Electric heaters

[Phil C]

Hello everyone, I'm thinking of buying a small electric heater to use in my garage. Thus is just for use in an ordinary domestic garage on the side of the house. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive, reliable, safe electric heater? Thanks as always.   Phil

[Pete A10]

Unfortunately Phil I don't think there is such a thing as an inexpensive electric heater. I have an old (probably 40 year old) 3kw fan heater which I use in my garage. It has three heat settings and two blower speeds plus 1-10 thermostat settings. I doubt whether you could get anything of the same quality today. Wack it on high for 15 minutes then turn it down to its lowest setting. It is probably not the cheapest thing to run but it does produce quick heat. I have always found that electric convection heaters or the electric oil filled radiators you can get take forever to produce heat. Just don't look at the electric meter when the fan heater is running on full power.

[Group Leader]

I bought one of these a couple of years ago for exactly the same purpose.

Seems to work OK - it certainly takes the chill off!

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4153836?clickSR=slp:term:electric%20heater:17:66:1

Alan

[Bess]

Hi Phil,
            I would opt for a Infrared Heating Lamp, it heats you and not the space.

Best wishes...

[Phil C]

Thanks Bess and Group Leader. The infra reds look good but are a bit expensive. So at the moment I'm torn between the Dimplex, as recommended by Group Leader, and a Clarke which I saw on line which costs £40. I think I'll probably go for the Dimplex. Unless anyone has any other suggestions?
Phil

[DAVE BRADY]

Have a look at this.  Stand it on the bench or on the floor depending on where you are working.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08G55WQQV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dave.

[Phil C]

Thanks Dave. Tempting. Not too bad a price I guess for infrared. Mostly good reviews but some not so good (usually the case.) Decision deferred.  Phil

[Phil C]

Speaking of things electrical, I'm in a rented house at the moment whilst house-hunting (been over a year now.) The garage here has ONE double socket. I'll be making sure there are plenty in my next (own) garage.   Phil

[JOHNSTONE]

Have a look at Machine Mart's website, lots of heaters at various prices. Hope this helps.

Rich

[Phil C]

Yes, thanks Rich, that's where I saw the Clarke one.  Phil

[Pete A10]

Problem with the infrared is they warm the objects not the space so if you are moving around you can be moving in and out of the hot spots. More economical to run though.

[chaz]

Ive got air con at the unit, the unit is surrounded by open fields for miles and atop a hill , during the summer there isnt much need of the cooling and this time of year the heating dosnt really get me warm, Ive got a small electric heater variable hot and cold thermostat which stays on the floor as I find its best to warm the feet and legs as the heat rises, in my double garage has a wall mounted electric heater that is too small for the garage , having said that I dont spend much time in there.
problem with the electric is it tends to be expensive to use, I have a industrial  gas blower but wont use it as it puts moisture in to the garage and rusts tools. best garage I had was attached to the house and had the central heating boiler in the garage, toasty, but we didnt stay longer than 6 weeks there as we didnt like the house or area when we got there.
best thing to do is make sure the garage is draught proof as best as possible, my double doors have gaps down both sides of the doors which is a bit of work to seal up.

[robincroft]

I bought one from Screwfix - 3 heat settings , thermostat and a fan recently (£30 approx). Does the job in my w/shop which is 4x4M.
I looked at he Clarke one but it gets poor reviews.
Pays your money and takes your choice, best of luck.

[Phil C]

Interesting. The Clarke 2kw one I saw online at Machine Mart had so many good reviews I wondered if it could be genuine. But it doesn't give the lead length (a factor if your garage only has one double socket and that's at one end of the garage.) I think they probably all have quite short leads because of safety and cost.

[Phil C]

Alan, I've PMd you asking if you could please tell me the length of the lead on your Dimplex heater.  Phil