Difference Between Room Heater vs Blower - Which is the Better Choice?

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A lot of people have a hard time deciding between a room heater vs blower. Funny fact, blowers are a type of a room heater actually, a subset if you may. Room heaters is the larger group name which consists of all kinds of heaters available in the market. A blower, which is also a type of room heater, is just a type of appliance you can use to heat up your surroundings. While a room heater could refer to a blower, mostly radiant and halogen heaters are called room heaters. Fan heaters are generally referred to as blowers, and OFRs are called radiators. That said, room heater and a blower are very different appliance with different capabilities.

Let us find out what the differences between a room heater vs blower are, and see how each of them fit in against your very requirements.

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Room Heater vs Blower – How to Choose between the Two?

So, choosing between a room heater vs a blower is actually not as difficult as you might think. Either of the appliances have their own set of advantages and disadvantages and uses according to their potential. This means if your requirements fall within the potential of either a room heater or a blower, investing in the right one would be really beneficial to you.

There are considerable differences between room heaters and blowers but do remember that a blower is a type of room heater in the first place. We are going to talk primarily about radiant and halogen heaters in the room heater category, while blowers will be talked about separately, even if blowers are a part of room heaters.

Let us see the difference between a room heater and vs a blower and see what would be a better appliance for you.

What is a Room Heater?

When talking about the best room heaters in India, you can be sure your purchase cycle will be quite confusing. With each type of heater good for a particular kind of climate and usage, it can be very tricky to know which one is best for you, and which one is best overall.

There are multiple aspects at play here and picking one out of the few that are available can be a lot trickier than you might realize. For one, holistically, no heater is better than the other. They all function very well in their own element and can be used effectively no matter what use you put them through.

The term room heater is actually a much wider category into which a few different types of appliances nest. For understanding purposes, here are the types of room heaters available in the market for you to choose from.

Convection Room Heaters: Uses the principle of convection to heat the room. A coil or panel is used for heating, while a fan is used to spread the warm air across the room.
Conduction Room Heaters: Uses a metallic coil that glows bright and starts to slowly spread out the heat.
Radiant Room Heaters: Uses the principle of infrared radiation to heat the room. Heat rays generated heat the surfaces around your room directly as they hit them.

The convection room heater, also known as fan heater is the parent category of blowers in actuality. Let us see the advantages of room heaters, without including blowers in the mix.

Advantages

Multiple formats available
Ability to be used in any type of weather condition
Most OFR and radiant heaters do not cause the humidity to lower in a room
Great for large areas, expect halogen heaters that work best only in a limited space
Radiant heaters are incredibly cheap to purchase
Loaded with great features
Comes with safety features as well
OFR heaters are the best kind of room heater. Buy these if you live in a perpetually cold region to conserve electricity and provide a more thorough heating experience
Price ranges from really affordable to highly functional expensive appliances

Disadvantages

Can be difficult to choose between the many options
Generally not as quick at heating as blowers, no matter the kind of room heater
Can be very expensive depending on model type, features and format

Checkout The Best Room Heaters (Recommended)

What is a Blower?

Now, coming to blowers. A blower is basically a fan powered heater that has, generally, a ceramic element that heats up. The fan blows the heated air out which spreads around, heating the room quite effectively. While blowers are great appliances, they do certainly have some drawbacks. For one, the hot air from the blowers are known to cause allergies. The vents can easily trap dust inside the heater and when turned on, this dust is blown all across the room. Heat from the blowers also tends to lower the moisture content in the air, which can cause minor respiratory issues. If you have respiratory issues already, a blower is not the best appliance for your uses.

Blowers, however, are great for people who can handle them, and are great at heating up a room quickly as well. The fan speed is generally controllable, which means you can easily adjust how much heat is spread in the room the blower is kept in.

One of the best thing about blowers is that if you simply turn on the fan and not the heating element, a blower will pump out cooler air instead of hot air. Essentially, you can use them during the summers as a handy fan as well. Be advised however, they are obviously not as effective as a ceiling fan, or a complete air conditioner.

Blowers are quite cheap to purchase and are also very effective in regions that see only a few months of winters. Delhi, for example, is a great place to invest in a blower since you will only use it for the three-four months they are needed.

Let us look at the disadvantages and advantages of using a blower over a generic room heater.

Advantages

Very affordable to purchase
Branded models are generally very long lasting
Very durable
Great heating potential
Perfect for all room sizes due to adjustability of fan speed
Can be used as a make-shift fan during the summers as well
Lightweight and much easier to carry
Maintenance is negligible

Disadvantages

Causes allergies
Reduces humidity in the room they are running in
Not advised to use around children
Overheating can cause blowers to temporarily turn off
Quite noisy

Checkout The Best Blowers (Recommended)

Difference Between Room Heater And Blower – Comparison Table

Comparing the two, we start to realize where either of them excels. While neither is a better appliance over the other, for a particular environment or a situation, there is a choice to be made. Check out this table to understand the entire battle better and make an apt decision.

Feature Points	Room Heaters	Blowers
Durability and life expectancy	Quite durable. OFRs are the most durable, with radiant coming second, and halogen heaters coming last.	Fairly durable. Orpat blowers tend to last a long time.
Heating potential	Depends on the model. OFRs are the best when it comes to heating potential, tower heaters come second, radiant and halogen are at the end.	Great heating potential. Heats up a room very quickly and effectively.
Ease of use	Depending on type, it can be somewhat complicated to use, especially OFRs. Other room heaters are basic in format and can be easily used.	Very easy to use. Only simple knobs and buttons.
Maintenance	Some models are really easy to maintain, like halogen heaters and radiant ones. OFRs can be tricky to maintain, but once used to, they are a piece of cake as well.	Super easy to maintain. If you are taking a blower out after a long time, make sure you clean the vents and try and get all the dust out before you start it up again.
Best used for	Halogen and radiant heaters are great for smaller rooms. While OFRs and tower heaters are perfect for larger rooms, and sometimes even the outdoors.	Best used for mid-large sized rooms.
Portability	OFRs are large in size and difficult to move, while all other types of heaters are quite easy to move around.	Very portable and compact in size.
Price range	OFRs are the most expensive room heaters, while radiant heaters and halogens are the cheapest.	Blowers range around the same prices as halogen heaters, sometimes even lesser.

Room Heater vs Blower – Main Differences

The primary differences between room heater vs blower are not that plenty to be honest. There is not a lot that sets them apart, instead there are more things that actually make them part of the same family of appliances, which they actually are.

Even then, here are the few key differences between a room heater vs blower.

Blowers are a subcategory of room heaters.
Room heaters generally use basic convection to heat a room. Blowers instead use a mix of convection and a fan to spread the heat across the room.
Blowers tend to be a little noisy when compared to the silent operation of the other kinds of room heaters.
Room heaters are slightly more health-positive than blowers.
Blowers tend to burn oxygen in the room and reduce the humidity levels.
While some room heaters with a bright heating element might have the same effects, they are not as severe as in blowers.
Blowers are by far the cheapest format of room heaters.
OFRs are the most expensive ones.
Blowers also cause allergies, especially when not cleaned properly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is best blower or room heater?

That depends on your particular usage patterns. We suggest if you have a lot of use for a heater, avoid getting a fan. A fan heater, or a blower, can cause a few issues if left running for a long time. If you do have a lot of use of a heater, get an OFR or a radiant heater instead. If you have limited used, a blower might be worth it.

What is the difference between room heater and room blower?

Room heaters use the element to generate heat and pass that heat into the atmosphere using convection. Fan heaters run on a similar function, but they tend to use a fan to blow heated air into the environment. That is the primary difference between the two.

Is room blower good for health?

Well, blowers are known to reduce oxygen levels and humidity in the room they are placed in. They are also a primary cause of allergies. If you still are using a blower, try not using it for extended periods, or completely avoid buying one if you have allergies.

Does blower heater reduce oxygen?

Yes, a blower will reduce the oxygen levels in a room. Any room heater that uses a heating element will technically reduce the oxygen in a room. Blowers use a heating element, along with a fan which causes even more issues. If you have allergy issues, we suggest you do not get yourself a blower. Instead, try a halogen or a radiant heater instead.

Conclusion

So, the battle between room heater vs blower has come to an end. While both appliances are great in their own regard and in their own element, we can see a pattern with what we should purchase. If you have respiratory issues, or have kids in the house, a blower is simply not the best appliance you can get. A room heater would suit you better there. However, if you feel you do not have a lot of use of a room heater, and can use the blower in a more controlled manner, sure, go for a blower instead.

Obviously there is the same amount of care needed when using a room heater, but with blowers it tends to go a little overboard. Great appliances nonetheless, and the final choice rests only with you, and depending solely on your requirements.

Stay warm and happy shopping!