Planning to buy a new room heater: What you should know before buying

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Winter has arrived and if you are planning to invest in a new room heater, then there are certain important things you should know before hitting that “Buy Now” button. This goes without saying that the market is flooded with room heaters. You can find one for a dirt cheap price, with different sizes and form factors and various types. All these options combined create a big confusion in buyers’ minds.

Fret not. This guide about buying a new room heater will solve all your confusion and help you choose the right one based on your needs, health and requirements.

Don’t cheap out with the budget
Room heaters can be hazardous; to prevent that from happening, it is important to invest in quality room heaters. So, try to start with a good budget here. We are not asking you to invest a lot, but don’t keep the budget limited to Rs 1,000 or less. We recommend keeping the budget to at least Rs 2000 to Rs 3000.

Room size is important
Room size matters for a room heater. The bigger the room, the bigger the room heater you will need for its maximum efficiency. For instance, if you plan to use the room heater in a small area, you can choose the halogen-based or fan-based room heater. For bigger space, the oil-based room heaters are the right thing to go.

Choose the right type of room heater
As mentioned, there are various types of room heaters available in the market. Each one of them are made to serve a different purpose. And, that makes it important to buy the right heater based on your need and not just on the budget.

There are three types of room heaters – Halogen, Fan and Oil. All three have different purpose and should be used accordingly. Also, all three of them have their own pros and cons.

Got small space – go with halogen room heaters
Halogen room heaters are the ones where you see multiple heating rods that glows red when turned on. There are some which have coils too. They are known for radiating heat than throwing it in the surrounding. So, they are slower than other two and that why they are suitable for small spaces. But, they are affordable and consumes relatively less power.

Mid-size room – go with fan heaters
Fan heaters have coils, but there’s a fan that spreads the heat in the surroundings. They also have multiple heat settings, and fan speeds and also have a cut-off function. They are relatively safer compared to the halogen ones. In terms of cost, they are somewhere in the middle ground. Simply put, they won’t dig a hole in your pocket.

Big rooms – go with oil room heaters
Oil room heaters are the ones that have radiators that are usually bigger and consume more space in the room. The fins have oils which heat up and radiate the heat in the surroundings. But, they are relatively slow and take a while to heat up the surroundings. The good thing is that they are completely safe and kid-friendly as well.

Health hazards: Know which one is the most dangerous for your health
Before jumping to the decision, keep in mind that room heaters have some health-related issues.

Halogen and fan heaters: They are known for making the surroundings dry and can be dangerous as they burn the oxygen in the surroundings and humidity. This often results in dryness on the skin and end up causing nasal blockage, dry eyes, etc.

Oil heaters: They are mostly safe and there are no major health issues known as of now. However, it is after all a room heater and if you move in and out between hot and cold area, there’s a chance of catching the exposure.

Energy consumption

Room heaters can be as power-hungry as ACs. So, do check the wattage of the room heater before buying. You can go with 1500W ones for an area size of 170 sqft. A 750W heater is good enough for 100 sqft.

Automatic cut-off: Don’t skip this at all cost
There are not many features to talk about when it comes to room heaters. However, an automatic cut off feature is a must and don’t ignore this as it can help save electricity and also prevent hazardous situations.

More the merrier
There are other features like built-in timer, fan speeds, etc that you can opt to go with. They are more of want than a must-have,

So, these are a few important things that you need to know about buying a room heater. You can follow the guidelines mentioned above and then choose the right room heater that is best for your needs.