If you use space heaters to add extra warmth in your home, or as the sole source of heat in your home, then you want to learn more about mica panel heaters. The micathermic heat sources are more effective at heating, cheaper to operate, and safer to have in your home.
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When readers began to ask us if micathermic heat sources were efficient and safe we turned to a panel of HVAC installation specialists, and people who owned these devices. We wanted to make sure that we found out exactly how good these units are at heating.
After reviewing several devices our panel of experts agreed that micathermic devices are a great choice for heat in any home.
Best Micathermic Heater Review
1. De’Longhi Mica Thermic Panel Heater
Check More Photos & Price at: amazon.com
This micathermic heating unit will provide you personalized comfort through the multiple heat settings and adjustable thermostat. You decide how warm you want your room kept and this unit will do the job for you.
This device can stand alone and be used as a convenient portable heat source. You can move it from room to room in your home or office and do not have to buy multiple appliances.
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It can be easily stored in the warmer months and brought out of storage when the temperatures start to drop.
This is a perfect micathermic wall heater as well. If you prefer to have a unit that is mounted on your wall then you will like the fact that this one can be mounted safely to your interior walls.
It comes with all of the hardware you need to permanently mount this heater in one place.
This unit has handles built into it so it is very easy to lift and transport. It also has casters so you can roll it smoothly across the floor and do not have to lift it. This heater provides 1500 watts of heating power. You get two heat settings to choose from.
The Good:
- 1500 watts to Silent warmth for full room
- Efficient for large and medium room – Up to 300 square feet
- Multiple heat settings with adjustable thermostat allows you to control the heat
- Highly portable includes handles, wheels.
- The design, more than a heater, quite good fit to your room, cozy and sleek looking
The Bad
- Having complaints against the parts especially the quality of the plastic plug which is not durable enough and a few users report that this plastic plague melted at heat after running the machine for few hours.
2. Bionaire Micathermic Heater Silent
Check More Photos & Price at: amazon.com
Convenience and portability are built into this unit. It is sitting on wheels so it can be smoothly moved around a room without any trouble. It also has a handle designed on it so you can lift it from the floor and carry it anywhere you desire. Comes with a size of 21.57 x 6.35 x 25.51 inches.
Two heat settings allow you to have control over how warm the room is. The adjustable thermostat allows you to choose one temperature and let the unit maintain that temperature.
It is the perfect heater for larger rooms or for homes where it will be the only heat source in the room.
The low setting produces 965 watts and the high setting is a 1370 watt. Tip-Over protection has been installed in this device so that it will automatically shut off if it becomes tipped over.
It also has overheat protection that will stop it from overheating or becoming a fire hazard. Item weighs only 0.06 Pounds.
It is safe to use in homes that have children or pets because of these added features. Extremely efficient and energy effective.
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The Good
- Only 0.06 Pounds – extremely lightweight and portable having handle and wheels
- Immediate warmth
- 5 years manufacturer warranty
- Truly silent heater.
The Bad
- A few customers reported that “It smoked as soon as I plugged it in” – well, the manufacturer clearly mentioned that it could be happened for the first few times of running – but it will not happen after a few days for sure.
3. TURBRO Arcade HR1015 Mica Electric Heater
Check More Photos & Price at: amazon.com
This unit is ETL and CA PROP 65 certified to be safe to use in your home or office. It has no fan so no allergens are being blown around your room. It is whisper-quiet when in operation so it will not disturb you when you are sleeping or watching television.
It quickly heats up a room and has both a high and low setting for the times you want more or less heat. The thermostat is adjustable so you can pick your favorite room temperature and allow the unit to automatically regulate. This is an energy-saving feature.
A device is a free-standing unit on wheels. It is big enough for a large room and positioned on wheels so you can relocate it easily. It also has two convenient carry handles for the times when you want to move it to another room or store it during the warmer months.
It has the latest tip-over and overheating safety features designed into it. It quickly heats your room but the exterior of the unit remains cool to the touch, and will not create a fire or burn hazard in your home.
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The Good
- Far Infrared Rays (FIR) technology to distribute the heat 360 degree.
- No Noise, No fan 0 silent heating element for maximum comfort
- TURBRO Guarantees – sensor for auto stop when overheating backed by the ETL Certification (No.4005150, By ETL, Oct-2017) and PROP65.CA (No.170928025GZU-001S1, By Intertek, Nov-2017)
- Fast heating technology
- Lightweight and great portability
The Bad
- Like the Bionaire Silent Micathermic Console Heater, this one also has a bad smell for the first few times.
- If you have toddlers in your home then keep in mind that the top portion of this device becomes hot when you run it, but the sides are not.
4. TURBRO Arcade HR1500 Electric Mica Space Heater
Check More Photos & Price at: amazon.com
In less than 30 seconds after turning this device on you will feel a difference in the temperature of a room. It has two heat settings so you can have as much or as little heat as you desire.
It also has an adjustable thermostat so you choose the precise temperature you like your room to be.
This unit has the latest and greatest safety technology. It will automatically shut off if it is knocked over or tipped over. It will automatically shut off if it overheats or receives a large power surge.
This portable mica heater remains cool to the touch and will cool down completely within seconds of being shut off. It is safe to have around pets and small children.
This mica panel space heater does not have a fan so dust, allergens, and things are not stirred up and blown around your room.
It is on wheels so it glides smoothly if you choose to relocate the unit. It also has a heat resistant handle that allows you to pick the device up, even if it has been turned on for a long time.
Some of the Features at a glance:
The Good
- Another fast heating device the previous 3 models, you will feel the heat within the 30 seconds.
- Again, like all of the above-reviewed devices, this one is also capable of heat all around your room.
- Though the screwdriver is not included you can assemble the device within a few minutes with a screwdriver.
The Bad
- Remember the Bionaire Silent Heater? Well, unfortunately, this one is not silent like Bionaire. We must say that Bionaire is the most silent model that we reviewed so far. So, this heater is not ideal for your bedroom.
- Durable but comparatively lower quality of plastic wheels than the other reviewed products in this article
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Buying Guide of Micathermic Space Heaters
Mica panel heaters are efficient, safe, effective, and attractive. If you use electric space heaters in your home, they are an excellent choice because of their safety features.
They can also be used to help heat a room and reduce the amount of energy your central heating unit uses in the winter.
Prior to purchasing one of these heat sources familiarize yourself with the features they can have. Then make a list of the features that you want on your unit, and compare that list to different appliances as you shop. The result will be you find the perfect heater for your space and budget.
Size and Portability
The size of the heating device you buy will partially be determined by what you need the heater to do for you.
If you are getting the heater to help cut down the cost of heating your home then you might be able to get a smaller unit than if you are wanting to buy a heat source that will be the primary heat source.
The size of the unit will also determine how easy it is for you to pick the device up and move it from room to room within your home. The larger units often have casters that help you move them from one location to another.
Small micathermic heater often have carrying handles built onto them to make them easier to lift and transport.
Portable or Wall Secured?
The mica panel units can be portable devices that can stand alone or they can be devices that are designed to be mounted to a wall in your home. Make sure you know what style of unit you are buying and what style you would prefer.
Heat Settings
These heat units come with a differing number of heat settings. You want to get a unit that will have as many settings as you might use.
High and low settings are common on all of these devices but some of the units have high, medium, and low. This allows you to have heat quicker and create a comfort level that you like.
Adjustable thermostat controls
There are a lot of these heaters that have adjustable thermostats. You get to choose the exact temperature you want your room to be and the thermostat in the unit will regulate and maintain that temperature setting.
Overheating Protections
You want to get a unit that has overheating technology designed into it. This is a great safety feature that prevents electrical shorts and fires.
Tip-Over Shut-Off Feature
The tip-over shut-off feature in some of these units assures you that if the device is knocked over it will automatically shut off and will be less likely to cause a fire or be broken.
Safety Certification
You want to get a device that is both ETL and CA Prop 65 certified if you can. This will ensure that the device is toxin-free and meets all of the safety regulations and inspections required of a home heating device.
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Micathermic vs Infrared heaters
Micathermic panel heaters are a better heat source choice for small spaces over the traditional infrared varieties. Infrared heaters are possibly the better choice if you have a very large space to heat, but in a typical room in a house, the mica panel unit will be your better option.
- Infrared heaters are less energy efficient.
- Infrared heaters heat the air in the room and a micathermic heater heats objects surrounding it.
- Infrared heaters take a longer period of time to generate enough heat to make a room comfortable.
- Mica panel heaters can be smaller, lighter, and more compact than infrared heaters.
- Mica panel heaters are less likely to be a source of electrical fire or burn injuries.
- Mica panel units are less likely to be tipped over.
Micathermic Heater vs Oil Heater
These two heat sources work in similar ways. They both heat the objects around them instead of merely heating the ambient air in the room. They are both very quiet when they are working.
- Oil filled heaters do have a tendency to create some noises when they are heating.
- These heaters are bulkier and weigh more.
- These heaters do not heat up as quickly as mica panel heaters do.
- Oil heaters use more electricity than mica panel heaters do.
- Oil filled heaters are not as attractive as the mica panel heaters.
- Mica panel heaters tend to cool off quicker and are less of a burn hazard than oil filled units.
How does a Micathermic heater work?
Electricity is sent to the heating elements in the device. These elements are covered in a thin layer of mica and when the electricity is introduced to the mica the result is a release of electromagnetic rays.
Those electromagnetic rays warm the objects surrounding the device and that allows the air in the room to be warmed.
Mica is a silicate mineral. It is an excellent heat conductor. When the mica is warmed by the electrical current the electromagnetic rays are created and those rays heat any surrounding objects.
The warmed objects give off heat to the air around them and the result is a warmer room that has a more even distribution of heat throughout.
Advantages of Using a Micathermic Heater
There are many advantages to choosing a micathermic heater for your home or office.
- 1Mica panels allow the unit to sit closer to objects without being a fire hazard
- 2Small and compact these appliances take up very little room
- 3They heat the air quicker than other heater varieties.
- 4They are quieter
- 5Micatherimic heat uses less electricity
- 6They are safer to operate than many other varieties.
Final Note
If you are looking for the best mica heater that will easily heat a large room, we suggest the TURBRO Arcade HR1500. It is a free-standing unit on wheels for easy mobility.
If you are looking for a heater that you can mount on the wall, we suggest the De’Longhi Mica Thermic Heater. This device can be mounted on the wall or left free-standing for portability.
These heat sources are great additions to central heat and will lower your winter heating costs. They are also perfect to use as the only heat source.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are Micathermic heaters?
These are electric space heaters that have heating elements coated in a thin layer of mica. They produce convection heat and radiant heat to warm a room using electromagnetic rays to heat the surrounding objects instead of heating the ambient air in a room.
2. Are Mica Heaters Energy-Efficient?
Mica panel heaters quickly heat a room and they use far less energy than other electric heat sources. Within sixty-seconds, the mica panel can make a big difference in the temperature of a room. They have precise temperature control switches so they shut off when the room reaches a certain temperature and kick back on when it drops below that temperature.
3. Are Micathermic heaters safe for your home?
A mica panel heater is very safe to use in your home. They have no oils or fuels that can spill. They are less likely to be the cause of a fire due to their stability.
They cool quickly when they are shut off. The generally remains cool to the touch so they do not cause burns and injuries. They do not produce any carbon dioxide.