Energy efficient personal/portable heater

sian

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could recommend an energy efficient, not too noisy, fairly portable heater. I'm currently studying in a house where the heating system is designed so that it has to be turned on for a whole floor at a time instead of for just one room and I'd like to get around heating whatever room I'm studying in without having to heat the whole floor. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Sian

Macha

Hi Sian,

Most electrical appliances should have an energy rating label:

http://www.consumerconnect.ie/eng/Hot_Topics/Tip_Of_The_Week/Tips_Archive/Buying_appliances_what_those_energy_ratings_mean.html

So going for an A rated appliance will mean it has the highest efficiency.

Also, if you go for one with a thermostat switch, it will save energy as it switches off at the right temperature.

Pembily

As taconnol says any A rating one would be relatively ok, thermostat will defo help... I would have perished during my exams in December without the bar heater (not the most efficient but there comes a time and I stop feeling thus caring :mad:). Generally heaters tend to be high drain appliances, as alot of energy is required to provide heat!!! Blower heaters are that bit higher drain yet more portable so it depends on how portable you want!!! The oil filled radiator I have is easy to move between rooms but I wouldnt take it up / down stairs regularly...

Maplin do a plug thingy (sorry need to do more research into it) that you plug the appliance into before the socket and see how much energy it consumes!!!

Macha

Don't forget hot water bottles! I used one once when the room I was practicing piano was ice cold and no available heater. My fingers could barely move.

Pembily

Oh yeah - never thought of that!!! Love hot water bottles - they are great :):)

sian

Yeah i was thinkin bout hot water bottles actually. and piano practicing is one of the things i need to do!! It's my toes that get the coldest see

lostinsuperfunk

All electric heaters should be A rated, because they are all very efficient at converting electricity into heat. The reason other appliances like fridges often have worse ratings is because they waste some energy by turning it into unwanted heat.
Probably the most important thing is to get one with a thermostat, as mentioned above, so that they only heat to the correct temperature, or else consider alternatives such as the hot water bottle approach (which is still electric heating if you use an electric kettle to boil the water).