Space heaters are a nice addition to any home that finds itself situated in an area of the globe that experiences cold weather. Our friends who live between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn do not need heaters, but the majority of the world's population can benefit from having electric heaters within easy reach. One never knows when the furnace could break down, or there could be a problem with the natural gas supply, or some other problem could arise that prevents the usual heat source from working the way it should.

I own two space heaters right now. One of them is a smaller, fan- driven heating unit that oscillates as it warms up a room. The other unit is larger, noisier, and bulkier, but also produces more heat. It's the Holmes Tower Quartz Heater, model HQH307, a portable heater that uses hot, radiant coils to warm up a room quickly and efficiently.

Features/Specifications:

This model of heater has two basic wattage settings: high and low. Turn the knob to high and you have 1,500 watts of power. Set it on low, and the power level is 750 watts.

In addition to the wattage setting, there is also a thermostat knob for greater heating control. Turn it clockwise, and the thermostat setting increases. Turn it counterclockwise, and the thermostat setting will be a little lower. There are no temperature indicators on this knob. You just have to use trial and error to get the setting you like.

The main panel also has a power light and a caution light. The power light shines to indicate that the power is turned on. The caution light will display if the unit gets too hot. And if the unit accidentally tips over, there is a built- in protection mechanism that instantly shuts it off.

For transporting the unit, Holmes manufactures this with a built- in handle on the back. There is also a handle in front, but it can get overheated to the point where it is too hot to touch, making its use limited.

Customer Service:

If you have questions about Holmes products, you can conduct research by visiting the company web site, holmesproducts.com. If you need further assistance or if you would like to speak directly with a representative, then you can call the customer support line 800-284-3267.

Final Thoughts:

Holmes is my favorite brand name in space heating technology. I have owned only a couple of other brands and while they managed to get the job done, I found that they had problems and tended to malfunction after a very short period of time. With Holmes, I have experienced a good deal of product satisfaction and plenty of warmth to keep me toasty during the winter season.

This quartz- style heater produces radiant heat, and the warmth feels similar to sitting out in direct sunlight on a warm summer day. This heater functions by way of its double quartz tubes which heat up quickly when the power is applied, with the warm air distributed by a small, internal fan. The coils glow red- hot, and you need to be careful not to touch the grill when the unit is in operation. Since the casing is made mostly of plastic, it doesn't get as hot as the heaters of old, but it's still hot enough to cause a burn if the skin comes in contact for too long. I have found that the heat level is weak enough than a quick touch- followed by the reflexive action of removing your body part- won't leave any burn mark, like the old metal heaters were known to do. But prolonged contact for more than a few seconds will leave a burn on the skin.

This heater is a little larger than most, measuring 23 inches (58 cm) tall, 12 inches (30 cm) wide, and 9 inches (23 cm) deep. The front of the unit is angled upward, which helps to project the heat into the room at a better angle. In the absence of an oscillating movement, this is the next best thing. I have found that it does an adequate job in distributing the heat, even though it isn't quite as good as the oscillation- style space heaters in this respect.

I like the overall performance of this model of heater, but there are a few things that could be improved. First of all, I don't like the thermostat knob because it has no temperature markings. The way it is now, you have to "find" the desired setting by turning the unit on with the thermostat knob turned all the way to the right (highest setting), allowing it to heat the room to the desired temperature, and then turning the thermostat knob slowly in a counterclockwise direction until you reach the point where it shuts off. It will then keep the room at this constant temperature. This works, but it would be much more user friendly if it had temperature levels already marked. It would save time and frustration if there was a way to quickly set the temperature and forget it.

Another con is the handle, and this is the same complaint I have with my other Holmes heater. The unit is light and easy to transport, but the handle- which is nothing more than an indentation in the back of the unit- lacks sufficient depth to make it easy to grip. If you grab it too quickly, you will likely lose your grip and drop the unit. There is a better, larger handle in front, but this cannot be touched if the unit is hot. It wouldn't take much effort to make this feature better, and I don't know why Holmes hasn't made any progress in this area. Sure, it wouldn't be very attractive, but this is a utilitarian piece of equipment anyway. It doesn't need to look good- it needs to perform well and be easy to use.

This model is also a little bit on the noisy side, and if you're the type who prefers dead silence when you sleep, then you probably will not like having this heater plugged into your bedroom wall socket. It makes a constant humming sound- the result of the fan working to blow the air into the room. I have found that I get used to it after a while. But it's definitely a distraction at first and it is noticeably noisier than my other space heater.

Overall, though, I recommend the Holmes Tower Quartz Heater HQH307 for its level of heat and its ability to warm up a room (or several) with its hot coils. This particular unit doesn't heat up instantly the way some do (it takes about a minute or so to reach its full capacity), but once it does heat up, you can feel the warmth radiate through your body. It makes a great practical gift for someone who happens to live where the weather is less than fair for a good portion of the year.



Recommended: Yes