Electric fireplace heaters

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by Mj Ferruzza

Created on: December 16, 2008

The sermon for today is the AMISH HEAT SURGE FIREPLACE! A fireplace on wheels! This mobile fireplace got a lot interest through ads in newspapers and magazines (in the guise of fake news stories) last Spring. They are supposedly made by the Amish. They can be rolled from room to room. And they warm a house with over 5,000 BTUs of clean, comfortable heat. And the best part? They run on the same amount of energy as a coffee maker!

Sound good?

Have a fireplace in your bedroom for those cozy, intimate nights! Place one in the living room in your apartment or flume-less dwelling. Beat the high cost of natural gas and winter heating costs! Sound better?

Now the 411...

The cost is almost $300 to consumer! The Insert is manufactured in China. The wooden shell is "Amish". It is all electrical by use of any wall plug. The faux burning flames are actually just a paper insert. And as I have just learned... 5,000 BTUs = 1,500 Watts (1 BTU = 0.293 Watts) 1,500 Watts is equivalent to any ordinary space heater. You can get that same clean, comfortable heat from a $50 heater from Wal*Mart!

These are supposed to be so popular that only 2 per customer are allowed. I suppose more than 2 becomes quite a hassle in shipping and storage when that same customer would be asking for more than 2 refunds.

They have a webpage that is quite confusing. On the home page they ask you for a code. This code is supposedly the region of the country you are currently freezing in (as shown on a map that looks straight out of the film The Day After Tomorrow). They also dictate what time you can call their customer service operators through a 1-800 number! Better stated? Their telephone sales operators won't talk to your region before its turn. I'd test the concept if I didn't think the whole thing was such a big sham. All in all, a slick concept for a hard sell approach to the consumer!

I guess when monthly home heating bills are in the $100s, these looked pretty good... And you thought you were helping the Amish.

Want to save money on heating bills?

1. Close off vents in rooms that you are not using.

2. Get a programmable thermostat and lower the temperature at bedtime.

3. Get an electric blanket (or maybe a heat producing bed mate).

4. Insulate! Insulate! Insulate!

Want to help the Amish?

1. Buy their Mums and flowers.

2. Buy their cabinets, hutches, tables and dressers.

3. Buy their rocking chairs.

4. Don't gawk or take their pictures!

Want to save $300?
Pass on the HEAT SURGE!