Quick Analysis
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Timer or constant mode.
- Plenty of safety features.
- Will run on a 15-amp outlet.
Cons
- A little pricey for what you get.
- Outer body can show fingerprints.
The leaves are turning, and the aroma of pumpkin spice is in the air. Before we know it, Halloween will be past and it will be time to shop for turkey. Around the corner, there’s winter, peppermint candy, and cold weather. If you’ve got a three-season porch or other small space, a space heater can be a lifesaver. Not only that, but a space heater can also help you save money. Set your home’s thermostat to 50, and take the space heater around from room to room.
Of course, not all space heaters work the same way. Oil heaters and other radiant heaters are best for long-term use. Because they don’t blow air around, they take a while to heat up the room. On the other hand, once they get going, the heating is very efficient. Convective heaters — heaters that blow air around — aren’t quite as efficient. However, they’re ideal for moving from room to room quickly, because they heat it in just a few minutes.
Today, we’re going to review the TaoTronics 1500W Space Heater (Model: TT-HE001). TaoTronics is known for making all kinds of electronics, from earbuds to air purifiers. The Model: TT-HE001 is a ceramic convection heater that’s designed for medium-sized rooms. It has an oscillating motor, along with several other features. We’re about to take a deep dive into all of them, and mention any benefits and drawbacks along the way. Once we’ve looked at all aspects of the TT-HE001, we’ll be equipped to render our verdict. Let’s take a closer look, and see what we find!
Design & Construction
The TaoTronics 1500W Space Heater (Model: TT-HE001) has a vertical, tower-style design. It measures 16.18 inches in height, 6.14 inches wide, and 6.3 inches in depth. If you’re sitting on most sofas, it will be about the height of the seat, or slightly smaller. The housing is mostly fire-resistant satin black plastic, which is easy to keep clean. The front panel is a charcoal grey anodized aluminum, with a grill in the center that allows hot air to blow out. The sides of the housing are also grey where they meet the front panel, providing a two-toned appearance. The front and sides are mostly flat, with curved corners that give the heater a softer look.
The back of the housing bulges out in a U shape, providing space for the heating element. On the top of the back, you’ll find a small cutout that’s designed for carrying the heater. This is very easy, since the total weight of the unit is only 4 pounds. The base provides about ¾ of an inch of elevation, enough for safe use with short-pile carpets. As always, exercise common sense and never leave a running space heater unattended. Even if you’re confident in all its safety features, accidents can happen. There’s a narrow groove between the base and the main housing. You can’t really see inside, but the inner mount is motorized, which allows the heater to oscillate.
On top of the Model TT-HE001, you’ll see a row of buttons that can be used to control the unit. On the left, there’s a power button, which is self-explanatory. The next two buttons adjust the thermostat up and down, while the fourth switches between timer and manual mode. Next, there’s a button to control the oscillation. The last button is used to set the heater’s timer. When you press the power button, a red LED will appear above it to let you know the unit is active. A large LED temperature display will also appear above the buttons. This display is completely invisible when the unit is powered off, and it’s a really nice touch. There’s also a small remote included in the box, which can be used to perform the same functions.
As its name implies, the Model TT-HE001 draws 1,500 watts of power. This is sufficient to draw roughly 90 percent of the power on a standard 15-amp circuit. If you want to do more than charge your phone that circuit, you’ll need a 20-amp breaker, wire, and outlet.
Everyday Operation
There are two different options for how to run the Model TT-HE001. The first is the simple on/off mode. This is exactly what it sounds like. You press the button, and the heater will continue to operate until you turn it off. There’s nothing more to it than that. The other alternative is to set a timer. This is a great choice if you’re going to sleep, or if you’re afraid you’ll forget about the heater. The timer can be set in increments up to 12 hours. That’s more than sufficient to get a good night’s rest without your heater shutting off.
Regardless of which mode you use, you don’t have to worry about using the TT-HE001 in the bedroom. It runs very quietly, with only a soft whir from the fan. The LED display also shuts off automatically after two-minutes without any interactions. This keeps your room nice and dark. If you want it dark even faster than that, just hold down the oscillation button for three seconds. The LEDs will shut off immediately. We should also point out that the bright heater glow in the marketing material is exaggerated for effect. It’s actually not anywhere near that bright, so sleep is no issue.
In either constant or timer mode, this isn’t just an on-or-off heater. It’s an automatic heater, which means it has a built-in thermostat. You can set the temperature anywhere between 40 and 90 degrees, and it will stay there. When the temperature starts to drop, the heater will turn on. When it gets too warm, the heater will shut off. This is another basic mechanism that should be familiar to most users.
The Model TT-HE001 is a ceramic convection heater, which means that it contains a set of ceramic plates. These plates have electrical coils in them, which heat up when an electrical charge is applied. The plates in turn get extremely hot. When air is blown over them, it heats up, and spreads that heat throughout the room. Between this and the 70-degree oscillating motion, a medium-sized room heats up very quickly. In total, the TT-HE01 works best in rooms up to 15 x 15 feet in size, and is effective up to 20 x 20 feet. Keep in mind that these are rough approximations. There are many factors affecting heater effectiveness, including how cold it is and how good your insulation is. In general, the TT-HE001 is best for small to medium-sized rooms.
One thing you should be aware of before buying any kind of heater is that they tend to dry out the air. This is because the relative humidity decreases as the temperature increases. If you’re getting chapped lips or a dry nose, consider using a humidifier along with your space heater.
Safety & Extras
With any space heater, you’re dealing with a product that could cause serious harm if it malfunctions. Therefore, it’s particularly important to look at the safety features, and they start with the construction of the unit itself. The Model TT-HE001 is constructed entirely from flame-retardant materials. This is designed to keep the heating elements from lighting the housing on fire. In theory, the unit could overheat by a large amount and still not catch on fire. You wouldn’t buy a car without seatbelts. Don’t buy a space heater that isn’t flame-retardant.
Of course, you ideally shouldn’t have to worry about the housing catching fire to begin with. If it gets hot enough to light on fire, it’s already way too hot. In fact, the Model TT-HE001 has built-in overheating protection. If the back of the housing reaches 122 degrees, the heater will automatically shut off. This isn’t just to prevent fires. It’s also to keep you, your pets, or your little ones from getting seriously burned. You can shut the heater off, immediately grab the handle on the back of the housing, and not burn yourself.
If the TT-HE001 tilts further than 45 degrees, it will automatically shut off. This is to keep it from lighting carpets or other flooring on fire in the event of a tip-over. This feature can sometimes cause the heater to briefly shut off while you’re adjusting its placement. Just let it sit vertically for a second and it will turn back on.
When the TT-HE001 is powered down, it oscillates and runs the fan for a minute before fully shutting down. This further ensures that the housing is cool before anyone handles it. Finally, the heater will shut off automatically after 24 hours with no interaction. So even if you run it on manual mode and forget about it, there’s a measure of protection.
Final Verdict
So, should you invest in a TaoTronics 1500W Space Heater (Model: TT-HE001)? Or should you be looking at a different space heater? To begin with, let’s look at what the TT-HE001 brings to the table. For one thing, you get a lot of power in a fairly small package. The compact size and light weight make it ideal for moving from room to room. Because it’s a convection heater, this plays into its greatest strength: heating a room up as quickly as possible. Its oscillating design helps even more to spread warm air around.
The functionality is good, too. You can set a thermostat, to keep your room at a comfortable temperature automatically. You can set a timer, whether for sleep or just in case you forget. Not only that, but the remote makes it easy to operate from your bed or sofa. Moreover, there are plenty of safety features. You get protection from tip-overs, to prevent accidents. You get protection from overheating, to protect you from malfunctions. You also get a 12-hour shutoff and automatic cooldown to round all this out.
That said, you can go to your local home improvement store and get a similar heater for half the price. To be fair, those heaters generally aren’t as good looking as the Model TT-HE001. But most of them will offer similar safety features, and many offer thermostats and timers. Essentially, you’re paying a bit extra to get a heater that looks nicer than the competition. Whether or not that’s worth the money is up to you.
Meet Ry, “TechGuru,” a 36-year-old technology enthusiast with a deep passion for tech innovations. With extensive experience, he specializes in gaming hardware and software, and has expertise in gadgets, custom PCs, and audio.
Besides writing about tech and reviewing new products, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and photography. Committed to keeping up with the latest industry trends, he aims to guide readers in making informed tech decisions.
My Taotronics heater (TT-HE003) shuts down after a day. I want it to run to maintain a certain temperature, but it shuts off.