Eden Pure space heaters - what's all the hype? - By: Scott Workman

EDEN PURE - IT”S ALL ABOUT ADVERTIZING

Nealry everyone has come across the full-page advertising ads in newspapers and magazines or heard veteran radio commentator Paul Harvey tout the Eden Pure on his national radio program. In considering whether we should add the Eden Pure to our online product mix, along with thousands of other retailers nationwide, we simply do not feel this heater lives up to the advertising hype. The popularity of this heater has only skyrocketed since the decline in our economy. Simply stated, people want to cut their living expenses and the Eden Pure ad campaign is perfectly timed to play into people’s concerns. No doubt, we could make a generous profit from selling this heater but have decided against it.

Why?

We won’t go into too much detail here. Just visit the blogs or Google “Eden Pure” and view the comments by Consumer Reports or Consumer Research. There you’ll find a wide range of comments from glowing to downright negative. We agree with the findings of Consumer Reports that this is an overpriced heater. And in light of the issues people have with broken elements during shipping and difficulty getting their heaters warranted, we hope people will do a thorough investigation before buying such an expensive item. We feel there are many reliable and less expensive heaters on the market that can perform equal or better. In fact, we think a quality liquid filled portable baseboard heater works very well at heating good sized living spaces, at about half the cost and without some the hassles of broken elements many Eden Pure customers often complain about.

What about the claim that the Eden Pure can cut heating costs by 50%. Is that true?

Yes and No. What they are really saying (but they don’t say it in their advertising) is “Zone heat. Shut your central furnace off. Isolate yourself to one room or area of your house. Plug in the Eden Pure heater, and you’ll save up to 50% in heating costs”. So it’s not that the Eden Pure heater saves you money, it’s the fact that you are zone heating and not wasting heat energy in unoccupied areas of the house. That is what saves you money. That is a concept we promote and agree with. But the Eden Pure ad campaign makes people believe it is the heater that accomplishes the savings. We think that is mis-leading. It is the method of heating that saves, not necessarily the heater.

So, can I use another type of electric heater and save up to 50% in heating costs? Yes!

Here are the facts. The highest output on the Eden Pure heater is 1500 Watts, or 5,119 BTU/Hr., and draws about 12.5 amps in high output mode. You’ll find that other 1500 Watt heaters draw the same amount of energy. In fact, 1500 Watts is the maximum power wattage for any appliance plugged into a standard household outlet. Amperage draw is amperage draw. You can expect to pay about .8 cents an hour to operate an electric heater, based on average energy rates throughout the country.

But doesn’t the Eden Pure technology distribute the heat better than other electric heaters?

Not necessarily. We agree that infrared energy is very effective. Afterall, infrared heating is our primary focus (our corporate name is Infra-Red Products Supply, Inc.)
Infra-red heating is what we do. But what really is infrared? Infrared is simply another term for radiant. Even a baseboard heater emits infrared (radiant) heat. The same is true of oil-filled heaters and even direct-vent fireplaces. They all emit soft, safe and comfortable infrared (radiant heat to the surrounding space. Since the first principal of thermal dynamics is that “heat seeks cold”, connected spaces and adjacent rooms will become warm over time or until the thermostat is satisfied. That is true with almost all radiant heaters. Having said that, we do not recommend a small $35.00 forced air "personal" heater. These little heaters should not be left unattended for long stretches of time. In addition, they lack the safety features of the more expensive heaters and are not thermostatically controlled. The better heaters are not usually found in big box stores and home centers. But you can find them online or from a local electrical supply wholesaler.

Another important thermal principle is that humid air holds heat better than dry air. Many Eden Pure customers are told to purchase a humidifier to enhance the heating effectiveness of the heater, with the idea that the heat energy can “ride” the humidity to adjacent areas better than if the air is dry. That is true. But that concept works with any heater, not just with an Eden Pure. So if you want to increase the effectiveness of your zone heater, or any heating system for that matter, think about getting a humidifier. It can make a huge difference.

In our opinion, there is nothing “special” about the Eden Pure’s ability to heat up a space. There are many safe, reliable and much less expensive electric and gas heaters on the market specifically designed to heat small living spaces or provide supplementary heat where the central heating system is inadequate.

NOTE: The above information is our opinion and is not in any way intended to defame or discredit the Eden Pure or Sun Twin brand names. We encourage people draw their own conclusions.

About the Author

Scott Workman is owner president of Infra-Red Products Supply, Inc., located in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit http://heatersunlimited.com or http://infraredinfo.com

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Scott-Workman/5487

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