If you’re anything like me, you’ll be wearing multiple layers to bed but will still end up with extremely cold feet. While some winters can be tolerable, every year seems to be ruthless nowadays!
One possible solution is the purchase of the very best infrared heater available on the market. The truth about these machines is that they will do the best job in keeping your room warm at an extremely affordable price.
Not many of us look for detail when buying space heaters so the aim of this guide is to provide you with as much useful information as possible. Our entire team has tested and compared a list of these products in detail.
As a direct consequence of this, here are 5 top-rated infrared space heaters that provided the best price to performance value. Make sure that you use the comparison table below to compare each product and their ratings.
Top 5 Best Rated Infrared Heaters Reviews
1. Dr Infrared Dr968
When it comes to the very best model, this Dr Infrared heater was the most impressive of them all. It performed brilliantly across almost every area.
With the appearance, you’re looking at an attractive system, which has the potential to blend in to the décor very well. The wooden design does indicate high premium quality and in fairness the Dr968 is built really well!
In terms of the performance, you’re probably looking at the best infrared unit available on the market this year. The Dr968 is rapid when transferring heat towards your direction.
By converting 1,500 watts to 5,200 BTU of output, you can clearly see this is quite a powerful machine. The manufacturer promises that this model can warm up an area of up to 1,000 square feet. After testing the Dr968 in various rooms, we concluded that this was only the case in well-insulated areas. However, generally we felt that this was best suited to smaller areas like the bedroom.
Another aspect that must be considered is safety. We found that there weren’t any exposed heating elements. As a consequence, the heater was a little warm to touch but this wasn’t dangerous in any way.
When it comes to efficiency, you’ll have the opportunity to use auto mode, which will alternate the power between 1,000 and 1,500 watts. You can also use a timer to ensure that the energy is preserved in the best possible way. In fact, it also featured on our list of the most energy efficient products.
This model performs quietly and goes about its job without any fuss. It also has wheels that you can conveniently utilize to heat up different rooms of your home.
In addition to the above positive points, you’re looking at the best product, which just happens to be very durable as well. Due to this fact, I’m sure you’ll be able to use this for many winters to come. This is topped up nicely by the 3-year warranty that will ensure that you’re content with your purchase.
2. Lifesmart Corp Lifelux Series Ultimate 8
While this can be a positive aspect, in this case I found it to be overdone. I wasn’t too fond of the overall appearance as the unit take up a lot of space. It actually looks like a small chunky table, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Again this was only my personal feeling and you might not feel the same way.
Ignoring the aesthetic appeal of the Lifesmart Ultimate 8, we found the performance to be very impressive. Considering the fact that this is more costly than the Dr968, we were expecting a top performance from this model.
We felt that the heat generation and transfer in the room was excellent. The unit draws in a lot of power and as a result of this, the output is truly exceptional. In terms of the area coverage, this model is expected to heat an extra large room or an area up to 1,800 square feet. We felt that this was a bit misleading, as it didn’t meet these expectations. Despite this, the area coverage was quite good and didn’t disappoint us that much.
Considering the aspect of safety, the wood was quite cool to touch and never got hot. This really is a positive point as it indicates how safe the unit will be in a house full of children and pets.
When in use, it was easy to notice how quiet this unit was. It just went about doing the job with minimal fuss. While it is a little bit more expensive than the Dr968 and only has a 1-year warranty, this Lifesmart model may be worth going for if you need to heat a relatively large room!
3. Lifesmart 6 Element
Available in a high quality wooden cabinet design, the Lifesmart 6 Element unit is a relatively affordable infrared room heater. It certainly looks the part and would feel like it’s a part of the furniture rather than a heating system. This is especially advantageous for a model that’ll cost you well under 100 bucks.
It has all the basic features that are included with the previous two models we’ve just discussed. This includes different power settings (one of which is used for energy efficiency), a 12–hour timer and a relatively large and easy to use remote control.
While these features are extremely important, perhaps the main factor that separates the good from bad is the performance. In regards to this, you’ll be getting a great unit. Even though, the manufacturer expects this unit to heat an area up to 1,000 square feet, we felt that this wasn’t true. In my opinion, the Lifesmart 6 Element has the potential to heat large well-insulated rooms but the heat transfer is more effective in smaller rooms.
Other than this, this is the best infrared heater at this affordable price range. It comes with a 1-year warranty and is extremely quiet when switched on. In addition to this, the energy efficiency and safety associated is very impressive. As a result, this model would be perfect for families with children and pets.
4. Duraflame Infrared Quartz Heater (DFI-550-0)
Sometimes being different can be a good thing and in this situation, it is a positive change from the typical bulky wooden design. The unit certainly looks quite attractive though it may not give off the feeling of high premium quality.
After testing this model out, we felt that this wouldn’t be suitable for someone looking for performance over visual appeal. The truth is that this Duraflame model has some very good features that are easy on the eye.
A perfect example of this is the flame brightness, which can be altered with 5 different settings. Alongside this, you can also switch on the flame effect without heating. This indicates that this would be more appropriate for someone looking to improve his or her home décor rather than focus on the functional aspect of the system.
Despite the above point, the performance of this model was good-ish. You can expect it to warm an area that’s up to 1,000 square feet due to the 5,200 BTU output. Even then, we didn’t really find the heating aspect of this unit that impressive. I think this would be appropriate to use during fall. However, when the winter sets in and the temperature reaches freezing point, you might struggle!
5. Lifesmart Medium Room Heater
The size and affordable price does mean that you can’t expect the performance to be that impressive. As a matter of fact, this unit will be more suitable for medium-sized rooms.
In terms of aesthetic appeal, this model won’t impress you too much. It doesn’t have any wooden components and neither does it look extra-durable. However, it is a compact piece that’ll strive to do exactly what it’s supposed to do. The compact design also means that you’ll easily be able to transfer the unit from room to room.
When it comes to the performance, there will be 3 settings, one of which will ensure that there is plenty of energy saved. This model also utilizes a 12-hour timer, comes with a remote control and is also very quiet to run.
Having looked at this particular Lifesmart unit and compared it to the others, I found that this just fell short of our expectations. While the price is fairly low, it still isn’t that cheap.
If you were looking for a better looking, better performing and an overall better unit then the Lifesmart 6 Element would be the best infrared heater to go for. This is similarly priced but is more powerful and provides a far better price to performance value!
What is an Infrared Heater?
Now that we’ve reviewed all the products, it’s not time to talk a little bit about the purpose of these systems!
These products differ greatly to the standard heaters we normally use. The main difference is that the machine will utilize electromagnetic radiation to transfer heat from a higher temperature to an area of low temperature. In simple terms, this means that infrared radiation will heat anything that is directly in front of it.
When you try out this type of heating for the first time, you’ll notice that the machine will warm you up almost instantly. This is one of the major advantages this system holds over conventional technology.
Imagine yourself walking into your freezing cold room and having the luxury of an instantaneous warming effect. The unit will emit radiation that will be absorbed by various objects directly in front of it to create a warming effect without having to wait for a good 15 minutes for the room to warm up.
When using this type of system, you’ll also notice how silent it is. In fact, due to the fact that there isn’t any UV radiation, you’ll be exposed to healthy light that won’t affect the oxygen and humidity levels in the room.
When compared to conventional systems, the maintenance of an infrared model is quite easy and generally hassle-free. In addition to this, these systems also don’t induce a negative effect on the environment. There won’t be any open flames, emission of harmful substances or burning of gases!
While it seems like buying the best room heater would be ideal for this winter, it’s also essential to take account of various disadvantages of this system.
Firstly, you need to consider the aspect of safety. While you won’t be exposed to an open flame, the coils of some models can still get extremely hot. This means that it would be dangerous if your children will be walking around the room. Even though the systems available nowadays try to minimize this, you’ll still need to exercise caution.
As mentioned previously, the heating affects the area directly in front. If you’re exposed to this radiation for a prolonged period of time, it can have detrimental effects on your skin.
On top of this, when you switch the system off, the area will cool down very quickly. This compares unfavorably to traditional technology that tends to keep the room warm for quite a bit of time.
It is highly important for you to consider the above factors before you spend your hard-earned money. Along with these, you also need to determine a strict budget in order to make the best decision possible!
Are Infrared Heaters Efficient?
Before making the purchase, a lot of us try to focus on buying an energy efficient space heater.
When looking at infrared space heaters, you’ll be pleased to learn that these can be quite efficient. By warming up the area directly in front, there won’t be any energy wasted on needlessly warming up the rest of the room.
This compares favorably to conventional systems that heat up the entire room and central heating that would function through the entire house.
If you were a person that wants to be kept warm while lying down on the sofa then an infrared space heater would be the perfect system for you. However, if you like your entire room to be warm while you or your family members roam around then the best system to buy would be a standard unit!
Final Verdict
You might not have realized but winter can really hit you hard. The freezing temperature can really make your life miserable especially if you haven’t prepared for it.
The best thing to do is to make a move as soon as fall approaches.
Regardless of whether you’re in the bedroom, bathroom or garage, the best way that you can ensure that this upcoming winter passes by smoothly is by buying an infrared heater. These units function by directing and concentrating heat where it is needed – towards you! This will not only keep you warm but will also focus on the aspect of efficiency, which in turn will minimize your bills!
So what is the best infrared heater to buy in 2016?
After extensive research and subsequent comparison of the reviews and ratings, we concluded that the best model was the Dr Infrared heater. This performed brilliantly and comes with a 3-year warranty. The only issue is that it may not be affordable for everyone.
If you’re looking to prioritize top value over spending a lot of money on performance then you must consider the Lifesmart 6 Element. This was associated with the best price-performance ratio and was of excellent quality in general!
