Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater, Wifi Wall Mounted

Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Dynamo!
This review is for the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Wifi Wall Mounted Heater.I bought one of these heaters when on a limited time deal and was very happy with it. I actually had a use for a 2nd one so checked the next day and there was a $5.00 coupon with the same limited time deal, so I bought another.These are replacing two Lasko high tech tower heaters, one of which has an odor that never went away and gives me a headache so I don’t use it at all, other than its excellent fan mode during the summer.*** Some key components to using any space heater for zone heating is first of all, don’t overestimate the unit’s capability. These are meant to be used as supplemental heat but in some situations, can be used as a primary source also, but again, be realistic.Secondly, and more important, isolate the space you are heating. Close the doors/windows/openings to other rooms, etc., and keep it as draft free as possible. This may not seem like a big thing, but it is.Also, an insulated space is a big plus when using the heater. The better insulated, the more heat will be realized and held longer. Common sense, but sometimes not so common.The above is important when comparing heater reviews. Also what is the outside temperature at the time of usage, and as mentioned above, how big a space is being heated, and what is the temperature expectation; are we trying to heat to 75 degrees, or a more realistic 65 – 68 +/- degrees.Both my Heat Storms are used in rectangular rooms in my semi-finished basement. The larger room is 23’ x 14’ with two unfinished outside walls and a drop ceiling. I heat this room to 64 – 65 degrees only when using it, playing pool or watching TV with my grandson. The other room is a 14’ x 10’ ManCave with one outside wall and a drop ceiling and is where I work out. I heat this room only when using it to 63 – 64 degrees.We use the Heat Storms as true zone heaters; as heating only when using the rooms they are in. Our house has a gas forced air HVAC system but the upstairs is heated pretty much by a ventless gas fireplace, other than the mornings when the furnace brings the house up to heat, so the Heat Storms may be considered as our primary heat for the basement.We live in Michigan and since I have had the heaters we have had temps anywhere from the low teens to the mid 30’s and the Heat Storms have done their job. The larger room will take anywhere from 15 – 40 minutes to achieve the above set temp, while the smaller only around 10 – 25 minutes or so.When on high, the unit hovers around 1500 watts +/-, and when on low, 750 +/- watts. The fan is fairly quiet in my estimation.In the past I have stayed away from the quartz element type heaters because of some bad experiences and my opinion of them not producing as much heat as other ceramic or PTC type heaters. But using Kasa energy smart plugs, which monitors many energy consumption areas, one thing I discovered is some of the PTC heaters although giving instant heat, does so at the cost of pulling upwards and a bit over 2000 watts while ramping up that instant heat. This is only for a very short period of time but can add to the usage cost and possible connection problems. If the outlet being used to plug any electric space heater has a loose fitting plug at all, it should not be used until replaced. This is the cause of most complaints of a burning plug or outlet. Any poor fitting plug to outlet generates heat from high resistance which if left unattended, will overheat and possibly burn.Good points:Has absolutely no odor when in operation, unlike some Ceramic/PTC units, which I have two of also.Keeps the temperature within one degree +/- of the set temperature. I have not come across an electric space heater that even comes close to this. If the temp is set at 64, it turns off when just touching 65, then back on again when touching 63. Can’t get any better than this.Has a 3 speed fan only mode also which I didn’t see mentioned in the advertising. This is great for a bit of summer cool when the AC is not required.Very easy to install using the included template with level and very light weight.Can be used with both Alexa and Google. I use Alexa voice commands and it works very well.This unit has two washable filters, one on each side and I think the way the unit inhales air has a lot to do with its even set temperature accuracy.The Wi-Fi works great. On both my heaters it was a simple setup that took only minutes using the Smart Life app.Bad Points, or I should say ‘Point’, as for my purposes, only one:Setting an on/off timer must be done on the heater itself, the remote control or an Alexa voice command. Although the app has all sorts of scheduling options, plus other features, I haven’t found a way to set an on/off timer using the app. If you want to turn it off in an hour, you have to set it to turn off an hour from the current time.The extended cool down can be offensive but doesn’t bother me since I am turning the heater(s) off and leaving the area.This is a great little heater and if used properly, within expectations and capabilities, should satisfy a lot of people. Limiting usage to a zone type heating should keep the electric bill in check. When I bought, the price was right also. Now, we will check its operational life although I think it should do well as Heat Storm appears to be a reputable company.

Works so far!
Edit (11/22): It’s been two years and I still like this item. Turned it on tonight for the first time in 9 months. Works great. I did notice a slight increase to my electric bill in 2021. Could be from rate increases or from prolonged use.We have a rather large living room and it’s next to my slightly drafty foyer. We’re now comfortable sitting in the living room without a ton of layers and blankets. This is a temporary solution until we can have someone out to fix our draft issue, which isn’t really much of a simple issue for our house. We may need to replace a door, remove a foyer wall and insulation, and redo all of that. I keep it set at 70 and it keeps my living room (22×13), foyer (4×8), hallway (10′ long), and dining room (11×12) comfortable (not really an open concept either). I’m actually going to take it down a degree every day because it may be too warm for us. We’re still trying to figure out which temperature keeps us comfortable. A definite winner for sure. We’ve lowered our forced heat throughout the house. I’ll update once I get a month or two of utility bills. The unit is great, as long as it keeps my electric bill LOW. We’ll see. Oh, while some have said it doesn’t get hot, I tend to disagree. When it’s set at 70 on low I can easily keep my hand at the heat source without burning it. When it’s set to 70 on high I can put my hand on the heat source and move it away quickly. It’s not like an oven burn or outdoor grill touch where you’re automatically screaming in pain but it’s enough of a WHOA to move one’s hand away extremely fast. The white area stays pretty cool at any temp. My kid will be 7 years old next month and she can be trusted around the Heat Storm – she knows not to touch it. I would not leave a toddler unattended with this item, but then again I wouldn’t leave a toddler unattended around any heater. IT DOES GET HOT depending on the setting and temperature. I would definitely install it out of reach of younger kids. I have not tried the Wifi settings yet nor have I tried the child lock. I’ll update my review in a month or two.

Me sorprendió bastante, es muy bueno para áreas grandes, mantiene una temperatura agradable, lo instalamos en un baño que mide 16mts cuadrados y lo calienta muy rápido, además de que se conecta a wifi para controlarlo a distancia, muy silencioso y además no se sobre calienta

Funciona bien, ruido mínimo.