Handy Heater 142598 Plug-in Personal Heater

I bought this heater to take the chill out of a camper at night. I liked that it was small and quiet, and that it plugs directly into an outlet. After using it for a few nights recently, I am returning it as defective. Many of the other reviews noted the same shortcomings leading me to believe the mfg is aware of the defective thermostat and continues to sell defective units.The first time I plugged it in, everything seemed to work as intended. I left the unit run in the camper for a while then went out to check on it. I was surprised to see that the heater had kicked off well before the programmed temp had been reached. Thinking this was odd, I waited a solid 15 minutes to see if it would ever kick back on, it didn't.Eventually I found one way to keep the heater on, and that was to set the temp at 90. If the temp is set at 90 (highest), then unit will heat continuously. In this mode it did a very good job keeping the camper warm especially if I kept air circulating with a couple fans. However soon the camper turned into a sauna, and with no functioning thermostat the only way to cool back down is to turn it off. I tried many times to set the thermostat at 75, and the unit would either heat for a few minutes then kick off forever, or the heater wouldn't even come on. The only way to get heat out of it was to set it at 90, and wake up in a puddle of sweat to turn it off/on/off/on all night long.I should add (put this in crappy design category) that there is a red light behind the heating element that comes on whenever the units is powered up. This has the effect of making a person think it is hot, and that they are seeing the heating element glowing red. This is not true. The heating element does not get hot enough to visibly glow despite the red light, so a person cannot tell with any certainty if the heating element is on or off except by feeling heat actually coming out of it.I actually like the idea and form factor of this little heater, and I have no doubt that if the thermostat worked I would be keeping it, as it did effectively warm my small camper enough that I had to continually turn it off manually to keep from sweating. I am convinced however that most of the negative reviews and tests I found on this unit are directly linked to the same problem. If the units initially comes on, then kicks off and never comes back on again, it would be easy to see how people claim the heater is ineffective, especially if they are seeing a fake red-light and thinking the heater is actually on.This is an example of a good idea horribly executed by cheap, non-functioning control hardware. I am shocked they continue to sell these, and appalled that I wasn't even offered an exchange, only a refund. Leads me to believe to mfg is well aware of the shortcomings and hardware issues, and chooses to sell at discount instead of correcting the problem. I just hope someone doesn't burn down their house first.

Had a problem at work with high watt units like this blowing fuses - there are 3 of us at work who are cold all the time, and this little baby really throws some nice heat with tripping any breakers...even if all 3 of us are running at the same time. I also bought an extra one to put in powder room at home - all my holiday guests loved it and most were going to order. NOTE: make sure you get the model with the round (not rectangular) red power button. The rectangular must have been an earlier model and is made a lot cheaper.

I have a small bathroom (approximately 60 square feet) with no radiator or forced air heat - it stays approximately 5 -7 degrees cooler than the rest of my apartment. I had this unit running at top speed maximum temperature and after 30 minutes I could barely feel and difference in heat. I'm looking for a small heater that will warm the room while taking a shower. This unit doesn't do the deal.

This heater is ideal for a small space. We use it in the bathroom as my wife takes her bath. As a handicapped person, she has a caregiver to assist, and easily gets cold during the bath---but this heater fills the bill without raising the thermostat in the entire house--- or during days when the A/C is running, it helps balance the temperature in the bathroom.

Warms about 12-18" around device, even after being on for hours. Very difficult to get a refund. Difficult seller

It doesn’t work.I too bought one for a 6’x4’ rest room and after several hours on high there was no noticeable change in temperature.

Blows nothing but cold air.

Might heat a small closet but air is not hot at all.