Best Portable Heaters for Large Rooms
- Dr. Infrared Portable Space Heater
Pros
- Great size and heating power enough to warm rooms as large as 400 square feet
- It has advanced inbuilt safety features, including tip-over and overheating protection
- The caster wheels make it a highly portable heater
Cons
- The surface may get quite hot after a long time
Dr. Infrared Portable Space Heater is ideal for keeping the temperature of the dwelling zone in large spaces within your requirements. It has a dual heating system that you can take advantage of to keep the room cozy for a long time. You can toggle between the high and low heating modes to control the amount of energy consumed and the heat that it produces.
The heater has advanced safety features, including an automatic switch that goes off when the heater has been in operation for over 12 hours. This protects it against the dangers of overheating. Additionally, the heater automatically switches off when it accidentally falls. Thanks to these advanced features, you can comfortably use the heater at home without a high level of risk.
However, it has one major drawback: the surface can heat up after the heater operates for a long time. This may pose a danger to kids and even pets who may accidentally touch the surface of the heater.
- DeLonghi TRD40615E
Pros
- It provides full room heating because of the thermal slots design and radiant mode of operation
- Requires minimal maintenance because the diathermic oil is sealed and does not require replacement
- It is easy to integrate it into your interior décor style because of the small surface area and an elegant modern design
Cons
- The heater cannot be relied upon to provide enough heat in very large spaces
One of the hallmarks of the DeLonghi TRD40615E full room radiant heater is its finish. The black and white design complements its small footprint to help you easily place the heater anywhere in your room without compromising the interior décor of your house.
Apart from the beauty of design and finish, this heater delivers solid heating performance when properly set up. It has controls that you can use to adjust the temperature according to the heating requirements of your home. The heater has special thermal openings that release heat in a controlled fashion to warm the air consistently.
Although the DeLonghi TRD40615E radiant heater has an excellent design, it cannot be relied upon to provide warmth in very large rooms. However, if yours is a standard space, then this may be the right heater to use.
- De’Longhi Ceramic Tower Heater
Pros
- It has a sleek modern design that gives an elegant look in all settings
- Great convenience because of the advanced controls for regulating heating capacity and setting the times of operations
- It has the cool-to-touch feature for enhanced safety in the home
Cons
- The ECO energy saving mode does not always reduce energy consumption by 40%
The De’Longhi Ceramic Tower Heater is a small but amazingly beautiful device that you can use to warm large rooms in your home. It has a uniquely modern design style with a sleek black finish that blends perfectly with many decorations in homes. Thus, you can place the heater at any location in your living room, bedroom, or any other place without losing your sense of style.
You can adjust the mode of operation of the heater using the available control buttons. The automatic thermostat allows you to determine when the heater should be switched on and off.
The main drawback of using this heater is that when operating in the ECO energy-saving mode, it does not necessarily reduce energy consumption by 40%. However, this is a small disadvantage, considering that the heater can provide enough warmth in standard-sized and large rooms.
- Lifesmart ZCHT1071US
Pros
- It has advanced safety features, including cool-to-touch
- The heater has amazing heating power enough to provide warmth in rooms that are 1000 square feet large
- The thermostat and automatic stopper enhance convenience and usability
Cons
- Its cabinet design may not blend well with modern or traditional interior decoration styles
The Lifesmart ZCHT1071US is the ultimate heater for providing warmth in rooms that measure as much as 1000 square feet. Its massive heating capacity is augmented by the 8-element infrared mode of operation and the presence of controls for determining the temperature of the heater. When set on either low, medium or high mode, it generates enough heat to indirectly warm the dwelling zone and maintain a cozy environment.
Despite its large size and heating capacity, its surface remains quite cool. Given the large size of the heater, it is likely that your children may accidentally touch it while it is working. Therefore, the cool-to-touch feature guarantees the safety of your kids and pets at home.
Although this heater scores highly in performance, it does not have some of the best design features. Its cabinet design does not augur well with modern or even traditional décor styles. Besides, the heater has a large footprint, owing to its size.
- De’Longhi Mica Thermic Panel Heater
Pros
- It can either be mounted on the wall or used as a free-standing heater
- Multiple heat settings to customize the feel of the room
- Very portable because it is lightweight and has a slim design
Cons
- The process of mounting it on the wall may require technical support
The De’Longhi Mica Thermic Panel Heater has several features that enhance its performance without compromising other aspects such as footprint and flexibility. It has a dual heating system that can be adjusted to suit the heating requirements of spaces. When set on the high mode of operation, this heater consumes 1,500w of power and can generate enough heat to warm large rooms.
You will enjoy a great level of convenience when using this heater. It can either be used as a stand-alone or wall-mountable source of heat in the home or office. When mounted on the wall, it offers a unique focal point in the room apart from being a supplemental source of heat.
You can control its operation using five heating capacity settings. When properly programmed and adjusted, this heater can be a great source of supplemental heat in large rooms at home or office.
- MH18B
Pros
- Great heating capacity enough for spaces that measure up to 500 square feet
- The three-heating settings offer flexibility and customization options
- It has an automatic low oxygen shutoff system for safety
Cons
- It can be easily knocked down because of the small base
The MH18B is a highly versatile propane heater that can be easily transported from one place to another, thanks to its small size and compact design. This propane heater is ideal for use in outdoor spaces where it is not practical to connect to electricity. Once its tank if full, the heater can provide adequate warmth in spaces that are as large as 500 square feet.
You can adjust the heating power of this device by toggling between the low, medium, and high modes of operation. At its lowest mode of operation, this device produces heat that is enough for spaces that are 150 square feet large.
One of the challenges of using a propane heater relates to safety; and the MH18B is not an exception. It can be easily knocked over when being carried from one place to another. However, it has an automatic switch to prevent the occurrence of accidents when it gets knocked.
- DH2304S
Pros
- Provides heat for a long time (13 hours when the tank is full)
- It has an amazingly high heating capacity that is suitable for spaces that measure up to 800 square feet
Cons
- The protective grill can be quite hot after some time
The DH2304S is an amazing kerosene heater for indoor use. It has several features that maximize its heating capacity and minimize the common disadvantages of using a kerosene heater. With a BTU of about 24,000, this heater can provide effective heating for spaces that are as large as 800 square feet. Besides, you can easily control the amount of heat that the heater produces using the knobs on its body.
One of the biggest challenges of using a kerosene heater is dealing with the fumes. Mostly, kerosene heaters produce a lot of fumes when they start operating. Luckily, this heater has a new type of chamber that does not have to be lifted when you start the heater.
Although it has protective grills to keep children and even adults from getting burned when they touch the hot parts, this is not an effective solution. The grills may become quite hot after being in use for a long time.
Buying Guide
Different types of space heaters for large room
Infrared heaters produce infrared rays that heat inanimate objects in a room, including furniture, walls, and even the floor. Once the inanimate objects get heated, they start releasing the warmth into the air in the room. Thus, the air in the living zone of a room gets heated continuously from the inanimate objects.
The greatest benefit of using infrared heaters is that one gets to warm the house fast and at manageable energy costs. Infrared heaters are quite effective in providing the required warmth in large spaces such as living rooms and offices.
Ceramic heaters have a heating element that is made from clay material. The heating element is directly heated by an electric current. As the element gets hot, it in turn heats the air that passes near it. Thus, ceramic heaters operate using the convective mode of heat transfer.
Naturally, warm air tends to rise fast and get replaced by cold drafts of air. When you place your ceramic heater anywhere in the house on the floor, it heats warm air that comes into contact with it. The heated warm air then rises and transfers with its heat to other parts of the house. The process repeats as long as the heater is on.
Because this heater uses convectional current to transfer the heat, it requires to be placed near openings such as windows for it to provide adequate heat in the house.
Oil-filled heaters operate using diathermic oil that is directly heated by an electric current. Once the oil gets hot, it starts to release its heat to the surrounding atmosphere. Therefore, diathermic oil acts as a form of energy reservoir. It stores the energy transferred by the electric current and then releases it slowly to create a cozy environment.
Some oil-filled heaters have inbuilt fans to accelerate the movement of warmed air from the vents of the heater to the outside environment. Such heaters tend to provide warmth to large spaces within short times.
Propane heaters are designed to be used in outdoor environments in general. They comprise of a special plug that is used to ignite the propane. The propane burns in a controlled environment that has an element. The porcelain element directs the burning propane to release hot air that warms the environment via convection currents.
Propane burning heaters are bulkier than electric and oil-filled ones because they carry propane tanks and other accessories. They are ideal for use in areas where it is difficult to connect to electric power.
Kerosene burning heaters can be used for indoor and outdoor heating. They burn kerosene to provide warm convection currents that in turn provide warmth to the environment.
Things to consider when choosing a portable space heater for a large room
The heating capacity
The heat capacity of a heater refers to the area that it can cover. There are two ways of assessing the heating capacity of a heater: using the British Thermal Unit (BTU) of the wattage.
To get the heating capacity of your heater in terms of BTU, divide the value by 40. Therefore, if a heater has an indicated BTU value of 24,000; it means that it can heat an area that is 800 square feet.
In terms of wattage, 10 watts are enough to provide heat for one square foot space. If your heater consumes 1,500w at most, then it means that it can heat an area that is 150 square feet large. When the heater operates on the 750w-mode, then it will provide enough heat to warm air in an area that is 75 square feet large.
The noise level of the heater
Electric heaters emit noise when operating. However, the level of the noise varies among brands and the general types of heaters. Heaters that have inbuilt fans are noisier than those without fans. Thus, the cost of getting a heater which provides heating fast and effectively is a noisy room.
The noise becomes pronounced in silent environments like bedrooms at night. Therefore, when choosing a heater, consider its noise level and the place where you would like to use it.
Energy efficiency levels
The energy efficiency level of your heater determines the heating energy costs. Highly efficient heaters spend less energy to warm space than less efficient ones. Because, heating energy costs can be quite significant, depending on the size of your house and the prevailing weather conditions, it is logical to go for highly efficient heaters.
There is no industry-standard method of determining the efficiency of portable heaters. However, you can achieve efficiency in your home heating operations by choosing heaters that have certain favorable features.
Heaters that come with advanced control settings, inbuilt timers and thermostats can provide more efficient methods of heating the home than those which lack such features. You can use the controls to minimize instances of overheating and ensure that the heater works only when it is required to do so.
Additionally, go for heaters that are suitable for your spaces. If you have large rooms with high ceilings, then it makes sense to buy heaters that can warm such places. Going for low-capacity heaters may decrease the level of efficiency and increase heating costs.
Portable space heater safety checklist
- Always switch off and unplug your heater when not using it. This applies to at night when you are about to sleep or in the evening when leaving the office.
- Keep portable heaters away from spaces that are commonly used by people at home or in the office. This practice minimizes the chances of your heater getting knocked by a person passing by.
- Do not keep heaters under tables or desks. This measure prevents accidents that can occur when your visitor at home knock the heater under the table. Also, your legs may knock off the heater if it is placed under the desk at the office.
- Ensure that your heater is placed far away from easily combustible materials in the house or office. Some of the highly combustible materials include all types of fabric, plastic things, and papers.
- Go for heaters that have an over-heat protection functionality. Such heaters automatically go off when the temperature rises rapidly. This protects the components of the heater from getting damaged as a result of overheating.
- Choose heaters that bear the mark of nationally recognized safety standards such as UL and others. Heaters with such standardization marks have undergone and passed defined safety tests.
- It is better to use heaters that have tip-over protection than those which do not have it. The tip-over protection feature helps to prevent accidents when the heater is knocked. The heater automatically goes off when it suddenly rotates after getting knocked.
- Ensure that children and pets do not play around the heater. Although standard heaters come with a cool-to-touch feature, it is advisable to keep them as far away from kids and pets as possible. The surfaces of the heaters still become warm to considerable levels which may pose a danger to children.
- Regularly check all the parts of your heater to ensure that they are intact. This applies to certain easily observable parts including switches and cords.
- Follow all the technical instructions that are provided by the manufacturer. The instructions may be about installing, operating, and maintaining the heater.
Tips for positioning space heaters
Keep your heater away from moist places
Electric heaters can easily get damaged by water. Therefore, ensure that you position the heater away from places that are normally wet such as bathrooms. There are special heaters that are made to be used in bathrooms. Such heaters have all the protective features required to keep them functional even when they get wet.
Also, keep your heater away from places where fluids may spill. Kitchens are very notorious for spills. Therefore, to get the best service from your heater, position it away from kitchens, bathrooms, and any other place where fluids may be easily spilled.
Position the heater away from the wall
Keep your heater as far away from the wall as possible as a safety measure. Walls may have hanging curtains and other highly combustible materials. Because heaters normally get hot during operation, it is safe to ensure that they are not anywhere near curtains that do hang down walls.
Furthermore, heaters require enough space for them to operate effectively. Heaters that have inbuilt fans require enough space for the fan to push out the warmed air. Even fans that do not have inbuilt heaters do require enough space to function effectively.
Away from children and pets
Wall-mountable heaters are safer than the stand-alone types because they can be positioned at heights that both children and pets cannot beat. When using stand-alone electric heaters, it is advisable to place them in specially-designated places. Although the heaters may have a cool-to-touch feature, they may still be very dangerous to children and pets.
Setting up a special buffer zone for your heater at home or office will also minimize the risk of people knocking the heater over while passing.
Position your heater in enclosed rooms
Electric heaters are designed to provide supplemental heat. Ideally, they should be used when they are needed most. The best way to achieve this objective is to ensure that you use your heater in a room that is enclosed. Also, position the heater where it is needed most to maximize its utility.