Portable Heaters: The Best Space Heaters for One Person
A portable heater allows you to easily heat up a small area and move it from room to room. They’re the best space heaters for single rooms or small spaces. They’re great for students, apartment dwellers and people who don’t need all day heat. For those chilly mornings and sporadic cold days, a small heater will keep you warm and toasty while you watch a movie in bed or work from your computer.
These electric heaters may be equipped with features like a carry handle, thermostat and remote control. Worried about falling asleep with your room heater on? Look for one with a timer feature for peace of mind.
Advantages of a Portable Heater
- Easy to move from room to room.
- Quickly heat a small room.
- Less expensive to operate than a large heater.
Tower Heaters: The Best Space Heaters for Multiple People
Tower heaters have a larger heating radius, allowing you to distribute the heat around a larger room. These space heaters are tall and slim, which means you don’t have to place them on a table to get heat higher in the room. If you’re trying to heat a room with multiple people in it, a tower heater is the way to go.
The one feature that’s unique to a tower heater is oscillation. An oscillating heater can evenly heat the room without concentrating the heat in a single area.
Advantages of a Tower Heater
- Provides heat over a large area.
- Can come with an oscillation feature.
- Ideal for larger rooms.
Different Types of Space Heaters
In addition to choosing a portable vs. a tower space heater, the three main types of heat distribution in a space heater are ceramic heaters, infrared heaters and radiant heaters.
Ceramic Heaters
They pass electric current through a ceramic plate to produce heat. Ceramic heaters usually have a built-in fan to help distribute the heat around the room.
Infrared Heaters
Infrared heaters are more energy efficient than other space heaters but can be more expensive. They don’t heat air, it emits orange infrared light just like a sunbeam to heat the objects, or people, in the room without drying out the air. Infrared heaters don’t get as hot as ceramic heaters, making them slightly safer to operate.
Radiant Heaters
A radiant heater is like an infrared heater. It generates heat internally and radiates that heat throughout the space. The infrared in the name indicates the type of radiation being emitted. All infrared heaters are radiant heaters.
Space Heater FAQs
Do space heaters dry out the air?
No, a space heater won’t dehumidify a room. The air may feel drier because it’s warmer.
Can I leave a space heater on overnight?
No, it’s not safe to leave a space heater on overnight. If you’re worried about falling asleep with it on, look for a space heater with a built-in timer feature.
Can I use a space heater on a rug or carpet?
No, you should never use a space heater on a rug or carpet. Place the space heater on a flat surface made of tile, ceramic or vinyl.
Which is better, a ceramic heater or an infrared heater?
They are both good options. Instead, consider the space you are trying to heat. Ceramic heaters are great for heating up large spaces since they typically have a fan to push the heat around. Infrared heaters heat up objects, or people, instead of heating the air which makes them great for small spaces. They also produce a more comfortable heat source since it doesn’t produce hot air.
Why do I smell burning when using a space heater?
This could be due to dust on the coils if you haven’t used your space heater for a while. If you smell burning while using the heater, unplug it and inspect the cord for any damage. If the cord is broken or frayed it’s time to replace your space heater. Check out the large selection of space heaters from Lowe’s.