Honeywell Ceramic Heater HZ-315 Review

The majority of Honeywell HZ-315 (starting at $29, Amazon) reviews report good heat output from this compact ceramic heater. Reviewers write of using one on or under a desk to heat personal workspace (because of excessive air conditioning or insufficient central heating) and to eliminate the chill in wintry bathrooms (despite Honeywell's warning against doing so). One Honeywell HZ-315 review on J&R says it keeps water pipes from freezing in a house in Iowa. Nonetheless, a number of Honeywell HZ-315 reviews on Amazon gripe about a variety of issues: seemingly faulty thermostats (the heat cycles off shortly after the unit is turned on and then doesn't kick back in), sparks flying out of an outlet, a power strip that overheated, loud noise, and limited durability. Other Honeywell HZ-315 Quick Heat reviews note that vibrations may cause the unit to "walk" (use double-sided tape as a preventive measure, suggests one consumer). The short cord and lack of an on/off switch are inconvenient, and the unit is near impossible to clean, users say.

The Honeywell HZ-315 Quick Heat Ceramic Heater is a convection design that uses electricity to warm up ceramic components and a fan to circulate the heat. The footprint is a mere 7.8 inches by 7.8 inches by 8.6 inches, and while the unit appears to be portable, we couldn't find any mention in the specs of a carrying handle. This heater draws 1500 watts and features an adjustable thermostat with unspecified heat settings; there's also automatic shutoff.

This is not one of our preferred discount space heaters. There are gaps in information from the manufacturer and we're concerned about the negative comments in user reviews, particularly about the short cord, absence of a power switch, and finicky thermostat. Although the size and price are right, we think you can do better.