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Alternative-Heating-Info.com
Micathermic Flat Panel Heaters: Too Hot To Handle?
When micathermic heaters
first arrived on the heating
scene a few years ago they
created quite a stir.
An article I wrote about this
sleek, modern looking heater
still gets around 20,000
views a year mirroring
continued consumer interest.
But after observing 3 heating
seasons of consumer use
and their personal reviews
I'm no longer the fan I once
was of a specific make of
micathermic heater.
first arrived on the heating
scene a few years ago they
created quite a stir.
An article I wrote about this
sleek, modern looking heater
still gets around 20,000
views a year mirroring
continued consumer interest.
But after observing 3 heating
seasons of consumer use
and their personal reviews
I'm no longer the fan I once
was of a specific make of
micathermic heater.
The concept behind micathermic heaters promised a solution to many common space
heater complaints such as noise, slow heat-up, high energy costs, and poor
aesthetics. For the most part it delivers on these promises, but the delivery isn't
consistent.
Just like so many other consumer products these days, whether they are cameras or
ice cream makers, micathermic heaters either thrill their users or severely disappoint.
Some complaints against the heater can be dismissed as nit picking. Other complaints
can't be ignored.
The complaints I'm referring to are those relating to potential fire hazards created by
melting wires and shooting sparks. Ordinarily, the occurrence of a rare, single
complaint of this type is usually the result of owner misuse or an over loaded circuit.
But multiple complaints regarding heaters manufactured by different companies signals
a much deeper problem.
The specific micathermic heater mentioned is the DeLonghi HHP1500 Mica Panel
Radiator from DeLonghi America.
Reviewed here is the DeLonghi HHP1500. I've edited (......) the reviews to save space
but you can read them in their entirety here.
Flamed out after five months April 7, 2009
By R. Stanley
…….I bought this heater because it was a Consumer Reports top pick. And I loved it --
effective, quiet, easy to use -- until it flamed out five months after I bought it………One day I
noticed my cat staring at it; curious, I looked, too, and suddenly a bright orange spot the
size of a nickel appeared near where the power cord entered the unit, and there was a
burning smell. I quickly turned it off and unplugged it. There was a scorch mark where the
flare up had been. After letting it cool, I plugged it back in and tried to turn it on, but it was
(and is) permanently dead.
Needless to say I am……… feeling rather lucky that I happened to be close by, and able to
unplug it quickly, when it decided to have its fatal meltdown. Who know what damage it
might have caused if I'd been out of the room.
It's true. It shoots sparks April 1, 2009
By melogirl (Seattle)
………….During it's decline, it increased the popping noises during heating and eventually
created a glowing lava-like hole about 1 1/2" in diameter. I thought I saw sparks from that
spot -- probably should have retired it at that point. It was confirmed a few days later when
my husband and I both wheeled around and caught it shooting sparks about two feet from
the unit.
This review might be funny if the consequences weren't potentially fatal. As vexing as
customer service can be these days (another frequent complaint in general), It's still
wiser to return a faulty product rather than attempting to fix it yourself; that's what
warranties are for.
A recent search on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website
revealed no complaints or recalls for the heater mentioned in this article.
I can't say if this is good because there weren't enough verifiable complaints to
warrant a recall, or if this is bad because the CPSC missed an opportunity.
Either way, when I want relevant information on the performance of an individual
product I tend to value the reviews of a couple hundred actual consumers more than a
single, albeit well intentioned, report from a bunch of guys in a lab.
heater complaints such as noise, slow heat-up, high energy costs, and poor
aesthetics. For the most part it delivers on these promises, but the delivery isn't
consistent.
Just like so many other consumer products these days, whether they are cameras or
ice cream makers, micathermic heaters either thrill their users or severely disappoint.
Some complaints against the heater can be dismissed as nit picking. Other complaints
can't be ignored.
The complaints I'm referring to are those relating to potential fire hazards created by
melting wires and shooting sparks. Ordinarily, the occurrence of a rare, single
complaint of this type is usually the result of owner misuse or an over loaded circuit.
But multiple complaints regarding heaters manufactured by different companies signals
a much deeper problem.
The specific micathermic heater mentioned is the DeLonghi HHP1500 Mica Panel
Radiator from DeLonghi America.
Reviewed here is the DeLonghi HHP1500. I've edited (......) the reviews to save space
but you can read them in their entirety here.
Flamed out after five months April 7, 2009
By R. Stanley
…….I bought this heater because it was a Consumer Reports top pick. And I loved it --
effective, quiet, easy to use -- until it flamed out five months after I bought it………One day I
noticed my cat staring at it; curious, I looked, too, and suddenly a bright orange spot the
size of a nickel appeared near where the power cord entered the unit, and there was a
burning smell. I quickly turned it off and unplugged it. There was a scorch mark where the
flare up had been. After letting it cool, I plugged it back in and tried to turn it on, but it was
(and is) permanently dead.
Needless to say I am……… feeling rather lucky that I happened to be close by, and able to
unplug it quickly, when it decided to have its fatal meltdown. Who know what damage it
might have caused if I'd been out of the room.
It's true. It shoots sparks April 1, 2009
By melogirl (Seattle)
………….During it's decline, it increased the popping noises during heating and eventually
created a glowing lava-like hole about 1 1/2" in diameter. I thought I saw sparks from that
spot -- probably should have retired it at that point. It was confirmed a few days later when
my husband and I both wheeled around and caught it shooting sparks about two feet from
the unit.
This review might be funny if the consequences weren't potentially fatal. As vexing as
customer service can be these days (another frequent complaint in general), It's still
wiser to return a faulty product rather than attempting to fix it yourself; that's what
warranties are for.
A recent search on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website
revealed no complaints or recalls for the heater mentioned in this article.
I can't say if this is good because there weren't enough verifiable complaints to
warrant a recall, or if this is bad because the CPSC missed an opportunity.
Either way, when I want relevant information on the performance of an individual
product I tend to value the reviews of a couple hundred actual consumers more than a
single, albeit well intentioned, report from a bunch of guys in a lab.
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