Electric flame effect heater EFE 2018 black

Easy, inexpensive, portable and maintenance-free

You don't always need heating for an entire day or evening. Do you need to heat a room quickly (and in an environmentally friendly way!) for a short period of time? Then you'll want to go for an electric heater. Looking at all mobile heaters, an electric heater is often the cheapest option. It's also the easiest because all you have to do is plug it in and then the electric heater immediately gets to work.

Which type of electric heater should you choose?

There's no such thing as just one electric heater, there's a lot of choice out there. Not only is there more than one size and shape, but there are also different types of heaters. This is why you have Qlima fan heaters, ceramic heaters, oil-filled heaters, infrared heaters and convector heaters, all of which are electric but offer slightly different features. Feeling a bit confused looking at all the different types? Don't worry, we'll walk you through all the different options. Take a look below to find out which Qlima electric heater is the best option for you.

Step 1. Atmospheric or practical?

When you think of electric heaters, you might initially think of a movable heater that you position next to your feet or close to your desk. They are still as popular as ever, but there is much more out there. In fact, electric heaters have evolved so much that practically whatever format you think of, there will be an electrical heater for it: they come in the shape of vintage fireplaces, a built-in heater with real-effect LED flames, or even a projection of flames on a black background. Some of them can even be positioned within a fireplace. The Qlima EFE2018, for example, is a widely sold atmospheric electric heater.

Step 2. How large is the room?

Some electric heaters have a greater capacity than others. Both fan heaters and ceramic heaters provide a large capacity and are therefore suitable for use in a larger room such as a living room or an outbuilding. Oil-filled heaters and convector heaters provide a smaller reach, making them best suited for medium-sized rooms such as a workshop or home office. As you might guess from the name, an infrared heater works by using infrared radiation. This is a localised heat, because the heater is intended to heat people and not the entire environment. It's therefore perfect for heating part of a workshop.

Step 3. How much time will you spend in the room?

Do you often only spend short periods of time in the room, for example when you need to do your paperwork, spend time on your hobby or just do odd jobs? If so, then a fan heater will go a long way.

If you spend longer periods of time in the room, because for example you work from home, then an oil-filled heater is the smart choice. The oil that has been heated up remains warm for a long time. This also means the heater provides a great deal of heat that remains for longer.

Step 4. What type of heat?

The combustion techniques and air systems used in electric heaters have undergone considerable improvements over the years. Fan heaters have filaments in them, which slowly heat up. The fan then blows the heat from the filament into the room. A ceramic heater provides heat via a ceramic plate that also efficiently retains the heat. This is why a ceramic heater can provide a greater heat output than a fan heater with a filament. Yet another heating principle is found in a convector heater. These have the ability to powerfully expel heat from the heater, but they only have a limited capacity.

Step 5. What about the noise?

You need to take more into account than just the heat and power. If you look at a fan heater, it is super quick at providing heat but it can be quite noisy. The same thing applies to ceramic heaters and to construction heaters, for example. For a virtually silent option, you need to look at convector heaters, oil-filled heaters and infrared heaters.