Electric heaters

Test performance

It’s no good if a product lasts for several decades if it doesn’t work well in the first place. A disappointing product will soon become unloved and unwanted. For this reason, our independent lab testing forms an important part of our overall lifetime score.

Our heaters test includes:

Performance

This is calculated on each heater’s ability to warm a room from 8°C to 13°C and from 8°C to 18°C, the evenness of the room heating and the thermostat’s performance. We test heaters in a special room fitted with 81 evenly spaced temperature sensors.

The temperature reading from the sensors enables us to create a 3D map of the effect each heater has. We look at the time the units take to heat the room, the evenness of the room’s temperature, and how well the thermostats keep the room at an even temperature.

Ease of use

For each heater, we assess using the controls, control labelling, cord storage, how easy it is to move the unit, and how easy it is to clean.

Safety

Tilt test: While all heaters passed the standard’s requirement that they don’t topple over when inclined to 15° in any direction, any portable heater can be knocked over accidentally. So we put each heater on its side with the power on to see how long it takes to turn off.

Drape test: We turned each heater up to its maximum temperature on full power and then draped a towel over it for 30 minutes. This should trip the heater’s over-temperature safety switch and turn the heater off.

Predicted reliability

It’s reasonable to expect a new appliance to remain fault-free for at least the first five years. Our predicted reliability won’t tell you whether your heater will stop working tomorrow, but it does show which brands make models that are less likely to fail.

Owner satisfaction

Satisfaction is important – no appliance should be a source of buyer regret. Appliances with very satisfied owners are more likely to be well maintained. Their owners are more inclined to seek repair for faults than look for a quick replacement.

Repairability (coming soon)

Older appliances are more likely to go wrong, but common faults should be repairable. Repairs should be affordable and convenient – parts need to be easy to find at a reasonable cost, instructions should be available, and repairs shouldn’t need hours of expert labour.

We haven’t been able to assess repairability yet, but it’s important, so we’re gathering data and forming a plan so we can start including it in our lifetime scores.

It will be challenging. We’ll need to analyse product failure data in our reliability surveys, conduct hands-on inspections to evaluate how easy products are to take apart, and investigate which brands make spare parts available at a reasonable price.