Last month, I wrote about a
Honeywell Surround Heater which I returned upon total dislike and came home with a
Lakewood Quartz Heater QTV-22 that I had not seen before. As I have written in previous reviews, my husband is on medications that makes him feel very cold all the time and we have already gone through over 14 cords of wood and cannot get anymore until the snow leaves.
What I Have Learned About the Types of Electrical Portable Heaters
Radiant Heater: Has a flat "ribbon" element to emit heat and glows red.
Quartz Heater: Has a coiled wire-heating element in a glass tube to emit radiated heat
Convection Heater: Non-glow nichrome ribbon, stays cool to the touch
Fan Forced: A fan used to force the air over the element for rapid heat distribution
Oil-Filled: Tubular steel element heats factory-sealed mineral oil, which warms the exterior of the heater and emits heat by natural convection.
The maximum wattage of heat allowed by the Underwriters Laboratories is 1500.
In trying different heaters and reading a lot, it is best energy wise to buy a heater that has a fan to distribute the heat around the room.
The Product
This is a vertical Quartz heater with a dual speed fan that offers 750 watts/2560 BTU's or 1500 watts/5120 BTU's. It provides radiant heating meaning the heat goes directly where you need it. It has two heating elements inside that are "100% silica, true quartz tubes for long life". One tube will light up and blow heat when you choose the 750-wattage setting. Both tubes will light up and the blower fan will increase in intensity when you choose the 1500 wattage.
The controls are top mounted and very easy to read and see. One knob has an adjustable thermostat from low to high for automatic temperature control that can cycle on and off and the manual states clearly how to accomplish this. So far my husband has not wanted it off. The other knob turns off the unit and adjusts the wattage from 750 or 1500. The orange indicator light is also located on top front, which will constantly be on when the unit is running, or even plugged into the wall receptacle.
The grill openings at the bottom of the unit near the floor pulls cool air into the unit to circulate warmth. The fan is not loud, you can hear it running but it is very quiet.
The carrying handle is on the rear near the top.
The power cord is 6 feet long, which is really good since I have had them as short as 3 feet.
The heater measures 25 inches in height x 10 inches in width x 9 inches in depth. It is a flame retardant plastic console with a baked-enamel steel cabinet. The colors are called ice white and gray. It weighs 11.5 pounds.
The grill is chrome and comes off for cleaning inside which is recommended before each season begins.
This product is made in the USA.
Safety Features
This has a tip-over sensor (yes it works) and a overheat cut-off sensor. If the heater grille becomes obstructed, it automatically turns off the heating elements and turns on the caution light located on the top of the unit.
What Do I Think?
It is hard to please me, simply because I try so hard to get the most product for the best price plus I want the product to last for more than one usage. I am so tired of throw-away style products. This one is a definite keeper! This keeps our gigantic high-beamed ceiling great room that is 800 square feet at 70 degrees. It is very rare for our central heater unit to come on since this has been running. Our central unit only comes on when the doors get opened too much and lets in too much cold air while the heater is on the lower wattage of 750.
I find our animals love to go sleep on the floor around it and on the sofa in front of it. The unit is quiet and does not have that cheapy feeling to it. The cord has never gotten even warm even though it can and it would be fine.
It is so nice to get up in the morning and come out of our nicely heated bedroom to our nicely heated great room without shivering.
What I am shocked about is I bought this heater for $37.00 brand new at Walmart and I am seeing others bought it for over $100 and they are currently selling for over $100 at other stores. I do not know if the price was wrong or what, but now I feel especially lucky indeed!
Keep this one on your list for one to look at. I do not find many I like, but when I do, you will surely know.
