Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Infrared Heater Single Product Review

We tested the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX?

Space heaters are a must-have on cold days, but they take up space on your floor, creating a tripping hazard. Wall-mounted heaters save floor space and can be safer than portable space heaters, but you can't move them from room to room. 

The Heat Storm Infrared Heater is a Wi-Fi-enabled, wall-mounted heating unit that can be controlled via smartphone. The BestReviews Testing Lab put it to the test to see how well it works in a home setting.

Testing the Heat Storm Infrared Heater

The BestReviews Testing Lab strives to investigate every claim the brand or manufacturer makes about the product. For this article, the testing team installed the unit in a 12 by 16-foot room. They paid close attention to the unit's noise level, heat output and safety features. The team also connected the Heat Storm to their Wi-Fi to review its connectivity and companion smartphone app.

What is the Heat Storm Infrared Heater?

The Heat Storm Infrared Heater is a Wi-Fi-enabled, wall-mounted heater with a user-friendly digital display. Installing it was simple, as was connecting it to the Wi-Fi network. It can be controlled via a smartphone app with an intuitive user interface. The dangling cord detracts from an otherwise attractive design, but it's surprisingly efficient. It produced noticeable heat in around 3 minutes, and the room felt warmer within 5 minutes.

The manufacturer claims you can touch the grille without burning your hand. While testing the unit, the Testing team said the grille was noticeably warm but not hot. Still, it’s best to avoid touching it when it’s turned on. The Heat Storm was surprisingly quiet on its lowest settings but fairly loud on high.

It’s designed to heat a single small- to medium-sized space; you can’t move it throughout the house after it’s mounted. 

See how it compares to other products in its space — check out our reviews for the best infrared heaters.

Heat Storm Infrared Heater price and where to buy

The Heat Storm Infrared Heater costs $129.99 and is available at Amazon, Home Depot and Wayfair.

How to use the Heat Storm Infrared Heater

Installing the heater takes around 10 minutes and only requires four screws. It comes with a tool to level it, four drywall screws, brackets and a mounting plate. You must find a spot in your room near an outlet that can support the heater's 9-pound weight. Be sure and check that it reaches the outlet before mounting it to the wall. Additionally, it must be mounted away from curtains and other objects that could create fire hazards.

Setting up the Wi-Fi is easy, and the heater stays connected as long as it's in range of the Wi-Fi router. It requires a smartphone to set up the heater’s Wi-Fi — you’ll need to press the Wi-Fi button on the unit and complete the setup process in the app. Once the heater is connected, you can pair it with your phone via Bluetooth.

The display is relatively intuitive, but there are more functions than buttons, so you must hold the buttons down for some controls. For example, you must hold the power button for 5 seconds to turn the child lock on or off. The secondary functions are easy to use but can take a while to memorize.

Heat Storm Infrared Heater benefits

It took little time to mount, and the Wi-Fi setup couldn't have been more straightforward. The heater warmed the room up quickly, taking only around 5 minutes while using the high setting and about 10 minutes when turned to low. 

Although it's relatively loud on higher settings, it stays quiet when turned to low or medium. When using the smartphone app, you can set it to high while in another room and turn it down before you enter to avoid hearing the noisy fan.

It has built-in safety features, including a safe-to-touch grille that prevents burns. Some heaters produce an odd smell when turned on, but there was no noticeable scent with the Heat Storm.

The app features an excellent user interface and didn't crash. The ability to control the heater from any room was a wonderful bonus.

The air didn’t feel dry when heating the room, and the washable filters prevented dirty air from circulating.

The wall-mounted design keeps you from tripping, and it’s affordable.

Heat Storm Infrared Heater drawbacks

Although the heater is easy to use, the secondary functions weren't well thought-out. It comes with a manual that explains how to use them. Still, using the manual each time you need to remember how a secondary function works isn't convenient. Luckily, you can control all features via the smartphone app with ease.

The cord is black, so it doesn’t blend in with white walls. It dangles below the unit and only comes in one size, limiting your options when choosing where to install it. Additionally, the wall-mounted design prevents you from using it in more than one room.

Should you get the Heat Storm Infrared Heater?

The Heat Storm Infrared Heater can be used to heat any small- to medium-sized room. It works quickly and can be controlled anywhere in your home. It's more energy-efficient than heating the entire house, it's easy to operate and the design blends well with most walls, despite the noticeable cord. 

On the other hand, there are better options for those seeking a portable heater to be used throughout the house. Mounting it permanently to a wall may not be feasible for some, and if you want to use its wireless features, it needs to be set up in a room your Wi-Fi reaches. It could heat a garage, but not if you get a spotty signal outside your home.

It's affordable compared to other models and is surprisingly lightweight, so you can use drywall anchors if you don't have usable studs near your outlet.