What is the most economical and inexpensive home heater with high efficiency in 2022?

Introduction

With the onset of golden autumn, when utility workers have not yet woken up, the temperature in our apartments sometimes drops to indecent levels.
In such an extremely unpleasant situation, it is necessary to act somehow. Which home heater is the most economical and inexpensive? But what to do if electricity bills are getting higher every year, as are prices in stores, how can you escape from this terrible cold? The only option left is to choose the most economical, inexpensive, efficient heater with the highest efficiency, and we will try to help you in this matter.

About the fuel combustion process

The progress of combustion of the main fuel in heating devices determines their operating mode and operating conditions. Thus, gas boilers and water heaters are specially equipped to operate in autonomous mode. It is the automation that maintains a certain flame burning force, water pressure, and ensures the removal of exhaust gases. They are equipped with several degrees of protection, which makes work safe.

Liquid fuel heaters are also equipped with automation , ensuring their reliability. But such devices differ in that they emit harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Attention! Heating devices operating on solid fuel require the constant presence of maintenance personnel. After all, this requires regular control over the fuel supply and its combustion.

To create a comfortable temperature in wooden houses, the following types of safe heaters are considered the most popular:

• oil radiators;
• fan heaters;
• convectors;
• infrared emitters.

Photo 1. An oil heater installed in a wooden house can create a comfortable temperature.

technical characteristics will help you choose an acceptable option .

Types of heaters

Today on the market there are a great variety of different electric heating systems, from simple small heaters to complex systems of heated floors, walls or ceilings with remote control coupled with smart home systems, but all of them can be divided into just a few types:

1. Electric (fan heaters)
2. Electric fireplaces
3. Oil radiators
4. Convectors or convection heaters
5. Quartz panels
6. Infrared. They differ by type of heating element: halogen, carbon, quartz, micathermic (best efficiency)

Which brand of heater for a summer house is better to choose?

The best radiators for a country house are offered by both well-known world brands and budget young companies.

The first important criterion for the right choice is a reliable manufacturer, which is what the following brands turned out to be:

• Resanta is a Russian company that supplies the market with voltage stabilizers, welding equipment and heating devices. The main production facilities are located in China. Today the company is called the standard for price-quality ratio.
• Timberk is a Swedish manufacturer of climate control equipment that has been supplying products to the Russian market for more than 10 years. All products are distinguished by high quality, ease of operation, and reliability.
• Ballu is an international corporation whose concerns are located in Germany, Italy, and Russia. Before being released for sale, products undergo ISO 9001-2011 certification. Several million units of goods are produced annually, among them climate control devices for the home.
• Bartolini is an Italian well-known company that was founded in 1984. Activities are aimed at developing heating systems using natural or liquefied gas. As a result, safe and economical devices are produced.
• Hyundai is a South Korean brand founded in 1967. The main activity is aimed at the automotive industry; in addition, goods for production and everyday life are produced, including high-quality durable radiators.

Principle of operation

First, you need to remember the principle of operation of heaters. Fan heaters are considered the simplest devices; heating occurs due to the distribution of hot air by a fan through an incandescent lamp; the efficiency is quite low.

The principle of electric fireplaces is similar to fan heaters; as a rule, such devices are stationary and have rather a decorative component; the efficiency of such devices is at an average level.

In oil radiators, heat is distributed by heating the oil inside the heater using heating elements. Heating takes quite a long time, but cooling is noticeably slower. Due to the smooth heating of the oil inside the radiator grille, such batteries cannot be called economical, and later you will find out why, the efficiency is low. Even in some European countries they are assigned class C for energy efficiency.

Convectors operate on the principle of convection by circulating air inside the room through the heater. Heavy cold air falls down, is captured by the convector, heats up and rises, and as it rises it displaces the cold air. The efficiency of such devices is quite high.

Quartz panels are an electric heating element enclosed between artificial stone panels; the efficiency is average. First, energy is expended on heating the plates and further slow heat transfer occurs from these plates.

Infrared heaters are equipped with special emitters (lamps) that emit infrared rays that are invisible to humans and primarily heat the surrounding objects, rather than the air around them. They differ in the type of lamp emitters : halogen, carbon, quartz. Such devices are more economical than oil and electric fireplaces. The efficiency is quite high, see table below.

Infrared with micathermic heating elements have appeared quite recently. This is an innovative type of infrared heaters with the highest efficiency. Unlike conventional infrared heaters, in such heaters the source of thermal energy is a special design made of Micatherm panels, which distributes invisible, safe infrared radiation. As a result of exposure to such radiation, surrounding objects, rather than the environment, heat up.

Electrode devices

A better alternative to water heating heating elements, which involves the use of electricity for heating, can be called electrode-type boilers. Such a device is a small container containing electrodes. When the boiler is filled with water, current will begin to flow to these electrodes, and this, in turn, will cause the water to heat up.

Electrode type boilers

In order for the electrode boiler to work as efficiently as possible, the coolant will need to be subjected to special preparation. An electrode boiler consumes more electricity than a heating element type boiler. However, it is more reliable and does not fail as often.

Efficiency of the main types of home heaters

Everyone knows what efficiency is, this is the difference between the energy expended and the energy produced. When calculating the coefficient, we tried to provide the most detailed answer in tabular form . Since, in addition to the energy component, there are also financial costs for the purchase of the device itself, electricity costs, the calculation is made taking into account these factors.

The table shows the average values ​​obtained from tests of various types of heaters (thanks to one well-known store for providing testing equipment). The cost for 1 kW of energy is 4 rubles. Heating took place for 1 hour in a furnished room of 18 square meters with an initial temperature of 22 degrees C. Heater power 1500 W. Control type – electronic.

The obtained figures are approximate, since many important factors influencing the result are not taken into account, such as: a single brand of the manufacturer, humidity in the room, the model of the heater itself, direction, voltage in the electrical circuit, etc.

But nevertheless, the figures turned out to be the following; the highest efficiency was obtained from convectors, infrared, and micathermic heaters. The fan heater was barely able to heat the room by 4 degrees.

The oil radiator heated the room quite well; after the end of the experiment, the room continued to heat up and remained heated longer than others, so it should not be written off due to high power consumption.

In addition to the electronic type of control, there are also mechanical (outdated) and inverter (the most modern and economical). If we compare the electricity consumption of similar heaters with different control modules, the following figures come out:

mechanical - 0% savings, the electronic unit allows you to save 30% in contrast to the mechanical one, the inverter control unit is the most economical, this method of thermoregulation allows you to save up to 80% of electricity compared to mechanical regulators.

Inverter thermostat
The cost of heaters with inverter units can vary from 8,000 to 30,000 rubles. In the long term, as a rule, such costs pay off. More details in the video:

Which heater is better: oil, infrared or convector type

A comparison table will help you decide which heater is best for your dacha.:

As can be seen from the table, an infrared heater has more positive characteristics . But this does not mean that you only need to choose this device.

Before buying a heater, you need to take into account: the area of ​​the room, its purpose, the presence or absence of central heating, the type of installation. Personal preferences and the price of the device play a significant role.

Why some heaters are more economical than others, pros and cons

The fact is that different heaters use different methods of heating the room, some use heating elements, others use infrared radiation and oil coolants.

The primary most important factor influencing savings is the correct selection of a heater of the required power for a given room area. For example, if you try to heat 400 m2 with a fan heater for 900 rubles, you may not only not heat anything, but also get a good electricity bill at the end of the month , see the table below .

Important! If you choose a heater as a non-main source of heat, for example, for the spring-autumn period. One order of magnitude less choice is enough For example, 30sq.m-2000W . Another situation is if the main heating source is not enough for you, for this you need to make simple calculations and acquire a suitable energy-saving heater designed for a smaller area.

Also , do not forget that not all heating systems distribute heat evenly around themselves, there are directional, all-round, there are floor, wall, ceiling, they all have their pros and cons. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular ones:

Fan heaters

• pros

Mobility, democracy, fairly quick heating of the room

• minuses

Noisy, dry the air, raise dust, burn oxygen, cannot be left unattended, average efficiency

Oily

• pros

Slow cooling, silent operation, thermostat, overheating protection

• minuses

Slow heating, low efficiency, body heating

Convectors

• pros

Silence, safe heating of the case, thermostat, high efficiency

• minuses

They dry out the air, burn out oxygen, and become clogged with dust.

Infrared

• pros

Quiet, economical, do not dry out or burn oxygen, fast heating

• minuses

Expensive

Micathermic

• pros

High efficiency, maintaining a uniform microclimate

• minuses

Increased sensitivity to power overloads, price

This list shows only the main advantages and disadvantages. When choosing a heater, you must also pay attention to the manufacturer’s brand, warranty period, its own unique properties, energy efficiency class, ease of transportation, safety for people, sensitivity to temperature changes, cord length, appearance.

Customer Reviews

Olga V.

Timberk TFH T15NTX

The question arose about purchasing this device during the period of promises about the supply of heating. I spent the evening on forums, review sites, etc. I came to the conclusion that the heating element must be monolithic. The complete set is desirable: both on the wall and on the floor. Thermostat. Display (to set and forget). Rollover sensor, ionization, 3-year warranty (more is possible, but there are different prices). I consider it an optimal purchase based on the combination of qualities and properties. Quite powerful, it quickly heats my small room, there is protection against overheating, and you can adjust the heating intensity. A practical and convenient thing, compact, does not take up much space.

Dmitry S.

Electrolux EIH/AG2-2000E

To heat a small country house I use an electric convector. It does not absorb air. When I need to warm up another room or kitchen, I roll it with wheels. The material from which the heater is made is not afraid of moisture, so I don’t worry when water accidentally gets on it. Once he accidentally caught it, and the convector turned over, the security system immediately worked, and it instantly turned off. We take it with us to the dacha. You need a minimum of space in the trunk so that a room of 15 square meters can warm up in 20 minutes. It's nice that it doesn't overheat. The season worked without problems, I hope it will last a couple more.

Margarita T.

Hyundai H-HV16-10-UI620

I have had this fan heater for two years now, I use it to warm up my room and to heat the nursery in the most severe frosts. I like its bottom-up heating system (it’s floor-mounted), and it heats up quickly enough, 15 minutes and you’re done. I'm happy with the purchase, I'm thinking of buying a second one so that I can install it in all the rooms, rather than dragging it back and forth. When I come to my office, I immediately turn on the heater and go for five minutes, and when I arrive at my workplace it’s already warm. I like that if the power goes out, the heater remembers its settings and turns on on its own when the power returns. It does not take up additional space and does not attract the attention of others, since I hung it on a white wall.

David P.

Thermex Pronto 2000M

Indeed, it heats well, and at the same time does not dry out the air at all. After I installed this thing in my shoe workshop, it really began to warm up quickly, you can feel the warmth in just a couple of minutes, even though I have high ceilings (I rent a room in an old Stalinka house, height 3.6 meters!). There is no noise during operation, no crackling, no hissing of any kind, and there are no odors either. And on top of that, it also consumes little; in the winter, when I turned it on for many hours, the electricity bills “got heavier” just a little. And I don’t regret it, I didn’t have to freeze. Simple and reliable, it copes with its mission with a bang. Thanks to the innovative convection system, heat is distributed evenly throughout the room. Very simple and intuitive controls - turn it on, set the temperature and that’s it. Among other things, a monolithic heating element with a service life of 25 years is installed.

Oksana

Timberk TFH T15NTX

Great heaters! Used as the main heating in a house with an area of ​​40 m². There are 6 heaters installed in the bathroom, kitchen and two rooms. The corridor is unheated. The house is warm and comfortable. They are run through thermostats from the same company. Keep in mind that 0.6 W as the main heating is designed for 6 m²! They were installed based on the same indications. We bought this fan heater for our corner bedroom: in strong winds and frosts the room is cold. Sometimes we turn it on in the evening to warm up the air before going to bed; in principle, an hour is enough for the room to warm up thoroughly. It is noisy during operation, but moderately so it doesn’t interfere with watching TV.

Oleg Ravinsky

Electrolux EIH/AG2-2000E

Really high quality product. Nothing superfluous and everything to the point. It warms, the chickens sit under it. Installed at a height of 2.3 meters. The intense heat reaches approximately to the shoulders. Below you don't feel any rapid heating. The design is quite simple: an aluminum panel, heating element, mineral wool, housing, wires. We added a room to the house, from which we made a mini-workshop. It heats quickly and evenly, the main thing for me is that it does not dry out the air and does not rattle loudly (it works relatively silently). I turned on the button, started it and adjusted the temperature - simple and convenient.

Gennady Stenishchev

Thermex Pronto 2000M

I bought it to use it in my office at work. Compact, without unnecessary bells and whistles. It warms well. After turning it on in the morning, in just 20 minutes the temperature rises to a comfortable level. When the temperature reaches the set value, it turns itself off. With other heaters, I usually get a headache by the end of the day, but with this one there are no unpleasant sensations, apparently because it doesn’t burn oxygen and doesn’t dry out the air.

Ivan V.

Nikaten NT 300

I purchased six of these heaters and connected them in my store, along the counters, mounted on the ceiling. This is not the first time in winter that the central heating fails - the store is cold - sellers are complaining, revenue is falling... I must admit that these infrared heaters are very effective. Plus - this type of heating does not dry out the air at all and does not raise dust, like the blowers that we used before - dust, the effect is local and very minimal, all the heat instantly rises. I also noticed a peculiarity when I was laying out goods on the upper shelves from a stepladder - the heat is distributed evenly throughout the entire room, either at floor level or under the ceiling. It heats up the bedroom quite quickly, there is protection from overheating, I don’t worry about it. For the convector to start working, you just need to press the power button and turn the dial to the desired power. Usually I first turn it to full power, and after half an hour I turn it down to half, it’s convenient.

Andrey A.

Electrolux EIH/AG2-2000E

It really doesn't dry out the air! The Boneco hygrometer consistently shows the same air humidity both when the convector is turned off and on for a long time. There is no foreign smell from the convector. Clear control system. The back wall does not heat up much, you can safely touch it with your hands. The indicator shines like a night light, does not interfere with sleep, and is even comfortable with it in the nursery. This does not have any strong noise compared to an oil heater (which gurgles and shoots), I would say it is not audible at all. After warming up the room, the heat remains stable, the thermostat works accurately. I bought it for a children's room in the autumn/spring, when the heating has not yet been turned on. At daytime temperature +10, night temperature +3 outside, in a room of 11 sq.m. keeps +24/25 degrees, no longer pulls, even at the set maximum temperature (panel, multi-storey building). In principle, this is enough for seasonal use, given the compact size of the convector (more convenient to store). For seasonal use for 1-2 weeks in a small room, this is a handy thing.

Valentin Z.

Hyundai H-HV16-10-UI620

I was very amused by the negative reviews. I would like to ask the authors: “What did you expect from such a simple and cheap electrical appliance?” To avoid disappointment, you need to have at least a little understanding of the physics of the process. If you place several convectors nearby, then do not be surprised that they will show the weather forecast for July. The convector generates quite a lot of radiant heat (try placing your hand close to its front surface), which, of course, affects the temperature sensors located nearby. The optimal use case for heaters of this type is to mount them on a wall under a window. Personally, I use them this way and fully live up to my expectations. Wheels can also be used if mobility is required, but in this case you need to leave at least 50 cm of free space around the convector. Personal experience: I use 4 of these convectors to maintain the temperature in a small village house and bathhouse. None of them have a large error in the thermometer readings. You can also use these heaters to prevent your country house from freezing in winter - to do this, you need to set them to a minimum temperature of +5 degrees. If you need to quickly warm up a room, use a wood stove or a fan heater. Warm up a room of 20 square meters. m. one such convector is not able to, but it is quite capable of maintaining a temperature of +22 degrees if the street is not lower than +5 and there are no large heat leaks.

Eva Kashkarova

Electrolux EIH/AG2-2000E

To control the convector I bought an inverter unit. Based on the temperature difference between the set and actual temperatures, the convector itself sets the power. The heating power changes smoothly. Heating occurs silently. The temperature I need is quickly reached. Increased safety. One might say, it’s a miniature heater, but it heats beautifully and quickly. Convenient controls. Safety is ensured (shutdown in case of a fall, protection from moisture). The air flows are smooth but powerful, due to which 30-40 minutes are enough to completely warm up the room. The case does not heat up, I am not afraid that my son might get burned. It is practically invisible on the wall, it takes up really little space, it is narrow, but at the same time powerful.

Victor O.

Thermex Pronto 2000M

The heater sometimes works all day and night, sometimes when the heating is very weak. I can set the temperature accurately thanks to the electronic display, the thermostat accurately maintains the temperature, and it is possible to set a timer to turn it off. I like this convector both for its operation and for its simple controls. The convector is reliable, so far there have been no problems with it. It heats quickly, well, and does not dry out the air. Not afraid of power surges. It is convenient that you can see the room temperature on the digital display. Quiet, at least I didn’t hear any unnecessary sounds. The chassis is convenient. If we don’t use it, we move it to a corner; there is a durable and mobile chassis.

The best inexpensive, economical heaters according to experts, TOP-15

When choosing a heater, it is often difficult to understand just by looking at it in a store whether it is good or not, and testing for functionality is also not enough. Before going to the store, it is important to know exactly which of the heaters will actually cope with its task, and which one should not be considered. For this purpose, we have compiled a rating of the best and inexpensive heaters, suitable for a home, cottage or apartment, for a room of 20 square meters, with a power of 1000 to 2000 W. This rating is based on expert opinion and experience of use by other users. When choosing, also pay additional attention to reviews from other users and the cost in retail stores.

Electric (fan heaters)

Electrolux EFH/S-1115 1500 W (1100 – 4000 RUR)

Zanussi ZFH/C-408 1500 W (1450 – 4000 RUR)

Ballu BFH/C-31 1500 W (790 – 3600 RUR)

Oil radiators

Ballu Classic BOH/CL-09 2000 W (2800 – 3300 RUR)

Electrolux EOH/M-6209 2000 W (3600 – 4900 RUR)

Timberk TOR 21.1507 BC/BCL 1500 W (3400 – 3950 RUR)

Convectors or convection heaters

Ballu Enzo BEC/EZER-1500 1500 W (4230 – 4560 RUR)

Electrolux ECH/AG2-1500 T 1500 W (3580 – 3950 RUR)

Electrolux ECH/AS-1500 ER 1500 W (4500 – 5800 RUR)

Infrared

Ballu BIH-LW-1.5 1500 W (2390 – 2580 RUR)

Almac IK11 1000 W (3650 – 3890 RUR)

Timberk TCH A1N 1000 1000 W (4250 – 4680 RUR)

Infrared micathermic

Polaris PMH 2095 2000 W (RUB 7250 -8560)

Polaris PMH 2007RCD 2000 W (6950 – 8890 RUR)

De'Longhi HMP 1000 1000 W (6590 – 7250 RUR)

Fireproof efficient devices for summer cottages

For country houses, it is necessary to select equipment with a high heating rate that does not consume a lot of energy and does not cause harm. Especially if the device is located in a children's room.

A convector or an infrared emitter is better. An oil radiator will not provide the required heating speed; the fan heater dries the air.

To make the device last longer you need:

1. Do not dry items on the heating panel.
2. Place the device at a safe distance, especially if there is a child in the house.
3. If the equipment does not have an automatic thermostat, turn it off when leaving the room.

Warm floor or heater, which is better and more economical? Video

Many people wonder what is better: an energy-saving heater or a heated floor system; this topic is especially relevant for owners of private houses or residents of the first floors of multi-story buildings.

So, what is a heated floor ? It is a heating system that heats a room from bottom to top, from floor to ceiling. Electric panels (mats, films, amorphous tapes) or hydraulic systems are used as heaters; accordingly, the heating principle is also different, infrared and convection. The system is mounted under various floor coverings, tiles, laminate, linoleum, PVC tiles, concrete.

Like all heaters, heated floors have their advantages and disadvantages, which you should pay attention to in order to understand what is best for the room. If we compare it with convection, the heat from the radiator rises up, cools down at the ceiling and falls down, and so on in a circle, therefore, in the upper part of the room it is much warmer than in the lower part, and in order to increase the heat in the area of ​​​​the feet, it is necessary to increase the power of the radiator.

Unlike radiators, heated floors distribute heat over a larger area of ​​the room evenly on the lower surface, thanks to this arrangement, savings on coolant costs , the feeling of warmth in the house increases by an average of 2 - 3 degrees C, and energy savings reach 15-20% compared to radiators. in more detail .

The disadvantages of heated floors include a long heating and cooling period. As the outside temperature changes, the indoor temperature does not always have time to change quickly. In order to install heated floors, it is necessary to rebuild the floor covering or provide for it in advance when renovating or building a house.

Important! The use of MDF and chipboard furniture can lead to the release of harmful substances from the material.

So which is more economical? When choosing heaters, you should definitely pay attention to the underfloor heating system. The best use case is combined heating systems, heated floors where needed in conjunction with radiators.

In case of a long period of low temperatures outside the window, the use of heated floors is certainly more profitable than wall heaters and will, over time, pay for the costs of installation and screeding. During short-term cold snaps, a local expensive or cheap heater is better suited.

Advantages and disadvantages

Heaters have become very popular lately. If there is no gas on your site, then you can heat your home using this method. The main advantages of electric heating of a wooden house include:

• If you position all the heaters correctly, then the heating effect will be several times higher than with stove heating.

• This type of heating involves no emissions into the atmosphere.
• You can install the heaters yourself.
• Thanks to electronic thermostats, you can easily regulate the heat in your home.
• If you choose the right manufacturers, then repairs will rarely be necessary.
• You no longer need to stock up on firewood or coal.
• Each type of electric heater for a wooden house is compact.
• Electric heating can be used as main or additional.

In addition to the advantages, heating in a wooden house can also have disadvantages, which include:

• Today, the power grid can often be shut down for repairs. If there is no light, then there will be no heat.
• You will need to purchase a diesel generator. In the event of a power outage, your system will operate reliably.
• You will need to change the meter to a two-tariff one.
• Electric heaters are considered fire hazardous devices. In order to protect your home, you must take into account all the recommendations.

If you don’t know which electric heating to choose for a wooden house, then watch the video.