Ceramic heaters are one of the newer variants of heaters to come to the market lately. These heaters are very efficient, run almost silently and do a great job of heating a room or an office. Let’s take a look at how a ceramic heater works, what situations they excel in, and what you should know before buying one.
Ceramic Heaters
Ceramic heaters are simply a type of convection heater. Convection heaters work by running electricity through a heating element, in this case a ceramic plate, which then heats up as a result. The heat is absorbed by the surrounding air, which begins to circulate around the room as it heats. Cooler air is pulled down to the heater as the warm air leaves, and this cool air is heated, begins to circulate, and the cycle continues.
Convection heaters are very good at thoroughly and evenly heating an entire room, and you’ll probably never even notice them working. You don’t have the problem of “hot spots” in a room like you would with a radiant heater, and they are safe to use pretty much in any situation. The plastic casing around them never gets too hot and there is not an open flame, so you don’t have to worry about fire hazards.
The main disadvantage to using convection and ceramic heaters is the amount of time they take to heat a room. Since the warm air they produce rises straight to the ceiling, it can take some time before the heat they are producing can be felt. The flip side to this is that the heat the produce will linger for a good amount of time after the heater is turned off. This allows for greater efficiency as the heater can be switched off and on as needed to keep the temperature constant. In fact, many convection heaters come equipped with a thermostat to do that automatically.
Another type of convection heater is the fan heater. A ceramic fan heater would use a fan to force air around the heating plate, thereby speeding up the heating process. Fan heaters work more quickly then standard convection heaters, but they do have some operating noise, as the fan will give off a slight whirring sound.
Using Ceramic Heaters
A ceramic space heater will excel in heating small, enclosed areas such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and offices. They are safe to use in virtually any situation, and make a fantastic portable heater as well. Their small size makes them ideal for using on a tabletop or desk, and they can also be used on the floor of a cubicle.
Buying a Ceramic Heater
Most ceramic heaters will run from $30 to $60, although it’s possible to spend over $100 if you want a top of the line model. A Holmes ceramic heater will generally go for around $50, as will a Pelonis ceramic heater. Most Delonghi ceramic heaters are a bit more expensive – around $60 to $70 – and Lasko ceramic heaters fall towards the lower end of the spectrum.
Some things to look for in ceramic heaters are different heat settings, a fan to allow it to work more quickly, an automatic thermostat control, and a size that works for your situation.