Micathermic heaters, also known as mica heaters, are often hailed as being more energy efficient, faster at heating a room and sleeker and more modern in appearance than your standard ceramic element space heaters.
What is it about micathermic heaters that have given them their popularity, are they really all they are cracked up to be?
The short answer is yes, they certainly are and if you’re looking for a fantastic zonal heating option for your living room, bedroom, garage or sheds take a look at some of the best micathermic heater models below.
I will also be taking you through what mica heating is all about and how their modern design makes them the new standard in space heating efficiency.
Quick Picks: Best Micathermic Heaters Compared
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- Heat Output: 5120 BTUs
- Capacity: up to 300 sq ft
- Heat Settings: 2 and Thermostat
By far, the best micathermic heater available is offered to us by DeLonghi; a well-respected and favoured brand of appliances, known for their user friendly designs and reliable products.
This micathermic space heater is everything you would want an electric space heater to be: space saving, versatile, easy to use and efficient in every way. It warms a room up (up to 300 square feet) relatively quickly, packing a punch with its 1500 Watt heating power.
It has two heat settings just in case 1500 is more than you need, and it can be adjusted to the lower 750 Watt setting. You can further control the comfort levels in your room with the adjustable thermostat.
It may be surprising to hear that despite packing such a punch of heat, it’s actually a very small, compact and slim heater which you can free stand in the room and easily move it around with the attached wheels.
It also comes with a wall mounting kit, and is very simple to have mounted and due to how sleek and modern it looks, it would go great in any home with a modern or rustic aesthetic.
It also has the safety feature we would expect from indoor heating products such as overheat auto-shutoff, tip-over protection and an anti-freeze mode which helps to prevent the pipes in your home from freezing on those particularly harsh days!
What’s more is this heater is absolutely silent, giving off no noise what so ever. This is great when compared to ceramic heater models which employ a noisy fan that some people cannot stand.
- Power: 1500w
- Capacity: small – med rooms
- Settings: 2 and Thermostat
Having the ability to heat a room up to 160 sq/ft the NewAir Portable Space Heater is energy efficient. What we like best is this unit uses a convection heating system to warm cold air very quickly. When the air comes in contact with the heating plate, it warms the air quickly and the air rises. The Diamond Heat doesn’t use a fan to force the air which makes this unit completely silent.
It can be either wall mounted or left free standing and is on wheels to make it easier to move it between rooms.
- Power: 1500w
- Capacity: small – med rooms
- Settings: 2 and Thermostat
In comparison to the previous models we looked at, the Turbro micathermic heater is much more affordable but doesn’t look as pretty and doesn’t have as sleek a design.
It’s just that little bit more bulky in every way: the frame, the control dials and the wheels.
However if aesthetics are not particularly your concern, then this heater performs ok on the heating front, and warms rooms up to 160 square foot in size with ease. Just like the DeLonghi mica panel, there is a high and low setting and a thermostat.
It’s convenient to move between rooms as its light weight enough to carry and the base has wheels fixed on too, so you’ll have no trouble moving it. It doesn’t however have the option to be wall mounted.
- Power: 1500w
- Capacity: small – med rooms
- Settings: 2 and Thermostat
Bionaire is a lesser known brand of heating and home air quality goods, sporting only a few products in their collection.
Nether the less, their mica heater is made with convenience in mind and is reasonably priced for those who would rather not afford the DeLonghi option.
This mica heater has a somewhat different design than the others, with a top handle and two large wheels on one side at the bottom, it allows you to easily tip up and wheel the heater to wherever you want it.
It has overheat and tip over protection, 2 heating settings and a thermostat just like the other options available.
Given that this model is quite high in the price range, it does not allow you to wall mount it and there are some reports to be concerned about. There have been reports of the casing becoming scorched and electrical outlets being damaged as a result of using this product which is important to be aware of before deciding to make a purchase.
What Is A Micathermic Heater?
A blower or fan is composed of rotary blades that are designed to circulate the warm air heated surrounding and heated by your stove. This is advantageous since heat rises it tends to get trapped in the upper portion of your living space meaning the heat generated is not doing what you want it to do – keeping you and your family warm.
The rotation of the blades offers a simple yet effective solution, by recirculating and re-positioning the hot air through your living space your heat will quite literally go further than ever before.
The best part about many fan models is that the majority don’t require their separate source of power since they are usually powered using the heat of the stove.
What is the Benefit of Using a Micathermic Heater?
The use of mica to produce electromagnetic waves to heat the air is, as we mentioned, similar to the way in which radiant heaters work, but is much more efficient. Radiant heaters, such as oil filled space heaters rely on the heated oil to transfer the heat to the metal fins which then warm the air it is in contact with.
The electromagnetic waves that are produced by the micathermic heater spread out form the heater, effectively negating the need for a large surface area as the waves heat the surrounding air without needing to contact it.
This is also a much more efficient method when compared to fan assisted convection heaters, as they rely on the air being drawn into the heater, warmed and then blown out the room again, a percentage of which is lost.
With that being said, the micathermic heater takes much less time to warm up a room within its given capacity than a convection or oil filled heater with the same capacity.
They also do not require a fan to blow out warmed air and so as a result are much quieter than fan assisted convection heaters which is a major bonus, as the noise of a fan can ruin the comforting atmosphere that we like to have in our living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms.
What Makes the Best Micathermic Heater?
When shopping for any type of heater, there are a number of factors to consider such as the build quality or the features the device has to ensure you are getting value for your money. You’ll know what the best micathermic heater for you is if you take the following into account:
Heat Output and Efficiency
Heat output is highly important, it not only gives you an idea of the heaters efficiency by comparing the energy consumption to the heat output in BTUs, but it also determines the heaters capacity.
The higher the heat output of a heater, the more able it is to heat larger rooms in square feet efficiently. In regards to efficiency, if a heater A outputs 5000 BTUs and consumes 1500 watts and heater B outputs 4500 BTUs and consumes 1500 watts which do you think is more efficient?
Heater A is the more efficient because it gives out more heat for the same amount of power consumed.
Heating Capacity
We describe the heating capacity as the ability of the heating device to warm up a certain sized room (measured in square feet) effectively. The best micothermic heater we have listed as having the highest capacity is the DeLonghi which has a heating capacity of up to 300 square feet.
This is quite high for a space heater, and therefor says to you that this is a high quality device and good value for money as it performs the job it’s designed for very well in comparison to its competition.
Other space heaters and electric heaters typically have a capacity of up to around 150 square feet.
Convenience and Portability
Most mica heaters have a very slim and streamlined design, as they don’t need to surface area to warm up the air in their vicinity. This makes them ideal for heating small to medium sized rooms as they can stay out of the way.
They’re also typically very light weight and easy to carry, most models have wheels attached and only the very best micathermic heater models allow you to easily mount the device onto a wall allowing you to save space, and they don’t look half bad either.
Safety
When it comes to heating, safety is the most important factor to consider. There’s not just the risk of a house fire occurring but also burns from direct contact with the heater.
The two main safety features to ensure that the device has in place are:
Tip-Over Protection: This is where the device automatically shuts itself off if it senses it has been tipped over. This is to prevent burns to property and fires.
Overheat Auto-shutoff: This is when the heater will turn itself off it it senses that it is becoming overheated. This is to protect the components of the heater, the casing and the electrical circuit from damage.
In Summary
The main thing to take form this article is that mica heaters are brilliant but only if you stick to the best micathermic heater models. Lesser models do not match the heating capacity or the heat output of the superior competition.
Be sure that you are aware that value for money does not always mean the cheapest option, as the price goes up when the quality of the components are better and more features are available and this give you more for your money despite you spending more.
Micathermic heating is a much faster, more powerful and more efficient option than oil filled or ceramic element heaters but they do come at a slightly higher price tag. Whether or not a mica heater is right for you because of this is up to you.
About the Author
Dave Miller is a HVAC technician with over 10 years in the industry. Dave created HeatTalk with the ambition for it to become a resource for individuals looking for answers, whether they be a layman, student or a professional.