Infrared heaters provide the most basic form of heating used by humans. It’s like newer technology that rediscovers the oldest methods of heating. This is the same type of heat you experience from the sun on your face or from a wood fire. It doesn’t just heat the air, which can be a very inefficient method. Instead, infrared heaters use a body with a higher temperature that transfers heat via electromagnetic, infrared radiation, to a body with a lower temperature. No contact between the two elements is necessary for this to work. The result is an efficient, comfortably warm environment. How does one pick out the best infrared heater? Read on to find out.
Infrared Heater Buyer’s Guide
With so many infrared heaters on the marketing, choosing the right one can be difficult. One of the first things to consider is the room or structure you will be using it for. If you only wish to heat one room, then a wall mountable heater is a good choice (the same as a baseboard’s). It will not take up any space in the room and can blend in to the background. You’ll hardly notice it there at all. If you place on using it for a work site, garage or multiple rooms, then portability becomes important. If it’s just for a home, then something with casters that can be rolled easily should do. Something smaller with a handle is even better if you wish to take it up and down stairs or to another location.
It’s a good idea to measure the room or spaces you need to heat. Then, check each models stats that tell you what size of an area it is rated for. BTU numbers are also important. That’s short for British Thermal Unit. This is a measurement of how much energy as heat the device cranks out. Wattage is also important as it factors in to how powerful the heater is. The larger the area you wish to heat, the better you are choosing a unit with high power and BTU outputs.
Many infrared heaters are simply powered by electricity. That’s fine for heating most rooms or using them as supplemental heat sources. What if you need heat for a shed or workplace site with no electrical outlets? This is when you’ll want to choose a heater that runs off of propane or natural gas. These are also great in the event of a power outage. If all of your other sources of heat fail you, an alternatively-powered heater could be a real life saver. Last of all, it is important to look for safety features in a heater of this type. This is especially true if you have pets or children.
Have You Considered and Electric Fireplace?
OK, maybe we like electric fireplaces a little too much, but we have to throw this out there. Electric fireplaces often can heat functionally just like an infrared heater, but they are obviously much more pleasant aesthetically. If you haven’t looked into them our buying guide is a great place to start.
With that out of the way, let’s get on to the product reviews.
7 Great Infrared Heaters Reviewed
1. Dyna-Glo Liquid Propane
The full name of this model is the Dyna-Glo IR30PMDG-1. It is one of the best infrared heaters available today. The price is more than reasonable for a heater with these features and level of quality. The heater uses liquid propane as an energy source. This is handy because if your power should go out in the dead of winter, you will still have a reliable source of heat. The unit is vent free and mounts directly to the wall. This is a nice feature that will save you some space. The design is simple, yet elegant and should fit in with any decor.
The Dyna-Glo puts out 30,000 BTUs per hour. It heats up to 1000 square feet of space. This means it’s well suited for a large room or cabin, as well as for the garage or smaller spaces. It operates with a 99.9% efficiency, making it an economical and environmentally-friendly choice for anyone looking for an infrared heater. The heater also offers a number of nice safety features. Sensors detect the oxygen levels in the room and shut off the unit automatically if they drop too low.
VIEW ON AMAZON →2. EdenPURE Gen 2
The EdenPURE A5095 Gen2 has an attractive black and faux wood-panel design that can blend in with most furniture. The design is built so that the heater can be placed on a shelf and out of the way. The unit is light in weight and easy to move from one location to the next if needed. One great feature with this particular unit is that it can be upgraded and used as an air purifier in addition to a heater. This model is quiet and even has a fan-only setting to circulate the air in the room.
This is an electric unit with an electric thermostat that keeps heat at a consistent and safe level. It is safe for most environments and will shut off automatically if it gets too hot or detects too much CO2 in the room. The EdenPURE Gen2 also offers a nice remote control. You can turn the unit on or off and change all of the settings from the comfort of your chair. This company also offers a very nice, comprehensive, 2-year warranty.
VIEW ON AMAZON →3. Dr Infrared Heater Portable
This portable space heater from Dr Infrared is a 1500 watt unit. Thanks to their own technology, the unit produces up to 60% more heat than comparable 1500 watt heaters. This unit has a nice wood and black exterior that gives it a vintage appliance vibe. It has casters that allow it to easily be rolled to where you need heat the most. An elctro-thermostat allows you to set the temperature where you like it and provides consistent environment temperatures. The thermostat range is from 50 to 86 degrees. An energy-saving mode makes the heater green friendly and efficient.
The Dr Infrared Heater is equipped with all of the safety features you could need. It shuts off automatically when tipped over. It can also detect overheating and will turn itself off if this should ever happen. It even has a timer that allows you to set a time for the unit to shut down up to 12 hours after set. The high-pressure blower distributes heat quickly in a room while simultaneously being quiet and non-obtrusive.
VIEW ON AMAZON →4. Duraflame Portable
Like many infrared heaters, this unit comes in an attractive wood and black design. This helps it to fit in with any color scheme or room motif. In this case, the heater has an attract oak design. Casters help to maneuver the heater into the best spot, while a simple and intuitive control panel allows you to control the settings. This unit produces 5200 BTUs and can heat an area of up to 1000 square feet. It’s perfect for some supplemental heat wherever you should need it. By using it in small areas or rooms that aren’t always occupied, you can save on heating bills.
This unit is a safe one thanks to a number of great features. It is cool to the touch, making it ideal for anyone with pets or small children. It will shut off if it overheats and even monitors the plug temperature in case of electrical problems. This model comes fully assembled and ready to go as soon as you remove it from the box. An electronic time and thermostat round out some of the nice features offered by this heater.
VIEW ON AMAZON →5. Dr Infrared Heater Family
This is yet another great model from the Dr. Infrared company. It’s a smaller, ceramic heater with an adjustable thermostat. Unlike its big brother, this smaller unit is solid black, lighter in weight and extremely portable. This is made for someone who will need to move it around to use in different spaces and rooms. A large, over-sized handle makes carrying it easy and comfortable. It also comes in at an inexpensive price that is less than half of the larger space heater from Dr. Infrared.
This infrared heater can be set to 1500 watts or an economical 1000 watts. It even has a fan-only mode if you just need to circulate some air into the room. This is a safe unit, with a cool to the touch housing. The heater also offers tip over protection, shutting off automatically when knocked over. The motor is industrial grade and the metal case is sturdy and robust. This makes the device great for taking into the garage or along to work sites where you need some extra warmth. It is built to be rugged and to stand up to heavy use.
VIEW ON AMAZON →6. Costway Tower
This tower-shaped, infrared heater from COSTWAY is one of the least expensive models on our list. That makes it the ideal choice for anyone on a budget. It’s also a good choice if you need a simple space heater in an area where it is prone to some wear and tear, such as a work shed, garage or job site. The tower shape provides even heating from the 1200 watts of power. It’s super quiet and will never be a bother in a study or work room. Like all of the choices we’ve reviewed, this is a safe device with a number of nice safety features. The device shuts off if it is tipped over, goes lopsided or overheats.
Even though the shape is a tower, this unit is easy to move around from room to room. It comes equipped with a handle on top of the device. It provides efficient heating with no odors, chemicals or dust disturbance in the room. It is electrically powered through a standard wall socket. The exterior stays cool to the touch, making it more safe for families with kids.
VIEW ON AMAZON →7. Heat Storm Deluxe
The Heat Storm Deluxe is another very affordable model that is one of the cheapest on our list. It’s also another wall-mountable model that takes up little to no space at all. While this makes it less portable, it does mean you will have 100% of your floor space in the room you use it in. Even on the wall, it takes up less than 2 square feet of area. This heater has two settings for 500 or 1000 watts. It’s 3100 BTUs can heat up an area of up to 500 square feet. It’s the perfect solution for smaller rooms where some extra heat is needed.
The Heat Storm Deluxe has a built in thermostat and an easy to see LED display. The display shows the room’s ambient temperature, making it easier for you to keep a constant, target level of warmth. This unit can be installed right over an outlet, which gives it a clean, neat look with no visible cords showing. If knocked off the wall or when experiencing electrical issues, the unit will turn off automatically. A remote control is included with this infrared heater.
VIEW ON AMAZON →In Conclusion: The Top Pick
All of the infrared heaters on our list are high quality products. Each offers some unique features and perks. Some will no doubt be better options than others, depending on your individual needs. If you follow the tips in our buyer’s guide, it should be easy to find a model that is right for you. For our money, the single best infrared heater on our list is the Dyna-Glo Liquid Propane model. The price is fair and the quality is great. Being mounted on the wall means it works for any type of room or space. The performance is simply fantastic, and the safety features remove any worries about using the product.
VIEW ON AMAZON →