Cheap Vornado AVH2 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control

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List Price: $129.99
Sale Price: $87.83
Today's Bonus: 32% Off

I did a ton of research and bought a few heaters before this one but I'm most happy with the Vornado. The first two I bought were digital ceramic heaters. I have to recommend against getting a digital heater. Each time you turn it on, you have to push several controls to get back to where you like it, with this heater, you just turn it on. The only thing that kept me from buying it first was cost and the fact that it had no ceramic element which theoretically was a safer element than an electric coil. We use it in a few bedrooms that are not freezing cold but uncomfortably cold. The other great feature is it'll run on lower power and only use as much wattage as is needed to heat the room. My other heaters would run full blast till it hit the desired temperature, then turn off, repeat over and over. The trouble is, heaters will use about as much power as must rooms have available so if you have anything else plugged in, you'll throw the circuit breaker, which happened over and over for me. A 1200w heater (which is common) will use over 10Amps. That's a TON of power. The Vornado will run and heat just fine on a low power setting using about 5A max and less if less is needed.

Here's a summary of what I like:

Pros:

Plastic grill never gets hot to the touch why do others use metal ?

Only uses the power it needs to gives your electric panel a rest

Much easier to use than digital heaters don't buy digital !

Compact and stable on the floor

Well built many heaters are absolute junk

Cons:

Expensive for a space heater

No ceramic element which MAY mean it could spark easier

When running on high, I noticed a buzzing noise in the fan but not during normal use

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This heater is exactly what I needed. I've had it for a few days now, and it works perfectly.

I primarily wanted a heater that would work with an external / plug-in / wall timer. You know, the thing with the dial. So many heaters have a "timer" which is actually just one-time automatic shut-off, so you still need to turn it on, and set the timer, each night. I wanted something that would turn on and off at specific times of day, and there aren't many if any.

This heater has three rocker switches for power, heat level, and fan speed; it has a dial for temperature. There are no toggles or digital settings or anything. That means you can cut power to it, then restore power, and it's right back to where you left it -same temp setting, everything. I have it plugged into a heavy duty timer rated for 1875 watts.

Beyond meeting that specific requirement of mine, this is a great heater. It delivers on its promise of even heating. It circulates the air very well, and automatically adjusts both fan speed and heat output. Much better than heaters that simply cycle. It's also very quiet -I didn't believe its "whisper-quiet" claims, but it's true.

One step down (VH2) and you lose the automatic fan and heat level ("A" is for automatic). One step up (DVH) and you get digital, which probably won't work on a timer.

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I can't believe all the bad reviews for Vornado heaters. My wife bought one almost 10 years ago at a garage sale and we've used it every night during the winters for years. I took it hunting and hooked it up in the back of a pickup truck in the winter at 10 degrees outside, we slept on top of the sleeping bags in our underwear. We bought the VH2 a few years back and use it during the winter in another room in the house. We keep the house at around 64 degrees at night and have one heater for the entire upstairs 4 bedrooms. It raises the temp a couple of degrees and you can tell the difference the moment you go downstairs. The other in our family room, over a crawl space, keeps the room very comfortable even on the coldest nights AND it's an open room about 14 feet wide and 35 feet long. Just angle it in the general direction and you'll feel the difference. THIS IS NOT A WHOLE HOUSE HEATER! It is a space heater which means heating a relatively small space. It cranks out hot air quickly but it's going to take a while to make a difference in a big room. In the back of a pickup truck in the middle of winter it was like a sauna so we had to keep turning it down. In a house with 8 foot ceilings and large rooms don't expect it to do more than heat up the general area. Defects aside these things are in my experience safe for kids and pets (no RED element, COOL to the touch) and reliable. I still like the old one but after all these years it is starting to make an occassional noise. I'm buying another one and putting that old reliable in my basement.

Bottom line is despite the bad reviews on Vornado it's the only brand I've had good experience with. Holmes isn't very good. I've got one in a 7 x 5 bathroom that really barely heats up that room, putting a Vornado in there would likely peel the paint off the wall. We keep our costs down by running one in the family room where we spend our time, then one for our upstairs at night. Since hot air rises you don't lose any down the steps and you can close doors if you only need to HELP a couple of rooms.

Honest reviews on Vornado AVH2 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control

Pros: Solid construction, safe around my cats (not likely to be knocked over, and little paws are safe), heating element not visible in a dark room, high/low setting, can be used as fan, heats up my room better than my cheaper (but reliable) holms heater.

Cons: It doesn't feel anything like my car heater on max setting.

Noise. On the high setting it reminds me of a locast swarm a mile awayon the low setting it's even louder. Durability: unknown.

I would give it five stars if half the price, but I don't think it's a great value for the money.

*edit* after one year the unit started having problems. It will overheat within seconds of turning the unit on and shut itself off. The work around is to run the fan first before turning up the heater control. I believe that this is a problem with the power supply that is built into the unit not providing enough wattage to simultaneously start the fan and run the heater; if you start the fan first the problem is avoided (a fan draws more electricity when starting than once it's running).

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I have a 16 month old daughter and wanted a heater that I did not have to worry about her burning herself on. I read the reviews and liked what I heard. I saw many claiming they were breaking. I marked this down as x amount of any product breaks.

Worked great for a little over a month producing an even warm heat capable of maintaining a comfortable temperature in even the largest rooms in my three story brick home. One day I noticed it was putting out more heat than it should and was warmer to the touch. I turned it off. My wife turned it on later that night and it made a rattling sound so she immediately powered it off. I turned it on once more the following morning, a fat blue spark arced in the motor and that was it. I will now be sending the unit to Vornado and am without the heater and out the shipping and I'm now worried from other reviews that this will not be the last time it is shipped off for repair. For the price this is ridiculous quality.

Based on my experience I would not recommend this heater.

Reviews of Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker 120 Volts

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $325.00
Sale Price: $279.99
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

Our trusty, 18-year-old Zo was still going strong when the non-stick coating began to peel. When no replacement parts could be found, we faced the inevitable and began to look for a worthy successor. After much research, other brands seemed to have serious issues we hadn't had with our old workhorse, despite its age (it was a hard act to follow!). Plunking down mega-bucks for the Virtuoso took much soul-searching, especially after so many negative reviews of its predecessor, but we checked Amazon's price daily and took the plunge when it went on sale, since it could be returned if it was a dud.

Surprisingly, this machine actually has exceeded our expectations; even 100% whole wheat bread, which in the ancestor Zo could be iffy, is perfect. In both 2 lb. and 1.5 lb. loaves, the crust is just right not tough or hard; the top is golden and even; every loaf/cake, complex or simple, has been almost freakishly flawless (true, you are paying for those double paddles and top heater, but do they ever make a difference!). In true Zo form, it's simple to use, very quiet and stable, and finished goodies slip right out with minimal holes and cleanup. Paddles remain in the pan, not the bread, and separate easily after briefly soaking the cooled pan in warm water. A "Shape" stage can be used to remove the dough to specially form it or remove the paddles before baking (the splines will remain, but the resulting holes will be much smaller without the paddles), and raising the lid will stop the machine temporarily without interfering with the program. Like older models, the initial "Rest" period warms ingredients as needed before mixing so no need to bring them to room temp first, but a cool new feature is the ability to bypass this stage if you don't need it, which shortens the overall time considerably. The "Add" signal also beeps for a longer period so you have less chance of missing it, which is easy to do if you're not nearby since it isn't very loud. Although the DVD manual provided is unintentionally comical and prim, and mind-numbingly redundant, it does have some useful info not included in the written manual.

One consideration before buying would be your available space: since it bakes a horizontal loaf, this is a hefty machine with a footprint 18"w, 11"d, and with the lid raised, 20"h, plus space needed behind and at sides for vents. An extension cord will probably be needed unless parked directly in front of an outlet.

Although we've only begun to tap its many talents, after over a month of frequent use (2 3 times/wk. for whole-grain breads w/nuts/fruit/seeds, banana bread, cakes, and pizza dough so far, and hopefully noodles soon), we're delighted with our new Zo and recommend it without reservation; we also appreciate Amazon's free shipping and right-on-time arrival before Christmas.

Just an added note if you're new to bread makers (and to set straight some previous detractors' comments) for best results with any machine, take the time to measure ingredients by weight rather than volume and add them in the order recommended in your machine's manual, since order can vary by manufacturer and doesn't necessarily match that listed in cookbook recipes. And if you need more reasons to think Zo, check out the King Arthur Flour website blog where they used one to cook almost every dish last Thanksgiving (except the turkey)!

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I LOVE my new Zojirushi VIRTUOSO Bread Maker! It has my 'GLUTEN FREE' setting and is so quiet I have to get up close to it to make sure its mixing or kneading! (I read posts on bread makers in general that said they are extremely loud! Not so with the Zojirushi!) I've had it less than 48 hours and have made 2 perfect loaves of bread! The texture, flavor, crust, etc. has been perfect, so perfect in fact that you can't tell its GLUTEN FREE! Zojirushi has definitely brought 'breads & pastries" BACK into this Gluten Free household! I heartily recommend the 'Virtuoso' model to everyone but especially those of us that must be GF! I am totally new to bread machines and reading all the 'How-To's' about programming bread machines that didn't have a GF Cycle really turned me off as too complicated, too much hassel, why bother. I knew I wouldn't fool with all that; or, get so exasperated that I wouldn't bother to use it if it didn't have a pre-programmed GF cycle. The first loaf of bread I made was out of a GF recipe book and it was Cinnamon, Raisin, Walnut bread. I followed the recipe to a 'T' placed the ingredients in the baking unit in the proper order as directed and out came the most beautifully smelling, tasting and formed bread I have had since I became GF! Next, I grabbed one of those pre-packaged bread mixes with all the stuff in the bag; mixed up the wet ingredients, slapped everything in the banking pan in the prescribed order and wondered if this would be as great as the first....OMG! It was! Now my husband has rushed out to get cheese and tomatoes so we can use it to make Grilled Cheese and Tomatoe sandwiches for dinner! Thank you Ziojirushi for

bringing breads back into my house! (My husband thanks you the most, because he doesn't have to be GF but has been forced into it since I banned any & all gluten from this house!) He has many, many GF bread recipes marked in several GF Bread Recipe books I have! I recommend this bread machine for the novice as well as the pro!

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I have owned bread machines ever since about 1987 at a cost then of close to $600! Since then I have had just about every brand at one time or another. My favorites have been made by Panasonic and Zojirushi. In short you really do get what you pay for in quality and durability. This new "Zo" is heavy duty and makes a truly excellent and normal shaped loaf. I say normal as most make slightly odd shapes that are a little too wide or too tall. The added top heater solves the small flaw the previous Zo had and that was the top would have less color than the rest of the crust. I have had this machine about 2 weeks and have already made 10 loaves. All have come out perfectly including 100% whole wheat.

Our favorite is a rich egg bread also know as Challah and here is my personal recipe:

2 Beaten Eggs with water to equal 10 oz

or 10 oz water and 0.90 oz of powered whole eggs

14.85 oz BY WEIGHT bread flour (I highly suggest King Arthur!)

1.5 t Salt

2 T Sugar

1/3 stick of butter (2.66 T or just cut a stick in 3 parts)

1.5 t Yeast (buy it in bulk here or at Costco as grocery store prices are insane)

Optional: 2 drops of egg yellow food color (I suggest AmeriColor available here)

Set the machine to the quick or normal cycle, light crust, and hit start. DO NOT use the timer as eggs are perishable.

Enjoy :-)

UPDATE: 04-10-2012

The machine is still going strong and has now produced well over 100 loaves of delicious bread. The pan has held up nicely and shows virtually no wear. In short this is a winner.

Honest reviews on Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker 120 Volts

We had the Cuisinart CBK-100 bread machine, which died after 2 years. The first loaf of bread we made was Honey White and it was out of this world. Tastes as good as fresh baked bread from a restaurant. Amazing DVD video and thorough instructions. Gives tips that are reinforced by reviewing both. Was suppose to save it for xmas for my wife, but the kids and I couldn't resist an early present to enjoy holiday fresh baked breads and scents every day. Thought about other Zojirushi models like the Supreme, but really liked the selling points on the added lid heater. Glad I upgraded as the crust was perfect!!! Fun to bake with children and they love the fruits of their labor. Look forward to trying all the recipes and then begin experimenting. Hands down, would never second guess this choice. Definitely professional quality after the first loaf. No need to warm up water, melt butter, etc so very USER FRIENDLY!!!

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I am very satisfied with this breadmaker for my purposes. I mostly make the King Arthur Flour White Whole Wheat recipe (found on the King Arthur website and in the book The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook). I had the Zojirushi Supreme breadmaker, and while it was very nice I found it did not cook the top of some of the breads (especially potato bread or slightly moister breads). If I was off even a little with the ingredients it would sink. I have had excellent luck with this machine for the white whole wheat and potato breads that I like to make. I find for me I have to add 4 tablespoons extra of flour for the whole wheat but it turns out great. One other thing that I do is to look at the dough after the first long kneading. Sometimes it is substantially over to one side. I pull the dough over and even it out in the pan. I end up with a non-lopsided loaf when I do that. Even having to do this I really like this breadmaker. I really think that the extra element in the lid makes a big difference when baking. Also I do find this machine more quiet than the supreme. Other differences that I noticed were that the pan has handles and the blades are slightly thinner and tapered at the bottom (sometimes they are harder to get out of the pan after baking, but I have noticed that they have not once got stuck in my bread, so I like that better). The machine was a little taller than the supreme and the controls are easier to see and use.

Frigidaire VWWF-10306 Valencia Widescreen Wall Hanging Electric Reviews

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List Price: $449.00
Sale Price: $349.00
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program We live in an old farmhouse and were delighted to add this touch of clever and comforting flare to our dining room. The styling is contemporary, but it's simplicity would work for any decor in any room. We chose to hang it in the dining room because having a great meal near the flicker of a fire is a simple luxury everyone can enjoy. When it is not alight, it appears as a low-profile dark glass box-a very clean and uncomplicated look, and therefore a pleasant and undistracting feature. The only part of its aesthetic I'm not totally jazzed about is the appearance of the power cord whilst plugged in. A perfectionist might consider wiring in an outlet at the hanging level and therefore being able to obscure it.

The fire logs are more like thick sticks that lie completely horizontally at the bottom of the bed. They look great, not all together realistic, but well done nonetheless. This is a electrical piece of wall art, so if you're looking for something totally convincing as a real fire, you'll need to get a real fireplace instead.

The instruction manual is very clear about features and safety measures that must be considered beforehand. For example, this item is not to be installed in wet areas (bathroom, laundry room) and must remain a distance of three feet from any ignitable items such as draperies or bedding. The installation is simple but info not included in the manual is to take care and use the proper anchors depending on your substrate. It includes 3 plastic wall anchors and screws, but as our old place has plaster and lathe walls, we chose to attach a 1x2 ledger strip to the studs because ours are not aligned properly with the strap hangers attached to the fireplace. We drilled 2" screws directly into the ledger, thus the fireplace is very secure on the wall.

The fire display is comforting, if not entertaining. Again, it appears not as a crackling campfire, but rather the hot embers at the bottom of one. After a few glasses of wine it might even look psychedelic ;). There are several levels of display one can choose from, as well as varying levels of heat. I'm sure even the lowest level of heat will eliminate any drafts in the dining room and the higher levels will make it downright roasty toasty in there. (It's still summertime here and thus I can't confirm this as yet.) The box does get quite hot and so should be hung out of the reach of small children and curious animals. Works great and the remote control is very straightforward. If you prefer to adjust it manually, there's a hidden control strip on the left side, similar to one of a flat screen tv.

If you're looking for a bit of comforting fun for a special spot in your home, this is a great product. Although it requires a semi-permanent spot, it would sure beat the pants off a space heater (although it is possible to use heater sans display) while serving as an enchanting conversation piece.

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i am going through the same scenario as marty, i ordered and received the fireplace through target.com, it came through the mail in a timely manner, BUT, yea, when i openend it the log was broke and standing straight up in the fireplace. i finally got it down into one piece and turned it on thinking the crack would not show, but it did.

i called target.com to get a replacement log and after a couple of missed calls i finally got someone and they gave me two phone numbers to call, the first one i called was a distribution center that did not send out replacement parts, and the second number beleive it or not was to a law firm. so i'm kinda aggravated right now with the whole deal.it should not take this much work to just get a replacement fake log, so what if something more serous goes wrong with it, what will i have to go through. thinking about returning it back to the target store for a refund.also the flames that you see in the picture are not actually what you get in the fire place, the flames look like golden yellowish water drops floating upward, wierd looking not even close!!

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'll admit, I was hesitant. I thought this would be an installation disaster, so I made sure I had plenty of help to get it up on the wall! 1-2-3 installation was smooth, just a few screws and you are on your way to a warm glow. If you have a real fireplace or that is what you are use to, you may find this to be too fake for your liking. However, it does give off warmth and a glow. It warms up the room. The room we used was only 9x11, so it was great! I love the remote control feature. Unlike others, mine was not damaged in shipment and all went well! I have to admit that I would look at the fireplace in the tv console if I were to purchase another. I want to look AT it and not have it above my head on the sofa. Our mistake, not the manufacturers, that is for sure! Just something to think about when purchasing!

Honest reviews on Frigidaire VWWF-10306 Valencia Widescreen Wall Hanging Electric

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program

After my experience with Frigidaire MWF-10304 Monaco Vertical Wall Hanging LED Fireplace with Remote Control Black I really wasn't expecting much with this product. But I was pleasantly surprised. This 1500-Watt heater really has some good effects. The 'flame' animation is more like smoke animation...but the logs in amber are pretty realistic. Moreover, this product has excellent side handles, and can easily be hung on the hooks provided on the top edge. This is a much improved design over the smaller model.

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I am very happy that I purchased this fireplace even though it had some negative reviews. Works great and looks even better

Buy My Heat Personal Ceramic Heater

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List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $18.62
Today's Bonus: 63% Off

have used for one day so i cant comment on durability yet. this little thing after it warms up will put out some heat comparable to a normal 1500 watt unit. this does not move a ton of air, so its not good for room heating, just personal space as advertised. i tried mine out at work in a larger open bay type environment, room was 62-63 and put this little heater about 18-20 inches away and on a small box about a foot off the ground. you can feel a nice warm stream of air blowing over you, good for keeping the chills away. would recommend in an office environment working at a computer, case stays perfectly cool during use and is very quiet. front grille can get very hot and needs time to cool after use. other good things, its only 200 watts so no need to worry about tripping a circuit breaker.

UPDATE:

have been using this heater for just about a year now and still love it. (let me re-phrase this due the comments) i brought this heater with me while stationed in korea. my dorm room dosent have any other working heat, so its up to this little guy. my room is 10 X 12 with concrete cinder block walls and a 2 1/2" thick solid wood door. on freezing or warmer days outside it can keep the 10 x 12 room around 65-70 with the door closed. when the temp drops lower i need to get out the spare heater and they both do a great job of getting the temp back up. i have had only one problem, i went to turn it off and take to work one day and found that the case had gotten hot and started to melt. i'm not sure it the kids or dog knocked it over, but i have still used the same one leaving it on for days or weeks straight and havent had anything go wrong with it again. i still recommend trying this little heater out if you need something small for a small office type environment.

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I purchased this little heater to warm my desk area at work. We cannot use the high wattage heaters because of the risk of overloading the electrical circuit and shutting everyone else down.

The 200 watt MyHeat heater is just about perfect for my intended purpose; heating the space around my desk. It puts out a decent amount of heat; it seems to be more efficient than other heaters using five to seven times the wattage, quite a bit of heat for a mere 200 watts.

The only thing it could benefit from is a thermostat to shut it off once the desired temperature is achieved. For my usage the missing thermostat isn't a big deal, this is why I gave it five stars.

Summary: Nice looking (multiple colors available), small size(smaller than my PC speakers), quality power cord, low wattage, good heat output. A worthy purchase.

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I have 3 of these that I bought locally & really like them. I took one to work to use in my cold office & it heats it up a treat! The other 2 are at home. One in my tiny cold bathroom & the other stays in front of my armchair.

I don't need to crank up the central heat at home when I'm feeling a bit chilly & my tightwad boss doesn't complain about me running up his power bill at the office. It's great not to have to beg for a piece of coal from Mr. Scrooge!

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UPDATE after one year of ownership: This little heater continues to impress me. I don't know how it would perform in a really cold climate, but here in Northern California, where nighttime winter temperatures rarely go much below freezing, it's outstanding at heating a small space quickly. The room where I now work is unheated; it was converted from being the house's garage. I use a deLonghi oil radiator heater for the main heat in this room, but off course it takes a long time to warm up. The Lasko heats the area around my desk quickly while the deLonghi is warming up. After the deLonghi is warm, I switch off the Lasko. This combination works well for me, and using the Lasko this way allows me to conserve power by using the deLonghi at a lower power setting.

I was impressed enough with the Lasko that I ordered a second one (a model 103, identical except for having a red front). I use one in a separate building behind my house and the other in an unheated room inside my house. Neither Lasko is my main heater. They just provide heat while the oil radiators come up to temperature. They also occasionally provide a relatively low power supplemental source of heat as an alternate to using an oil radiator heater at a higher power setting.

After a year of ownership, I'm raising my original four star rating to five stars. The price is so low and the heater works so well that the little guy deserves it.

My original review:

This little guy puts out an impressive amount of heat. It won't heat a large or even medium sized space, but if you need to heat under your desk or very near your person, it definitely puts out the heat. It works well in my 8'x 9' office in a standalone unheated, uninsulated brick building. I've only owned it for two weeks, so I can't attest to its durability, but its three year warranty does offer some assurance.

Ironically, I canceled the Lasko after ordering it and ordered a Vornado Personal Vortex 375/750 watt heater instead, but Amazon was unable to cancel the Lasko in time and shipped it. I left it packed in the box for a week, intending to return it... until I became frustrated with the Vornado's pathetic heat and out of curiosity, opened the Lasko and tried it. I was immediately impressed with the heat it generates, so much so that I've returned the Vornado and ordered a second Lasko MyHeat.

My main use for the two Lasko's will be supplementing the oil filled heater in my office, which during the winter can be as cold as low forties Fahrenheit when I open it in the morning. The Lasko's will provide immediate heat while the oil-filled heater slowly heats up.

A secondary use for one Lasko will be cold weather camping in my truck. The power draw is low enough that I can power it using the deep cycle battery I carry when traveling.

My only real complaint about the Lasko is the lack of any tip-over protection. A thermostat would be nice, but for this price, I'm not complaining. However I am knocking off one star for the lack of tip-over protection. This is my one concern about camping with this heater. I don't use heat while sleeping so it won't be a problem for me, but for anyone who camps with it and leaves it on while sleeping, you'll need to be very careful to prevent it being accidentally knocked over during the night and starting a fire. I plan to affix Velcro to the bottom to protect against tipover.

Other than that, this is an outstanding little heater. Its looks won't impress people, but it will keep a small space warm while consuming very little power.

UPDATE: I've used my Kill-A-Watt meter to confirm the wattage of nine electric space heaters. Virtually all of them have actual wattages that are below the claimed rating. The exception: both of my Lasko MyHeats. Lasko claims 200 watts, but one of mine has an actual wattage of 211 and the other 202. By comparison, the Vornado Personal Vortex Heater, which I originally wanted but ended up returning, claims 375/750 watts, but the unit I had was only 326/696 watts. I don't say this to disparage Vornado. Nearly every other space heater I've tested had lower wattages than claimed, except these two little Lasko's.

General information about buying electric space heaters:

=============================================

I've owned and used electric space heaters since 1988, mostly DeLonghi oil filled radiators. When I recently began looking for a heater that would warm up a room faster, I was frustrated at the lack of hard, objective, facts about electric space heaters. Even the manufacturer websites often fail to mention or makes it hard to learn the most basic information you need to know, such as wattage ratings and warranty lengths. Not even Consumer Reports has enough information to really inform a consumer. Therefore it's up to us as consumers to share what we know. The rest of this review shares some of what I've learned.

In case you're wondering what heater I decided on to replace my DeLonghi, I didn't, at least not yet. I tried a Vornado PVH and a Bionaire BH1331-U, but I ended up returning both heaters. I'm sticking with my oil-filled heaters for now.

Basic electric space heater facts:

1. All electric space heaters are equally efficient. All heaters rated at 1500 watts output the same amount of heat, but may do it very differently. You have to choose the one that heats the way you need it.

2. Power consumption is determined by two things: the power setting you're using and how long the heater is actually on. Turning up the thermostat setting doesn't increase the heat or power consumption; it just lengthens the time that your heater will be running.

3. To reduce power consumption, use the lowest power setting on your heater that produces the heat you need.

4. An electric space heater will save you money only if you turn your central heating down or off and use space heaters to heat only the rooms where you need heat.

5. The only kind of electric space heater that's likely to provide adequate heat in a large or draft space is a radiant heater (not to be confused with a radiator heater, which is very different), but radiant heaters pose a fire hazard.

Don't take manufacturer wattage claims too seriously. When I used my Kill-A-Watt meter on six space heaters, I found variations of up to 200 watts between the claimed and actual wattage for each space heater. In most cases the actual watts were less than the claimed watts, but one of my DeLonghi's 1500 watt heaters turned out actually to be a 1600 watt heater.

Two crucial steps in finding the electric space heater that's right for you:

============================================================

1. Learn which heater is right for your needs. A huge percentage of complaints by reviewers about space heaters are due to reviewers buying the wrong type of heater for their needs. Your first step should be to decide between the basic types: Ceramic heaters with a fan, oil-filled radiator, micathermic, and radiant. First learn the conditions in which each one works best and works best and then select the type that will work best for your needs. There is no one single "best" heater for all situations. Each one has conditions in which it works well and conditions in which it's terrible.

2. Look at the warranties. Warranties on space heaters range from one year to five years. Delonghi and Soleus heaters that I've checked have one year warranties. Other companies, such as Bionaire, Honeywell, Lasko, and Vornado offer three year and five year warranties on many but not all of their models. If a company offers only a one year warranty on some models but a five year warranty on others (such as Bionaire), it raises question about the durability of the heater with the shorter warranty. However a long warranty is only as good as the company offering it. Read reviews to learn what experiences people have when their heaters die while still under warranty.

In most cases, you'll have to download the manual from the manufacturer's website to get the length of the warranty. It's a nuisance, but it's worth taking the time to do.

Don't let anyone tell you that any particular type of heater is "the best". The best type is the one that best suits YOUR needs. The best heater for me might be the worst heater for you. Some heaters heat up a cold room faster, some keep a room at a steady temperature, and some will work better in a large space.

Some questions you need to ask yourself before deciding which type of heater to buyWill it be keeping a room at a steady temperature? (oil-filled radiator or micathermics heaters might be best)

Will it be heating up a cold room? (a heater with a fan or a radiant heater might be best)

Are there children or pets who might be injured by touching a hot surface? (oil-filled radiator and radiant heater might be a problem)

Do you want to heat just a particular spot rather than the whole room? (radiant heaters might be best

Are you concerned about fire risks? (oil-filled radiator or micathermic heaters might be best, though no space heater is completely safe)

Oil-filled radiators:

These are my favorite heaters. These are the heaters that look like old-fashioned steam radiators. The oil retains its warmth after the thermostat cycles off, which is important if you want to keep a room at a steady temperature. The downside is that the oil takes longer to heat initially, which is why these heaters take so long to warm up.

I have two DeLonghi oil-filled radiators; I've been using one of them for 23 years, and the other is about eight years old. I love the heat they provide. It's steady, warm, with no noise and no drying out of the air like with some other types of heaters. They are ideal for maintaining a steady temperature in an enclosed room.

Oil filled heaters have a huge drawback, however: they are terrible at heating up a cold room. It can take an oil-filled heater hours longer to heat up a cold room than other types of heaters.

The US Department of Energy recommends oil-filled heaters as the most efficient, because the fins generate warmth even when the heater's thermostat cycles off. However this efficiency is only when the heater is continually on, keeping a room at a constant temperature. If you turn the heater on and off frequently, you'll lose most of the efficiency that's inherent in these heaters.

If you have children or pets, look into one of the shielded radiator heaters. I prefer the unshielded ones because they radiate more heat laterally, but the surface can get very hot and be a hazard if touched. DeLonghi claims that their shielded radiator heaters circulate heated air more quickly. Both of mine are unshielded, so I have no way of confirming that. My concern about the shielded radiators is that they would direct more hot air up rather than to the side, where I need it.

If your electric rates are different for different times of the day, you can use this to your advantage in setting your radiator heater toswitch on and warm the room from cold when rates are low, then let it provide steady heat when rates are higher.

A word of warning about oil-filled radiators: if one is poorly made or damaged, it can leak oil and permanently damage rugs and floors or even start a fire. Only buy from a reputable manufacturer and don't accept one that has any visible damage.

Ceramic fan heaters:

These are great at heating a room quickly, however many people including myself don't like the heat they blow. I don't mind it in my Vornado Personal Heater (375/700watt), which is located under my desk, but I thoroughly dislike it in the old Honeywell ceramic oscillating heater that came with my house. I much prefer the warmth that comes from an oil-filled radiator. Ceramic heaters can be most effective at quickly warming up a cold room.

Radiant heaters

Radiant heaters (don't confuse them with radiator heaters!) work by heating whatever they are pointed at rather than heating the air in the room. If you have a large, drafty space, a radiant heater might be your best choice, because it doesn't heat the air, only the objects and people it's directed at.

Micathermic heaters

Micathermic heaters work similarly to oil-filled radiators, except that instead of heavy metal fins filled with hot oil, micathermic heaters have thin sheets of mica that heat up. I've only had experience with one micathermic, a Bionaire BH1331-U, and found that it's exterior surface remained very cool except for a few very warm spots on top. There would be less risk of young children being burned by touching a micathermic heater than an oil-filled radiator. Micathermic heaters are slower heating than ceramic fan heaters, but are faster then oil-filled radiators..

Baseboard heaters

I have a Lakewood oil-filled baseboard heater I bought five years ago that has many of the advantages of a micathermic heater. It heats faster than an oil-filled radiator but has no hot surfaces and low fire risk. My Lakewood does an excellent job of heating my 12x15 bedroom.

However I have not researched baseboard heaters and only have experience with this Lakewood, so I don't know whether others are as good as this one. I was impressed that when I measured the actual wattages of my various space heaters, the Lakewood's actual wattages came closest to its claimed wattages of all the other heaters I tested. Lakewood unfortunately went out of business in 2009 and had a major problem with oil leaking from its heaters a few years earlier. Despite this, it's in many ways my best heater and has the lowest cost of operation.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for My Heat Personal Ceramic Heater

I ordered 2 of these units last month. They are the perfect size for my small offices and they only draw 200w so they won't stress the electrical system at work. They both worked great for about 3 weeks, then they both started to die. They started sputtering, then the fan wouldn't turn on at all. This happened to both units within 2 days of each other. Now one is totally dead and the other is still sputtering away.

There are ton of positive reviews of this heater, so I believe I just got a bad batch. I contacted the manufacturer and they will do an RMA.

Discount Duraflame Parabolic Radiant Heater DFH-IH-12-O

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $36.95
Today's Bonus: 26% Off

Bought this item offseason for a good price and stashed it away for those chilly days in the office. Heats up my work area to a comfortable temperature. The oscillation is nice and can be turned off or on. It isn't bright like the other reviewer said, not too sure why you would stare into it anyways.

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This heater is so bright we tried to put it as far away as possible...which defeated the purpose! Would not buy this again

Buy Dimplex Electric Fireplace Insert

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $695.00
Sale Price: $433.37
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

We have this unit in our 40' Motor Home and it has been a life saver on cold nights when we were staying in Yellowstone National Park. It is simple to operate with a remote and warms the whole motor home easily. We had one problem after years of use and Dimplex walked us through the replacement part procedure. Really nice people to work with. The fire looks real and it's a joy to sit and watch. No noise what so ever. I would recommend this electric fireplace to anyone.

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Although the shipper damaged this item (as it was arriving at my door), the seller shipped a new one and we now have heat in our mountain cabin. The flames are very realistic, and the built in heater does a good job on a good sized room. I like the fact that the heater directs the warm air down to front of the flame display and gives a very real feeling that the flames are authentic.

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I bought this to be the center of a custom fireplace mantel I had built. If it had looked cheap or fake, it would have ruined the whole concept of my custom built tuscany look mantle with custon stone surround. It looks great and very realistic. I am very happy with this. The remote is very convenient.

Honest reviews on Dimplex Electric Fireplace Insert

It looks great! I wish that it had a crackling sound but otherwise, you'll be thrilled with how it looks.

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I have had this Dimplex electric fire place heater in the past and used it continuously for 8 years. A small circuit board failed and it was unable to be repaired.I then contacted the Dimplex company to buy the same one only to find out that that Model DF3003 had been discontinued. I checked out Amazon and I was lucky to find that they had this model . My only problem was that they asked $ 300.00 more than the selling price so I had no choice but to pay the price. I still have my other unit and will somehow find the circuit board and have it repaired and keep it as a spare or sell it on Amazon.

Reviews of Nostalgia Electrics CCM-505 Vintage Collection Cotton Candy Maker

Customer Ratings:

Pros:

5*, not 3*

Way cute

Constant use duty cycle

Short warm up time

No cool down time required

Beautiful cotton candy

Good size cones of candy compared to other toy machines

Largely metal construction

Quiet

Cons:

Spinning, heated disk is a serious hazard to anyone that might touch it.

Disk will get damaged if dropped.

Slow to be expected from a toy.

Small output of candy to be expected from a toy.

Note that the "Nostalgia Electrics CCM505 Cotton Candy Maker" is the same mechanism as Looney Toons cotton candy maker. My review applies to both.

I give this a 5 star rating (excellent). I think I initially rated it only 3 stars because of the safety concern. Amazon won't let me change my rating. Other than the safety concern this is an excellent toy machine.

This way cute toy cotton candy maker is good. I used it a lot and it held up fine. It easily makes nice cotton candy. Largely metal construction is durable and well made. Clean up is not too bad. You pay for the cuteness in storage space, this box is big, something like a deep fryer. I was able to make respectable cones of cotton candy, similar to those shown on the box. As you run the machine longer it starts to work better, I guess it's heating up more. This machine can run for extended periods of time without overheating, a big plus over the misnamed "The Real Cotton Candy Machine," (TRCCM) a competing toy machine. I have run it for an hour at a time with no problem.

At a recent event I served a cone and absolutely stopped the show with everyone marveling at how beautiful was the cone of cotton candy.

With this machine there is only a two minute heat up period and no cool down period required, both big pluses. From ice cold you pour the scoop of sugar into the hopper, turn it on, and about two minutes later it begins to make the candy. At 1'45" you will smell the most wonderful aroma of caramelizing sugar!

As far as making candy goes, there is no question. This machine is far superior to TRCCM. However there is one serious reservation: this machine uses an exposed spinning metal disk. The heated disk spins at high speeds and would prove plenty dangerous if anyone was to touch it or get hair, jewelry, or clothing tangled. By contrast, TRCCM has no exposed moving parts and a plastic guard to keep fingers out.

Disassembly allows good access for cleaning. Cotton candy is intrinsically messy so you've got a problem no matter what. The disk keeps most of the sugar and candy away from the heating elements so you don't get a mess inside the unit. The bowl seals well against the body of the unit so not much candy there. The bowl detaches so you can wash it in the sink. Without the bowl you get good access to wipe down the rest of the unit.

The metal disk is sturdy, but gets damaged if dropped, which I did with mine. The Looney Tunes company offered a replacement disk for $10. Not free, but not a rip off either.

The instructions specify white table sugar only. This works fine, makes a lovely cone, and the lack of vanilla flavoring makes for delicious, unusual candy. However, people constantly annoy me by griping that it's not purple and asking if we can put food coloring in the sugar. I don't think that would work, I think the sugar would clump. So, to appease them, you might consider the "Nostalgia Cotton Candy Fun Kit CFK-515," but shop around because the one on Amazon here is posted with a price that is way too high. Commercial floss (colored and flavored sugar) is also locally available, I don't know if either of these options would work in this machine.

This machine suffers some typical toy food maker shortcomings.

1: It's slow. It takes about two minutes to start making candy and then maybe five more to complete the cone. When trying to serve even five kids, hahaha-think again. It's not happening. With five machines maybe.

2: Quantity of candy output is small. The instructions warn you not to put too much sugar in at once; it's probably best to heed that warning. It comes with a little measuring scoop so that you can get it right. Once you put in that scoop, you need to wait until it's exhausted before adding more. That will cost you a two minute delay each time while the fresh sugar melts. However, that scoop does make a nice fluffy cone of candy that is great for this toy machine. Unfortunately it's not what you get at the carnival, but for this toy it's great. With practice you learn how to roll the candy loosely so as to make the most attractive cone possible. I found that candy output doubled or more on the third and later batches.

3: Lack of suction cup feet on this model will help this guy vibrate off the table.

4: Toy size bowl with no cover allows sugar granules and candy fibers to escape machine, making a mess. I didn't find it troublesome.

5: Consistency of candy is on the light side compared to what I get at the grocery store. That makes this candy light, fluffy and delicious, but it also allows you to eat the entire cone in a few bites. My guidelines: no sharing, and savor every bite for all it's worth, because that cone doesn't last long.

Notes on the video:

Here we are having great fun making cotton candy with the Nostalgia Electrics machine. You will obviously see that this machine works great. In this video Suelo made a gigantic cone that actually rivals what you'd get at the circus. It's similar to the cones shown on the box of this unit, that's an honest company, but then they don't have anything to be ashamed of with this unit, do they?

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My daughter got this for christmas and we have had so much fun making cotton candy. It's easy to work and clean up and it makes a nice size ball of cotton floss. I found that the first cone of cotton candy I make each time turns out smaller then the subsequent ones. The hotter the machine gets the better the cotton candy. Also, once you accumulate some floss on the cone by holding it vertically, turn the cone horizontally to collect the rest. The higher you hold the cone and twist, the fluffier the ball of cotton candy will be. It just takes a little practice. The machine came with a small bag of strawberry vanilla floss sugar and I also purchased a couple boxes of flavored floss sugar at another web store. The floss sugar works great. The instructions say you can use regular table sugar if desired and it can be flavored with sweetened kool-aid powder. We haven't tried this yet.

This really is a lot of fun!

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My son loves cotton candy. Whenever we go to the fair, it's one of his must-have treats. Therefore, when he wanted a cotton candy maker at home, I bought this one.

For best results, you need to follow the instructions scrupulously: run the unit for five minutes without sugar to heat the spinning disk, turn it off to put one scoop (1.5 tsp) of sugar in the center, and turn it back on. It takes a good 3-4 minutes for anything to happen, then a ring of sugar particles will show up on the wall of the basin. Shortly after that, threads of candy will show up in the bowl. At this point, start winding the cone vertically around the center. After you have collected some, you can lift the cone, and continue twirling it to keep collecting the spun sugar. Now hold the cone horizontal and twirl just fast enough to keep the sugar going on. With a bit of practice, you will have a moderate ball of fluffy sugar. Subsequent loads will melt faster and spin into larger wads of candy. Quite a lot of fun for something that is about 23 calories!

Cleaning the spinner is critical (soak in hot water until all sugar is dissolved).

Because of the heat and the spinner, this is an appliance for teens or adults. Because of the speed, it is best for small groups or patient users. Small children might find it hard to wait. Still, for 1/20th of the cost of a commercial unit, it does quite a nice job.

Honest reviews on Nostalgia Electrics CCM-505 Vintage Collection Cotton Candy Maker

I got this for christmas and I love it. It's not messy at all if you do it right. It's very easy to work and it tastes great! My friends think it's really cool and want to use it all the time. I got extra flavors of cotton candy sugar to go with it and they all taste good. It's very easy to clean up after you're finished. I recommend this cotton candy maker if you're looking to buy one.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Nostalgia Electrics CCM-505 Vintage Collection Cotton Candy Maker

Pros:

Way cute

Constant use duty cycle

Short warm up time

No cool down time required

Beautiful cotton candy

Good size cones of candy compared to other toy machines

Largely metal construction

Quiet

Cons:

Spinning, heated disk is a serious hazard to anyone that might touch it.

Disk will get damaged if dropped.

Slow to be expected from a toy.

Small output of candy to be expected from a toy.

Note that the "Nostalgia Electrics CCM505 Cotton Candy Maker" is the same mechanism as Looney Toons cotton candy maker. My review applies to both.

This way cute toy cotton candy maker is good. I used it a lot and it held up fine. It easily makes nice cotton candy. Largely metal construction is durable and well made. Clean up is not too bad. You pay for the cuteness in storage space, this box is big, something like a deep fryer. I was able to make respectable cones of cotton candy, similar to those shown on the box. As you run the machine longer it starts to work better, I guess it's heating up more. This machine can run for extended periods of time without overheating, a big plus over the misnamed "The Real Cotton Candy Machine," (TRCCM) a competing toy machine. I have run it for an hour at a time with no problem.

At a recent event I served a cone and absolutely stopped the show with everyone marveling at how beautiful was the cone of cotton candy.

With this machine there is only a two minute heat up period and no cool down period required, both big pluses. From ice cold you pour the scoop of sugar into the hopper, turn it on, and about two minutes later it begins to make the candy. At 1'45" you will smell the most wonderful aroma of caramelizing sugar!

As far as making candy goes, there is no question. This machine is far superior to TRCCM. However there is one serious reservation: this machine uses an exposed spinning metal disk. The heated disk spins at high speeds and would prove plenty dangerous if anyone was to touch it or get hair, jewelry, or clothing tangled. By contrast, TRCCM has no exposed moving parts and a plastic guard to keep fingers out.

Disassembly allows good access for cleaning. Cotton candy is intrinsically messy so you've got a problem no matter what. The disk keeps most of the sugar and candy away from the heating elements so you don't get a mess inside the unit. The bowl seals well against the body of the unit so not much candy there. The bowl detaches so you can wash it in the sink. Without the bowl you get good access to wipe down the rest of the unit.

The metal disk is sturdy, but gets damaged if dropped, which I did with mine. The Looney Tunes company offered a replacement disk for $10. Not free, but not a rip off either.

The instructions specify white table sugar only. This works fine, makes a lovely cone, and the lack of vanilla flavoring makes for delicious, unusual candy. However, people constantly annoy me by griping that it's not purple and asking if we can put food coloring in the sugar. I don't think that would work, I think the sugar would clump. So, to appease them, you might consider the "Nostalgia Cotton Candy Fun Kit CFK-515," but shop around because the one on Amazon here is posted with a price that is way too high. Commercial floss (colored and flavored sugar) is also locally available, I don't know if either of these options would work in this machine.

This machine suffers some typical toy food maker shortcomings.

1: It's slow. It takes about two minutes to start making candy and then maybe five more to complete the cone. When trying to serve even five kids, hahaha-think again. It's not happening. With five machines maybe.

2: Quantity of candy output is small. The instructions warn you not to put too much sugar in at once; it's probably best to heed that warning. It comes with a little measuring scoop so that you can get it right. Once you put in that scoop, you need to wait until it's exhausted before adding more. That will cost you a two minute delay each time while the fresh sugar melts. However, that scoop does make a nice fluffy cone of candy that is great for this toy machine. Unfortunately it's not what you get at the carnival, but for this toy it's great. With practice you learn how to roll the candy loosely so as to make the most attractive cone possible. I found that candy output doubled or more on the third and later batches.

3: Lack of suction cup feet on this model will help this guy vibrate off the table.

4: Toy size bowl with no cover allows sugar granules and candy fibers to escape machine, making a mess. I didn't find it troublesome.

5: Consistency of candy is on the light side compared to what I get at the grocery store. That makes this candy light, fluffy and delicious, but it also allows you to eat the entire cone in a few bites. My guidelines: no sharing, and savor every bite for all it's worth, because that cone doesn't last long.

Cheap Zojirushi CD-LCC30WZ Panorama Window Micom Electric Dispensing Pot

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $198.00
Sale Price: $154.77
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

This it the second that I have owned. The first lasted decades and finally gave out (the gaskets, mostly). This one is working well, has very little to no evaporation and the water level is easy to monitor.

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