Natural disasters can take a heavy toll on life and property, even when we’ve prepared for the worst. Floods, earthquakes, fires, and volcanic eruptions can send people running to evacuation centers where they may be safe but are hardly intact both in the body and especially in the mind. These refuge centers are often only able to provide the bare necessities when it comes to shelter and food, with electric power and heating sometimes taking a lower priority. That’s not even considering the psychological pain that all evacuees experience during these dark times, which often take a backseat because of the state emergency. Of course, all of these are important factors to consider, and this concept for an add but cute robot tries to address them in its own little way to provide both physical and mental comfort to people who have been displaced by these calamities.
Designers: Taejeong Kim, Yeji Jeon
To be fair, such shelters have to focus on what human needs to survive, like food, clothing, and a stable roof over their heads. Electricity often isn’t even viable during natural disasters when power lines are down, but considering how much we rely on electric appliances and devices these days, it has become almost just as critical. Depending on the location and the nature of the disaster, keeping warm is also important, especially if the person is shivering from shock.
POWER HUG is a product design concept that tries to bring some of that on a personal level, just enough power and warmth to bring a little comfort and ease the worries of the person. It is pretty much a big power bank, one with outlets for both USB cables as well as typical power adapters. It also has a built-in warmer to keep the person toasty, especially at night when temperatures tend to drop drastically.
What makes the design notable, however, isn’t just the features but also its form. POWER HUG comes as a cylindrical robot with two soft, bendable tubes that wrap around each end like a wheel. It has a screen in the middle to show the robot’s face and deliver a more humane touch to the design. Unlike what you might expect from robots, however, this one is covered with a thin cushion and soft fabric so that you can wrap yours around it in an embrace. Paired with its heating capability, it can deliver much-needed warmth, comfort, and perhaps even peace to a troubled person.
Considering its use in emergency situations, it’s almost necessary for POWER HUG to be made accessible and sustainable materials. Its batteries can be sourced from unused electric vehicle batteries, while its fabric can be made from recycled materials. It’s definitely an interesting idea, even if the production of such a device might not be practical, as it emphasizes humans’ need for more than just food and shelter to survive a disaster.
While it’s of course always a comfort to be working in a place with air conditioning, there are still times when it might be too cold for you. Or you may sometimes be working outdoors when the weather is a bit too cool / cold for comfort. Not all places have a heater for your convenience so a portable heater may just be the solution. But again, not all portable heaters are actually portable or convenient. This new one from DeLonghi may be the ideal one, and it’s also mindful of the environment.
Designer: Noi Creative for DeLonghi
The DeLonghi Capsule Desk Loop is a personal fan ceramic heater that you can place on your desk or wherever you are working so you can “work or relax in peace.” It has a special air grid design that brings you a convenient airflow speed and distribution when you need that soft warmth for your sedentary activities. The designers call the air grid the Flame pattern which actually creates an illusion of heat and flames from your heating source.
It looks like your typical heater but it’s small enough that you can carry it around with you and it’s also more stylishly designed. It is also more environmentally-friendly than most personal heaters as it uses 50% recycled plastic, a first for a DeLonghi product. It also uses 5.5 times lower energy consumption at just 360W, making it eco-friendly not just in the design but also in its function. It also is not as noisy as normal heaters as it just gives you a quiet 39dB operation so you can really work in peace without an annoying hum in the background.
Having a device that can create your very own micro-climate while working may not be a priority but it is pretty convenient to have especially if you work in places where you can get easily cold. That can solve some of the office arguments that can happen when there’s a mix of people who are either too cold or too warm.
Built-in basic thermostat for automatic temperature adjustment
Great safety features for households with children and pets
CONS:
Needs to be plugged directly into a wall socket
Touch buttons provide no tactile feedback
RATINGS:
AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
EDITOR'S QUOTE:
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite delivers quick, efficient, and safe heating wrapped in a compact and stylish package.
The holidays usually mean colder days, at least for those living in the northern part of the world, which also means rising costs in order to keep oneself warm and toasty. Fireplaces might sound and look romantic, but they’re not efficient, sustainable, or even safe. The same goes for gasoline-powered heaters, which also add an element of risk to people’s health. In this day and age, smart appliances play an important role in living a life of comfort without the downsides and expenses of traditional products, so it’s not really surprising that GoveeLife has launched a number of new smart space heaters for that very purpose. While Govee is probably best known for its smart lighting solutions, it established GoveeLife this year to focus on smart home appliances like heaters, humidifiers, smart kitchen appliances, and sensors, aiming to enhance convenience, optimize efficiency, and improve overall quality of life. In particular, the compact GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite piqued our interest, so we took it to the test to see if it’s really such a hot product or just hot air.
Air coolers, purifiers, and humidifiers have started to dress up and look more at home in our living spaces, taking on designs that blend well with the rest of the furniture or stand out in a pleasing way. Most space heaters, in comparison, look utilitarian and uninspired, making you think of them more like movable ovens or furnaces than a distinct class of their own. In that sense, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite sets itself apart with a design that is discreet and stylish, making it a fine addition to your room, no matter the motif you have going.
For starters, the smart space heater takes on a cylindrical shape with very minimal markings all around. The most distinctive part of the product is the silver grille in front where hot air blows out. It’s a perfect match for the black colorway, which is the review unit that we got, though the white version isn’t bad either, even if the grille does stand out more. The top holds the capacitive touch buttons and LED status indicators, though you might not look at those that much if you’ll be controlling the heater mostly through the Govee Home app.
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite, which is the smallest of its siblings, is only 9.1 inches tall and 5.9 inches in diameter. This compact size makes it ideal for any space, even in cramped corners or shelves. It’s also lightweight at only 3.63lbs, which means you can easily take it anywhere around the house. For bigger rooms and spaces, GoveeLife also offers the Smart Heater Pro and Smart Heater Pro Max. The only consideration you need to have is that the appliance has to be plugged in directly to a wall outlet, now through some power cord. That might be limiting for some, but the included 5ft power cable does address that issue to some extent.
Ergonomics
As mentioned above, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite is truly light on weight, so there will be no problem where you want to set it up. It doesn’t require a permanent installation either, so you can just lift it up and put it somewhere else if you’re not happy with the heat distribution. The integrated carrying handle on the back makes that easy, a clear sign that the heater isn’t meant to stay put in a single place forever. Of course, you’ll have to consider the airflow in the room and place the heater where it will have the best effect.
Setting up the appliance is just as easy as well, and all you need to do is connect the Smart Space Heater Lite to your phone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The Govee Home mobile app has all the functions you need to control the heater, some of which won’t be available via the physical controls. Those controls come in the form of very flat, capacitive buttons on the top of the device. This kind of control definitely looks elegant and minimalist, but it lacks the tactile haptic feedback that our fingers and brains need to register that we’ve pushed a button. That might throw a few people off, but not enough to make it a huge issue, especially if you’ll be using the mobile app or voice control most of the time anyway.
Performance
For such a small thing, the Smart Space Heater Lite packs quite a punch when it comes to heating. It uses a 1500W PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) ceramic heating element that only takes 2 seconds to rapidly heat an area. It works best for closed spaces under 200 square feet, so large living rooms might be a bit more difficult to heat up. The heater blasts hot air from the front, but its swivel feature allows that heat to spread across a wider range. You can even tilt the heater up so that it can reach higher areas.
Like air coolers, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite has four modes, five if you count “Auto.” These modes, which include fan, low, mid, and high, can easily be set with a single button that cycles through the modes or directly via the app. The more interesting mode, however, is “Auto,” which utilizes the heater’s built-in thermostat. To use it, you set the desired temperature in the app and the Smart Space Heater Lite will heat the room up to that temperature and then automatically switch off once it reaches that point. While you can switch to Auto mode using the heater’s buttons, you can only set the temperature through the app.
Since we’re dealing with heating elements and hot surfaces, it’s no surprise that GoveeLife loaded the heater with a lot of safety features, including a timer. For starters, the product itself is V-0 flame retardant to reduce the risks of fire and burning. There’s a control lock feature in the app that disables the on-device buttons, preventing anyone, especially children, from accidentally operating the heater. One of the best features, however, is the tip-over notification, which immediately alerts you through the app if the heater is knocked over by a person or a pet.
Of course, the Smart Space Heater Lite is “smart” for a reason, and it can integrate well with existing smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. That means convenient voice control, regardless of which platform you’re using. Not only that, but you can also add the heater to programmed scenes so that you can make sure your home is warm and toasty by the time you get home from work.
Sustainability
Unlike mobile devices and some gadgets, you’d expect appliances to be designed for the long haul. The choice of materials and their designs are made based on durability and longevity, though no device is immortal. Sooner or later, they get damaged or even broken beyond repair, which means a trip either to a service center or to a landfill. When this happens, the use of sustainable materials and the application of repairable designs play important roles in helping minimize their damage to the environment.
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite isn’t exactly an outlier in that regard, made from the typical mixture of plastics and metal. Self-repair is also out of the question, and you might find yourself striking out in finding a nearby service center, depending on where you live. Maybe the day will come when GoveeLife will be making easy-to-repair products that use recycled materials, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on this rapidly growing brand for that day.
Value
Space heaters are a bit less common than coolers and humidifiers, but they’re numbers are definitely rising. That’s especially true for smart heaters that are trying to ride on the smart home train. With so many to choose from, including from GoveeLife’s own catalogue, it’s only natural to ask what makes this Smart Space Heater Lite desirable enough to be worth your hard-earned cash.
In a nutshell, the GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite checks all the right boxes without going overboard with unnecessary features. The thermostat-driven Auto mode is a great money and power saver, and the rapid heating technology makes sure you get the desired warmth sooner rather than later. Its lightweight and attractive design makes it easy to place the appliance anywhere in the house, while excellent safety features ensure your kids and furry friends are out of harm’s way. Best of all, the $49.99 price tag isn’t too much to ask especially for something you’ll be using for a very long time.
Verdict
There has been a lot of focus on air coolers, purifiers, and humidifiers in the past year or so, but unpredictable weather and freak blizzards remind us that the other extreme is just as bad. Not many people give much thought to their heaters, at least until the electricity bill arrives. That’s when they need a smarter and more cost-efficient way to stay farm.
The GoveeLife Smart Space Heater Lite definitely fits the bill in that regard. It might not be sufficient for very large areas, but it’s more than enough for the majority of households and rooms. Smart and safety features take away most of the worry involved with appliances that generate heat, and integration with major smart home platforms means that you can be even more energy-efficient by only using the heater when it’s actually needed. More importantly, the Smart Space Heater Lite looks quite elegant in any setting, making it a potential centerpiece for your smart home decor.
When you take a shower in a hotel or an Air BnB, you rarely think about the design of your shower heater. All you care about is that it works and that you figure out how it works. There are a lot of times, at least in my experience, when I just open the shower and wait for the heater to do its thing. And if it doesn’t, then I’ll have to work with a cold shower as I have no patience to tinker with something that might just figuratively (or literally) blow up in my face.
Designer: Sinan Anayurt
This concept for a Hitachi New Shower Heater might be able to solve that heater problem. Not only is it designed to be unobtrusive and simple enough to use, it also aims to bring the simple Japanese aesthetics of minimalism with a priority on safety. And hopefully, it will just give you the right amount of heat that you need without you having to solve complex design problems.
The heater has a central circle which is the main “hearth” and is connected to the power button and the knob that determines how hot or cold the device should give you. The circular form and the convex shape lets the water flow over the heater. It also has a back design that is able to hide the piping details and gives you a slimmer heater that should not get in the way of your other bathroom activities.
The design for the new shower heater also makes sure that it is safe enough for your bathroom since it’s waterproof and will not put you in danger of electrical shock. The designer also says that the production is easy and the heater is slim enough to minimize the materials needed, therefore saving on costs and waste.
When reducing carbon footprint and eco-friendly products are on your top priority list, a biofuel powered heater is what fits the bill. This sturdily build heater for modern homes is ultra-mobile and suffices your interior heating requirements for the winter season in the most sustainable way possible.
The creator of the Bio Heater is South Korea based industrial design consultancy Unichest for their client Flint Lab. The latter have found a novel way to make judicious use of all the cooking oil that otherwise is as good as waste after use. Target market for this particular prototype is majorly going to be the rural areas and farms where dirty kerosene and coal-fired heaters still dot the landscape.
The good thing about waste cooking oil, plant oil, coffee oil, animal fat or microalgae oil is their property to be produced at low cost sans any additional processing requirements – thereby saving time and money. Flint Lab leverages this goodness to produce eco-friendly fuel for the Bio Heater. Unique combustion technology under the belly of this heater is used to transfer heat energy that’s further radiated in the room. According to Flint Lab, households in Asian cities employ coal stoves which are a nemesis for the worsening air pollution situation. As per a 2016 research by University of British Columbia, at least 5.5 million people succumb this air pollution in countries like China and India
Bio Heater is based on easy parts composition and manufacturing methods to put forth a neat and minimalistic design that blends perfectly with the traditional home setups. As Flint assures, the combustion engine burns contaminants in exhausted gas to significantly reduce the amount of soot generated. The chunky wheels on the front make the thing ultra-movable just like a wheelbarrow. Rounded top can be used to place things when not in use or even heating eatable during the winter season since we’re talking about energy conservation most of the times.
Steel is the primary material used in the construction to keep things lightweight and sturdy. The designers – Cho Sunghwan, Lee Sooyeol, Park Yeongeun, Yang Sihoon, and Lee Hyunju – offer this unique heater in colors including black, silver and orange to keep modern buyers interested.
Not many people realize this, but heat production is an essential category in home and interior design, especially if you live in colder climates. While people in tropical countries spend so much on airconditioning and ensuring their homes are well-ventilated, those that go through winter need proper heating equipment. Fireplaces may be enough in some regions, but in places that need supplemental heating solutions, it may be wise to get a system that can last a long time. And with the skyrocketing prices of fuel that we know will affect basic utilities, homeowners must plan for such heating equipment.
It is not enough that you get and install the first heater or radiator offered to you. If you are someone who cares about style and structure, then you should turn to more reliable companies. We know a few names in this field, like Tubes Radiotori, which is presently at the Salone del Mobile event, showing off the latest in the “heat” production segment.
Tubes Radiotori is an Italian manufacturing company famous for home fixtures and designer radiators. It is known for being one of the pioneers in this niche industry that can deliver even to the most demanding customer. The firm is all about excellence, premium design, and avant-garde technology—proving the Italian tradition of excellence and luxury. The Italian shop established by the Crosetta family has also been set to offer innovation and courage in its product lineup. It has always believed in the art of “savoir-faire,” and that is once again shown in the latest products demonstrated at the Salone del Mobile. Two major offerings are presented—the Trame radiator and the I Ching heated tower rail—and both come with very minimalist aesthetics.
Tubes Radiotori I Ching
Starting with the Tubes Radiotori I Ching, we are learning there is a real need for heated tower rails. If you haven’t heard of such, you can check out the I Ching and discover if having one in your bathroom is necessary. Of course, other people may not agree, but your towel needs heating because air drying isn’t always possible. This special electric towel warmer can be your trustworthy partner during those cold winter nights. Designed by Elisa Ossino, the Tubes Radiotori I CHING is made of steel and can be available in a horizontal or vertical orientation. The I Ching can be customized according to the personal experience you can imagine and the plan of your home interiors—in different colors and finishes or a series of combinations.
The Tubes I Ching elements can be installed on the wall with double intention: to serve as a towel warmer and as a decor. Undoubtedly, the designer heated towel rail can catch your attention with its shape and minimalism. You can use one or install a few in multiple compositions, hues, and sizes. Another important selling point of the I Ching system is that you can create graphic compositions on the wall with it. Definitely, the stainless steel heating module is elegant, and on its own, it can embellish the wall of any room or bathroom. It will look good especially in the bathroom or in areas where you need to fold, roll up, or hang the towel. Making this another impressive product is the fact that you can program it with a wireless thermostat and adjust it via touch controls.
Tubes Radiotori Trame
The Trame is a designer radiator with a beautiful silhouette–looking like threads from afar despite being made with classic tubular steel. What appears to be a soft installation on the wall is simply the woven pattern effect. Designer Stefano Giovannoni styled the Trame with simplicity in mind, but the overall effect is a stylish fixture one would love to see at home.
Tubes Radiotori offers a complex design and creative manufacturing in the form of the Trame. There is some sort of dynamism when you look at it, but it’s really just a beautifully-designed radiator for the home. It is available in different versions: electric, hydraulic, or mixed–also ready in three variants: Trame 14 (14mm), Trame 20 (20mm) and Trame 28 (28mm). The variants mainly differ in the diameter of the tubular elements, but only the 20mm and 28mm versions can be displayed in vertical or horizontal. Any Trame model will go well with the I Ching tower rail, so you can finally complete that designer bathroom you’ve been dreaming of.
A compact heater crafted for individuals who are fed up with the bulky and impractical design of static heaters that beam heat only in one position. This highly maneuverable heater is different from those traditional ones in all respects though!
Winters brings with it chilling cold and consequently, and out come the good old heaters to neutralize things. While heaters solve the intended purpose, they don’t always look as good as modern radiators. Nor are they as compact and handy as some other appliances. Therefore, I’m always left with the unsatisfied craving for an ultra-compact heater that looks good, does the task and simply vanishes away when the winters offset. Have a look at this compact folding heater that superimposes right over what I and for that matter, many of you out there keep longing for in the winter season.
Designers: Wenhua Xu and 托迪 设计
Like a tripod it can be set at any angle and height, fulfilling the user’s requirements without any hassles. It is designed like a folding lamp that can be kept even in the cabinet drawer when not required. Yes, the design is such that it folds into itself, making it very easy to carry in hand or backpack with you. This is an important feature, especially for people who travel a lot in colder regions, and prefer to have their own heating solutions.
Aesthetically the Folding Heater (yes, that’s what it is called) is ideal for modern homes and studio apartments. The appealing form factor will appeal to the young crowd who normally debunk things just for their looks. It’s just like carrying the cool Xbox Series S for style statement per se. Operating the heater is as simple as it can get. The touch-sensitive round display shows the real-time temperature and on either side are the buttons to toggle temperature. On the top, the heater displays the time and on the bottom is the On/Off toggle button.
There’s not much to say here, as the design explains for itself and does what it is intended to do in a cute way. I would definitely like this compact folding heater in my arsenal of geeky possessions, it’s that cool. How about you?
A fully electric hearth puts a modern spin on an ancient household fixture.
Fire and light have always been at the center of homes, be it a TV or a fireplace. The latter has, of course, become less practical these days, and its absence from many homes has also resulted in a shift in family interaction. “Hearth and home” is a phrase that still carries some meaning today, and a designer is bringing back that long-forgotten home centerpiece by making it not only more practical but also safe as well.
The fireplace and the kitchen stove once started out as a single and critical part of the house. The hearth provided not only heat but also fire to cook the family’s meal. Because of those life-essential functions, the hearth also became the focal point for families to gather and connect over a warm fire and hearty food.
Those are the practical and social functions that designer Max Burton is seeking to return to modern households with a coffee table appropriately named “Hearth.” At first glance, it looks like a stylish but normal table with a black tabletop and a shuttered base. Even in this dormant state, it already functions as a beautiful centerpiece for people to gather, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Twist that tabletop clockwise like a giant dial, and the slanted fins at the base open up, revealing the electric heater inside. The twisting motion might remind some of a more advanced thermostat, and it almost offers the same capability. Once opened, the Hearth sucks in air from hidden ducts on its underside and then blows heated air out the fins, warming the entire room evenly in all directions.
While its top is reminiscent of a thermostat dial, the Hearth’s tapered and shuttered base is meant to evoke images of rising temperatures and fire. The glow that comes from the heater inside definitely helps that visualization and provides a warm and soft light that feels like an open invitation for families and friends to huddle and connect with each other, just like what people in ancient times did on cold Winter days.
005G is a neckwarmer designed by Xiaoming for cold winter mornings when hitting the snooze button is all too tempting.
As the seasons change, our bodily needs do too. With winter quickly approaching, the cold, dry air has us shopping for winter accessories like weighted blankets, moisturizers, and steam inhalers. Despite having the heater turned all the way up to stave off the cold, an extra blanket or pair of fuzzy socks always brings just the right amount of coziness. Industrial designer Xiaoming is bringing coziness to this winter season with 005G, a neck warmer that drapes around your shoulders just like a warm towel.
When we first wake up on chilly winter mornings, the last thing we want to do is leave our warm bed sheets and comforters. If only everyone could have heated floors and in-house towel warmers. While we wait for our heated tiles and hot towels to get here, consider 005G the winter accessory that’ll keep us cozy in the meantime.
Shaped like a pair of over-ear headphones, 005G slips around your neck and emanates warmth from its plush, velvet covering to the skin of your neck. With an adjustable temperature dial, users can change the amount of heat they’d like to come from 005G. For cold winter mornings, when hitting the snooze feels more tempting than ever, 005G is there to get us out of bed.
While 005G is primarily designed to keep us cozy and warm in the cold, it’s the perfect accessory for neck pain as well. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning with a stiff neck, especially because there’s nothing you can do about it other than wind your neck back and crack it. To keep comfortable while dealing with neck issues like stiff muscles, 005G provides enough warmth to keep us from thinking about the pain.
Because the great outdoors are best enjoyed while warm and seated, this is the Heated Outdoor Folding Chair available exclusively from Hammacher Schlemmer. I can already feel my butt sweating around a campfire.
The $180 chair has a heating element woven into its seat and has three different temperature settings: 113ºF, 122ºF, and 131ºF. Am I going to hack mine to go up to 300ºF so I can use it for cooking hot dogs? Warranties were made to voided. Its AC rechargeable battery pack provides about six hours of heat on a full charge or about a half-hour of grilling time for me.
Alternatively, just sit on one of those hand warmer packs in a regular folding chair. Sure it might not be as elegant as a heated folding chair, but it’s also not as expensive. If I’m going to spend $180 on a chair, you better believe it’s going to be one of those fancy Japanese toilets with all the bells and whistles.
