But when we measured the temperature at 6 feet away, out of the fan’s direct line of sight, it had risen by only 4 degrees in that same amount of time. By the end of the hour, we saw a 10-degree difference between our measurements at 3 feet in front of the fan and at 6 feet on an angle. This uneven heat distribution shouldn’t be a problem if you plan on placing the Vheat directly in front of you. Like any oil-filled radiator, the TRD40615T does not provide lasko space heater instantaneous heat for the room. But unlike ceramic heaters, which cool off immediately after powering down, oil-filled radiators like the TRD40615T are designed to retain enough thermal mass that they keep emitting heat even after you turn them off. In our tests the TRD40615T did this well—starting at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and then building up to 89 degrees over two and a half hours, without dropping back to 80 degrees for almost four hours after that.
The buttons are clearly marked, matching the controls on the tower itself, including the digital temperature display, the timer, and the Auto Eco setting. The TRD40615T has manual controls that are intuitive to use, as well as a 24-hour programmable timer, which comes in handy. The electric heater has three heat options and a thermostat dial that ranges from 1 to 6. This model is also easy to move, since you can roll it around on four retractable wheels. He also learned the hard way that plugging a space heater and a half-stack Marshall guitar amp into the same power strip can cause some pyrotechnics (and not the cool, rock ’n’ roll kind). His work on space heaters builds on previous research and writing by Sabrina Imbler, who wrote the 2018 update; Tyler Wells Lynch, who wrote the 2017 update; and Séamus Bellamy, who wrote this guide from 2011 through 2016.
For our 2020 tests, we also looked at the De’Longhi HSX4315E Slim Style Digital Space Heater. We’d seen a lot of these convection-style panel heaters popping up in our research, so we wanted to see how well they would hold up. This particular De’Longhi model looks nice, and it heated our room well enough, but we don’t think it would be a good substitute for a Vornado heater or a Rinnai-style installation. In addition, the controls are confusing—they look like toggle switches, but they’re not, so you might find yourself instinctually trying to flip the switch instead of tapping the button to make anything happen, every single time. Our former upgrade pick, the Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09, was one of the most quickest and most consistent space heaters we tested and also doubled as a cooling fan, so it was a great option for year-round climate control.
Thanks to a roster of built-in safety features — like an auto shut-off timer and a stay-cool exterior that doesn’t get hot to the touch during use — there’s no need to worry about the device accidentally overheating. The space heater is also constructed with a carry handle, allowing you to easily transport it from room to room, and a convenient 6-foot power cord. In our heating tests, the Vheat performed near the top of the pack, even if it wasn’t quite as good as the VH200 or the AVH10 space heaters or any of our other, non-Vornado picks. The Vheat was able to raise the temperature in the room by 11 degrees in just 15 minutes, as we measured from 3 feet in front of the fan.
The Lasko FH500 towers above its competition both in features and in stature, providing an even, vertical distribution of air. It definitely stands out in a lasko ceramic heater room, but at least it looks good. “I love this little heater!! I’ve used [it] on average five days a week for about eight to 10 hours every day,” one wrote.
The Vornado VH200 has every safety feature we look for in a space heater, including overheat protection, a tip-over switch, and UL certification. Other electric heater models, such as the De’Longhi TCH7915ER, have tip-over switches that activate only when they are perfectly horizontal, which means they could possibly fall or lean over and continue running. Some less expensive heaters, including our budget pick, the Lasko , don’t have a tip-over switch at all. Every model we’ve tested has overheat protection built in, but some, like the Vornado Glide and the Vornado MVH, were too aggressive in this regard during our tests, shutting down for hours on end when they reached temperatures in the mid-80s. The VH200’s plastic casing also remained relatively cool, measuring around 95 degrees Fahrenheit, with the grille over the heating element topping out at around 140 degrees; it’s one of the coolest models we’ve tested.