3. ECO-Heater

$119 at Amazon.com

When you’re certain that you’ll want to heat a small area year after year, a more permanent solution may be in order. The ECO-Heater fits the bill as an easily installed, completely flat, wall-mounted heater that runs on 400 watts of power. How would this “wonder” heater stand up to other space heaters that used twice the energy? We put it in our nursery to test it out.

The packaging for the ECO-heater is minimal. It comes in a flat box with the mounting screws, attached cord, and a small instruction sheet. There is no user manual because there is truly no need for one. The installation process went like this:


1. We took the heater out of the box, lined it up on the wall where it was to be mounted, and marked the wall accordingly. After putting the included anchors in the wall (our lathe and plaster walls needed the extra support), it was simply a matter of screwing it into the wall with the electric drill. The heater was light and could easily be supported by one additional helper (in this case, a 10-year-old). After a few decorative caps were put into place, the heater was able to be used immediately.

2. The heater cord was standard, meaning it could be plugged into any standard two-prong outlet. We suggest that you avoid installing it directly under or over the outlet you intend to use, as warm air will come out from behind the unit, and while it won’t be hot enough to melt the cord or plug, it isn’t ideal.

3. There was one on/off switch, and it was good to go. Without a thermostat, adjusting the temperature is simple. This also means, however, that the heat needs to be sufficient for the area you place it in or no more than 10 x 12 square foot for adequate heat. The surface of the heater began to warm immediately, and while the ECO-heater claims to be safe for kids and pets, it is advised that you keep away from the surface, as it does maintain a very warm surface temperature. Within 50 minutes, the small bedroom room was a toasty 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are a few things to note about the ECO-heater that will make for a better user experience. First, there is little to no documentation on how to use the heater. This is mostly because it really is that easy to install and use. However, if your home has oddly-placed outlets or rather large baseboard configurations, you will want to be careful about where you place the appliance. The Website recommends that you install it six to eight inches off the floor and away from the baseboard. You will also want to keep it away from clothing, doors that will remain open, and large or drafty windows.

How does the ECO-heater work, exactly?  From what I can see, it uses convection heat to naturally circulate warm air from between the wall and the unit back into the room. There are no fans, so there is no danger of sending dust particles into the air, and the unit will not need cleaning. This will also cut back on energy use, and much of the electricity used by a traditional small heater is consumed by the fan. One very unique trait of the ECO-Heater is its ability to match any decor. We were able to apply a coat or two of water-based paint directly to the unit after installation.

The ECO-heater is a good unit for areas that would be burdened by the addition of a clumsy space heater taking up good floor space.  It is virtually burn-proof, and it is an interior designer’s dream-come-true, as it can be customized to match any decor. While it takes longer than most heaters to warm up a small room, once it gets there, it maintains the temp quite nicely. This low-wattage unit makes for toasty evenings with little effect on your electric bill (less than $ .25 a day).

To get the most “green” from this unit, it is recommended that your traditional whole-house system be turned off for the room in which the ECO-Heater is installed, either through a closed vent or a separate thermostat. This will significantly lower the energy consumption used to keep the room comfortable.