One of the ways I made sure that my house was ready for winter was by buying a space heater.
That way, I won’t have to worry about feeling cold and uncomfortable in my home.
But when I went on the market to buy a space heater, I was quickly confused by all the options available.
And when researching which space heater was the best, I found that most people recommended I get a ceramic space heater.
With all these people recommending ceramic space heaters, I started to wonder if they really were the best space heaters available.
Having owned a ceramic space heater for over two years now, in this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about them.
I’ll detail how it compares to other types of space heaters and whether I recommend getting one for yourself.
But before I do any of that, let’s first look at what a ceramic space heater is.
What Is a Ceramic Space Heater?
Ceramic space heaters are one of the most common types of space heaters on the market today.
This might not sound very clear, but ceramic space heaters aren’t actually made from ceramic.
Most of the components in these heaters are made of plastic, which is strange considering it’s a heater, after all.
However, the actual heating element of these heaters is made of ceramic and is called a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) ceramic heating element.
These heaters use electricity to heat the PTC heating element, which then conducts heat, warming up any air that flows through the heater.
Since the heating element is made of ceramic, it’s very durable and built to last the test of time.
So, you can expect ceramic space heaters to last a long time and efficiently heat your home for years.
That said, are these space heaters really the best option for shoppers?
To figure that out, you first need to understand the different types of space heaters available on the market.
I’ll get into that in the next section.
The Different Types of Space Heaters
You’ll be surprised by the sheer variety of space heater products available to customers.
Aside from ceramic heaters, there are five other space heaters you might encounter when shopping.
So, let’s look at these heaters to understand why most recommend getting a ceramic space heater over other options.
Fan Heater
This is probably the second-most popular space heater you’ll find.
These heaters work very similarly to ceramic space heaters, the only difference being that these heaters don’t use a ceramic heating element.
Instead, the heaters use metal coils, which heat up through electricity.
Then, the heater will use a fan to blow air over the hot coils, which raises the temperature.
These heaters are great for small spaces and for people on a budget.
I own an all-in-one heater, dehumidifier, and air purifier, which works the same way.
However, these heaters aren’t the most efficient and are only suitable for heating up small areas.
On top of that, these heaters don’t give you that much temperature control.
So, if you want to heat a larger space more efficiently, avoid fan heaters.
Infrared Space Heaters
Infrared space heaters are unique.
Instead of using a fan and heating up the air, these heaters send electromagnetic waves.
These waves will then heat up objects in the room, raising the temperature indoors.
That said, some infrared heaters also come with a fan.
That way, the room will be heated at a much faster pace.
While these heaters are great, they do come with a downside.
Most of the time, these heaters are heavy and only send heat in one direction.
Oil-Filled Space Heaters
As you can tell by the name, these space heaters are filled with oil, which the heaters use to raise the room’s temperature.
These heaters are sometimes called radiator heaters as they bare a resemblance to the old-school radiator heaters you can find in some homes.
These heaters are filled with oil, which they heat up using electricity.
The heater then pushes the heated oil through the fins of the heater, and when the fins get hot, they release heat into the air.
So, this is another type of heater that doesn’t blow hot air but instead radiates heat.
The heaters cannot use fans to raise the room’s temperature and only rely on heat radiation.
The most significant benefit of these heaters is that they stay hot even when turned off, so you don’t have to constantly keep them on to produce heat.
Additionally, most modern oil-filled space heaters come with a digital thermostat, which gives you complete control over the temperature.
These reasonably heavy heaters get very hot, so you may have difficulty moving them around.
But it’s a great option if you don’t want to use a ceramic or a fan heater.
Panel Space Heaters
Panel space heaters are a relatively new invention starting to gain traction amongst customers.
These heaters are similar to oil-filled heaters as they don’t require or use a fan to raise the temperature indoors.
As you might guess, these heaters have panels that heat up through electricity.
From there, the panels radiate heat to warm up the room.
Panel space heaters are so popular because of their modern look.
On top of that, you can mount the space heater on the wall or make it stand on its own, giving you a lot of flexibility.
These are one of the safest heaters available as they don’t have as high a risk of fires as oil-filled space heaters.
With that being said, these heaters aren’t the best at warming up the room.
Most people say that these heaters don’t exactly warm the room, but they remove the chilly feeling that comes with cool air.
So, these heaters are the most effective when used as a supplemental heating unit and not the central heater in the home.
On top of that, these heaters are relatively expensive since the technology is new.
So, waiting for the technology to evolve might be best before spending your hard-earned money on a panel space heater.
Propane Space Heaters
The propane space heater is the last heater I chose to feature in this list, as it’s still prevalent today.
This is the only type of space heater on this list that doesn’t use electricity.
Instead, these heaters use propane as their fuel to warm up the heating unit.
These heaters are similar to infrared heaters as they emit electromagnetic waves that heat up objects within your room.
Since they don’t use electricity, these heaters are portable, so you can bring them when camping or going on long trips.
There are some propane heaters with a fan and others without, so they are very similar to infrared heaters.
These are also some of the most affordable heaters on the market, making them great for people on a budget.
These heaters have a higher risk of fire since they use propane as their fuel source.
Additionally, some of these heaters can’t be used indoors and are only for outdoor use, so they aren’t the most practical options.
But this could be the best option if you need a convenient portable heater.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Ceramic Space Heater?
So, if there are so many different space heaters available, why would you pick a ceramic space heater in the first place?
The first advantage of using a space heater is that it runs on electricity.
Since it uses electricity to warm the heating unit, you produce clean heat with a lower risk of fires.
I personally love that because I live in an apartment.
If the heater catches fire, I risk not only my life but also the life of my immediate neighbors.
And with the price of gasoline on a steady rise, ceramic space heaters might be the more affordable option in the long run.
Another benefit of ceramic space heaters is durability.
Ceramic is a rigid material, so you can trust a ceramic space heater to keep you warm for a long time.
Additionally, ceramic space heaters are easy to use.
These modern devices come with precise thermostats that allow you to control the indoor temperature completely.
On top of that, you can quickly move a ceramic heater from room to room, so you won’t have to worry about feeling cold no matter where you are in the house.
Even if ceramic heaters are small, they pack a punch.
They can easily compete with the heat of infrared, fan, and propane space heaters.
And since they use electricity, you won’t have to worry about proper ventilation to operate the heater safely.
While shopping for heaters, you won’t find many models that can compete with ceramic space heaters.
Aside from being convenient, they are affordable.
That means that you no longer have to wonder how to DIY heat your home or try to reduce your energy bills when using a gas furnace.
That said, while ceramic space heaters are great options, they come with their own downsides.
And to give you the complete picture, I’ll discuss the downsides to space heaters in the next section.
What’s the Downside to Ceramic Space Heaters?
The biggest downside to ceramic space heaters is their lack of power when distributing heat.
Even if they’re stronger than most space heaters on the market, ceramic space heaters have the same cons as other space heaters.
As the name suggests, these heaters are designed to heat up a specific space or zone within your home.
In fact, most ceramic space heaters don’t even heat up a whole room and only work in the direction they are facing.
Another downside is that if you get a ceramic heater that uses radiation and doesn’t have a fan, you might have to wait a while to heat up the room.
So, this means you won’t feel warm immediately, which can be very frustrating, especially if your home is freezing cold.
Aside from that, you must keep ceramic space heaters running around the clock if you want them to work and keep your home warm.
Once you turn the heater off, it stops radiating heat immediately.
For example, oil-filled space heaters continue radiating heat for a while after the device is turned off.
As lovely as it would be, ceramic space heaters don’t work that way.
As a result, your electricity bill can slowly increase as you have to keep it on for longer.
And lastly, you have to make sure you set up your ceramic space heater correctly.
If there’s anything in the way of the space heater, it could prevent heat from flowing through the room.
So, just like any space heater, ceramic space heaters have their own benefits and drawbacks.
While the drawbacks don’t mean the heater isn’t worth your money, it’s still worth considering.
But if you have a small space and are looking for a small and efficient heater to use at home, ceramic space heaters could be the best option.
Are Ceramic Space Heaters Better? Conclusion
I won’t say ceramic space heaters are better than any other type of heater.
However, I can confidently say that ceramic space heaters offer many benefits you won’t find from other space heaters.
To start, you can find ceramic space heaters with or without fans, so you’ll easily be able to find one that fits your needs.
On top of that, these heaters are very efficient and do a great job of heating small spaces.
That said, ceramic space heaters aren’t ideal for large rooms and those needing the heater to work fast.
So, before buying yourself a ceramic space heater, look at your space and needs.
From there, it will be much easier to determine whether or not a ceramic space heater is the right option for you.