Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Safety first: Never leave this heater unattended when operating, and never use it in a confined space without at least one carbon monoxide detector nearby. I bought this at a local retailer two days before Sandy arrived on the East Coast. I figured, even if we lost power, and it didn't get cold, I would leave it in the box and might return it. Well...We lost power. And it got cold, quick. It was a wise purchase. Shortly after firing this heater up, my wife, who is always cold, threw off the covers, saying, "Now I'm too hot." The room we used it in is in the 200-year-old section of the house with old drafty windows. So we had plenty of "ventilation" with 50mph sustained winds and higher gusts, yet the infrared / heat this heater throws out was enough to make the room as warm as we needed it. I turned it down to Low after about 20 minutes, and then Off before bed. We didn't shut the doors of the room to the hallway and the adjacent room, because I wasn't sure if it would generate fumes or an odor, and I was also concerned about the fact that it does consume oxygen / emit carbon dioxide. It did emit fumes, but only for the first few minutes of use, which is to be expected with a brand new unit. The temperature inside was probably in the low 60s, upper 50s when we turned it on. After half an hour, it was closer to the upper 60s, low 70s. The room measures about 12'x18'. The following night, I drove the Buddy to my grandmother's apartment, and warmed up her place noticeably within less than an hour. It did not produce any fumes or odor. Luckily, the power came on while I was there, so I didn't have to leave it with her. I've since decided the old kerosene heater is too dangerous and too inconvenient. I will be purchasing at least one more of these, probably the Big Buddy, along with the fuel filter, to use with a tank and hose. These are great. I have memories of the old kerosene heater and its fumes, that frankly I wish I could forget. This will help!