Analysis and rating of the best electric convectors for cottages and homes
Providing an optimal microclimate at home or at work is a very important task. The necessary air temperature in the room provides comfortable conditions for both work and leisure. But choosing a heater is not an easy task. This is due to the variety of models on the market. The right approach to evaluating equipment guarantees a purchase that you will not have to regret. To find the best convectors for your home or office, you need to identify the main criteria for choosing a device.
Do not save on the purchase of a convector
Working principle and classification
The design of the device for heat generation is quite simple: housing, air ducts, heating element, equipment for connection. The principle of operation is also not difficult: cold air from the environment enters the device. With the help of additional devices, it heats up and is released through the hole at the top of the device.
To save energy and maintain the optimum temperature, space heaters are equipped with temperature sensors. The main advantage of convectors over similar heat sources is safety. Temperature on the body of the device does not exceed +60°C.
In this video you will learn how to choose a heater:
Classification of convectors:
- by mode of action (water, electric, gas);
- by type of fastening (floor, wall, universal);
- according to the design of the heating element (monolith, heating element, needle).
Water convectors are suitable for installation in both autonomous and central heating systems. It is not advisable to place them in rooms with high wall heights. With forced air circulation in the room, the operation of the device will be ineffective.
The advantage of gas convectors in comparison with water heaters is the independence of operation from low temperatures. The disadvantages include the significant dimensions of the installations, increased explosiveness. The best choice for heating apartments and cottages is electric convectors.
Convectors differ, at least, in the way of fastening
Main characteristics
Since a convector is a thing that is bought for long-term use, you need to approach the purchase responsibly. Heaters are evaluated according to different characteristics. You can easily navigate when choosing a device by highlighting its most important parameters for yourself.
Things to consider before buying:
- method of fastening the device;
- power consumption;
- type of thermostat;
- type of heater;
- security.
According to the location, convectors are wall-mounted, floor-mounted and universal. When buying a wall-mounted heater, it is necessary to clarify whether parts for mounting it are supplied with the device. Some models do not have them and must be purchased separately. The advantage of this type of convectors is space saving: they do not take up additional space in the room, which is essential for rooms and apartments with a small area.
Do not forget to look at the power consumption of the convector when buying it Floor heaters are equipped with legs or wheels. Their advantage is mobility. By moving them, you can achieve the required temperature in all hard-to-reach areas of the room.
The most practical convectors of a universal type. They can either be placed on the floor or hung on the wall. When buying, you should check the presence of wheels or legs in the package: sometimes you have to buy them separately.
One of the decisive factors when choosing a heater is its power. If a device is purchased with an underestimated value, it will not be possible to achieve the optimum temperature in the room. Overestimated power is the key to the inappropriately high cost of the device.
It is necessary to take into account the purpose of the convector (the only source of heat or auxiliary). If it is needed in an apartment as an additional heater, then one kilowatt of device power will be enough for a room of 20 square meters. In the absence of main heating, you should choose equipment for the microclimate with a large power value.
Will the convector be an additional heater or the main one? Convector thermostats can be of two types:
- mechanical;
- electronic.
When choosing a cheap heater that will rarely be used, it is worth considering options for models with mechanical temperature control. They are simple, reliable and have a long service life.
Heat supplies with an electronic thermostat keep the temperature within a more accurate range. This allows you not to waste extra energy when heating, save energy resources, and, consequently, finances. Their disadvantage is the higher cost of the convector when buying or repairing due to the complex structure. The choice of devices with an electronic thermostat is appropriate if long-term operation is planned during the heating season.
By design, the heating elements of convectors can be:
- open;
- closed;
- sealed.
Open-type heaters are more maintainable, but less fireproof, and often break. During operation, they significantly reduce the oxygen content in the air, which adversely affects the people in the room, especially the elderly and infants.
When closed, the spiral is located in a protected metal casing. Such convector heaters are less prone to breakdowns and do not have a harmful effect on the human body, since they do not dry the air in operating mode.
The best option would be heaters with a spiral sealed in a hermetic frame without air access. Such convectors are called monolithic. They are the most reliable, have good heat dissipation, can be used at high humidity in the room. Their high cost is fully offset by a long service life, safety, stability in operation and a minimum number of breakdowns.
The device provides several types of protection:
- from injury;
- from electric shock;
- from the use of the device by children;
- from overheating and freezing.
Additional functions
In convectors with electronic control, manufacturers offer a number of additional modes. Before buying, you should make sure that they are really necessary. The anti-freeze function will allow you to keep the minimum temperature in the room within + 5 ... + 7 ° C in the absence of the owners. At the same time, the bill for the spent energy is small, since an empty dwelling will not overheat in vain.
Programming of operating modes allows you to set the necessary parameters at different times of the day, which will significantly save energy and pay for them.
The remote control function facilitates the operation of the device for the disabled and the elderly. Air ionization is useful for people who are forced to stay indoors for a long time, as well as for asthmatics and allergy sufferers.
It should be taken into account that auxiliary functions provide additional comfort during the operation of the device, but at the same time increase its cost.
Rating of electric convectors
The most popular heating devices that consume electrical energy. This is not surprising, since There are quite a few advantages of this type of heaters:
- ensuring the same temperature in all points of the room;
- noiselessness;
- work without accumulation of dust and unpleasant smell;
- during operation, humidity does not decrease, since oxygen is not burned;
- high heating rate;
- energy saving;
- small dimensions;
- ease of use and reliability.
There is no single answer to the question of which electric convector is better. The products of such well-known brands as Noirot, Neoclima, Electrolux, Ballu, Timberk have been tested by many users and time. Therefore, the models of these companies often take first place in the rankings of the best electric convectors. Every day, new manufacturers of microclimate household appliances appear on the market. The cost of the products they offer is slightly less due to uncertainty, but it is difficult to judge their quality and level of reliability.
Electric convectors of the new generation are distinguished by their stylish appearance, the presence of a liquid crystal display, and an energy-saving mode of operation. In order to objectively evaluate certain heating equipment, one should take into account the place of its installation.
Microclimate devices for the home
For a dwelling with an autonomous heating system, in which people are constantly present, convectors select a low power, since they serve mainly as additional sources of heat.
Top 5 best electric heating convectors for the home.
| Place in the ranking | Company name, model | Advantages | Flaws |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ballu BEC/EZER-1000 | High level of fire safety due to protection against overheating and tipping. Timer up to 24 hours. Noiselessness. Possibility of air ionization. | Shaky due to errors in the design of the legs |
| 2 | Timberk TEC. PS1 LE 1500 IN | High heat transfer due to the increased area of the heating element. Two modes of operation. Timer. Ionizer. | Clicking sounds during automatic switching |
| 3 | Stiebel Eltron CNS 150 S | Noiselessness. Possibility of use as the main type of heating. | High price |
| 4 | Electrolux ECH/AG-1500 EF | Reaching operating temperature in 75 seconds. Moisture protection. Self-diagnosis and preset memory functions. | In reality, the heating area is less than indicated in the device passport |
| 5 | Noirot Spot E-3 1000 | Quiet work. Protection against overheating and moisture. | There are no wheels for moving |
Country house heating
When wondering which convector to choose for a summer residence, one should take into account that there is no central heating there and heating is needed only for a few days in the winter or cold autumn-spring period. Therefore, when rating convectors for summer cottages, the main criterion is the selection of high-power equipment, preferably with an anti-freeze function. One kilowatt of power of the device will be enough only for 10 square meters of heated space.
Five of the best electric convectors for summer cottages
| Place in the ranking | Name | Advantages | Flaws |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nobo C4F20 XSC Viking | Large heating area. Operating temperature is reached in 1 minute. economy | High price |
| 2 | Hyundai H-HV14-20-UI540 | Optimal price. Possibility of heating a large area. | Wheels must be purchased separately |
| 3 | Noirot Spot E-3 2000 | Quickly reach operating temperature. Frost protection function. | Short power cord. The caster legs are not included. |
| 4 | Ballu ENZO BEC/EZMR-2000 | Universal installation. Air ionization. Saving settings after power off. Child lock. | In the nominal mode of operation, the real heat transfer is less than that declared by the manufacturer |
| 5 | Electrolux ECH/AG2-2000MF | Air purification and filtration functions. Considerable service life. Possibility of work at the increased humidity. | No instrument indicator lamp |
Despite the numerous advantages of electric convectors, their disadvantages are dependence on an uninterrupted supply of electricity and the impossibility of heat storage. Therefore, the ideal option is to use them in combination with other heating methods.
