Cheap Optimus H-5300BK Quartz and convection Radiant Heater

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $119.99
Sale Price: $86.88
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

Pros:

Casters can be removed and stored within the bottom of the unit, securely for storage.

Cord has storage compartment with a closing door, which latches securely.

Four Heat settings.

Silent.

Highly Effective.

Cons:

Documentation is a little dated, refers to the switches on the unit being a rotary type dial control.

While the product description does mention a circulation fan, I don't see one and frankly I'm glad it doesn't seem to have one. It's silent, totally silent. Setting switch 3 (Bottom Element) to ON (375 Watts), more than ample to heat my entire upstairs. A pleasant slow event heat.

The product isn't UL listed, but it is ETL listed. There is an overheat circuit interrupt with a button on the back of the unit, and sensitive tip over cut-off switch. Very pleased with the safety of the unit overall.

The unit functions in two ways, first is the reflective heat you can see and feel when the unit is ON; it feels like warm sunshine. Second, it functions as a convection heater; air passes through from the cold floor up through the unit and is released via a grill on the top of the unit.

Switch Layout:

Switch 3 Bottom Element

Switch 2 Top Two Elements

Switch 1 Second From Bottom Element

Dial:

No temperature markings, does have a very wide travel path; so accurate temperature control is very easy.

Most heaters of this type are two settings only, ~1000 Watt, and ~1500 Watt. This results in good warmth, but results in the area in front of the unit being warmer than the rest of the room.

When I purchased, there were only two reviews on this unit. One review was particularly harsh and gave a One-Star due to the misprint about the fan. I decided to take the plunge and buy the heater anyway; very glad for my decision to buy.

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I just got mine and plugged it in. You felt immediate warmth even at the lowest setting with no sound. I don't think I will put it on high because low generates enough heat for my comfort. Maybe later in the bitter cold of winter I can update with a higher setting.

As with all Quartz heaters you have the glow from the tube but it is not bright. The picture shows all four elements going that is the highest setting one tube for each additional setting comes on for a total of four.

Also very important the one advertised says 1 year warranty mine says 3 year so the one in the picture could be an earlier version or just a misprint.

Only draw back is it is not the prettiest to look at but I bought it for warmth not decorum. Would of gotten 5 out of 5 if it had a blower or was better looking.

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This heater puts out more heat than any I ever tried, and I own 8 different types of electric space heaters. The combination infrared and convection is what I think makes this heater special. Although I cannot really put my finger on it, it seems to have a different effect on different people. For myself I set this on the lowest 375 watt setting and I am immediately warm, even in a large 21x20 Family room with a 17'2" ceiling. For my wife and my mother, they are not impressed. It needs to be on 750 watts for them to be just ok. I do not know if it is something about the infrared that does not affect everyone the same. The heat it puts out is not a gush of fan forced heat, it is more of a consistent heat that warms you immediately, I don't know how they cannot feel it. The thermometer agrees with my position on this. On high this thing will move a thermometer more than any other space heater I have, and I have some that cost me $200. Anyway, for those of you that can feel the infrared, there is absolutely no better heater and no heater more efficient. At the 375 watt setting this will have a significant savings over any other space heater and still be warm. Used in this manner, this unit will pay for itself in a month in electricity savings.

On high the top and front get very hot, heat just pours out of the top and also almost as much in the front. The infrared effect seems similar on low as it does on high, so the immediate warmth effect is not much better on high, although the thermometer sure does move more on high.

This Optimus H-5300 is very well built and appears will last a long time. It is decent looking also, and I like the switches. The different settings use different infrared tubes, so when one burns out, you can start using a different one. This should extend the longevity of this. Not sure if the quartz tubes can be replaced easily.

I highly recommend this heater.

Honest reviews on Optimus H-5300BK Quartz and convection Radiant Heater

We purchased this item after it was recommended from a friend.We were going to purchase an Edenpure or Amish heater but after hearing from a friend about the price difference and also the quality of the Optimus heater,I read reviews on the internet and decided to purchase the Optimus. We have been very satisfied with the performace and also the quietness of this heater.It has helped with heating a room that we had no heat in that was alway damp.

The Optimus heater now creates a comfortable room and we keep it at very low temerature to keep out the dampness.I would recommend this heater highly because it is lower priced(much) and small enough that you can move from room to room,and also very quiet.

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After several months' trials with standard resistive and oil-filled space heaters, I decided to take a look at an IR (quartz) design as final recourse before more drastic and costly measures to keep warm in a very cold living space. As it turns out, I saved the best for last with this particular selection.

Being of normal human makeup, my recent perpetual immersion in an atmosphere of toxic fumes has registered as undesirable. Such was the outcome associated with a recent sampling of new space heaters chosen to take the bite off a periodically below-zero Iowa Fall; particularly the oil-filled selections. Indeed, even a "premium" resistive design which was tried for a while could not stop outgassing due to the low-quality plastics which were pressed into high-temperature service throughout the construction. For a series of quality-related reasons, all went back to their respective stores in a series of seemingly unending rounds.

Thankfully, this design, however, finally answers most needs for upper-story heat in a certain 1912 Midwestern vintage home without recourse to central air.

The H-5300 product appears to be well-made and thoughtfully designed. Room temperature is regulated through a basic thermostat which is isolated from the unit's heating processes; allowing for accurate control of ambient air temperatures. Even the "good old" designs of years past suffered from profound limitations in this area: I am grateful that someone finally spent the ten or so extra minutes with this aspect of space heater design for their offering. Result: No more wide swings in RT during operation.

Even the thermostat itself seems to be of above-average quality, as there is no contact bounce during on/off transitions (heard from most current designs as a brief, distinctive, periodic "chirp" during operation). This will add to long-term durability for the product.

To facilitate even tighter control of room temperature, the unit's heating elements are run on a strategy which minimizes on/off temperature swings during operation. When set at maximum heating capacity, two of the unit's four elements run continuously; relegating active thermostatic control to the two lower tubes. Firsthand experience shows this approach to be effective in a particularly cold and challenging living space layout.

As a further plus, heat produced by the unit is well diffused throughout the surrounding environment. This is accomplished through a clever design despite the unit's lack of an actual mechanical fan (a desirable "feature" to be without, if possible).

Finally, no outgassing from the product at any power level was noted after the first few minutes of operation (this one aspect alone was nearly enough to sell me right off). The unit does not seem to appreciably dry out the surrounding air.

On the flip side, here are some considerations which may militate against one's decision to purchase this unit:

1. Being a consumer-level quartz heater product, on/off cycle noise from the elements may pose a problem in some or all units with the passage of time. Indeed, one of the units which was purchased here manifests this characteristic already: Something to bear in mind if used in sleeping quarters.

2. The unit is wired to disallow thermostatic control on the lowest two power settings: i.e. the upper two elements are selectively-configured for constant running when heating power levels are set to the first two switch positions. This could pose some issues during periods of milder chill without a central heating system to take up the slack.

3. While the visible light level emitted from the unit is quite reasonably low, it is still present. This is another consideration for bedroom use.

However, on point three (above), the spectra involved is of a frequency range which should not disturb the transition into deep sleep for most people; as it is roughly the same as that emitted by a low flame. To the point: If you can comfortably fall asleep in front of a smoldering fireplace then you shouldn't have any trouble with the type and levels of ambient light produced during operation of this unit. At worst, a simple roll over in bed should be sufficient.

In sum, this seems to be an excellent product; and solves a problem which has represented a significant hassle for me. As to cost, the units were purchased locally from a nationwide retailer which is homophonically named for the antonym of "highs" at under $60 per item. The return policy of this particular retailer affords most the opportunity to try an item out for some time before a final commitment is made.

I will update this review at need if any measurable problem is discovered during the long-term usage of the product.

12.27.2010 UPDATE >>

After only a week's worth of use, the heating element on/off cycle noise has become quite significant in the H-5300 units which are on hand here. As I had suspected, this problem manifests itself with use and worsens over time: It is a characteristic of these quartz-element designs.

The periodic short-term noise created is similar to the alarm buzz from a cheap 1960s vintage bedside clock (albeit at a measurably lower decibel level). Therefore, obviously, I cannot recommend bedroom usage for the product except at the lowest two power levels which prohibit thermostatic on/off cycling of the heating elements.

With some deliberation, I dropped one star from my rating for this particular issue. However, room temperature control remains absolutely superb, second to none; and, due to the apparent quality of construction, I suspect that the product will continue to perform flawlessly throughout its service life.

1.27.2012 UPDATE >>

Second season well underway with no durability or performance problems.

This Winter sees the H-5300 in a New England setting. Temperatures here are much more mild than the Midwest; and, in this situation, the main floor household temperature is maintained at a baseline of 63 degrees F. The upstairs sleeping quarters are not directly heated.

Currently, only 1 to 2 elements (375 to 750 Watts) are all that have been necessary for closed bedroom overnight heat; leading to a seasonal testing scenario without much recourse to built-in thermostatic action.

In this setting, the room air mass remains within a consistent and comfortable range: We simply leave the unit on switch position 1 or 2 before retiring. If fairly cold, the unit is left running with one or two elements during the day to maintain sensible overall room temperatures.