Review: Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared Heater
OUR RATING
Value
Design
Quality
Summary
4.2
The Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared Heater (also known as the Lifesmart LS 3 ECO Infrared heater) is a modern and safe space heater designed to be an extremely efficient heater for a medium-sized room. This portable space heater uses metal wrapped quartz infrared elements to provide the heat and utilises a fan to distribute the heat from heat exchanger contained within the space heater casing.
This popular heater has three seat settings a warm setting, a cool setting and an economy setting which heat using only 500 watts. This portable space heater utilises a digital thermostat and has remote control operation. It also incorporates a timer which can start and stop this efficient space heater over a 12 hour period.
Construction
This smart little heater from Lifesmart weighs just 11½ pounds and is contained within a rectangular box 13½ inches high by 12½ inches deep by 7½ inches wide. This means that the Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared heater is a true portable heater being able to be moved relatively easily by any adult and taking up a relatively small footprint on a floor or a desk surface.
The heating element consists of quartz tubes which have a significant advantage over many ceramic type heating elements in that they emit no odour. In our experience however ceramic heaters tend to “burn off” any odours that they have when initially purchased and so this is not a significant issue in most heaters.
Good Points
The Lifesmart Medium Room space heater has the following benefits:
- Eco-setting – the Lifesmart Medium Room space heater has a 500 watt eco-setting. This is best used once a room has been warmed to an acceptable level. Once that has been achieved the eco-setting is a great way to maintain the temperature without having to expend a great deal of further cost in keeping the room warm. This functionality ensures that the Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared heater is one of the most energy efficient space heaters on the market today.
- Remote control – this portable space heater incorporates both a digital display for accurate setting up the thermostat together with a remote control which ensures that turning the portable space heater on and off is easy and convenient.
- Size – this infrared space heater is a compact size and a great shape for storing. This means that it can be operated in an unobtrusive way, and easily stored when not in use.
- Washable air filter – the Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared space heater includes a washable air filter with a lifetime guarantee.
- Safety – This Lifesmart portable space heater includes a tip-over shut off mechanism that ensures safe operation even in a situation where the heater may be knocked over.
Read our article on the best infrared heaters available
Points to Note
- Timer limitations – the Lifesmart Medium Room heater incorporates a timer which is a useful function in order to manage the energy efficiency of any space heater. Unfortunately the timer only works one way. You can either set the timer to turn the heater on at a preset time in the future, or if the heater is already on then you can set the timer to turn it off. You cannot however both turn it on and subsequently turn it off using the timer mechanism.
- Noise level – it should be noted that this is an infrared heater which uses a heat exchanger contained within the case. Such heaters utilise fans in order to cycle warm air away from heater allowing cooler air to be heated by the heat exchanger. Because of the use of the fan it should be noted that this Lifesmart Medium Room heater does not operate silently. The sound, whilst not intrusive in most situations nevertheless can be heard in a quiet room.
Verdict
The Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared Heater is an energy efficient space heater with a small footprint that nonetheless provides great heating capacity for small rooms. It comes with a useful remote control unit, thermostatic temperature control and a timer. The case is relatively unobtrusive so the space heater may be used without spoiling the décor of the room.
This portable space heater is available on Amazon for around $75 (please click for up to date price). Given the Eco setting which allows this heater to operate at a very low 500-watt rating the Lifesmart Medium Room Infrared Heater represents moderately good value for money and is a great choice for someone for whom energy efficiency is important.
