Electric heaters are fantastic at keeping a small space very warm. They come in all shapes, sizes and outputs, allowing you to heat a room in just a few short hours. Many electric heaters, however, are usually large and cumbersome and not-at-all portable, meaning they usually cannot be very easily transported – they can even be dangerous to transport due to their size. However, certain companies have seen the need for smaller, portable electric heaters and have filled the gap in the market.
These smaller models don’t have the efficiency, nor the heating capability of the larger options, but they are more portable, allowing them to be used in a variety of different settings for different purposes. For example, smaller, more portable electric heaters can be a part of a family weekend getaway to the cottage.
Here are some of the things to look for when choosing the best portable electric heater.
Energy Efficiency is Key
If you’re going to be taking your electric heater with you, then it’s important to remember that, no matter where you’re going, that’s going to be running up an electric bill of some sort. So, you’ll want to check your prospective electric heater’s energy efficiency rating. Most of the best energy-efficient space heaters convert every bit of electricity they consume into heated air – they’re a zero-waste technology. However, beware that if a heater takes a long time to heat up a space, they’re going to bring the electricity bill of the client up.
Safety Features Are A Must
Given the nature of the fire hazards involved with electric heaters, it’s important that you look to sell electric heaters that contain safety features such as anti-tip technology (if the heater is accidentally tipped over, it automatically shuts off), or a maximum allowable temperature setting, so that if the heater reaches above a certain temperature, it will automatically shut off. These safety features are critical – particularly as customers may have families or pets that could accidentally knock over their heater, and people tend to be forgetful, so an automatic temperature shut-off point is a useful feature.
Adjustable Settings for Maximum Comfort
Some older electric heaters come with very simple settings – on and off! Seriously, that’s sometimes all that’s offered to clients. These work on their own internal system and cannot be adjusted by the customer. This is no good for most people, who want to have more control, rather than none at all – particularly when dealing with something like an electric heater. Adjustable settings should be fairly basic – timer settings and an adjustable thermostat, as well as fan speed (if the design is fan-based).. Your customer will never want their outdoor temperature to be the same as their indoor one, defeating the purpose of the heater entirely!
Which is Best?
What portable heater will be the right one for your clients generally depends on what their needs are. Smaller heaters tend to be fast at heating up a space but can be more cumbersome on the electricity bills. Larger portable heaters tend to be more cumbersome to manoeuvre but offer more heat output over a longer period, making them a better choice for some. It also depends on the size of the space that the customer wishes to heat. In general, the best portable heater is light enough to be carried by a single person, with a handle of some sort.
It will hopefully strike as good a balance as possible between heating up a space quickly and being relatively energy efficient and will be as adjustable as possible without overburdening the customer with complicated knobs, buttons or dials.
Buying an electric heater that’s portable is always tricky, it’s about striking a fine balance between energy efficiency and transportability, but there are lots of models to choose from, so make sure that you stock a variety of choices for your customers.
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