Winters are that time of the year when nature provides a rich variety of fresh vegetables. Savour the riches and make health as winters are the best time for improving health. A weak person finds the winters more harsh. Why suffer in winters and look helpless with clattering teeth? Get home a good room heater to make your rooms feel warm and inviting. This post is a carefully handpicked list of the Best Room Heater in India. Also, we will touch base with the intricacies of how various types of room heaters fare against each other.
December and January are the months when North India experiences severe cold wave conditions. This time in 2020, its predicted that winters would be extra harsh in India. Not a good news when we are already just managing to keep safe from the pandemic. My heart goes out for the poor and destitute who face the extremes of climate head-on. But, in a way winters spare no one; nature is impartial. Thank God that he has endowed us with his bountiful gifts. Low temperatures and chilly weather cripple our activeness. If not for room heaters which help us unwind our bodies, winters would seem a burden.
BEST ROOM HEATER IN INDIA
Below is the list of our picks for the top room heaters. Let us introduce them to you one by one. You’ll soon see what it takes to be one of the Best Room Heater in India.
BEST OIL HEATER IN INDIA
Oil heaters are very versatile and known to heat the room uniformly without causing skin dryness. The air humidity is also not diminished if you run an oil heater for extended durations.
1. Havells OFR 11-Fin Oil Heater With PTC Fan 2900 Watt
This particular heater from Havells is the Best Oil Heater in India. Reviews suggest that its the most loved one. It is ideal for heating small to medium sized rooms. After the initial oil warm-up phase, uniform heating is ensured. So, it may take a bit of time to actually start giving out noticeable heat. Users love the fact that the room temperature is optimum. Neither is it cold nor too warm to induce sweating or discomfort. The usual complain of the room’s air losing its moisture is not there too.
In terms of safety, mechanism like tip-over cutoff has been provided. The oil heater shuts down in the event it tilts or topples. Overheating control as a safety feature ensures the heater doesn’t get overly heated. The PTC heater which heats the oil renders this protection. On the other hand, thermostat doesn’t lets you control the cut-off temperature. Oil heaters are heavy so caster wheels accompany the packaging for mobility.
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Features
- Ideal for bedrooms as it does not cause suffocation. It does not cause oxygen reduction in the room. This makes it safe to be used during sleep in closed spaces.
- Lets you choose from three power options via the knob. These are 1000, 1500 and 2500 Watts.
- Takes around 20 minutes to get fully heated and then starts its job. Hence, not suitable for instant respite from cold.
- Safety features like over-heating protection, cut-off on accidental fall are present.
- Attached wheels let you move it around rooms.
- A PTC fan in its front helps in even heat distribution and speeds things up. This fan draws 400 Watts along with the heater.
- For manageability, its cord can be neatly wound when not in use.
All these features, along with user feedback make it the Best Room Heater in India for bedrooms.
2. Morphy Richards 11-Fin Oil Filled Radiator 2900 W
This particular model from Morphy Richards has all the features of the Havells Oil heater. The good things is that it is slightly cheaper. This particular model is an improvement on the popular 9-fin model without a fan. This model has a PTC ceramic heater which uses chips or ceramic stones in place of coils. The white body looks soothing to the eyes.
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Features
- Oil heater can work at a maximum wattage of 2500 W plus needs 400 W for the fan heater.
- Warms the entire length and breadth of the room uniformly.
- Overheating protection is present as is expected.
- Caster wheel and a provision to pull it makes for easy movement.
- Product warranty is 2 years and not 1 year as the description wrongly mentions on Amazon. Its rival Havells is giving only 1 year warranty.
Oil heaters draw large current depending on the power setting. The majority of users unknowingly plug the oil heater in low ampere sockets. This is dangerous and the oil heater may malfunction, not to forget risks of wiring burnout and fires. The other thing to bear in mind is that extension cords are not meant for high power appliances.
3. Usha 3809 F 2500-Watt Oil Filled Radiator
Like Havells, Usha is a trusted Indian brand. Since 1934, its various products like fans and sewing machines have served many Indian households. The Usha 3809 F oil heater has 9 fins. The fins are coated with a special powder coating to prevent rusting. Inbuilt overheating protection is present. This particular model is one of the Best Room Heater in India from Oil Heater type.
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Features
- Three heating modes of 800, 1200 and 2000 Watts. The PTC fan takes an additional 500 W.
- The fan is independently operable. There’s a separate switch for that.
- In built tip-over switch gives protection on accidental falls.
- Recess for pulling it and caster wheels present.
- Adjustable thermostat for auto-cut at the set temperature.
- 2 color options – white and black.
The fins of an oil heater are thin as they should be. This is to let quick heat transfer from hot oil and the air take place. This also makes them vulnerable to cracking or breaking. At the time of delivery of oil heaters, do closely check its fins.
4. Bajaj Majestic 11F Plus Oil Heater 2900 W
Bajaj is yet another Indian company which through the years has won our trust. This model from Bajaj is a nice one to have. The pitch black colored body looks great. Just select the right power settings from the switches for the wattage.
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Did You Know?
Each extra fin in an oil heater adds 1.3 Kgs to the weight of the heater.
Features
- 11 fins spread heat better than 9 fin models.
- Three heat settings of 1000/1500/2500 watts.
- The PTC fan runs on an additional 400 W
- Caster wheels are present in every oil heater, so here too.
- This one too has an adjustable thermostat and auto cut-off.
- Switch to run the fan at will or stop it present.
A new concept fast gaining popularity is to have a mini electric fireplace. It really looks very beautiful!
Donyer Mini Electric Fireplace Room Heater
Don’t we all love fireplaces and always wanted to have one in our homes. Old movies featured fireplaces extensively and they give a rich feel to the house. Well a real fireplace required firewood and causes pollution. This mini fireplace does not require wood and causes no pollution. But, the beautiful visuals of flickering fire and log woods are still present. The size of this heater as seen on Amazon can be confusing. This heater is just 24 cm or not even a foot high. So, its a cute little heater which everyone in your family would fall in love.
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If this one is unavailable, then there are other similar products like the RVA Electric Fireplace of 1800 W
Features
- Weighs just 5.4 Kgs. Effective for heating 200 sq.ft.
- You can choose to let just the ornamental flame to be seen behind the glass. This setting is without any heating.
- Two heat settings let it run at either of 750/1500 W. The grille in the front blows out heated air.
- The body does not get heated up so its cool to touch.
- Overall uplifts the mood of your home and gives a cozy feel.
BEST FAN ROOM HEATER IN INDIA
1. Orpat Fan Heater OEH-1220
Orpat is a well-known company and this product is the best seller in fan heaters. This Orpat fan heater has plastic body and metal wherever appropriate. Please note this heater is good for only spot heating. Also, don’t expect it to warm your whole room in biting colds. But, its the Best Room Heater in India with fan.
Features
- Good for running at great lengths continuously.
- Automatic safety features kick in when it is overheated. The heater won’t blow air or start for 10 minutes.
- Orpat OEH-1220 has three modes of operation. The first one is cool fan mode without heating. Second is warm air mode which draws 1000 Watts. The third is hot air mode which consumes 2000 Watts.
- Ideal for heating a small sized room and for spot heating.
- The heater body is cool to touch and doesn’t get hot. A safety grille at front is given for protection.
- Thermostat is present which is essential for working of fan heaters anyhow.
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Caution: Do not use an extension cord to run it. Use a 15A power socket to operate this room heater. Do not cover the front of it while it is ON. Store in a dust proof manner when not in use. Never leave such heaters unattended.
Better Model – Orpat Fan Heater OEH-1260
Another model from Orpat which is slightly costlier than OEH-1220. This has a cord winder facility so that you can manage the wire when the heater is not in use. The other advantage is that it has a 2 year warranty on product compared to 1 year on OEH-1220. A variable thermostat knob lets you choose at what power the heater draws between 1000 and 2000 Watts. Consequently, the temperature range at which heating is cut-off. Do check if warranty is applicable on online purchases, else buy it offline. Rest all things are the same.
PROS
- The Best Fan Room Heater available in market.
- Very light weight at just 1 Kg.
- Good heater for the price tag.
CONS
- No feature to raise or lower its height to direct heat at target.
- Plastic body not very sturdy.
- Smell of burnt plastic may emanate sometimes, so avoid using it for more than 30 minutes at a stretch.
2. Bajaj 2000W Blow Hot Convection Heater
The Bajaj Blow Hot Room Heater is an all metal body and weighs around 4 Kgs. The outer body is made of stove-enamelled MS sheet. The blower make a lot of noise at Hot mode, so the claim of noiseless operation is false. Still, this blower is a good heater which provides quick heating. This model is the Best Blower in India
Features
- Can be used as a normal table fan. It has 2 other modes- Warm and Hot.
- Mechanism to direct flow horizontally and at an angle.
- Variable thermostat knob to control temperature and Wattage.
PROS
- Heating effect is very fast.
- Very less noise at warm mode.
- Already has a 16 A plug so no need to purchase it separately.
CONS
- Warm, hot and cool buttons have less inter-spacing. Users complain that choosing of switch is not clean.
- Do check for Bajaj service center and their response feedback in your area.
- Will cause skin dryness if used for long duration. This is the same story for all fan heaters though.
- Plastic stands ultimately fail to get up in due course.
3. Amazon Brand Solimo Room Heater 2000 Watt
You can see this particular room heater being sold under different brand names and costs. It seems this is a Chinese product which any company can approach to sell it under their own branding. Nevertheless, this is not to suggest that it is of inferior quality. Among different brands selling it, its better to buy the Amazon branded Solimo room heater. This model has all the features one can expect from a blower. Plus, its design where it can deliver warm air horizontally and vertically makes it the Best Room Blower in India.
Features
- Fire retardant material of the heater body.
- Can be stood vertically or horizontally which is a plus.
- A handle is provided for portability. There is a light indicator as well.
- Variable thermostat function is present.
- The ubiquitous 2 modes of warm and hot air controllable through a knob.
- Auto-cutoff when temperature reaches 130° C
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Types Of Room Heaters
1. Oil Filled Radiator (OFR) Heater
Oil Filled Radiator heaters are a relatively new concept in Indian markets. Oil heaters are regarded the best room heater type as they are the most versatile. They are practically noiseless and appropriate for heating large spaces. Of course these heaters are also the costliest type too. Since, no warm air blows out of them, they do not cause dryness in the air. The room humidity level is maintained as it is. You should never use oil heaters in wet or humid places like bathrooms.
How Oil Heater Works?
You may not know how they work and the role of oil in them. Well, OFR heaters work on the principle of heat radiation. The oil present in them is heated up. You would notice models with different number of ‘fins’ in OFR heaters. The heated oil circulates inside these hollow fins and transfer heat to the surroundings. The more the fins, the better it is. Since, more fins help spread the heat through the room faster. And no, you never have to replace the oil ever. The oil is not burnt for it to get consumed. Its a high boiling point oil which is just heated.
BEST OIL HEATERS IN INDIA
Do Oil Heaters Take Time To Give Heat?
Yes, but not much. Naturally, doesn’t oil in your frying pan takes time to heat up? Same way these heaters take some time to dissipate heat. But, once the desired temperature is achieved, there’s no looking back. OFR heaters are the safest of all other type of heaters. They can be operated for long duration at a stretch. Your children are safe around OFR heaters.
Avoid placing objects in at least 3 feet radius of an oil heater. Never think of drying clothes over the heater body. Leaving an oil heater unattended or near children is very dangerous.
More Fins More Heat
The cost of an oil heater varies directly with the number of fins in a model. Greater number of fins also enlarge the heater in length. Against popular belief, the wattage is not related to the number of fins. Most modern oil heaters heat the oil via the safer ceramic PTC elements. What a PTC element is you’ll soon find out ahead. Overall, oil heaters are loaded with many other safety features. Oil heaters are heavy, you can say they are really loaded. Thankfully, all oil heaters come with caster wheels for easy movement.
Advantages Of Oil Heaters
Oil Heaters are the most versatile room heaters. Many of the Best Room Heater in India belong to this category.
- Steady Heat – An oil heater usually takes around 15 minutes to come in full-form. An oil heater starts delivering a steady heat flow after the oil warms up. An exhaust fan helps maintain the inner temperature of the heater within limits.
- No Exposed Heating Element makes them safer than fan and coil/rod heaters.
- Noiseless operation is a big plus point. Compare this with noisy fan heaters., oil heaters are very silent.
- Heat Retention – The oil once heated retains heat for long time. This translates to the heater giving out heat even after its turned off.
Disadvantages Of Oil Filled Room Heaters
- Cost has to be the biggest drawback of oil heaters. They are ideal for heating big rooms but not everyone can afford them easily.
- Size – and bulkiness can be a big impediment is any of the caster wheels comes loose.
- Sluggish Initialization – An oil heater takes anywhere close to 15-20 minutes to come to its own. This makes them unsuitable where instant relief from cold is sought.
- Child Safety – The fins of an oil heater are what get hot enough to cause burns to your little ones.
2. PTC Fan Heaters
PTC stands for Positive Temperature Coefficient. Lets not dive deep into what it means as otherwise a physics topic would step in. Basically, PTC heaters use a ceramic heating element. This is an improvement over the regular resistance coil-based heaters. Owing to the PTC element, its possible to better control the temperature of the heater. Fan Heaters whether with PTC heating element or non-PTC element, cause drastic reduction in room’s humidity. You can use a good humidifier to balance out this negative impact of fan heaters.
HAVELLS CALIDO PTC FAN HEATER
Havells Calido is an awesome compact PTC room heater. It comes with two heat settings of 1300W and 2000W. Incase it falls down or topples, it powers Off automatically. There is a dust filter which is prevents that burnt out smell as in other room heaters. You can clean the filter often. The fan hardly makes any noise but a little more as compared to oil heaters.
How PTC Room Heater Works?
As stated above PTC heaters employ a ceramic heating element with a positive temperature coefficient. This makes them capable of regulating their own temperature. Due to this property PTC heaters eliminate the risk of overheating. No need of any external sensor to monitor and later controls the temperature. Hence, safety is inherent in PTC heaters as sensors can’t fail when they are absent.
Are PTC Heaters Energy Efficient?
Yes, PTC heaters save more energy compared to resistive coil/rod based heaters. Initially they draw full power to heat up and reach a set temperature. With time the PTC element achieves the threshold temperature for which the element is configured is achieved, power usage decreases. Uniform and well-spread heating is a USP of PTC heaters. This makes these the Best room heaters when low cost and performance are a criteria.
Advantages Of PTC Heaters Over Traditional Heaters
- Lower Inner Temperature – The temperature inside a PTC heater is way less (about 80% less) than a coil/rod based heater. This property in itself a big safety enhancement.
- No Overheating – PTC heaters do not experience overheating intrinsically and also cool down quickly.
- Fast heating is another advantage.
- Water Proof – PTC heating elements are water-proof which makes them suitable for use in bathrooms.
Disadvantages Of PTC Heaters
- Air Dryness – Skin or eye dryness are a common complaint from users.
- The power of the heating fan is also low.
3. Halogen Quartz Heater
Halogen lamps or Quartz heaters are better than radiant rod heaters.
How Halogen Heater Works?
Halogen heaters use halogen gases like argon and neon. These inert gases prolong the life of the nichrome element. Fused quartz instead of glass increases the radiating efficiency of the bulbs. A reflective surface behind the halogen lights reflect the heat radiation towards front. Halogen gases also prevent the darkening of the bulbs. There is no fan and so they do not heat up the air. A halogen heater is useful only if it runs continuously. The heat produced is directly proportional to the size of the halogen heater. So, if the heating requirement for a room is more, fetch a larger heater. Halogen lamp heaters are good for spot heating. In short, a person sitting close by the heater would feel comfortable. The heat intensity can be regulated as against rod heaters. Quartz heaters do not produce any smoke or byproduct, so these heaters are environment friendly as well.
BEST HALOGEN HEATERS IN INDIA
Advantages Of Halogen Heaters
- Radiate Heat – Halogen heaters heat up a small area much quickly through radiation. Other heaters rely on the air as a medium to transport heat to near or far corners of the room. In short, halogen heaters do not deliver heat through convection but radiation.
- Portable – The portability and light weight makes them a good choice for outdoor heating.
- Safe – Almost all halogen lamps come with Tip-over protection. As soon as the heater topples or falls, its power supply is cut. There is a circuit breaker push button at the base which is released from its pressed position when the heater topples.
- Quick – They emit instant heat and even cool down quickly. There is no waiting time. Some heaters come with timers too.
- Some heaters combine the goodness of halogen lamps with a fan. They are better at room heating than a halogen-lamp-only heater.
- Zero Noise operation makes them so ideal for bedrooms.
Disadvantages Of Halogen Lamp Heaters
- Life – Halogen lamps at the end of the day, are quartz tubes filled with an inert halogen gas with a heating element. Just like a light bulb with filament, these halogen lamps burn out someday and need replacement. However, that ‘someday’ would come in many years.
- Heat Close By – Not ideal to be used for heating a complete room. The infrared radiation heats up objects only in close proximity of the heater and that too which are in front only.
- Not very efficient if rooms have lots of glass doors or windows.
4. Fan Heaters Or Blowers
Fan heaters or blowers are the second most common type after radiant rod heaters. Blowers do not rely on convection and have a fan to spread heat. Although, convection does ultimately come into the picture.
Convection is the natural process in which hot air rises up and cold air settles down. A heater which utilizes convection uses this phenomenon. Warm air from the heater rises up and cooler air takes its place. This cycle ultimately results in a convection current to develop. The whole air in the room gets warm after a point.
Advantages
- Affordable – Fan heaters are available at low costs which any common household can afford.
- Fast Action – Blowers deliver a quick waft of warm air. You can adjust the height for targeted action in some models.
Disadvantages
- Very Noisy – The fan makes a lot of noise especially at highest fan speed.
- Reduce Humidity – The warm air blown out of the heater greatly reduce the humidity levels of air. In a way, a blower acts like a Dehumidifier.
- Dust Accumulation – The heater sucks in air from a perforated mesh. This makes them susceptible to become a dump of dust and filth. Needless to say, bacterial growth is a common hazard.
- Skin & Eye Dryness are very commonly complained of by users. Make use of these for short duration at a time.
- Burnt Smell – Many users complain of a smell of burnt plastic which never ceases to exist.
- Sparking – You may see sparks within the darkness of the fan heater on occasions. This usually happens on running the heater blower continuously for long.
5. Radiant Rod Heaters
These are the very first heaters which millennials would have seen. Coil/Rod based heaters are the traditional heaters which give instant respite from cold to those seated near them. The reflective metal surface behind the rod is convex shaped to centralize the heat. The red hot glowing rod emits infrared radiation generously. This comes with its own share of hazard and risk.
Guarded with a grille or not, these heaters are literally a fireball in your room. Any carelessness can prove very costly. No question of letting small kids get near to them and return unharmed. Small misses for example failing to move your furniture away from the converging heat of the rods can burn it. Anyways, they are still better than maintaining an open fireplace. These heaters are the best room heater in India from a low cost perspective.
Advantages Of Radiant Rod Heaters
- Affordable – Rod or resistance coil heaters are available in low price range. Nothing comes cheaper than these.
- Quick Heating – Great for instant gratification against cold.
Disadvantages Of Resistance Coil/Rod Heaters
- Inefficiency – These are power guzzlers and consume the complete rated wattage non-stop. If you forget to switch it off and venture out, be ready to pay for a minimum 2 units per hour in bills. Unless you are lucky and there was a power outage.
- Unsafe – Hardly any safety mechanisms are possible apart from metal grills.
- Radiant rod heaters are not cold-to-touch. Heater body gets extremely hot as it is compulsorily made of metal.
- Not suitable for using for a very long duration in one go.
Best Room Heater Comparison Summary
Room Heaters Cost
Oil Heaters are the costliest of the Heater types. Rod type radiant heaters are the cheapest. Fan heaters cost more or less the same as Quartz heaters.
OH > FH ~ QH > RH
Room Heater Safety
Quartz heaters are the safest of all heater types. They heat up and cool down equally quick. Blowers or PTC fan heaters follow suit. Oil Heaters on rare occasions can burst and spill oil and smoke. Radiant rod heaters are the least safe. Hence, the order of safety is as below-
QH > FH > OH > RH
Heating Prowess
Quartz heaters give almost instant heat. Radiant rod heaters start giving heat very quickly. Fan heaters come third in delivering quick heat. Oil heaters which need time for getting the oil heated up come last. Hence, the QH are the best for spot heating and for heating close objects.
QH > RH > FH > OH
Room Heating Caliber
Oil heaters are the most suited for big rooms. Fan heaters come second in the ranking. Radiant rod heaters take time and rely on natural air flow. Quartz heaters are not suited for big rooms.
OH > FH > RH > QH
Power Savings
PTC element based Oil Heaters are the most energy efficient. Quartz heaters convert a whopping 85% energy into infrared radiation which is good. PTC fan heaters are not very energy efficient. Radiant rod type heaters do not save any power.
OH (PTC based) > OH > QH > FH (PTC based) > FH (non-PTC) > RH
Room Heater Noise Comparison
Quartz heaters are the most quiet heaters. Radiant Rod heaters come in second and make some noise at startup when the coils start heating. However, the sound is negligible. Oil heaters have exhaust fans which make little noise. Occasional sounds of clicking may be heard. Fan heaters are out of the league and make tremendous noise.
QH (Best) > RH > OH > FH (Worst)
Impact On Humidity
Oil heaters and Quartz heaters do not cause any dip in room's humidity levels. No skin or eye dryness is observed if your using any of these heaters. Radiant rod heaters do cause excessive heating to close-by objects and reduce air moisture. Fan heaters employ a fan and greatly reduce air humidity. Eye irritation and skin dryness are very apparent.
OH = QH (maintains humidity) > RH > FH (reduces humidity)
Winding It Up..
Each type of room heater has its share of merits and demerits. The thing to note here is that each one of them consumes high power. Hence, in terms of your electricity bill, all stand on an equal footing. So, why not invest in buying a safe and effective room heater rather than compromising with cheaper alternatives. A room blower is not even meant for room heating. What good is a rod type heater if after running for hours and consuming so much electricity it is still not able to warm your room? Or, a fan heater if it caused you a headache with its incessant noise. The best way is to set your priorities upfront than repenting later.
Hope this post has helped you in choosing the Best Room Heater in India. If Yes, then please share it on social media and help others in deciding too.
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