MARKEL 150TS
Price: $190 Ty p e : Elec-
trical resistance Watts:
1,500 Highest grill tem-
perature: 146°F Highest
recorded amps: 11.4
Weight: 9 lb
It took some looking, but
we found what we believe
to be the last portable
electric space heater still
made in America. Pro-
duced by Markel Products
Company in Johnson City,
Tennessee, this rugged
little unit is an all-steel
appliance that’s well-built
and refreshingly retro,
in a 1970s sort of way.
It’s a pity this gem is this
expensive, but it oper-
ates smoothly, quietly, and
without vibration. Plus,
judging by the hardy build,
the 150TS might serve
you a lifetime without
complaint.LASKO AW 315
Price: $109 Ty p e : Electrical
ceramic Watts: 1,500 Highest
grill temperature: 161°F
Highest recorded amps: 12.2
Weight: 10.8 lb
Our curiosity was piqued when
we saw that Lasko calls the
AW315 “bladeless,” as if it lacked
a fan. And in the truest sense, it
does, using a multi-vane impeller
instead. It contributes to the appli-
ance’s quiet operation as it pulls
in a fair amount of air through the
base and into the tower. To Lasko’s
credit, the company equipped
this heater with a cleanable air
filter, right outside the impeller,
which you can access through a
tool-free hatch. We also liked the
sleek touch pad on the front for
controlling the wattage, tower
oscillation, and the eight-hour
timer. The large amount of air-
flow and the appliance’s even heat
distribution does help it bring a
room or a large area up to a com-
fortable temperature faster than
other heaters. If we had to pick
one gripe, it would be that the bat-
tery hatch on the remote needs
another trip through engineering.
Taking it off? Forget about it.
MR. HEATER MH9BXPrice: $114 Ty p e : Propane,
gas-fueled BTUs: 4,000
(low) or 9,000 (high) Highest
grill temperature: 360°F
Highest recorded amps:
N/A Weight: 10.6 lb (with
propane cylinder)Twist on a propane cylinder
and turn the ignition knob
to light—that’s all there is to
warming up a frosty space
using this little gas-fired
dynamo. It’s noiseless and,
according to our Flir cam-
era, produces a well-heated
four-foot circle of warmth.Mr. Heater estimates that,
when placed in an enclosed
space, the MH9BX can heat
up to 225 square feet with its
infrared output. That’s a lot
of firepower in an appliance
about the size of a toolbox.
If you need a longer run time
than this heater’s estimated
three hours on high, you can
buy a kit that enables you
to hook it up to a 20-pound
propane cylinder. As for its
safety, it’s equipped with
an oxygen-depletion sen-
sor for operating in enclosed
areas plus a tip-over switch
that shuts it off. Be warned:
It doesn’t take much of a
breeze to blow it out.THE
WAYS
HEATERS
HEAT
Radiation
A ray in the
infrared
(ele c t r oma g ne t ic)
spectrum that
travels through
space, creating
heat energy when
it passes through a
solid (such as you,
furnishings,
objects, and
equipment) or a
structure (like
your home).Convection
Movement of
heat energy
through a f luid—
either a gas
(think air) or a
liquid (such as
oil or water).Conduction
Heat energ y
moves through
a solid, just by
means of
direct physical
contact.December 2019 81