Best Oil Filled Heater for the Money in 2017
Chill in the air? Has winter made its presence known? Seeking the best space heaters in the market? Look no further. This article presents before you the choicest oil filled heaters, the best in the market in terms of energy efficiency, safety and economy.
Picture | Product | Brand | Class | Review | Editor's Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Comfort Zone | |||
| HoneyWell | Mid Range | |||
| DeLonghi | Mid Range | |||
| DeLonghi | High End | |||
| NewAir | Mid Range |
The Best Oil Filled Heaters
Here are some of the best oil filled heaters in the present market, in no particular order:
Comfort Zone CZ9009 Digital Oil Filled Radiator Heater
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This permanently sealed model is relatively compact, with dimensions of 25 by 15 by 5 inches, weighing about 23lbs (10.4kg).
It has a digital thermostat with a large liquid crystal display at the front with soft-touch push buttons, on/off indicator light and an option between Celsius or Fahrenheit readouts. Comfort Zone CZ9009 has dual heat settings of 900 watts and 1500 watts.
The fan forced technology that this heater uses provides fast spreading of warmth throughout the room. Timer sets the heater on or off to heat the room automatically. The heating element is separated by a mesh safety grill. The heated oil is encased in high quality metal. The 360 degree swivel castors fixed at the bottom of the case makes movement from room to room a piece of cake. The castors are set wide apart from each other, an arrangement which makes tipping over rather difficult.
Honeywell HZ-617 Low Profile Silent Comfort Heater
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With dimensions of 3.2 by 6.7 by 29.8 inches, this model weighs only about 13lbs (5.8kg).
Like the name indicates, its working is very much on the silent side so that you do not need to switch it off for watching television or listening to music. The charm of this heater might be that it sports both natural convection for times when heat can be allowed to spread gradually, and fan blasted heating for times that demand immediate relief.
The safe HPN type 3 pronged grounded plug prevents shot circuit in case of accidental tipping over, while the heavy duty power cord does not burn down by excess supply of electricity. Flame resistant plastic makes up the body of the heater, and it is likewise protected from overheating. Safeguard alert-badge monitors the grille, warning the user when it is hot. Adjustable thermostat regulates optimum temperature for different rooms, and for such a small machine, it emits much heat, making it suitable for use in larger rooms as well. This model has a three year warranty.
DeLonghi EW7707 Oil Filled Radiator
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The dimensions of this model are 24.8 by 5.9 by 13.78 inches, weighing about 23.4lbs (10.6kg). The model has 1500 watts of heating power.
The ComforTemp technology that is the catchword of this model maintains a steady temperature of 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit at the press of a button. This technology ensures that you can save up to 27% of your energy bill. Apart from that, an adjustable thermostat gives you three heat settings to choose from.
Patented thermal slots provide maximum heat flow with low surface temperature. While the smart-snap wheels take the heater from room to room with little effort, the wrap around cord amounts to easy storage. The anti-freeze setting in the thermostat turns the heater on when temperature falls below 44 degree Fahrenheit, ensuring you many a good night’s sleep. Additional features include rust–resistant metal construction and a thermal cut-off function to prevent overheating.
DeLonghi TRD0715T
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This heater boasts a size of 9.4 by 14.2 by 25.6 inches, with a weight of 27.7lbs (12.56kg). The heat settings include 600, 900 and 1500 wattages. Permanently sealed for safety with back panel comforts, it is constructed in rustproof metal with patented thermal slots for heat emission.
It has a 24 hour programmable timer with 96 timer variations, by which the timer can be set to start working at a certain time every day, to shut off once the room is heated enough. If the heater is accidentally knocked over, the power will shut off automatically. DeLonghi TRD0715T has a limited one year warranty.
NewAir AH-450B Electric Oil Filled Radiator Space Heater
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With dimensions of 14.2 by 9.2 by 24.5 inches, this model weighs only about 17.2lbs (7.8kg). It works well with any 120 volts household outlet. It distributes even heat across spaces quickly with a coverage of 300 sq.ft., which makes it work well in storage spaces or garages.
It has three heat settings of High, Low and Eco and a 10 hour timer that works in intervals of 2 hours. Its easy glide castors and convenient carrying handle as well as its super quiet operation make it an ideal heater for domestic use.
Why an Oil filled Heater? Why Not Another Type?
To understand the superiority of oil filled heaters as opposed to other types of electrical heaters, let us first take a look at what all types of electrical room heaters are out there.
Types of Electric Heaters
PTC Ceramic Heaters
The resistance of PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) ceramics increases suddenly at a critical level, enabling heat energy to be produced and transferred to aluminum fins. A fan blowing across the fins heats the air. These heaters are portable and typically used for heating small spaces like a bedroom.
Baseboard Heater
It is a heating system that makes use of circulating hot water or steam through panel fixed at the base of walls to regulate room temperature. They are not portable.
Wall Heaters
These are fan forced convection heaters mounted on the wall to save space. There are also options to be mounted on stands or feet, if need be.
Electric Fireplace Heaters
They mimic a fireplace, plugging into the wall and used on a flame-only setting. They are often portable, but more expensive than typical heaters.
Gas Heaters
They use the combustion of either natural gas or LPG to heat a room. But due to the fumes emitted, they are not suitable for enclosed spaces.
Oil Filled Heaters Or Column Heaters
They use the circulation of hot oil through the panels inside the heater, and conducts heat to its metal body. The heat spreads throughout the room by natural convection of air. Some oil filled heaters have fans to circulate heat faster.
The Principle of an Oil Filled Heater
The body of the heater encloses a series of metal fins, inside which there are panels that can circulate diathermic oil stored in the heater. When the heater is plugged in and turned on, the resistor inside the heater begins to convert electrical energy into heat energy. This heat is then absorbed by diathermic oil, and the oil soon begins to circulate inside the metal fins, transferring its heat into the metal parts.
The high specific heat capacity of the diathermic oil ensures that a lot of heat is absorbed before it starts circulating. Due to the oil’s high boiling point, it never becomes hot enough to vapourize.
The principle behind the working of the oil filled heater is the natural convection of air. A room is heated by two ways, convection and radiation. While radiation heats up the objects in the room, convection heats the air directly. Therefore, when the metal body of oil filled heater warms up the temperature of the surrounding air also rises, causing air density to decrease. Thus the warm air rises up and colder air from other parts of the room rushes into the space left empty by the rising air. This way, a convection air current is formed, warming up the room easily.
Advantages of Oil Filled Heater
- No Oil Replenishment Needed: One of the major questions that may persist in your mind is whether the diathermic oil in the heater needs to be replaced or replenished. But as mentioned earlier, the oil inside the heater is never used as fuel. It acts only as a heat reservoir, lending its unique properties as diathermic oil for the proper functioning of the heater. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about replenishing the oil for as long as you use the heater.
- Silent Functioning: As it works by natural convection method, the lack of a fan in most models of oil filled heater makes its functioning almost entirely silent. The quiet popping or creaking sounds as the oil and the fins heat up make no difference to the silence of the room. The only sound that may alert the user to the functioning of an oil filled heater is the occasional clicks of the thermostat as it adjusts itself.
- Safe: Several factors contribute to the element of safety in oil filled heaters.
Permanently Sealed Body: The entire body of the heater is permanently sealed up, making leakage improbable. Since the heating elements are also covered up, there is no chance of the hot fins ever coming into contact with anything flammable.
Non scorching Surface: The surface temperature is lower than most other types of heaters. Although the metal surfaces get warm, the heat is never enough to burn even if you accidentally brush against those surfaces. This makes these heaters pet friendly as well.
No Gas or Fumes: The oil that is used inside the heater acts only as a heat reservoir and not as a fuel. Therefore, no fumes are produced by the working of an oil filled heater, making it ideal for indoor use.
Tilt over Protection: Many models have the safety feature to cut off power in case of accidental tipping over of the heater, avoiding the chances of a fire hazard.
- Portability: These heaters are designed for efficient mobility. While smaller models might need only handles to carry them from room to room, medium sized and larger models have castors attached to the base. In addition, oil filled heaters tend to be light weight, making portability all the more easier. The traditional types of heaters weigh around 20lbs (9kg) while flat panel ones that have the fins very close together, weigh only half as much. The compact structure of this type of heaters makes it a delight to use.
- Environment Friendly: Oil filled heaters are 100% energy efficient, using low wattage to produce larger amounts of heat to warm up entire rooms. One heater of 1500 watts is enough to sufficiently heat up a living room, which may be the largest room in the house. The smaller rooms, like bedrooms need only heaters of lesser wattage. Electricity consumption of these heaters will be especially less compared to many other types of space heating, because there is no need to work a motor to power up fans in the natural convection method that these heaters use. Once the room temperature reaches a certain level, the thermostat shall switch the heater on or off to save power all that much more.
- Thermostat Controlled: When the room temperature begins to fall, the thermostat will switch the heater on so that the temperature remains at the same comfortable level, making winter nights a pleasant experience. Thermostat also makes sure that the temperature does not rise above a certain level, so that the risk of accidental fires by high level heat is avoided. The work of the thermostat ensures efficient heating with no overconsumption of electricity, leading to reduced running costs.
- Space Saving: Many of the oil filled heaters are small enough to fit under a desk. The ergonomic design that many models sport makes their storage a piece of cake. While traditional oil filled heaters are never bulky to take up too much space, the flat paneled ones tend to save even more space.
Things You Need to Know Before Choosing an Oil Filled Heater
- Power: Check the power output before you buy an oil filled heater, because this factor determines how large an area the heater is capable of warming up. Usually, a 1500 watts oil heater can provide adequate heat for 150 sq. ft. Many of the top models in the market have multiple power settings, enabling you to adjust the heat output according to your need. While a high power heater may add substantially to your electricity bills, choosing one with adjustable settings to reduce heat or increase it as the need arises will definitely help you in the long run.
- Safety Features: All the oil filled heaters have enclosed heating elements, but there are some with additional security features, like sturdy metal railings to avoid burns if you touch it accidentally. The prerequisite of an oil heater should be the presence of an auto power option and thermostat. The tilt detection methods should also be taken into consideration.
- Portability: Most heaters come with handles or castors or both, but checking them out for oneself is always a better way to ensure that you got a heater according to your needs.
- Appearance: You could choose a heater that would go well with your home décor. Heaters under a wide range of shapes, sizes and styles are available in the market.
- Weight: Due to the store of oil inside, the heater may prove to be heavier than expected. Choose a heater that gives out enough heat, but one that is not too cumbersome to carry around or to store while you are not using it.
- Cost: Energy costs should be taken into account while buying the heater that suits your needs. Make sure that you buy a heater that needs to consume only as much as it should to heat up your home.
- Warranty: If things go wrong, a good manufacturer’s warranty ensures that your money is not lost. In the market, there are oil filled heaters that have up to three years warranty.
A Look Over
Man’s technological advancement may or may not let him conquer the natural elements that try to batter him down, but that day has not arrived yet. Therefore, with approaching winter, space heaters are an absolute necessity. While there are several types, its economical, efficient, quiet and safe operation gives the oil filled heater an edge over the others. I hope that this article throws light upon the best of oil filled heaters in the market, and clears up your confusion at least a little bit.