Optimus Infrared Quartz Radiant Heater
From Optimus Enterprises
The Optimus infrared quartz radiant heater provides instant sun-like warmth for fast focused spot heating. Energy-efficient unit has two heat settings and safety features. Heating Application: Portable, Zone Heating, Watts: 400 or 800, Thermal Cutoff Safety Device: Yes, Tip-Over Safety Switch: Yes
Amazon Sales Rank: #51271 in Kitchen & Housewares Brand: Optimus
Better than the Soleus version Don't confuse these with those bright heaters that have bright, blinding yellow bulbs in them that burn out after 1 season or melt the heater's switches. These are the more reliable radiant heaters that glow a dim red-orange, & will last a few years. After being very happy with the Optimus radiant 9 inch dish (parabolic) heaters, I decided to try a couple of these & was not disappointed. They have a 400 & 800 watt setting. These disperse the radiant heat over a much wider angle than dish (parabolic) heater. Dish heaters concentrate most of their heat to a small area, like a chair, sofa, or bed rather than waste the heat all over the room. This heater spreads the heat out more when you need to heat a larger area than a small dish can. You save money because it feels warmer where the heater is pointed at instead of blowing heat all over the room, to the corners, under furniture, & up to the ceiling (heat rises). Radiant or reflective infrared heaters are also better in drafty rooms or ones with high ceilings where heat is normally lost. They are not intended to heat up a whole room nice & toasty... just the area you're at. However, an 800 watt infrared or reflective heat will eventually heat up a room just as fast & warm as any other 800 watt heater will, but you'll feel a lot warmer in front of it, & faster. The gas company keeps checking my meter thinking it's broke because my gas bills keep going down while everybody else's are going up. My electric bills are only 40-50% higher than in summer. $200-$300 per month in energy cost savings so far this year. Optimus Infrared Quartz Radiant Heater I really love radiant heaters and currently have 3 of them, I know the fans are necessary in order for the thermostats to work but hate the sound they make. Just the light sounds from a fan interfere with being able to hear the distant sounds outside the room. I know it is possible to make a super quiet fan but it is simply not done on the radiant heaters I've purchased. The little optimus only has 800 watts but the quiet operation is leading me to buy 2 more for the bedrooms, even though we have a natural gas furnace. David French Not very sturdy I got the Optimus Infrared Quarz Radiant Heater a few weeks ago and am happy, It gets the job done as advertised: it heats quickly and quietly my bedroom. The only drawback is that the material quality of the heater is pretty poor. You can tell that it won't last much-- it seems pretty fragile, made of low-quality plastic and having the grid and bulbs quite exposed without much protection. Also, the functions are quite basic: 400 or 800W (one or two bulbs) without having an actual temperature control. I might have preferred something a bit more expensive but with more control and possibly a timer for auto shut-off. Anyway, it is a good deal for around $25.
