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Watts is watts. That Lasko (and almost all the others) uses 1500 of them.
The difference between units is not in the heat being generated...
but rather it is the distribution of that heat and the room insulation retaining it.
Then you get into the truly subjective aspects.
I have an oil heater in my office at work and even kept on low, it keeps the room quite toasty.
I wonder if I'd have better heat using that rather than the Lasko. It seems I have to keep the Lasko blasting all the time in order to keep from freezing while in that room.
I have an oil-filled radiator that I use occasionally when my furnace is being temperamental. I keep it in a pretty open room -- 16x18 living room space adjacent to a 10x13 dining room area and a 13x14 kitchen. At the radiator's highest setting, it keeps that pretty large area probably around 67 or 68 -- fairly comfortable. At its medium setting, which I think is 1000 or 750 watts, it keeps that area around 60 degrees -- warm enough for my kitties overnight.
When I use a little space heater, even on its highest setting -- using 1500 watts -- it only heats whoever is right up next to it (which often is my cat Annie the heater hog). The radiator works differently, so you don't get a blast of warm air right on you, but the entire room is more comfortable. And honestly, I wouldn't leave a little space heater (that blows warm air) on overnight (even though it's supposed to shut itself off if, e.g., one of cats were to knock it over), while I WILL keep the radiator on all night without worrying.
I use two filled oil radiators here and there and they do a great job. It seems once that medium gets warmed up, it retains the heat- so it may draw less juice overall. Plus it's a nice steady heat.
I like an oil filled radiator myself, but as I have posted many times, the BTU per Watt is exactly the same for all heaters that are essentially a box you plug into the wall.
Depending on where you are at, a window-unit type heat pump might be worth the higher initial price in providing more heat to you for less power. If you are in a mild, relatively humid climate (SE USA for example) a heat pump might be worth doing. In a colder or cold and dry climate, while it will always perform a bit better than a resistance heater, it may or may not provide enough better performance to justify the price.
thanks everyone- I will probably end up getting an oil heater. I like the type of heat it gives off in my office. I wish I had bought one in the first place for my home.
This is interesting from one of those links posted above-
Quote:
Convection heaters are the most energy-efficient choice for heating large, frequently used living areas for short periods of time. Convection heaters use a permanently sealed heat transfer liquid, such as oil, and an electric heating element. The liquid, which is safe from leaks and never needs to be refilled, stores heat and distributes it using the natural circulation of air in a room. Some convection heaters include fans for greater air circulation. Convection heaters are most effective in rooms that are sealed off, with no open doors.
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