How to choose a heater

Many people wonder which heater to choose, especially on cold winter evenings when there is not enough heating to keep warm. However, it is rather difficult to make a choice at the present time, given that now a huge number of firms and companies that offer their goods in this vein with an enviable variety. Nevertheless, if you focus on certain characteristics, then making a choice is quite easy.

All properties of a home heater depend not on the heating system itself, which is used, but on the power. For this reason, determine which heater heats the best, since different companies have different internal heater capacities, so some are more reliable, while others will not last you long.

For example, if we compare infrared and oily devices, it can be noted that they have a completely different principle of operation, and therefore, there will be a completely different result. However, there is no particular difference in the intensity of the radiated heat from the different operating principle. So this factor is not decisive either. Therefore, before choosing a heater, you need to determine how warm your apartment or house is. If your room is cold, then you will need a powerful device that will measure 2-2.5 kW of energy released. If your home is relatively warm, but you would like to add a little warmth, then it is better to use heaters that are rated as medium or weak in terms of their power. It all depends on how much you want to warm up the atmosphere of your home. So 1.5 kW of energy is enough for you.

Which manufacturer is better to choose

Before you think about which heater is better to choose for your home, you need to decide on the manufacturer, among whose products you will look for the very device that will suit you all. In the modern market there is a huge number of companies that are engaged in the complex production of equipment, that is, they do not manufacture products of the same denomination, so it is not necessary, if one company produces good refrigerators, it will be an excellent manufacturer of the same heaters. However, there are also universal firms that produce fairly good products of various names. Among the best manufacturers of oil heaters are the following:

1. Ballu.
2. Electrolux.
3. Vitek.
4. DeLonghi.
5. Vitesse.

If you want to buy an infrared heater, as well as more advanced models, then keep in mind that they can cost you a pretty penny. However, if this does not scare you, then you should choose one of the following firms:

1. Ballu.
2. Polaris.
3. Zenet
4. Neoclima.

If you are interested in medium-sized heaters, that is, convectors, then keep in mind that such heaters are quite affordable in price, but it often happens that they may not warm up your apartment or house enough, especially if you live in a large enough area. However, the following manufacturers can be advised to purchase such heaters:

1. Timberk.
2. Noirot Spot.
3. Electrolux
4. Roda Delux.
5. Alpine Air.
6. Nobo.

If you need a simple fan heater that will maintain the temperature in a separate room or some part of it, then one of the following manufacturers will be the best choice for you:

1. Ballu.
2. Vitek.
3. AEG
4. Timberk.

What types of heaters are there

There are several types of heaters in the modern world, so you need to decide in advance which one will be best for you. As a rule, all heaters are powered by the mains, so keep in mind that most of these devices should be installed in close proximity to outlets and power sources.

By the way, it will be necessary to know exactly how such devices are arranged, which of them are the most effective for certain conditions. For example, a heater that heats an apartment or just a separate room well is unlikely to be suitable for keeping the whole house warm. Therefore, devices with different capacities are suitable for different areas and residential buildings.

Fan heater

These devices can be both large and small, so they are quite easy to transport and you can carry them from one room to another. Such devices are often popular for their efficiency and also for their affordable price. A special metal spiral acts as a heating element in such devices, and there are also ceramic plates inside, which help to preserve the heat that this heater produces.

Inside, a special fan is turned on, which begins to distribute the heat generated by the spiral throughout the room, but for this the spiral must be heated to a certain temperature. Thanks to convection, a single room or a small area is heated quite quickly. As a rule, such devices are equipped with special regulators and temperature controllers so that the coil itself does not overheat. If necessary, you can turn off the fan yourself, but sometimes this happens automatically when the coil overheats and the device needs to rest.

If you choose a rather expensive model, then for your money you will also get an air humidifier, as well as an ionization function. In addition, you can purchase a fan heater with a timer function, that is, you can set specific time intervals through which this device will turn on and off. Such devices still have a rotary mechanism, as well as the ability to control it remotely. By the way, you can choose a fan heater for your apartment just in tune with the interior, since in the modern world these mechanisms are made horizontal, vertical, as well as oval or square, so you can choose exactly what will be combined with your interior. Most of the fan heaters have a plastic case, so the device itself is quite light.

Pros:

• in terms of cost range, among many other types, such fan heaters win with a significant advantage;
• there are quite a few models among fan heaters that you can put on a bedside table or some kind of stand, and such a device can independently serve as a stand for your feet;
• such devices have a protection function, that is, if you accidentally drop the fan heater or if it falls on its side, it automatically turns off;
• rather lightweight devices, so you can, if necessary, transfer from one room to another, and also if you have a country house, or you prefer to purchase such a fan heater for a summer residence, then a miniature device is perfect for such purposes;
• from the outside, you will not be able to burn yourself with such a heater, since all elements are reliably protected, so even if you deliberately try to reach the steel spiral that heats up, you will not be able to do this because of the grate preventing this;
• a huge number of different designs, among which you will definitely choose the one that will fit the interior of your apartment or private house;
• most of the devices often have a power of no more than 1-1.5 kW, so such devices do not consume too much energy.

Minuses:

• during operation, the fan emits extraneous noise, so you cannot use such a device at night, only if you do not hear or feel anything during sleep;
• such devices quickly dry the air, in addition, it is harder to breathe warm air, so it is not recommended to use such a device constantly, or periodically humidify the atmosphere in the room or in the apartment in general;
• such a device is hardly suitable for large rooms, since its power will not be enough for a sufficiently large area, so you will have to purchase larger fan heaters, and they consume even more electricity, and also emit even more noise;
• such devices are capable of breaking many times faster than other similar devices, since the spiral can get too hot, and some parts can generally be covered quite quickly due to the fact that they were used too often and for a long period of time.

However, despite the obvious drawbacks, a fan heater is the most budgetary device, which simply must be in almost every home. A fan heater is an excellent device that can heat any small area, but keep in mind that such a device is unsuitable for permanent work in any room that will be too large. For more efficient and continuous operation, there are other heaters that are configured for a larger area and have better performance.

Oil heater

If you need a device that will heat you with more power than a fan heater, but will also save your energy, then oil heaters will be the best choice for you. The design of such heaters consists of a central heating part and a part that allows this device to be installed in a fixed way on any surface. In the inner part there is a thermostat, as well as mineral oil, which can keep warm for a long time. Some of these devices have a fairly large number of sections, and some are more compact devices. So each customer is able to choose exactly the heater that most meets his needs.

You can also find devices among oil heaters, which will have special fans built in. They are usually located on the side of such devices. Many heaters of this level are equipped with temperature controls that have such a range that you can definitely build exactly the one in which you will be comfortable. However, these are far from the only chips that heaters of this class have. In more expensive models, there are other gadgets that will allow not only building the desired temperature, but also saving energy consumption, as well as other installations that, for example, are able to evenly distribute heat throughout the room. However, remember that this takes a certain amount of time.

By the way, it is oil heaters that you can use not only at any time of the year, but also at any time of the day, since it does not emit unnecessary and extraneous sounds at all, so at night you can feel good enough.

Pros:

• such devices are quite durable, so that by purchasing such a heater, you can be sure that it will not break prematurely, and in order to take care of it properly, just brush off the dust from time to time;
• such a device works completely without unnecessary noise, so you can use it both during the day and at night;
• oil heaters perfectly save energy, since oil can store it for a long time, and after maximum heating, you can reduce the amount of heat supplied by a few degrees to make you more comfortable;
• such heaters outwardly look like bulky and difficult to move, but most manufacturers have tried here too, so such colossus are often equipped with special wheels on which it is quite easy to move the heater;
• even after you completely turn off such a heater, you can still feel the heat, because for a certain amount of time the device remains warm;
• such a heater is perfect for both heating a large room and a small one, since the heat emitted by it can evenly spread throughout the entire territory where such a device is located;
• such heaters are designed for long and continuous operation, so you can use it as often as you need it, and without worrying that such a device will soon overheat.

Minuses:

• in order to properly warm up, such a device needs about 20-30 minutes, depending on its size and power, so you will have to wait a while to get some heat;
• if during the operation of such a device you touch a hot metal, you can burn yourself, especially if the device has been operating for a long time, and its metal parts are constantly heating up;
• such a device, no matter how convenient it is on wheels, still does not lend itself to transportation as well as the same fan heater, so you will have to make quite a lot of effort to move it somewhere to the dacha or suburban area;
• they cost a lot in comparison with other similar devices, but not as expensive as some other fancy devices, so we can say that the price for them is adequate, depending on what to compare with;
• This device dries the air greatly by constantly heating it, so that after a certain amount of time you will breathe warm air, in addition, you will need to constantly humidify the atmosphere.

However, despite the fact that the oil heater has enough disadvantages, it is simply irreplaceable in an apartment, the area of ​​which is spacious enough to heat the air as quickly as possible. Such a device is simply irreplaceable if you need to increase the temperature in the room for a short amount of time. In addition, such a device evenly distributes all the heat that it generates.

Convectors

Such devices very much resemble the same fan heaters, since they have a similar principle of operation. That is, the convector simply takes a certain amount of air through a special device and gradually heats it up, passing it through the corresponding elements. After that, the already warm air comes out and is distributed throughout the room. Convectors are often small rectangular bodies that have special openings on top to circulate the air as freely as possible.

The only difference between a convector and a fan heater is that it heats the air inside the convector thanks to the natural convection process. As a rule, those companies that are engaged in the production of just such heaters try to use a ceramic element, that is, those materials that do not burn oxygen or dust so much.If necessary, you can choose for yourself a device that contains fans. However, keep in mind that if you use such devices, they will make unpleasant sounds, that is, extraneous noises will be able to constantly distract you.

In addition, convectors can be not only floor-standing, but also wall-mounted, so that you can fix them where you find convenient. By the way, such units can accommodate different installation methods, so you can place such a device on the wall. Moreover, they are often quite capacious and compact, so with this method you can even save space if your rooms are not very large.

You can choose a model for yourself with the most convenient type of control, since many of them are equipped with special timers and rather convenient options. In terms of energy consumption, they can only be compared with oil heaters, so with the number of functions available, we can say that they will become excellent helpers for standard batteries in your apartment.

Pros:

• such devices are evenly and quickly able to warm up a fairly large room;
• they are quite compact devices, so you can place them not only on the floor, but also on the wall, in order to additionally save the space you have;
• has a fairly wide functionality, so you can choose exactly the mode that suits you the most;
• such devices are distinguished by a high degree of safety, since it does not heat up to such an extent as to harm a person;
• the appearance is not only pleasing to the eye, but is also able to perfectly blend into the interior of almost any room, since, in general, such devices are produced in pastel or standard colors;
• such devices have an affordable price, so almost every family can afford a convector.

Minuses:

• appliances, like oil heaters, take a long time to warm up, so you have to wait a while;
• such devices are capable of burning quite a lot of oxygen, so it is not recommended to use them for a long time, especially to leave them in working order overnight;
• such devices can become excellent helpers for those who do not have enough central heating, so if your home lacks heat, then such a device will perfectly fill it up.

Infrared heater

Infrared heaters are considered devices of the most modern level, since they have incorporated almost all new inventions of mankind in relation to this type of devices. Such devices have a completely different principle of operation than all previous devices. A feature of the functioning of such a device is that it heats not the air itself, but the objects inside the room. For example, it heats things, furniture, as well as the human body. After this, an elementary physical effect occurs, when all objects, including the human body, gradually begin to give off heat to the air. This method warms up the entire atmosphere as a whole.

Often, a quartz, carbon or halogen lamp is located in the inner part of such devices, which specifically generates infrared waves, which, in turn, heat the surrounding objects. Another difference between such heaters is that they can be fixed not only on the floor and walls, but even on the ceiling, since in this respect they are completely safe. By the way, there are infrared heaters, which are made in the form of carpets, and they, in turn, can be safely connected to the network. In addition, such heaters have longer waves, but they consume energy an order of magnitude lower than other similar devices.

Pros:

• works without making any noise at all;
• does not heat the air, so it does not raise dust in the room;
• such devices perfectly save your energy;
• heaters with infrared waves have a high degree of safety, so you don't have to worry about getting burned during operation;
• you can mount such devices anywhere, from the floor and walls to the ceiling;
• you can use such devices in an open space;
• you can choose exactly the model that fits perfectly into the interior of your apartment.

Minuses:

• the most expensive of all such devices;
• heat only those objects to which the waves are directed;
• you should not be under such a device for too long, since infrared waves do not affect a person positively with prolonged contact.

Considering each device individually and heaters as a whole, it is worth noting that any device has its positive and negative sides, therefore, it is necessary to approach the choice of such devices based on what requests you present to such devices. For small rooms, especially if you are satisfied with central heating, a simple fan heater is suitable, but infrared heaters are perfect for large houses or suburban areas, since there is a constant lack of heat in such rooms.