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A Good Electric Space Heater

Gary O'

Well-known member
I'm shopping for a good standalone electric space heater
One to heat approx 200sf

I got burned on the purchase of one last winter.
It pretty much just draws electricity

I've been using a propane Buddy Heater in the shop
It absolutely rocks
But propane prices are influencing me to shop for something to plug in
Something with a fan on it
Something that actually puts out heat

Home Depot and other stores have a pretty good selection, but none on display to demo

Any suggestions, experiences?

If not, I'll snag a clerk somewhere, and get 'em to open a box or two and plug 'em in
 

chowderman

Well-known member
if you have 220v available . . . those are higher wattage models.
torpedo style glowing coils with a fan is about a good as it gets in term of 'works'
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
I am having luck with heat towers. They blow air with variable vanes and are controllable via a thermostat. They don't take up much space, and are quite portable. For 200 Sq feet more than adequate.
My other choice would be an oil filled radiant. They produce the most heat for the least amperage.

Unfortunately, if power fails, most new models do not restart automatically.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Not what you are asking for, because they don't have a fan, but safe and effective for heating a 300 square foot room, I have an electric oil filled radiator type with a thermostat to regulate the heat. Takes a while to warm up the room but once it is warm it keeps it warm. Got it from one of the big box stores several years ago. Works great. I suppose you could blow a fan towards it to circulate the air.
 

Gary O'

Well-known member
Not what you are asking for, because they don't have a fan
I really don't care whether fan or not
Takes a while to warm up the room but once it is warm it keeps it warm
THAT's what I care about

Of a winter morn, I'll dash out to the shop to crank up the propane Buddy Heater, then go have breakfast and get my shit together for the day
Hour later, I'll head out for good to the shop

the Heat tower was from SAM"S About $130 three weeks ago
Yeah, I grabbed a 'tower' with fan at Wally world
$70
Not the same animal as what you project
Looks like I need to adjust my monetary sights

No Sam's here, and Costco is 100 mi north on the other side of the mountains
I'll shop Home Dopey, see what they have
Maybe Amazon

Like the thought an oil filled radiator type
Or
A GOOD tower

Thanks guys
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
Not what you are asking for, because they don't have a fan, but safe and effective for heating a 300 square foot room, I have an electric oil filled radiator type with a thermostat to regulate the heat. Takes a while to warm up the room but once it is warm it keeps it warm. Got it from one of the big box stores several years ago. Works great. I suppose you could blow a fan towards it to circulate the air.
No. A fan messes with the thermostat.

I tried it.
However, no reason a small fan couldn't "circulate" the room air. I use one in the greenhouse to keep the heated air from stratifying at the ceiling.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I've been using a propane Buddy Heater in the shop
It absolutely rocks
But propane prices are influencing me to shop for something to plug in
What are you paying for a gallon of propane?
I was crunching some numbers to compare cost of propane vs electric.
Your Buddy propane heater runs for about 5 hours on 1 pound of propane. Around here, a gallon of propane is about $3.50/gallon (which is 4.11 pounds). So to run it for 5 hours costs about 85-cents.
A similar sized electric heater is about 1500 watts. Run it for 5 hours = 7500 watts. Assuming 1KW is 14-cents that's about $1.05 for 5 hours run time.
So, if my math is right, electric is around 20% higher than propane.
 

Gary O'

Well-known member
electric is around 20% higher than propane
Could be
I don't know the cost of a KW hour here
We pay $56/mo (annual avg)
I just know propane took a leap, and really don't care to wrestle tanks anymore
.....and elect a tad safer

But thanks for that data

Propane here is under $3/gal (@ KOA)
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thought of something "sort of" related.
Do I assume this is to heat a shop area? If so, have you reviewed the contents of the area to spot items that are slowing the heating process? E.g. If you have a push mower or motorcycle engine or similar item(s) that are big chunks of steel, that heater is working to heat those objects as well. To a heater, that's like trying to melt a 50 pound block of ice as well as heating the air and such.
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Could be
I don't know the cost of a KW hour here
We pay $56/mo (annual avg)
I just know propane took a leap, and really don't care to wrestle tanks anymore
.....and elect a tad safer

But thanks for that data

Propane here is under $3/gal (@ KOA)
I think Mr Buddy is better than electric, have the larger one with built in fan, will run on batteries or wall plug. Since I removed my wood stove for the new roof at the cabin and haven't re installed yet, the last trip was all Mr Buddy. The total space is 830 sq ft. cabin was 46 degrees at noon when I got there, low 27. I ran it on high for a couple hours to get it up to 65 then went to medium, ran medium all night with 2 windows cracked as I do notice that if everything is closed up tight I get a dry throat feeling while sleeping. We were there for 3 days and went through a BBQ tank, thats around $20.00 for 3 days. I would think 1200-1500 watts of electricity would be more than that , for the same time frame especially here in Ca.
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Some interesting thoughts and opinions here.

I have a Big Buddy and a cabinet heater that both run off a 20# cylinder. I also have a Little Buddy that uses 16 oz cylinders. I'm not sure why I have it but it's useful for taking the chill off small spaces. All of them produce more heat that any electric heater. I also have a few old camping heaters that run off 16 oz cylinders. All of them have an O2 sensor so they are safe for indoor use. I'm not even going to count the patio heaters.

I've got electric heaters of all styles. The thing about electric heaters is that no matter what they cost, if they are plugged in to 115 volts, they are only going to produce around 5115 BTUs. That's it, no more. If you want more, you have to go to 240 volts. So, a $25 milkhouse heater produces the same heat as a $150 Tower. The cost difference lies in the aesthetics and the bells and whistles, not the heat produced. By the way Gary, $58 for a milkhouse heater is pretty steep. I got both mine for about half that. They are simple, efficient and work well but the fans on mine are a little noisy. The cat hates them. Perhaps that $58 version has a quieter fan.

I also have a couple of oil filled radiators that I use in smaller, enclosed spaces like the well house and the laundry room which has no heat. Again, they work well but in larger spaces with air flow or draughts they don't work nearly as well.

Why so many heaters? It's a long story but I've just accumulated them over past 25 years for various purposes and situations.
 
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bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Propane here is under $3/gal (@ KOA)
That's a very good price. A 20# tank will run you about $12 to fill.
Since propane heaters are still part of the conversation, I'll throw a couple things out there which helps running propane heaters.
Are your Buddy heaters piped to use a 20# tank or just 1# tanks?
If it's 1# tanks only, consider getting an adapter so it runs off 20# tanks. Do an amazon search for "1lb to 20lb propane tank adapter" for options. Most are under $20.
If you haven't thrown away any 1# tanks, there's an adapter to refill the 1# tank from a 20# tank. Much cheaper than buying new 1# tanks.
Here's an example. They're normally under $10.
 

Gary O'

Well-known member
Are your Buddy heaters piped to use a 20# tank or just 1# tanks?
If it's 1# tanks only, consider getting an adapter so it runs off 20# tanks. Do an amazon search for "1lb to 20lb propane tank adapter" for options. Most are under $20.
If you haven't thrown away any 1# tanks, there's an adapter to refill the 1# tank from a 20# tank. Much cheaper than buying new 1# tanks.
Done it all, up at the cabin.
First one was with the tiny tanks (if I recall, it was two on the side)
Adapted it to take a 20lb tank

Then went full bore with the Big Buddy (20lb housed in the back)
The ignitor went faulty
Went thru a few of those
Went with another brand (can't remember)
It warmed the shop out there

Not the biggest fan of propane heaters
But the 20lb units really put out the heat

Seems this one goes for about a week before I have to change it out

Thanks for the info @bczoom zoom
 

Gary O'

Well-known member
I've got electric heaters of all styles. The thing about electric heaters is that no matter what they cost, if they are plugged in to 115 volts, they are only going to produce around 5115 BTUs. That's it, no more. If you want more, you have to go to 240 volts. So, a $25 milkhouse heater produces the same heat as a $150 Tower. The cost difference lies in the aesthetics and the bells and whistles, not the heat produced. By the way Gary, $58 for a milkhouse heater is pretty steep. I got both mine for about half that. They are simple, efficient and work well but the fans on mine are a little noisy.
'Work well' as in will eventually heat a 200sf shop?

Seems I remember the ones a few decades ago, that plugged into household 110, worked pretty darn good
 

chowderman

Well-known member
rather a lot of how "well" a space heater "works" is insulation and air intrusion.

a small heater in a 'tight' space works wonders -
if the shop is drafty with outside air blowing in all the gaps, or essentially no insulation,,, not so wonders.

our master bath does not make DW happy in the winter - put in a 110v oil filled that has a clock/timer, thermostat and low-med-high heat settings. usually on low, starts heating at 0500, shuts off at 0830.

if the door stays shut, it will make the bathroom nice and comfy - if somebody forgets to close the door on a night trip, the heater does not cope. (house is at 68'F - closed door the bath will go 77-78')
 

Gary O'

Well-known member
rather a lot of how "well" a space heater "works" is insulation and air intrusion.

a small heater in a 'tight' space works wonders -
if the shop is drafty with outside air blowing in all the gaps, or essentially no insulation,,, not so wonders.
Yeah, my 'shop' is an old garage
zero insulation
Door area is drafty
I pretty much like the 'drafty' part when using the Buddy heater

And, after you guy's input, may just stay with it

The 20lb tanks seem to last me a week
I have four of them
a trip to KOA once a month will just need to remain in my sched

Thanks, everbod, for all the input
 
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