apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I just bought a Honeywell Oil Filled Radiator a month ago and I really like it. I live in an apartment building built in 1939 and it has cinderblock walls and absolutely no insulation.... and I live in the penthouse, so I have no apartments next to me to share the heat! I've been running this in my bedroom at night and it really heats the room up. I really researched my decision (like I do everything else) and I'm happy with it... would recommend it to others.

I love the small Vornado heater (similar look to the old fans). It literally warms a room in no time and is half the size of the de-longhi I used to have.

DRCny, which vornado model to you have? I'm considering buying one.

When buying a space heater, remember that ALL electric heaters are exactly the same efficiency (100% conversion of electric energy to heat,) regardless of spurious marketing claims. 15 100w bulbs work as well as a 1500w space heater though you might be blinded by them.

So the issues are comfort, power, features like radiant heat vs forced air (each good for different purposes.)

I love my DeLonghi - especially with the built-in timer so that it comes on at a set time at night to warm the place up before I get home at night and shuts off at bedtime - then comes on a bit before I get out of bed to warm the place up in the am and shuts off about the time I leave for work...

...I also use a heavy-duty extension cord so I can leave it plugged into a central plug in the hall and roll it into various rooms and the timer keeps ticking along.

The Vornado digital vortex heater is magic. It's tiny and unobrusive-looking, quiet, and very effective. Also cool to the touch and stable -- important in a house with three pets. Set a tempurature on its digital thermostat and it will blow warm (not hot) air to prevent hot and cold spots. It single-handedly transformed the entire top floor of my small house from a meatlocker into a toasty and very comfortable space.

How's the electricity cost on these? Is it much less than just running your apartment heat on high?

Lizzard, We use these DeLonghi heaters in our vacant rental homes and find them to be much less expensive to operate compared to other units. (keeps us from having to have the gas turned on in some cases, too.)

garntis: thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated.