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LIFE TECH FEATURE

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STAR POWER When you’re looking at a larger appliance, such as a reverse cycle unit, it should come with an Australian Government Energy Rating label, which looks like the picture just below. It represents the energy efficiency

If you’ve been feeling the cold lately then you’re not alone, we sure have! The good news is that you don’t have to sit there shivering, with several handy heating options available that range from little to large. STAY TOASTY! THE SMALL AND PORTABLE Wanting a heating solution that gives you the option to move it around with you? There’s a vast range of choices, and various ways in which they work. Let’s have a look at four main types.

of the appliance in question compared to others of the same size – basically, the lower the number of stars, the higher the cost of running it, due to the amount of electricity it uses.

THE BIG AND BOUNTIFUL Sometimes you may be after a permanent heating solution, in which case, assuming you own your property or have permission from a landlord to install, a reverse cycle unit is an effective and ultimately quite economical option for bringing warmth to your home – plus it gives you the option of getting nice and frosty when the temperatures do the Aussie summer thing. There are two main types to choose from here. BOXY BUT NICE You may have grown up with an old school wall mounted air conditioner. While they may look fairly similar to those old power-guzzling chuggers – and still require a hole in the wall or window that they’re attached to – modern models offer heating and cooling, remote controls and better energy efficiency.

FAN CLUB One of the most compact options for warming up your winter is the classic fan heater. Packing a whole lot of watts for easily directed heat, the internal fan spreads it around, making it a great solution for knocking the frostiness out of small rooms or home offices, or it can be targeted towards you if you’re in a bigger space such as a lounge. Depending upon the model, it may also oscillate to spread the warmth further. Some can even act just as a fan for those times when you need a bit of cooling – ah, remember summer?

CERAMIC PARK Ceramic heaters usually look quite similar to fan heaters, but are generally a little cheaper to run. There are also larger, more column-shaped options, any of which are another great portable option. The “ceramic” part is the element inside, which heats up quickly, making it a very effective generator of warmth. Some even come with a handy remote control, so if you’ve found a comfy couch nook, you needn’t leave it.

Top options: Goldair 2000W Digital Ceramic Tower Heater with Remote Omega Altise 2400W Compact Ceramic Heater

Top options: Goldair 2000W Upright Fan Heater with Oscillation Kambrook Upright Oscillating Fan Heater

Top option: Teco 2.2kW Window/Wall Room Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner

SPLITS A HIT! The default permanent solution for heating – and, of course cooling – nowadays is the modern split system. The “split” right there in their name is indicative of their two distinct parts: the unit that mounts on the wall in the space that you wish to have temperature control in, and the motor unit that goes outside somewhere, keeping its noise out of your living area. Some units even feature air purification and smart home Wi-Fi compatibility. Remember, you need to use the services of a licensed sparky for the electrical connection stuff.

CONVECTOR LOVIN’ Another quiet option for heating is the sleek and modern-looking convector heater. These handy devices warm up a space by pulling air over a heated element, with the natural rising of warm air helping to heat your space evenly and quietly.

COLUMN ON STRONG Bringing a classic old school look to heating, the oil column heater is still a very viable option for banishing the cold. Another great solution for small and even medium rooms, a row of fins offers a large heating surface, which also holds and radiates warmth for longer. As such, they’re great for spaces that you spend lots of time in. Being near silent in operation, they’re a good choice for allowing you to get on with everything from TV watching to sleep, without having to put up with fan noise.

Top option: Goldair 2200W

Electronic Convector Heater

Top options: Kelvinator KSD25HWJ 2.5kW Split System Inverter Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner Panasonic C3.5kW H4.3kW Reverse Cycle Split System & Air Purifier with Wi-Fi

Top option: Dimplex 1.5kw Oil Free Column Heater

BLANKET COVERAGE

Sleep Express double electric blanket could be your new best winter friend. With three heat settings and speedy heat-up, it’s machine washable and also serves as a mattress protector.

With tech evolving seemingly every day, sometimes it’s comforting when something genuinely old school still does the job brilliantly. And being comforting is what an electric blanket is

all about, warming up that cold bed in readiness for your slumber, as well as keeping you toasty through those super cold nights. If you have a double bed to banish the cold from, the Sunbeam

38 JULY 2022

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