according to plan (which never happens!) I'll have my whole house natural gas heating system installed and running.

Hope to be much warmer with more money left in my pocket!

Have been getting by on electric space heaters, which mostly have left me cold and destitute. But not frozen, so if you have no other options, better than ice on the carpet....

After this past week, I realize I need something that doesn't rely on electricity.

hill2619 wrote:WOW - the information here is awesome. I have a 1200 sq/foot basement that the kids play in. It is wide open. Poured concrete walls, unfinished. 4 small windows that i plastic up in the winter. It is like 55 degrees down there and am looking for something just to keep it reasonable - like 62 - 65. I still can't figure out what is best? We have hot water radiators, but I don't wat to go through the expense of adding more until I actually finish the basement. I'd rather have some inexpensive, portable heat that I can toss when we actually finish it. Think these things will work or should I look at other alternatives? I like this idea because my wife always complains about forced hot air heaters....

We use one of the oil filled, electric radiator types in our basement. As others have pointed out, as long as the heater is going into an environment that isn't drafty and fairly well insulated, then they work great. Takes a while to heat up, but then you just set the thermostat and you're done.

We're heating a space about 700 sq ft. YMMV

My experience with various electric heaters is thus:

I used to live in a studio apartment in Denver in which the building was controlled by a thermostat in only one of the apartments (the building manager). It was cold in the winters, so I got one of those oil-filled radiator ones and it worked great in a 400 sf. apartment.

Then I moved to a suburban neighborhood, 2 car garage kind of thing and I placed it in the garage. It only produced a small hot zone directly around it.

I then got a small $25 electric coil (its looked like coils that get all hot and red) with a fan in it. That thing did much better to make the garage warmer.

My parents use a kerosene heater in the garage. It is nice and warm, but has a smell I cant stand.

Heaters are heaters. No heater can use more than 1500 Watts, by law. Some make get the heat out more effectively than others.

I like the oil-fulled ones that look like radiators. So do my cats. They stay warm for a while when turned off (the heater, that is.)


In some rural areas, there are all these multi-level marketing types selling IR heaters at outrageous prices to people who don't know squat about them. (I once had a fellow buy a "quartz" heater tell me that the heater only heated people, not inanimate objects!)

The are not built by the Amish

I have this same heater. I picked it up at a local store in Philadelphia for 120$, it wasn't on sale as far as I know... that is just what it was selling for. I don't really consider this woot much of a deal, if you have a coupon for the store I am sure you'll get it cheaper than this.