Heater Help

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Why did I choose this heater?

I bought a heater after getting my first winter gas bill. I decided it just wasn’t worth it constantly heating my whole house if I was usually just in one room.

I’ve for a long time been suspicious of heaters. I grew up hearing stories of people’s places burning down because of them (plus human error, I’m sure). But I figured that by now, they’ve built in more safety features to prevent that sort of thing.

I chose the Holmes Accutemp Fan Heater because I went to Kmart. Although this heater is unfortunately made in China (all the portable heaters at that Kmart were made in China), it seems fairly well-made.

Before I went to Kmart, I read a lot of online reviews about other heaters. But I never found one in my price range ($15-$50) that didn’t have totally conflicting reviews about such basic things as whether or not the heater would do a good job heating a room. So I just gave up and checked out the local Kmart selection. The cheaper models there were pretty scary-looking. For $40, it struck that delicate balance of value and non-flammability.

This heater would’ve been $10 cheaper at amazon.com and shipped free, but I didn’t realize it was available there until after I bought the heater.

What are the features of this heater?

This heater has a High setting (1500 watts), a Low setting (1000 Watts) a programmable timer, and a thermostat setting so you can set it to be on until it reaches your chosen temperature.

The heater shuts off if it tips over, which reduces the chance of it starting a fire.

What did I like about this heater?

The heater is powerful for its size. It stands 11.5″ high and weighs less than 5 lbs. Yet it makes my 12×14 bedroom so toasty at night, that if I leave it on high it gets too hot.

The heater is quiet. Although I’m a light sleeper, I have absolutely no problem sleeping next to it.

The heater looks decent. It’s pretty unobtrusive–has a small footprint and is hard to top over.

What do I dislike about this heater?

There are quite a few things I don’t like but they are all minor.

In very chilly rooms, like below 58 degrees, this heater doesn’t do as well. In my office, which hovers around 58, I have to sit right next to the heater to feel warm. In 3 hours the heater will heat the room, but for me that can be too long to wait.

The black color of this heater is okay but I’d prefer a soft white color. Not a big deal but the black is just a little bit harsh.

The heater could be built better. The manual warns against setting it anywhere except on the floor because if it falls it could break internally and become a hazard. I’m sure this is a price point issue, but I am timid even carrying the heater from one place to another.

The heater is also harder to carry than it needs to be. It has a built-in place for you to pick up the heater, but it’s angled very strangely and therefore feels like it’s about to slide out of my hand.

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