39 out of 39 people found this review helpful.
Attractive and efficient...gets the job done
Date of Review: Nov 12, 2005
The Bottom Line: This attractive unit is cheaper than using the furnace and effectively warms average-sized rooms (less than 200sq. ft). The built-in safety features also give me a little peace-of-mind.
Living in the Midwest, and with gas prices through the roof this year amid predictions that heating bills could TRIPLE this winter, I've rapidly become a paranoid, anal-retentively-obsessed lunatic when it comes to our heating and electricity bills.
Since fall arrived, I have completely turned off the furnace and AC, relying solely on clothing to keep us warm (or cool, however the weather turns out that day). I also decided to get smaller, portable heaters for me and my husband's offices since that is where we spend the majority of our time.
THE SELECTION
On one early fall day, me and my husband visited Wal-Mart thinking that we'd simply pick-up a space heater. Well, the days of having only one or two options are gone. We were surprised (and I can't say it was pleasant) about how many varieties of space heaters there are. Our local Wal-Mart probably stocked at least 15 models, so the search was almost a bit frustrating.
Because there were so many options, these are the criteria we used to select our heater:
* Appearance: we wanted an attractive unit.
* Safety: we wanted a heater that was less-likely to overheat or tip over (although many of the heaters have auto shut-off features now). We also looked for a unit where the heating coils were not visible, and that you could not stick your fingers into (like some of the older-type models).
* Price: Of course, we wanted a relatively inexpensive unit. Prices for the smaller floor units ranged from roughly $10 up to about $30, so none of them were really "outrageously" priced.
* Temperature Control: I have a space heater at work that you can't really "control" the temp--either it is on or off, but that's about it. So I knew when we were shopping for the new ones that it was important that the unit be able to REALLY maintain a fairly constant temperature with some variability.
THE CHOICE
We obviously selected the Honeywell Mini Tower Surround 360 degree Heater, Model HZ-2200. The first thing that struck us about this unit is its appearance. It is a very handsome, contemporary unit. In fact, I'd say it was probably the best-looking unit on the shelves. It is roughly 14" tall, round heater with a dark smoke or charcoal colored body and jet-black wire mesh heating vents. The fact that it has the Honeywell name certainly increased its appeal because Honeywell is one of the biggest and most trusted names in the HVAC industry.
FEATURES
360 Degree Surround Heat Technology (oooohh)
This little heater was the only one (that I can remember) that featured 360 degree heating. Normal units only blow air from one side, or you can get oscillating heaters that slowly rotate roughly 180 degrees (like the fans). Of course, the drawback with an oscillating unit is that the heat is only directed in whichever way the unit happens to be facing at any given moment. With the 360 degree vents, a room is heated in all directions at once.
If you don't always want to use 360 degree heating, there is a switch at the top of the unit that closes that rear vents, so that the air only blows from the front-half of the unit. Of course, this is useful if you need to place the unit closer to a wall or something, though it is still not recommended that you put the unit within three feet of anything. The cord is about 6 or 7ft, so you can stretch it away from the wall.
Powerful and more cost-effective than using the full furnace
The unit is also powerful at 1500 watts, but it is also adjustable, so you don't have to use all of that power. At its "High" setting, this unit draws roughly 12.5 amps of power (oh yes, with the cost of home heating, I'm getting *real* technical)! At its "Low" setting, the unit uses roughly 750 watts. The unit has three different settings: Fan, Low and High. It also has a thermostat control that ranges from low to high.
Fan: Not only will this unit serve you in the winter, but when it gets warmer out, you can use this as a heatless fan. So you can get year-round use out of it.
Low: The low setting is considered to be an energy efficient option. I've found the low heat setting to work very well, and it is capable of getting my room nice and toasty if I close the door.
High: For really stubborn cold days, you can really crank up the heat. This puppy blows (in a good way).
The good thing about this unit's heat settings is that it automatically turns itself on and off to maintain a constant temperature. If you find that the room is getting too warm, simply dial down the thermostat and it will turn itself off and on to maintain that temperature. The bad thing about the thermostat dial is that the temperature is not measured in degrees, but instead "high" and "low" and variations between those two extremes. So you can't set it at 70 degrees, but once you find a comfortable place, it will regulate itself at that temperature.
Now, I don't want to mislead anyone. This unit is *not* going to heat a house, but it will comfortably heat a good-sized room (roughly 200 sq. ft.) with the door closed. I've found that the heating efficiency drops significantly if I don't close my door (which makes sense).
The noise-level on this unit is comparable to the noise on a PC. It's certainly quieter than a traditional fan or a window AC unit. I've heard louder space heaters. I can read or do other things without really getting distracted by the noise from the heater.
SAFETY
Perhaps the most important features of this unit, as with any space heater, would be the safety features. According to a 1999 report by the Office of Compliance Safety and Health, inappropriate space heater use caused 2,800 home fires and 48 civilian deaths. Paying close attention to a units safety features and USING IT PROPERLY are paramount to keeping your family safe. The best ways to stay safe with a space heater are to never leave it on unmonitored, and DO NOT place the unit near a wall or put objects (clothing, toys, furniture, etc.) within 3 feet of any side of the heater.
Child-safety feature: Honeywell has taken the unusual step of trying to child-proof the on/off knob on this unit. In order to turn the unit on or off, you have to depress two buttons on either side of the turn lever while turning. I give them an A+ for thinking about it, but I honestly don't think that the knobs would keep a curious or ambitious child from being able to turn the unit on or off. Perhaps it might deter a very small child (under 2), but I would bet money that I know a few 2-yr-olds that could figure this thing out. Regardless, though, this extra step is further than the average space-heater manufacturer goes.
Raised platform and sturdy base: In addition to the 360 surround and appearance, this was the third biggest reason for our purchase. This unit sits on thick carpeting in my office, so it was an important consideration for me not to have an intense amount of heat next to the carpet. The base is roughly 8in diameter, so the unit is not very likely to tip over (unless you have kids around, which will cause you problems with any unit). This unit seemed to be somewhat more stable than some of the cheaper, more rectangular units. The actual heater is raised roughly 3" off the carpet, and the vents that blow the heat are at the very top of the unit, so you have roughly 10" of space between the floor and the heat.
Construction: The unit was constructed with safety in mind. It also features Automatic shutoff if the unit tips over or begins to overheat, and a fire-resistant plastic body.
PRICE
At roughly $25, this unit was at the higher end of the space heater price spectrum. There were some higher-priced units, and many units in the teens, but for the features you get, we thought the price was fair.
DRAWBACK
The biggest drawback to this unit is that it doesn't have a carrying handle as some other reviewers mentioned. You can safely pick it up by placing your hands underneath the raised base, but that is awkward. Also, because the vents are at the top, the top of the unit obviously gets the hottest, which is not-so-good if you have children. To put the heat issue into perspective, I've had my heater running for roughly 4 hours straight. I just got up and placed my bare hand flat on top of the unit, and flat over the vents of the unit without getting burned. We are not talking about stove-top heat here. The unit definitely gets warm to the touch near the vents, but unless you are young child or very heat-sensitive, it is unlikely that you would get scorched from accidentally touching this unit. Having said that, I am not encouraging people to allow their skin to come into contact with the vents when the heater has been running. I'm just illustrating a point.
BOTTOM LINE
This is a good unit for the money. Considering the cost of gas-heating these days, it can be a cost-effective way of fighting back against the utility and oil companies! If you only have one room to heat, this is a good, safe and attractive unit. Honeywell makes larger models for larger spaces for under $100. We're planning to get the biggest model for our basement.
