Best Space Heater? Safest and Deadliest? Let’s Find Out!
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- Опубликовано: 16 дек 2023
- Brands: Amazon Basics, Dyson, Honeywell, MainStay, Aikoper, GiveBest, DREO, Lasko, Mr. Heater, Dr. Heater and Heat Storm. Space heaters compared for tip over and overheat protection, fan noise, electricity consumption, power surge, spot heating, and heating a 200 square foot space.
I bought all of the space heaters to ensure an unbiased review. So, thank you for supporting the channel!
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➡ Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order):
Amazon Basics: amzn.to/4aoPevK
DREO: amzn.to/46V57ac
GiveBest: amzn.to/3TsWbpA
Aikoper: amzn.to/48jeRw5
Lasko: amzn.to/48g5YmX
Mr. Heater: amzn.to/3RKuYNF
Honeywell: amzn.to/41s3pvG
Dr. Heater (Dr. Infrared): amzn.to/3RqZoTP
Heat Storm: amzn.to/46VKrPq
Dyson: amzn.to/3RHQMtq
MainStay: Available at Walmart
Infrared Video Camera: amzn.to/3RusTEt
Thermometer: amzn.to/3RuqQ30
Watt Meter: amzn.to/3Nw3GIt
Videography Equipment:
Sony DSC-RX10 III Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera: amzn.to/2YdXvPw
Canon 70D Camera: amzn.to/31b5Gy0
Azden Microphone: amzn.to/34d3DLE
Go Pro Bundle: amzn.to/3Ca0ZVN
This video is only for entertainment purposes. If you rely on the information portrayed in this video, you assume the responsibility for the results. Project Farm LLC 
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As an HVAC technician, I always recommend the oil filled radiator style, safest IMO
I use them for my indoor year round garden. The nice thing about them is. If power goes out. You don’t immediately start losing heat. Gives anyone enough time to kick on the generator. Way safer around damp areas as well.
I just bought the Pelonis and wasn't impressed... For a small room maybe ok, but in my not so big living room, it was like no heater at all...
best ubit i ever bought.
I will have to agree with Jhon, They don't provide enough heat for large areas, the room that i used to share with my brothers was almost 690 cubic feet and it never warmed it up
You crazy bro
"(F)ilters are easy to install, no engineering degree is required." That's why we love you Todd. You get right to the point, tight editing and little gems thrown in to see if we're awake. As a former teacher I love that. Great job!
Thanks!
No one else puts it all together better! Love this channel
I have a 220v wall mounted unit made in Germany, it has a couple of safety devices built in. It seems to work very well and will actually heat a good size room.
Just looked up your 6yr video history and didn't see any for Caulking Guns@@ProjectFarm
@@Notfiveo0What brand is it? Have you done a video review and / or test?
Great comparison as usual! If you're using a small space heater to heat an unoccupied space to prevent freeze damage, (garage, small shop or greenhouse), get one *with manual switching and thermostat.* If the electric service should blink off and right back on while you're asleep, the heater will resume heating. The solid state switches will default to off, and your plants or pipes could freeze.
Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.
I work in a heavy commercial environment (bordering on industrial) and we use domestic space heaters to keep critical equipment from freezing - or thaw frozen equipment - whenever our main heat sources crap out.
This is primarily necessary because our electronic control system doesn't react properly to a cold start - and by that, I mean the whole thing severely malfunctions to the point of unusability - plus our steam system is no longer suitable for the thawing use (used to be if certain stuff froze, we could drag out a high pressure steam hose and blast equipment with superheated steam to thaw it if need be).
The no-working-on-cold-start was not a problem, from what I hear, with the old pneumatics... plus the pneumatics could handle a power dip without hardly skipping a beat thanks to the capacity of the air receivers. But they've replaced all the pneumatics with electronics, then slashed their staff count heavily... and now they're paying more in equipment replacement costs than they were paying in staffing costs. Not to mention now the money is going to manufacturers in other countries rather than recirculating in the domestic economy.
Todd you're a lifesaver. I've been fervently researching space heaters & the anxiety around it has been overwhelming; I need something that won't burn down my home while I wait for some much needed HVAC work to be done. Thankfully you've tested these bad boys and now I can make a purchase with a little less worry & a bit more confidence 😄
Glad I could help! Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it
Enjoy your buddy heater! 😄
@@ProjectFarm Its like youtube knew what I needed to see. Thank you PF!!!
Love that you mentioned peak power draw vs a 15amp breaker. Such an important thing to note that 99% of people wont think of.
Thank you for sharing!
Agreed!
Breakers won't trip at 15A instantly.
Electrician
@@MrMonozzz You would need to exceed ~135% of a breakers rating in order to trip it. Most in proper working order will handle 135% of their rating indefinitely, and take a considerable time to trip if you're only slightly exceeding that. This is 20.25 amps/2,430 watts on a 15 amp circuit and 27 amps/3,240 watts on a 20 amp circuit. This is fine as 15 and 20 amp circuits wired to code have wiring that can safely handle 20 and 30 amps, respectively.
That's also why most microwaves are 1500w-2200w
They are made and assume it will only need to run for 10 mins tops.
Space heaters are a little different but also somewhat similar. They are designed to run with the heating element on then stop and sorta "take a break" which helps cool the wiring.
The extension cord test is how most space heaters mess with wiring. Don't put multiple 1500w objects on 1 circuit.
As someone with a busted HVAC system. I'm using the same DREO heater on this video and another bigger DREO.
I must say when it comes to heating, they are great. At around 20 degrees F (-5 c) it does keep the room at incredible temperature. You let it run at 72 all night and can get really warm. I'm writing this before watching the video. Just to let people know, if struggling with cold and in my situation, broke with no money to fix the heating system. DREO is great. Also have a heat storm for the living room. Keeps it at around 69-70. (700 SQ feet living room)
Thank you for sharing!
Depends on how well insulated your house is.
I lived in an old OLD building that had the radiators plumbed incorrectly when they added units upstairs. Basically no flow/heat to my unit. I had tile and wood floors above a stone and dirt basement so it was usually really cold in winter.
I had both a resistive heater and a really nice ceramic radiative one. Since I was the only occupant, the radiative heater was way better. Instant heat and directed right at me wherever I was sitting.
Sounds like your current situation is much better insulated with no large heat soak issues.
@ProjectFarm please could ya do a review of a few diesel heaters hcalory and vevor, for van life and maybe shop heaters too. Probably not enough difference except longevity but them diesel heaters are just plain cool
So it seems unlike other appliances, an inefficient electric heater would be cheaper to operate. Does this mean an inefficient heater is more efficient?
@@atye04 Seconded!
Had the Dreo about 1.5 years and I like how quiet it is. The original stopped oscillating after about 6 months but I did use it about 12 hours a day. They cheerfully replaced it after the Amazon return period. Considering getting their oil radiator for another colder room.
Thanks for sharing.
Cool to hear about a positive experience with customer service. Thanks.
Their oil heater sure is pricey though and probably works just as good as any other heater but it definitely looks fancy and modern
@@hogue3666 customer service is a definite turn on
@@SAMPLETEXT285 - One benefit of the oil heaters is that they're a steady draw, and not a surge draw. This is good for electronics on the same circuit.
Todd thank you for testing everything a homeowner needs. Your tests are just so ridiculously crazy and accurate! You test things that big agencies like Consumer Reports never would think of but would be an issue in normal use.
Thanks!
Honestly this might be one of the most important videos for consumer safety going into January when it gets incredibly cold in some areas
Thanks for the feedback.
Makes me happy to see this Channel with over 3 million subscribers now. I started watching long ago when there was a couple hundred thousand and thinking wow, this guy deserves a lot more subscribers because these reviews and real world tests are pure gold! By far the best source of unbiased consumer reviews in my opinion, and 3 million other peoples it seems.
Thanks so much!
@@ProjectFarm Nah man, thank you! And happy holidays.
Looks like I need a Dreo
Wow u're right. I remember he had 173k subs when i saw him fk around with lawn mowers some years ago haha
I'm here to buy the deadliest
I use the Mr. Heater for my sailboat cabin. It works great for heating up the space and obviously is perfect for being away from the marina's power source. I especially like how quiet it runs and it doesnt send vibrations through the hull.
Thanks for the feedback.
I had a Mr. Heater portable Buddy for Ice Fishing, It was a lifesaver. It sometimes came in handy in a power outage, but for normal indoor use, I much prefer an oil-filled heater. It takes a while to heat up a room, but the heat is soft, gentle, and safe, as long as you avoid all the safety no-nos.
Yeah, Mr. Heater is a last resort indoor heater but it's amazing for camping, garage or work spaces.
I have a Mr Heater for camping. Works pretty damn good. Wouldn't use it inside though. That's the electric's territory. Lol
I love that heater! I have two and yes, they have been actual life savers. Personally, I think every home should have at least one for emergencies. You do need at least five extra common sense brain cells to operate but if you've got 'em - use 'em.
I used my Mr. Heater indoor with a wood stove fan for years and never had any problems carbon monoxide detectors in the house have never gone off and heats my old home really well
How much carbon monoxide does it put out? I recall a few years back that folks were being cautioned not to use propane heaters indoors, particularly in unventilated areas.
Not sure if you've done this before but a recent video comparing surge protectors would be neat. Especially highly rated ones with higher joules protection ratings.
Always enjoy the videos and details you put into making them!
The thing that sucks about those is a lightning strike will wipe any of them out.. it’s for small surges.
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
*protectors.
@@ProjectFarm Be sure to include ones with ethernet protection. I've lost whole networks due to lightning strike.
In Europe, surge protection up to 2000V to ground and 1000V between phases is mandatory for appliances that have the "CE" compliance mark. No such regulation in the US. Surge protectors generally protect up to 4000V. You might see a 4000V surge once in 20 years if you aren't living out in the wilds or in monsoon country.
I used a MR. Heater to heat the trailer I lived in for two years and I made sure to set it up to be stable on an elevated shelf with a small fan mounted behind and above it. Living in WV I was able to help my traler warm mostly on the 4K BTU setting and only used the 9K on the coldest days.
Thank you! This is a fantastically comprehensive test and I appreciate all the work you put into it! I have two Dyson heaters that are also cooling fans. The heating capacity died on both of them after about 10-12 years being used regularly in a very cold area of Colorado. When first purchased they were between $325-375 which was quite expensive. I really paused at repurchasing them with the large price increase to $550. While I felt they were safe and easy to use I have decided to save some money and give the Dreo a chance. I did recently purchase a Lasko ceramic heater at Costco for my 94 year old mother-in-law’s room. Her cognitive abilities are on the decline so she cannot remember it is not safe to run the heater full blast day and night. I bought the Lasko because it has a child lock which renders the controls inoperable for her and keeps us all safe. 😊
I have a Mr. Heater that has two burners and uses two tanks. There's also an option to connect a larger propane tank with an adapter and hose. Over the last few years it's been great for heating my small garage if I want/need to do some work when it's cold.
Yea I love the Mr heater and buddy great for emergencies and on the boat in the deer blind pretty much anywhere. I added a little fan that is actually powered by the heat it makes. Works really well
I also have the larger model with the extension hose to connect a larger propane tank. I'm a fan.
Thank you for sharing!
I have the same heater. With precautions taken it works great in areas not accesable to electricity.
I have the Dual burner Mr Heater as well. 18000 BTU, 2016 are furnace went out . Took the Mr Heater to the downstairs family room ran the hose out to the 20 lb tank under the deck outside. Close the door off to the upstairs, let the heater run until it got into the mid-80s downstairs open the door let the heat go up repeated that three times. The temperature went up to 72° stay there for 2 days until I got my furnace and AC replaced. Did not let that thing run at night but that saved our butts when the temperatures were only in the 30s
I would love a video comparing indoor propane heaters and how much carbon monoxide they produce. Great video as usual.
You mean carbon dioxide, and it’s a significant amount. Without ventilation they will deplete the oxygen and cause death. Very similar to running your gas stove or wood or gas fireplace
@@basicuser54original poster was correct. Carbon monoxide.
Yes, testing the big buddy, it has a fan and oxygen sensor.
@@TheMopar97Does monoxide come specifically from incidental, incomplete combustion, or constantly as a necessary exhaust byproduct always?
@@Jim_JimworthBoth Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide are both always generated from combustion. Carbon Monoxide as a result of incomplete combustion - which always happens to some extent, and Carbon Dioxide as a result of combustion itself. Our bodies can detect excess carbon dioxide though which makes the accumulation of it less dangerous.
Hi Todd! Been loving your videos for years and appreciate you testing house hold appliances like heaters. I love drinking coffee and always wondered if a $15 coffee bean grinder can stand up to the more expensive fancy ones. Or even what the best coffee pot/method would be.
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
IMHO, this is one of the most helpful sites on RUclips. Thank you very much!
Thanks and you are welcome!
These are probably one of the troublesome events for electrical outlets that occur on houses and apartments. As an electrician I say " Thank you " for making a review that could potentially save families from electrical fires. Again this is why I am a subscribed member to the Project Farm Channel !...
I have to question why American plugs and outlets are so dangerous.
Look at UK spec plugs and outlets. So much more robust carry their own fuses rated to the cables and appliances they're specced for. I don't know why the USA insist on using frankly terrifyingly dangerous systems.
@@skylined5534 money
@@skylined5534We don't, some do. It's called liberty 🗽
Modern space heaters are very safe if used correctly. The main issue these days is people being ignorant and not reading labeling if so. I had to get on my wife for using extension cords not suitable for high wattage. It took one to get a bit mellty and me pointing it out to her for her to finally understand that I wasn't just being overreactive.
I would have liked to see temperature measurements of the plug to cord junction on each of these after they'd been plugged into the wall and run for a couple of hours.
Few years ago I was taking a shower in the middle of the night when I noticed something smelled a bit strange. Hurried up and started looking for the smell when I saw a glow coming from my dad’s room and he was asleep next to his space heater and it was completely engulfed in flames. Not knocked over or anything, just sitting there on fire. We put out the fire and no harm was done. The brand was pelonis.
Can I suggest a Bar graph at the endings? A placement stacking graph. Visual graphs are very helpful especially when you put in all the effort for the tests it's nice to show data in multiple ways.
Stacked placement graph, assign 1st place (1 point) and so on per test. (2nd, 4th, 1st, 12th = 19 points. The product with the lowest score is the least risk product or the best all round product.
Love the content, I've seen this channel start up and have been laughing and learning all the way here.
My wife bought herself a new space heater based on your recommendation after I sat her down and had her watch this video. She absolutely loves it! Fantastic job as usual.
Video suggestion: Inspection cameras. There are a TON of brands made by both the tool companies and third parties. They have different length cameras as well and range from just a few inches to 50'+ they range in price from $25 to over $200. They vary in both resolution, and in many cases, quality of the screens (including visibility in daylight). Perfect for you.
A great video on heaters and heater safety. Several years ago a friend called and said her gas furnace had when out. Outside temperature was about 0°F. Her husband had left for work early and had turned on a space heater. When I got there and went inside I smelled hot rubber. I located the space heater and found a 10ft, 16 gauge extension cord feeding a 1500 watt heater. Wires from the heater and extension were covered with a heavy rug. I pulled back the rug to see the plug-in on the extension beginning to melt. I explained to her why you just don't do that. Neither her or her husband thought of the heater setup as dangerous. I lit the gas furnace and all was well. Maybe your video will make some people think before they act. Exceptional video!
I have a buddy that has literally burned down two houses (to the GROUND), as well as a car (don't ask) with these heaters. Some people are just hopeless.
@@derekspringer6448 Stupid can be identified but it can't be fixed. Thanks
Never use a 16 ga. extension cord, and that includes every cord that looks like the one Todd used (the kind with three outlets on the end). Unfortunately, a lot of heavy-duty LOOKING extension cords are also only 16 ga., and are therefore unsafe. You need to read the packaging or else the number that’s stamped into the insulation of the cord itself to be sure it’s suitable for a space heater. Use a 14 ga. “appliance” cord, or even better, 12 ga. (If you didn’t know, the LOWER the gauge number, the thicker the wires.) And don’t use one longer than 25 feet. Finally, because some people are in a position where they have no choice, if you MUST use a substandard extension cord, please please please ONLY use LOW or MEDIUM heat, NEVER high. Follow my advice, it could save many lives.
A lot of people buy cords based on length and price, which means the 16g is the best. But they don't understand that there are a lot of things that can not run efficiently or safely unless they get a thicker cord. Even though the cost more, it's important to look at the power rating of each cord and compare it to the appliance/tool rating and get a cord that can easily cope. For work I have 14g, 12g and 10g. I only use my 16g cords for running LED lights.
@@Thegonagle I think in Europe all cords have built in fuse, they should do the same in the u.s
I use the oil filled radiator heaters. They don't get hot enough to cause a fire and they do a great job of keeping the room at a constant temperature without drying out the air.
They certainly do. They take far longer to warm up a room, though.
Good choice... Oil-filled radiators are by far the most efficient, using the least electricity. It's not even close 👍
@@georgehofgren6123 both are exactly 100% efficient. One is not more efficient than other.
I noticed the oil filled ones are more popular in the UK; the several people I met all had one. But I've never seen it here in the US. But I preferred them too. They seemed a lot safer and I felt comfortable enough.
@@CheapSushi They don't blow hot air around which i find more uncomfortable. I Don't like a hot fan in my face. I got the one I have at Wal-Mart and I've seen the same ones online.
I had a (cheaper) Honeywell space heater for over 10 years before the fan motor eventually gave out. It was always really reliable for me, I definitely would recommend those.
Thanks for the feedback.
honeywell makes some reliable stuff
Todd, great video. I used to use a ceramic space heater but found I used more electric than just turning up the furnace. But it's good for the office to keep the legs warm under a desk.
Have a GREAT Holiday season
❄☃
Thanks for sharing! Happy Holidays!
I know this would have made the testing more tedious, but I think the 30min building heating test would have been fairer if all the heaters started from the same temperature. This is because at higher temperatures, the temperature difference between the building and the outside would increase leading to faster heat loss to the outside, giving the heaters that started with a lower building temperature an advantage. Just my little piece of feedback, thanks as always for your thorough testing!
Using different types of fabric because they fit the thing better is also kinda weak but to be fair any attempt at DIY calorimetry that doesn't cost a fortune would have huge flaws so I say just take it with a grain of salt. Maybe could've spent less time on it or as an annex at the end of the video...
Just do like me and get wood pellet heating driven by PV panels and never bother again (I live north of the 52nd parallel in Canada)...
+1
This is a *very* dynamic relationship and very difficult to reproduce the same conditions at scale. Outside air temp, sunlight angle and quality, humidity, and heat soak all play a role.
Heat is a shape shifting mugfugur and plays all kinds of games when you start paying attention to it.
You could build a chamber that is more protected from the influence of the outside environment but you're still going to be dealing with heat soak and some shape shifting. Anything hydrocarbon fueled will also produce water, screwing with the test environment (meaning you need to "reset" everything by drying the air, and thereby whatever the containment is made of, for an extended period back to baseline again after each run.)
Translation? One *major* pain in the a$$ to get meaningful results. The noise floor is shag carpet on this one.
I actually think the final test should have been axed because it didn’t add anything. These products are all 100% efficient as any resistive heater is. Measuring the heating performance of an entire room is just a redundant measurement of the electricity consumed, but with larger error bars.
@@HermiHg My thoughts exactly.
As someone in an apartment without a stove top I'd love to see a test of some hotplates! Things like safety features and power consumption could be very interesting
That’s an awesome idea tbh
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for this test. It means a lot to me. My main heat source was a wood stove but I've recently became disabled and can't get wood like I used to and now have to rely on eletric heat for about half. I have been able to get some wood to keep my house warm when the temperature really drops but 50 degrees and up I only use the eletric heaters
You are welcome!
I must say you out in a lot of time for these reviews. Great work! They helped me with at least two purchases.
Thanks! Glad to hear!
Would have loved to see an oil filled radiator included in this.Thanks for the great content!
Then it wouldn't be a competition
The problem with the oil filled ones is they are terrible for heating a space. Really inefficient. IR is the way to go.
Thanks for the suggestion.
@@dylangolden30IR is horrible for heating a space, but make you feel warm. Oil filled are great for heating spaces, they just take longer.
@@dylangolden30The oil filled ones work well, sure they take longer to work, but the major benefit is total silence.
I'm planning on working in my unheated garage. You sold me on the DREO.
What was even better was that it was Priced at $29.99 using your link. Winner, Winner, chicken dinner! 😜
Thank you for providing yet another fantastic comparison review. You're a one-man consumer report.
Have a blessed and joyful Christmas.
Thank you!
Thanks for this video! I ended up getting the Dreo to replace a failing super loud little space heater and can confirm it is real quiet.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m SO THANKFUL for this video as my Silkie chickens @ wild birds need a new heater for the coop soon and I just didn’t know what to do! MANY BLESSINGS to you Sir!
Thanks!
Mr. Heaters are awesome. You can also get an adapter to hook them to large propane tanks.
In an emergency, you don’t want to rely on having electricity.
The heat that they produce is just totally different from an electric heater. It’s comforting.
One last thing, you can get a thermal powered fan to attach to the top. Search for wood stove thermal fans. No power needed!
Thanks for this info. I was wondering if there were some people who could vouch for them. Emergency prep ought to be on everyone’s mind, having gone through the pandemic already, so it’s nice that these seem to be more versatile than at first glance.
@@davidswanson5669 I do agree about the safety points. You wouldn’t put this in a child’s room, obviously. It’s great to have for emergencies.
You see them a lot in RVs and camping.
Propane gas logs for the win!
I'd get one mr heater and a couple Dreos 👍
@@BennyTygohome Dreos are on sale, $30... I ordered one..
I've got a Mr Heater little buddy and an Ozark Trail clone. They are slightly more dangerous like you outlined, however their portability and lack of electricity is what their use case is for: absolutely great in an unheated garage, boat, hunting cabin, RV, or general power outage. Not sure I'd let it glow overnight with a 20lb propane tank in my bedroom during a power outage however.
Yeah to me the propane heater is a "monitor while it's in use" heater.
How can you use it in an RV without risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?
@@Dpowell28safe for indoor use
@@Dpowell28 they don't produce carbon monoxide. Only water and co2. (still needs some ventilation tho)
@@JoeUrbanYYC That is how I use my 20k propane heater in the shop
Great video as always. Would love to see you compare a bunch of those small diesel heaters for workshops and cabins. Vevor and a bunch of chinese brands I've seen around. They're getting very popular. Keep up the great work!
Merry Christmas eve from Harrisonville. 🤭 been watching your videos for a long long time.
Save this man at all costs.
I like my Mr.Heater in my 10x14 shop, I bought the hose to hook it up to the propane tank used for Grills 20lb size? I put up a CO detector and it has never gone off with the doors closed and running all day. One more thing if you bump it, it shuts off.
Great feedback on the Mr. Heater. It seems like a great heater for heating a shop or just in case of a winter power outage.
@@ProjectFarm Thanks, I'll add that I also like it because I don't have a lot of circuits out there and a 1500 watt electric heater effectively uses a entire 15 amp circuit.
Yes! So glad to finally see this done! Now we just need desk/floor fans when spring comes around
Thank you for the video idea!
Both would be awesome. FWIW after years of going through many I'm stuck on Vornado. The ones I got 4 years ago are still going strong and they put out a lot of air. The desk one (5303) is quiet and pushes a lot of air. Has been on constantly for 4 years minus when I blow it out for dust. Only issue is vibration... which I solved by throwing an old mouse pad under it.
I use my Heater Buddy (Mr. Heater-propane) with a wood stove fan (place on top of the Mr. Heater). The fan starts spinning when it gets hot and can heat up a room/tent/shanty really quick. Great review.
Thanks! Thanks for sharing.
Great vid. You out so much work into all of the tests. Impressive. Merry Christmas.
Thanks! Merry Christmas!
I would love to have seen an old school milk house heater in this test. Usually painted grey, with two or three temp settings and a fan. As basic as they get, and unless they are 40 years old or more, they have tip over protection. I have had the same one in my collection for over 25 years. Still works perfectly and safely if you follow the basic guidelines.
Thank you for sharing!
I agree. A heater of this type I was using had the fan fail for some reason. The coil promptly melted and flames appeared inside. Fortunately I saw it right way and it was on a concrete floor. I was glad it was all metal construction. I no longer trust fan based heaters to be left alone. I can't imagine a plastic case fan heater as a wise idea. All I use now are the oil filled radiator type fan-less heaters.
I don't know what they look like but I'm in my early thirties. When I hear someone say something is 25 years old I think late 70s early 80s not 1998. Thanks for making me feel old lol
@@gaba023
I doubt that glowing coils are all that safe. What if the coil breaks and short-circuits inside? Aren't ceramic heaters safer? Do they have some sort of inherent limitation of heat output?
You should have included one of those oil-filled "radiator" style electric heaters. Personally I love those. They're quiet and safe. When it comes to forced air heaters, I never understood making them out of flammable materials. (plastic) I have a couple and they're all steel. Thanks for the timely and informative video with the coldest weather yet ahead, as well as the mention of not using these with extension cords. I do use one with a cord occasionally, but it's a thick cord meant for a window air conditioner and doesn't even get warm. Great video.
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
I was thinking the same.
Just got out my electric radiator for the first time this year. They're great.
It was my main heat source for a few years. Fantastic device. Doesn't get too hot.
Don't try this at home etc...but my wife and I used to put it next to the couch and toss our blanket over it on especially cold nights. Got us toasty right quick. I'm sure we were moments away from immolation every time we did it : )
Stay safe, and put a box fan behind it on low if you want to move that heat a little. Don't be dumb and comfortable like we were!
Home wiring is 14 gauge. If your extension is a 12 or better yet, a 10 gauge wire you should be fine. Don't coil wires that are connected to heavy current loads or they will become hot and possibly melt depending on the length of time they are energized, the number of coils, and the amount of current going through them.
These are the safest space heaters you can buy. No fan that can fail overheating the unit, and the heat is spread out over a larger surface area so there is nothing that gets hot enough to cause combustion. Bonus, they are silent.
Just how safe are oil-filled heaters? Isn't oil combustible? What if they leak? However, a friend thought they are safe. Because they have a large heating mass, they don't really get all that hot. Such that you could pull your blanket partially over it, and it wouldn't have a problem. I wouldn't want to test that though.
But a big downside of that type of heater, they are horrible for the bathroom, as they take several minutes to even think of warming up. A ceramic heater is blowing heat within mere seconds.
What if the fan fails? That would have been good to test. A radiator type heater has no fan. Not unless there is a pump to circulate the hot oil?
What I do not trust is a plastic coffee maker. Long ago, I saw a TV show that tests products, in which they bypassed the thermostat to simulate a stuck thermostat. Within about a minute, it went into meltdown and caught on fire. Spend the extra money and get the industrial metal model like they have in restaurants. Or do like I do and just don't drink coffee. I hate coffee.
I suspect they make heaters with a plastic case, because plastic is going to feel cool-to-the-touch, whereas metal could feel a bit hot, if it is not that great of a design. Plastic may also allow them to get away with not having to have the 3rd ground wire, as many old homes lack grounded outlets anyhow.
If you must use an extension cord, I would recommend a thick rugged quality cord, and avoid bunching it up such that it could get hot spots. A window air conditioner cord sounds great.
I suspect many people will unplug the heater far too often. But this weakens the electrical outlet causing a hot plug. Better I think to just make sure that the heater is turned off, and leave it plugged in throughout the winter.
very appreciated, i never know what you're doing next but whenever i check its always something usefull
Thanks!
We have been using oil filled radiators this year as the Trane heat pump died after only 14 years. We only use 2 heaters on low or medium with a box fan on low, sitting about 8 ft. from the heaters to circulate the heat. The house stays 70 to 72 until the outside temp drops to the 20s, then we add 1 more heater without a fan. So far it is working well. A check with power consumption is currently showing a little less usage than last year. How about testing oil filled heaters.
Thanks for the suggestion.
You must be having a more mild winter if electric heat is consuming less power than a heat pump.
@@GeoffreyVonbargen We shut off the heaters during the day IF the sun is out and shining through the patio door. It warms up the living/dining room and the floor fan circulates it. We never use the high setting unless the heater has been off and is cold and just for 15 minutes to speed up the warm up, then back to medium or low. It has been cold and damp today because of the nor'easter going by but we only used 1 heater.
After years of watching I JUST now noticed how you record your audio clips. Brilliant editing because I never even noticed it honestly!! Great time saver in narrating
Thank you for sharing!
thanks for the testing ... my wife and I were just talking about getting a small heater for the basement ...
You are welcome!
By your test results. I purchased a Dreo for use in my small shop. I am very pleased with this little heater. So Quiet, Sometimes I have to check to make sure it is still on ! Thanks for the effort to test these 👍
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
I recently picked up the little dreo unit for a chilly room in the house and have been thoroughly impressed. When I saw the thumbnail I had 100% confidence it would perform well. Thanks for another perfect real world test Todd!
I have had great experience with the Dreo heater as well. Incredibly quiet.
@@The_Kirk_Lazarus and apparently they’re efficient little units too. I’ve heard of others with different Dreo appliances have been satisfied.
Our pleasure, thanks for sharing!
I have a Mr. Heater in my deer blind. It's really nice. Sometimes it need convincing to start but once it does, it really heats things up.
Thanks for sharing.
It’s cool that this video also raises safety awareness in addition to the excellent and thorough product review. :)
Thanks!
I recently purchased the heat storm for mobile office for work. The low draw has been great for use off of a generator. As well as mounting it best of both worlds as it helps keep the office warm while also safe in transit and I'm not worried about the breaker tripping when it kicks on.
Thanks for sharing.
I have a Dreo bathroom heater, and it works well.
The bathroom heater is the next model up from the one Todd tested, with an arc fault interrupter for extra safety. It throws heat much better than my old space heater, and oscillates, along with some other features I don't use. One nice feature is that the fan runs for 30 seconds after turning off the power, to make sure the heater is cool enough to store.
I have a large bathroom in a 125 year old house in a place that has very cold winters. This heater works well to supplement the radiator and makes getting out of the shower a lot more comfortable. [The heater is about 8 feet away from the shower, far enough to stay dry.]
There is nothing worse than a cold bathroom. My pet peeve is cold feet. So I plan to get some kind of heated floor mats. At this point? I might have to just make my own. Nothing on the market that I know of that has the washability & the ease of use along with care and safety that I know of.
"Can I light cigarettes off it?" is a requirement. Not sure how the house hasn't burned down.
Great vid as usual!
Great video as always! Wish you would do one with different oil filled radiator heaters as well tho since I use them everywhere, I even have a small sized one that I use in my camper, it’s about the size of a milk house heater, but I just bought a new full sized radiator heater from Lowe’s as well
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
Ive always wondered if brake pads silver gold platinum ceramic etc were worth the price increases and if performance was better. Im sure given your history you could surely come up with a way to test that!
I’ve always wondered about that too
I second this. Maybe get some more "upgrade" type brands involved if possible, like EBC, Powerstop, or Brembo
Thank you for the video idea!
Good one I would like to see that one too
As always, another great review! It's good to know that these space heaters are actually pretty safe when used the right way, and have a good level of hazard mitigation built in.
Thanks!
Best comparison channel on RUclips thank you for all the hard work!! I love my Mr heater for camping!
Thanks and you are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
Todd, thanks for all the hard work you put into your videos and especially those connected to residential safety. A few points for your consideration:
1. Temperature rise of a heater's cord and plug is an indicator of both wire gauge and the quality of materials. Therefore, a thermocouple measurement of the rise taken on the cord plug body might be worthwhile, although you would need to normalize the result to some standard wattage point such as 1,000W in order to do a fair comparison. If a manufacturer is using cheap recycled copper in the cord or poorly formulated brass in the plug, that test would likely raise a flag.
I always suggest to friends and family using space heaters to feel the wall outlet's surfaces for heating after their heater runs for a half-hour or so at maximum heat and if it's uncomfortably hot, do not use that heater/outlet combo. Note however, that hot outlets may instead be due to worn-out devises (very common in older homes) or loose connections inside the outlet box (a very common problem).
2. Your tests for operating wattage after 30-minutes may be deceptive or even meaningless considering many of the heaters use PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heating elements. Those can vary widely in current draw with variations of ambient temperature and with time and airflow. For those, you would need to run ambient temp. vs time vs. power consumption vs airflow, which could produce difficult-to-compare results (and therefore potentially unfair comparisons). Manufacturers should be required to state instantaneous wattage after a unit has reached a stable off-state chassis temperature that would suggest the need for maximum heat (i.e, 30-deg. F). This point made me wonder what methods UL uses to test these PTC heaters.
3. I would discourage your viewers from just going for maximum wattage. Many living area branch circuits in existing American homes are rated for 15-ampere maximum load - equivalent to 1800 watts for the entire branch - and that branch may already be carrying numerous items such as TV sets and lamps. Tell your readers if that branch's circuit breaker is uncomfortably hot to the touch, use a different branch.
4. Your viewers should never plug a space heater (or other high-current device) into an outlet that does not grip the plug's blades firmly. Most older homes are loaded with outlets having overheated or highly worn outlets perhaps 20 to 40 years old, and those are the cause of many residential fires. Worn outlets that will not firmly grip plug blades should be promptly replaced.
5. Regarding fire safety during normal operation, I would suggest two tests rather than your pillow case test:
a. Place a cotton cloth sheet suspended on a vertical frame directly in front of the heater's discharge, placed at some minimal distance such as 1- or 2-inches. This is a very real-world test, as many people are careless about heater placement, often next to bedding or sofas.
b. To test for safe shutdown in case of dust-bunny pluggage or fan failure, tape cardboard over the intake side of the heaters to block the suction and see how long before the unit shuts off. However, many units may blow the thermal fuse and not recover if it's a one-time fuse.
6. I hope you are only testing electrical appliances that are UL listed, as that provides at least a minimal assurance of good manufacturing and materials standards.
Sorry for being long-winded but as a retired electrical engineer and past volunteer fire fighter, I felt compelled to comment and share some experience-based commentary.
I have two space heaters: 1 electric of a fair size which works fairly well and 1 propane insert tank similar to yours. As always, you covered all the bases. Thanks, Todd. Another winner here.
How about useing IR heat panels ? Better power consumption and saver. Are used to permanently heat a Room building .
Awesome 👍 I almost died in a (milk house type) space heater fire 🔥 in 1977 my blanket fell on top of it while i was sleeping! I will only use oil filled space heaters now in my house i feel they are the safest 😉👍
Thank you and hope you enjoy the video!
I have both the Lasko and the Mainstay heaters used in this video. I use the Mainstay heater to heat a decent sized bedroom and the Lasko to heat a 1.5 car garage. For me, they have both performed exceptionally well. Much better than I ever expected them to.
Thanks for another great video. I have installed two of the HeatStorm 1000 watt heaters. On the low setting they only draw about 500 watts. An amazing amount of heat circulating with the built in fan. By strategically locating 2 of the 1000 watt HeatStorm heaters a slight vortex can be created to keep the heat circulating. Each is plugged into a Meecher Watt Meter which is programmable to keep track of power consumption based on the kwh cost. As always I am looking forward to your next video!
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Todd! I'm building a new work van, and I've been looking at a small space heater to warm up a machine... I'll give you an A+ in dramatic timing!
Wow, thank you very much!
Thank you for creating this video. Not only was it useful as a comparison guide to make a smart purchase; it was also quite educational, specially seeing it from a parent's perspective. Definitely a great time of year to release material such as this one! Kudos.
BTW, I'd love a video about woodworking routers... maybe one video for 2 HP bigger routers!
As always, a great, objective review. Like your weighting on safety for this one. Eye opening how many fires are caused by these. Cheers to you and this channel...!
Thanks!
I've been hoping you would test these thankyou
You are welcome!
Thanks again for another good comparison. Have you ever compared heaters like Mr Heater that uses propane or natural gas?
That would be a good video comparing heat output and CO2 shut off along with durability and noise?
Thanks again!!
And then you pull it out LOL!!!
lol. Great timing!!
Thanks for making this video! I'm a vintage and antique lover, so I use some 50's heaters in my home. No pets nor kids to overturn them. These are all metal and nothing in the heater its self is combustible!
With the PTC heaters, about 11 years ago I got a defective one from a flea market for $4. It is almost 100% identical to your GiveBest heater, but was sold under a Touch Point brand. I repaired the defect and have used it for a "bake out" heater for my vintage refrigeration repair hobby. It is still working well after 11 years. I attach dryer vent tubing to it, and allow its warm air to blow under blankets covering refrigeration systems needing moisture removed during overnight evacuation.
The PTC heaters are inherently safe because of how the resistors work. The power demand tapers off as the temperature rises. Even with all safety devices bypassed, the laws of physics apply and the heating resistors don't overheat.
I hope you don't mind if I share a link to the video where I tested it. It was 11 years ago and the video quality is no where near your videos, and is a little embarrassing. However I am willing to share it since I would like for you to see the detailed testing. Will reply to my comment with this video.
Cool and important video. Thanks for showing us those and testing them ProjectFarm!
Thanks and you are welcome!
I love your videos! Keep them coming. A comparison of motorized drain snakes (augers) for home use would be nice if you're still looking for ideas.
Thanks, will do! Thanks for the suggestion.
Nice work as always. Thermostat consistency and temperature swing is an important metric for anybody who wants a space heater for frequent use. It would be interesting to see whether electronic thermostats offer an advantage over mechanical dials. Maybe you could test that in your 200 sq. ft. building this winter and do an update one of these weeks.
Finally, a few of those oil-filled radiator-type heaters (at least one each electronic and mechanical) would be awesome for a whole room test as described above. They don’t heat a room quickly, but they are very nice for heating an entire room evenly. As for safety, their surface temperature stays reasonable enough to set it and forget it. They only get hot enough to be uncomfortable after a few seconds when touched, but rarely if ever hot enough to cause injuries or fires.
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestions.
I agree. My main complaint with space heaters is with the thermostats.
I have a couple of radiant heaters that are very safe, they have no exposed heating element. These are the ones I'd recommend, they're completely quiet and radiate heat better than the cheap heating element heaters with a fan. The heaters that I have that are not safe unattended are the propane heaters, but those are for an emergency usage where we loose power.
those are the safest by far.
Lose
Great information. Thank you!
@@herculesrockefeller8969 Louse
That's not the point. With radiant heat, you have to be inline with the heater. Convection heaters heat the air so it heads everything.
Each one has their proper use. Radiant works outside since you can't keep in heated air.
A HUGE thank you to you brother! Fantastic content as always! I was actually looking into the Heat Storm heaters on Amazon. Great information to know. Thank you man
Thanks and you are welcome!
Thank you! We were just wondering whether to get the Dreo and saw your video! That sealed it
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
Great and timely video! I really like the "fire starting capabilities" part, especially when you included the dangers of using heaters with extension cords.
Thanks!
Extension cords catch on fire because the contacts become crusty in the dust and you suddenly load it really bad with a heater. It's the same for wall sockets, changed out quite a couple burnt sockets in offices before.
Edit: Yeah I forgot it was the US and 3 heaters suck in 20 amps...
Great test overall and thanks for the effort all these tests must take. I just feel that for the heaters that do oscillate the room heating tests should have been run with the oscillation enabled.
Have you done an extension cord review?
@RepentandbelieveinJesusChrist5 I want Psalms 28:7 inscribed on a space heater.
@@BlackJackMiller5
And more brand names based upon the Bible. Too much contagious "woke" BS going on, too much people liking to forget about God.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family, Todd. Thank-you for all of the informative and entertaining content you provide us throughout the year.
You are welcome! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Great job on the space-heater reviews....Thanks!
Thanks and you are welcome!
Suggested Video: Expandable Foam- Most usable product after expansion in a container, thermal insulation factors, fire resistance, foam structure, ability to stick to different surfaces and at different tempatures, window and door type vs, general, vs pest and bug, ect.
Thank you! Love your show. It's fun to watch and very informative 👍
Thank you for the video idea!
@@ProjectFarm Looking forward to it! 😀
I've tried about 15 space heaters, but the one I use the most is my Pelonis (Walmart $14.77). It uses a old-style wire coil together with a fan that moves a lot of air over the heating element, so it produces a very comfortable temperature for blowing directly on my legs all day in the home office. I think it is far superior to all of the ceramic units I have tried. I run it on the low setting, and it heats me up first, then the entire office.
Hell yea. The ones with wire instead of ceramic definitely seem to transfer heat much better into the air. Also seem less subject to failing if they get tipped / knocked. Those ceramic ones are FRAGILE.
This was truly informative and extremely helpful. Great video!
Thanks! Glad to hear!
I bought an antique 1939 fan space heater 25 years ago and use it in my bedroom every winter since and no fires yet; Combination fan / heater and switch to heat mode and still works perfect.
Thanks for sharing.
"which space heaters are good at starting fires"
That's a tag line and a half 🤣
loll Great point
to me unless it's egregious I think pitch aka coil whine is more important than dba. I'm sure you could isolate recordings and see if the frequency varies in this uncomfortable range but I know you do a lot of work already. We appreciate all of your hard work Project Farm!
Your work never fails to impress me. Fantastic! I can't wait to see what you come up with next.
Thank you very much!
That's a really good video with truly information.
😯👍👍
As always, great job! The Pelonis brand, made a "disk furnace" portable space heater that I have used for decades. It's quiet, and puts out plenty of heat. It has a fan and has a washable foam filter for easy maintenance. I used it exclusively while camping in my travel trailer, when connected to powered camping spots.
Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.
I had one of those for years!
I absolutely love bot only the effort put into these tests, but also the creativity and the relativity to every day life... HUGE FAN!!! I tell many guys I work with in the plants about your channel
Thanks so much!
Once again you delivered a home run with this video. You're the best! Merry Christmas
Thanks! Merry Christmas!
great video. i think when evaluating safety something that could be mentioned is if the product is listed say by UL for example
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
I prefer the radiator type space heater using oil heated and circulated through the radiator. It is completely silent, safe, and has very even heat. It is very slow to heat up, though. I love this heater, just need to start it up ahead of time to heat up. These are not light wt. heaters, though. I use this in my bath every day. I no longer use the blower type heater. I regret you did not include the radiator type heater. It is very safe. I thoroughly enjoy all your videos, by the way. You do a very thorough job.
Good for a small room, but that's about it. Just bought one
@@johnnymoran180 I use mine in the bath only. The radiator type holds heat for a while, while the other type is cold when it is not running. The radiator type is also much safer.
Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.
This was very useful. Im glad that you pointed out the propane heater still being a good option in case of a power outage. Great video as always.
Thanks!
I have the Heat Storm and am surprised to see it in this video! It was expensive but I do love the wall mount design so it was worth it to me. Had it 3 years and its still going, they even sell replacement heating elements if they were to die.
Thanks for sharing.
I've had mine for my kids room for 2 or 3 years now and I couldn't ask for a better heater. The wall mount is great and it don't get hot where they can get burnt. Heats a small room up nicely. And heats the hallway up to the room as well
Another Great Test! You amaze me with your ingenuity!Shows that even the most inexpensive heaters perform pretty well.
One thing that you missed though, is testing the thermostats for the amount of hysteresis (differential), I know that is difficult. I actually have 3 of the heaters you tested. One problem with one of the Amazon Basics heater is that when it gets close to the set temp, it may repeatedly turn the heater on and off in about 1sec bursts causing the breaker to occasionally trip or the lights to flicker, and it can't be good for the thermostat contacts!
Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.
The propane heaters are a great option when camping, we had it in a VENTILATED tent in Vermont when a nasty storm blew through with 40mph winds and 28 degree Temps. The tent stayed at 80 degrees until it ran out of gas... nobody wanted to get out of their sleeping bags in the morning 😂
Thanks for sharing!
I have used rocks warmed by the campfire to keep my sleeping bag warm all night .
A half dozen or so football sized rocks will keep a 2 person tent very comfortable all night .
The Buddy type heaters are nice , if you don't have to hump them into and out of the bush .
The electric ones are also good when electricity is available .
But I have Luddite tendencies , not gonna lie , and they serve me well in adverse circumstances .
Best no bs tester. Simple and to the point. Thank you.
You are welcome!