Heat Surge fireplace - what’s up with that?
by rd @ 1:29 pm 198 comments »
Just ran across a two-page spread in the Sunday paper for the Heat Surge Roll ‘n Glow portable electric fireplace which set off a red flag alert in my blog-addled mind. The company HeatSurge, LLC has a website amishfireplaces.com where you can enter a code to presumably get 2 free heating units during this special offer by purchasing the accompanying Amish-made mantle, you just have to respond within a 1-800-ripmeoff-ish 48 hours.
The headline for the ad reads “Amish man’s new miracle idea helps home heat bills hit rock bottom” which would indicate that an Amish man (traditional Amish sects disavow the use of electricity, phones and mechanized stuff) invented this product. The small print states that the heating technology itself was actually invented by an “engineering genius” in China. The Amish are making the handcrafted wooden mantle. Some consumers have taken issue with the company’s claims, with the most comprehensive evaluation appearing on Yahoo! Answers here.
The other claim in the ads is that the unit consumes less electricity than an electric coffee-maker (I believe that is if they are on for the same amount of time) while producing over 5000 BTU’s of heat and that you can save amazing amounts of cash on your home heating bill by moving the unit from room to room. (The Paul Harvey endorsed, EdenPure, makes similar claims). In both cases, though, turning the heat down in the rooms you’re not currently in, is not normal home owner behavior. ConsumerReports.org has a post on space heaters and lower heating bills. The Heat Surge units do appear to create a nice fireplace-like appearance, don’t require a chimney or flue, and can be rolled around the home. Checkout ConsumerSearch.com or pick-up the October Consumer Reports for a closer look at space heater ratings.
A better way to conserve heat might be to add some insulation to your home and get programmable thermostats that can regulate your home heating by zone and time to enable you to turn the heat down when you’re not home or in a particular room. Do your research before jumping to throw money at a ‘miracle’ offer that appears to be too good to be true. Also consider safety issues concerning space heaters. Portable space heaters cause thousands of home fires each year.
Anyone who has purchased one of these units or done additional research on the Heat Surge product, please chime in.
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I just purchased one of these electric fireplaces and I love it!! I work out of my home office, and to have the heat on in my 3800 sq. foot home while i’m not in it majority of the time is a waste. I just heat my office while i’m in it. That’s not the reason I bought it, i like the way the flame relaxes me. The unit is extremely quite even on high. I priced other units online and they were 600.00 for less BTU’s. As far as the buy now in 48hours, well, I’m certain the ad runs all the time, so nobody will miss out.. :0)
The Amish do not use electricity in any form nor do they allow themselves to be photographed.
This is extremely shady. Anything that uses electricity to produce heat consumes alot of electricity. Your coffee maker actually DOES consume alot of electricity even though it’s small.
Eden Pure finished dead last in Consumer Reports Oct. 2007 report.
If you have access to nat. gas, it takes a lot of discipline to come out ahead by heating just one room at a time with electricity.
Electric heat costs about twice as much per delivered BTU as natural gas in most parts of the USA. One kilowatt hour of electricity supplies 3413 BTU. One hundred cubic feet of gas (almost exactly one “therm” on your gas bill) is 100,000 BTU. Look up your local prices and do the math. One therm costs about $1.05 right now in the upper Midwest. Divide that by 80% efficiency on a typical furnace = $1.31 per 100,000 BTU delivered. You need 29.3 kilowatt hours to deliver 100,000 BTU (at 100% efficiency). At 10 cents per kilowatt hour, that’s about $2.90.
Thanks for the heads-up on Eden Pure.
Jon, So don’t get one. I would spend more time ranting, but thats not me.
I also bought one of these fireplaces through the same company and I agree with cindy and I also love it. I paid about $385 for the entire fireplace. I got mine with the oak finish. That price also includes shipping and 2-year extended warranty (I usually don’t get warranties but it was only $28 and it covers the entire unit including damage to the wood work). I didn’t really care about saving on the heating bill (if you can or not). I’m always cold so I have the heater in my living room so I don’t have to turn the thermostat up if I’m cold. I also priced similar units and the price on this fireplace was good and just the size I needed. The fireplace also has a faux coal front that looks good too (its electric so they don’t look real or anything but its nice) and there is also a screen at the back that looks like flickering flames and is adjustable. As for the Amish, they are very shrewed business people so I can see them making the mantel and not really caring what someone puts into it even if they are electric, as anyone would who is trying to make a living. Also I asked the sales person who was on the phone when I called (Shock..they were from the US), when the 48hrs is up you have to pay for the heater and the fireplace together (The ad says the heater itself is $249) which is like $550. So, so far all is good and I’m very satisfied.
Jon:
Thanks for the detailed, educated math. You’re right on the bullseye here. It’s cheaper using natural gas per square foot of space. It clearly shows you are a smart, educated consumer, unlike some others who commented.
My husband and I purchased two of these Heat Surge fireplaces and we have seen NO savings on ur electric bill. We turned our thermostat down to 68 degrees for the month, and our electric bill went up. Go figure. Where is the savings at?? They are misleading the public into a ton of savings, and all you have is fireplaces that look good in your home. We purchased these for the saving, but their is NONE! Very dissapointed and would not recommend these unless you want to pay higher electric bills.
I’m in the HVAC business. I bought one for my wife and will test it myself to see if its true or a marketing angle. Gas and oil are cheaper to use than straight electric heat. However if you heat one room with the fireplace/heater and don’t care about a lower temperature in the other rooms. Then that’s fine. If the thermostat is in the room with the heater, the whole house will get cold as the thermostat will not call for heat as long as the heater is working. But if it heats one room and you are happy with that and it looks good that’s all that matters. Watts are no different whether it is a heater or a coffee maker. As long as you have a dedicated circuit and not use extension cords its fine also. The instructions should mention all that.
My only concern is that I cannot reach them at all and when I call the ordering line they hang up on me and will not take my message. That leaves a large question mark in my mind. It makes me think they are having a scam.
This is a spectacular scam. Read the article in total sometime. You’ll see the that heating portion of this is actually the work of a “Chinese engineering genius”. (Nothing against the Chinese, it just made me laugh when I read it in the paper.) When you call and ask about the fireplace they tell you that the fireplace is made in China, and the mantel in Ohio. So, what gives? Has the Amish man invented a superconducting mantel? Has he he imparted some magical qualities to the wood? None of the print advertising for this keeps a straight story or makes any sense. but the word Free sure seems to get people going.
Mark,
Better check out your facts regarding the Amish. Your correct about their not using electricity, but as I found out this summer while attending an Amish auction, they do allow their picture to be taken as many of them had didgital cameras & cell phones. After asking, I found out that it all depends upon their local community (church), as to what forms of modern technology their elders allow them to use.
My mother got two of these for her home, which is entirely heated by electricity anyway (the neighborhood does not have natural gas infrastructure available). Using these heaters in the main living spaces of the house has reduced her electric bill and greatly increased the comfort levels of the house. She was even able to turn off the main heat in these rooms and use only the Heat Surge units.
The safety argument does not apply here because there are no hot surfaces. The fire danger from portable heaters comes from the extreme surface temperatures which catch surrounding items on fire, not from some inherent danger of heat-producing products in general.
The ads are misleading, sure - but that’s what advertisers do. The product itself is attractive and effective. Comparable to natural gas? Maybe not. But for some people, that’s not an option, and these heaters definitely beat the baseboard heaters in electric-heated homes for efficiency and effectiveness.
I purchased one of these heater with the intent of getting another if it performed as advertised. Do not waste your money. Get and electric oil heater and it will do the same for far less.
Just wanted to say that we bought a sun twin heater last winter and thats all we heated the upstairs of our ranch style home.And we live in indiana!But i bought the heat surge this winter and we have it upstairs and the sun twin down in our faimly room and that is all we have heated with this winter.The basement stays around 70 deg and the upstairs is around 72/73 deg.And our electric bill went up 40 dollars with using the 2 heaters.Beats paying $2.17 a gallon for lp gas a gallon,figure that out when you get 2 or 4 hundred gallons.
This also looks like a big scam to me. I tried contacting them by email as well as phoneto ask some questions with no luck. On Friday no one had yet responded to me so I emailed them again and stated that I felt they were scamming me and to cancel my order. I then contacted my credit card company to freeze the account I used to purchase it.
Can someone give me more info on the sun twin? It sounds to me like I’m better off throwing the add away, because I like to keep my whole house heated. and this is room to room? Too much hassle not enough savings?
Purchased this product and my electric bill more than doubled. Only comment from the company was “I don’t know”
We purchased the Heat Surge fireplace for my loft library and we love it! It is the perfect size, is much more silent than a space heater and is very attractive and does give one a sense of fire. I keep it on all the time and enjoy going up to my loft now…we live in Minnesota and in the winter this was always a cold area in our 5,000 sq foot house. It is a wait and see on any cost savings - I was just looking for a way to warm the loft without having to turn the thermostat up, which heats the whole house. I am also impressed with the company. The second day of using the fireplace after it arrived, the flame was not working. The heater was but there was no movement which simulated the flame. I called the customer service number and they said they would send another one out. When it comes to the door, just use the new box to put the defective one in and than call them again, and they will pick it up. It took over 2 weeks to get the new one, but I had no hassle of having to pay for my own shipping and or find a box, and we now have a new fireplace that is working just fine. We are completely satisfied and got a kick out of their clever adversting. What they claim probably is not accurate and they have a real come on - but the product is excellent. Many friend have seen it and order one for themselves. I don’t see any scam. We are very happy and very satisfied.
I bought two fireplaces. One I kept and the other I gave to my father. I have a room in my house without any heat. It really does a great job heating the room on an as needs basis. My father doesn’t have a fireplace in his home and he loves this one. The mobility of the unit is the best part. They’re attractive and quiet too.
I’m very happy with my purchase.
I am looking for the electic fireplace with mantel I saw a beautiful one in our hometown paper and on TV for $297.00 or so and free shipping.
I am on full disability and I need all the help I can get with my bills this looks like something I maybe interested in. I live in a Amish community and have many Amish friends so I trust what you say.
Thank you
Jackie Madden
I absolutely love this heater. It is very attractive, and, with my thermostat turned down to 65 deg., it rarely comes on. Which is a big relief when fuel oil is currently 3.14 per gallon. So, my electric bill went up 40 dollars in a month, and used about 40 less gallons of oil, which at 3.14/gal, would be about $125.00. I live in a modest rancher, keep the bedroom doors shut all day until about an hour before bed, so it takes care of the kitchen, living room, bathroom and hallway during the day, with the help of sunlight anyway. My furnace does come on at night, when there is no sunshine to help and the bedroom door is open. Overall, however, I am very pleased with this unit. It has already begun to pay for itself, and by spring should have itself paid for. I save 80 dollars a month times 5 months equals 400 dollars, MORE than I paid at like 350. ITS NOT A SCAM!
I bought this for my Mother for Christmas- she LOVES it- Super happy!
You pathetic losers. You spent $350 for a scam. You could have achieved the same heat savings with any 1500 watt electric heater. You’ve been conned.
I just received my oak fireplace today and like gary my flame was not working I ended up taking the mantle off and taking it apart and putting the rod with shinny tinsel back together. The people obviously didn’t know to bend the clamps and twist them around I just found them inserted into the holes and slightly bent not enough to keep them from coming out but I quickly fixed and put it back together. Works great and I think what they mean about it saving money is if you have a crazy bill from heating the whole house, just use this where you need it and it will for sure save you $$$…..I love it…and so do the ladies!
I worked at an electric company for 25 year answering questions about “new” “miracle” electric heaters. they all say they are the most efficient electric heaters in the world. well they are. that’s because every electric heater in the world converts a kilo-watt hour of electricity into 3413 BTUs. period. can’t do better or worse. a 1500 watt heater is a 1500 watt heater. you can buy them for $12 or wrap a mantel around them, call them a miracle, install cool looking fake flames and charge $400. 1500 watts= 1.5 kilo-watts. 1.5 x 3413= 5119 BTU produced by a 1500 watt heater. all 1500 watt heaters. the cost depends on your local rate of electricity, not a national average. If you pay 10 cents per kwh, then a 1500 wat heater will cost you 15 cents per hour. period.
I purchased 2 Heat Source units recently and am disappointed with the heating output. A small ceramic heater at one tenth the cost is just as efficient. Am thinking of returning my 2 units for a refund. Does anyone have any experience with that? Please e-mail me at: Cdburk533@aol.com
If you have enough time to sit there and bash the amish then maybe you should take the time to do a little research on the different branches of the amish. True, the more strict traditional amish communities do not use electricity, but there are other branches that have accepted some of the new world things. Also the last time I checked this is America and anyone can make money, including the amish. So maybe before you start bashing a culture you don’t understand then maybe you should get to know them before you start making comments that will cause more predudice than what there already is.
As with all things, there are always a few SourHeads who bash anything. I purchased the Amish Fireplace Heat Surge and I love it! I turn my furnace down very low and use the fireplace almost exclusively. It heats a huge area (large living/dining area plus kitchen, hall & bath)wonderfully plus gives great ambience to my living area. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the warmth of a real fireplace (you can actually back up to it and it feels like the real thing heating your back) and the warm feeling a fireplace gives to the emotions…so soothing to the soul.
I am thinking of buying one of these. I realize the heat output may not be that great, but I like the idea of a mantle/fireplace look (not the look of a space heater).
Are there any other units that host a small fireplace effect that produce heat? I didn’t want to spend $600+ for a full sized fake fireplace.
These are the same jokers that sell uncut dollar sheets and unused coins for a ridiculous premium, as well as miracle pills for joint pain.
Snake-oil salesmen.
As many have said before, a $20 ceramic heater/blower does exactly the same thing.
I feel bad for the (mainly) poor folks who fall for this crap.
The how about those positive comments above? I bet many are from the folks at “Heat Surge” themselves. If you can lie in an ad, why not lie on the net as well?
I think the add SUCKS and the way they make it look like they are doing you a favor by “giving” you a free heater is CRAP!. Research like reading this blog on the internet saves people money. I wanted to try and save energy by using this heater. I won’t be buying one no matter how pretty it looks. The way they use trickery to advertise is enough to make me not want the blasted thing!
Just my two cents. Now I will turn off my PC and save that energy.
If we would only use the same energy effeciency logic and analysis when purchasing cars, homes and other extremely large expenditures. It seems that most of the people who purchased the heaters are happy. So some one decided to take a space heater repackage it and market it using an age old strategy, association with a respected and trusted group or entity. It is only one of many ways Americans are duped into buying all kinds of insane products such as bottled water and huge stupid vehicles that use more energy in one day than two or three more reasonably sized cars.
Dan, no one is bashing the Amish, just thes ‘Amish’ heaters. These advertisers are using the Amish name to make their product more attractive.
I don’t have one yet. Which is better, the Amish Heat Surge, or the EdenPure? OR, are they both CRAP. I own an all electric ranch style home.
My husband purchased one of these fireplace heaters for our small mobile home. It’s been very effective at heating almost our entire house - 2 bedrooms, kitchen,living room,bath.
We have only had it since 12/21, so I’m not sure how much we’re saving yet. But, we only have electric heat so, turning down our heater & using the fireplace is great.
I’ve got a great deal for you on a full size, Amish made Brooklyn Bridge. You can have it for FREE. All you pay for is shipping & a minor handling fee. Such a bargin!! send your money to me now!
I DONT GIVE A CRAP WHAT ANYBODY SAY’S ABOUT THIS HEATER PURCHASE THE BOTTOM LINE IS EVERYTHING IS MADE IN CHINA,JAPAN,AFRICA,ECT…. GOD BLESS THE AMISH FOR FINDING THE NITCH IN THIS COUNTRY TO KEEP IT REAL AND TAKE CARE OF THIER FAMILIES WERE JUST SO STUPID,THAT WE ACTUALLY LET THE GOVERMENT GIVE US THE AMERICAN DREAM AND TAKE AWAY. WE COULD MAKE IT HERE IN USA BUT THAT WOULD CUT PROFIT AND GIVE 5,000 AMERICAN PEOPLE JOBS THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ON COMPUTER TYPING SO WHAT I WILL GET BETTER
This is my opinion on this.
I think that if you want too spend all your money on stuff that will just break in a year or two. I think that the amish have lots of tallent and that they should be the ones who makes and sells there product, and not stuff from china or from out of state b/c every thing that is made out of state is no good and needs to be sent back. Amish need to start advrtising so that people can learn that Wal-Mart and exc. needs there product.coment me back and i will give u a good price on some fire places.
Imta or whatever. Please cease and desist the ‘all caps’ approach. People tend to tune out those that yell and besides I’ll bounce you next time.
I can do the Amish one better. I won’t let my sect use the wheel. Top that.
It would appear that the following questions are in order for this product:
1: Do you have natural gas for your fuel? If not, you may want to look at it.
2: Do you care for aesthetics? If so the extra money is worth the good looks, if not then anything will do.
Indeed, if you want this but don’t want to pay for the wood, they even have an option to buy only the heater Check towards the bottom of the page.
Oh, and elsewhere in the website they talk about zone heating. I would throw plenty of salt at that, as in the colder regions we have to deal with freezing pipes. Maybe in the south and southwest one could practice zone heating long enough to make it work (or in houses without plumbing), but in a large portion of the United States I’d be cautious about it.
Just purchased two of these units. Yes, electric heat costs more per btu than gas.
Yes, most electric space heaters are hazards but then again, so is gas heat, wood-burning heat, candles, kerosene, etc. You have to take safety precautions with EVERYTHING you use, not just space heaters, so this really is a non-issue except for those who refuse to be careful.
Yes, most people do not think about heating just one or two rooms at a time. But are we really talking about turning off all of the heat to the other rooms? No. Just turning down the overall heat and applying spot heating to where we are at the time, with an overall potential for cost savings in the nature of the cost of the gas saved by lowering the thermosat versus the cost of operating an electric space heater.
I have used electric space heaters for years to do just such a thing and have found that while my savings have not been astronomical, it has allowed me to save some money while being comfortable in the room I am in.
For myself, as I grow older, I find that I must have a certain ambient temperature or my old body begins to ache and pain tremendously. For me, space heating is an economical way to keep myself warm and painfree while not feeding too much money to the utility company.
Oh, and one more commment:
I can not speak about the Amish in Ohio, since I live in Iowa. We do have Amish communities in Iowa and I know from first hand knowledge that they do ride their buggies into town and tie up their horses behind the bar while they enjoy a brew or two, watch the TV over the bar, make telephone calls, etc. The Amish in Iowa choose to not have electricity, telephones, etc. in their homes, farms, etc., but do not have an out-and-out ban on their use. I think that if more first-hand research were done on the Amish communities in Ohio, similarities to the Iowa communities may be found.
My wife and I purchased two of these heaters despite feeling hesitant about it. The ad claimed the heater was a new kind of technology that used a turbine to take cool air and super-heat it. I’m not really sure about all that. They do heat well, but I have yet to check my electric bill. I’ve been tempted to return them, but not sure if I can? I wondered if I could claim false advertising? The ad claims the mantel is made from “SOLID OAK” -However, I discovered it is a laminate mantel-not solid oak-isn’t that false advertising?
I read the article in saturdays newspaper and was excited to place my order for two of these free heaters. With the total cost being 768.00 (free). This was bothering me so i went to the computer to do my research, after a short look into these free heaters (and reading everyones input at this site and several others)i determined that i could do a lot better at the local store. I don’t need another piece of furniture taking up space and i could do without the fake fire look. I just wanted another sorce of heat other then my gas bill.I bought an oscillating tower heater with remote control from home depot for 75.00 and am very pleased with its performance. Thanks for the help!
To All: Read the dec 28th comment from Buzz ‘Captain Electric” Alexander. This is all you need to know,the facts Dano just the facts!
Thanks Buzz
Just had one of these delivered. Packaging has obviously been opened and resealed with clear tape. No instructions or printed information of any kind was enclosed except info on how to install batteries in and use the remote control. Didn’t even take the “Amish Fireplace out of it’s wrappings! The first thing I was looking for was the specifications telling me how many watts it used for how many btu’s of output. Can’t find out on sellers site but you others who have commented and my own experience, I’m an engineer, have convinced me that I have been conned! I kind of expected that even when I ordered it. Has anyone tried to return one of these and how has the seller responded. My company has sold our product on the internet for years and so here is a tip. If you buy something from a seller and use a credit card, you can get in touch with the credit card company and have them return funds to your card. I believe this seller is deceiving the customer, the product is “not as advertised” and I doubt that the credit card company would support them. The credit card company probably already has developed a large file of customer complaints about these people. Generally, in a situation like this, the seller gets a lot of product out and the money in and when the customer dissatisfaction problem catches up with them, simply declares bankruptcy or goes out of business and leaves a lot of people with a product that is not “as advertised” but we are stuck with it. Let me hear from anyone who has experience with trying to return the product. You know, a couple of years ago I bought a like new 1500 watt electric heater at a garage sale for $3.00! My wife uses it in her office and it’s still working perfectly! Now that’s a real world savings on heating!
I just recieived my heat surge electric fireplace unit and it is what I expected. I am 70 and recently moved from my log home in the mtns to a small green built condo in town. Although my condo is snug,it is on a concrete slab and the floors are chilly and my feet are cold,in part to a smashed foot last year. I missed my mtn log house and the pellet stove and thought this little fireplace might fill the void. It gives off a gentle heat and a little ambiance on our cold Colorado evenings when I am just sitting, reading, writing,painting or watching TV.
I know my electric bill will go up a little, but I did not purchase this heater with the intention of heating my whole place. I turn it on for a few hours in the evening. It has a 2 stage heat setting, 750 Watts or 2559 BTUs or 1500 Watts or 5119 BTUS and a 2, 40 watt bulb lighting element. It will be far cheaper than the $100 a month I paid for propane in the mtns in addition to the $2.00 a day I paid for wood pellets to heat my place in the winter.
I don’t have to clean a firepit, haul pellets or wood through the 105 inches of the 2007 winter,spring snows. I just turn the unit off and on.
As far as the Amish, many have used tractors for their farming and electric cash registers for their buisinesses for years and many pay taxes, unlike the illegals who get medical,housing, educational and welfare by the millions of dollars without a lick of work. And God Bless the AMISH, THEY DON”T RUN FOR POLITCAL OFFICE OR PARADE AROUND AND DEMAND RIGHTS. THE WORK FOR THEM. I would much rather support the AMISH by buying a fireplace, a chair or a quilt or one of their other wonderful homemade crafts than pay taxes to support the obsenities and crimes of the illegals and/or our politicians any day.
(I did a photo study of an Amish Community and an Amish school a few years ago. They were very gracious and although they could not pose for photos I could take as many pictures as I wanted. They invited me into the school and it was evident the children were better mannered, better disciplined and most likely better educated than the majority of our public school children. Unfortunately most only attend school until 8th grade. I was presented with a paper heart from a basket of hearts, with a good wish message on it. The kids were used to tourists and visitors but went about their work as usual. They were not putting on a show.
As some of the posters have said, it is nothing more than a standard 120v dual range space heater. The furniture and ambience value are also there. That said, if your are looking for a unit that fits the bill for what a space does then this is a waste of money. If you are looking to enhance your decor well then it probably will be ok. As a general rule it is not efficient to heat with a space heater. It should only be used to enhance or augment an area that is not well served by your standard heat source. If using a space heater instead of your standard heater saves you money, well I would think you need to step back and evaluate a couple of things. 1. How well or efficient is your current heat source, 2. How well are you insulated.( If you think adding insulation doesn’t make that much of a difference, I’m here to tell you that I was pleasantly surprised when I did). Just reference Buzz’s post on 12/28. It takes energy to make heat. Just remember the law of physics The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can change its form. Well I could go on with reasons, but do your homework and decide with logic and not with your emotions. I think in there ads they are not lying, but just not telling you everything. I am sure it is a quality product, is it worth it to YOU!
I researched more about this company-scam. I tried calling their customer service # (800-924-7964) the same day I ordered my heaters, to cancel my order but couldn’t get through to anyone so I called my credit card to told them about this scam. My credit card agreed to cancel my credit card # I gave them in order to avoid their charge. I had to get a new credit card # with Visa, this was the only way I could avoid being charged for the 2 heaters I ordered! Don’t get caught up in this scam!
Hello,
I have to say, I fell for the scam myself. Between my sister and I, we bought 3 of these. We ended up sending them all back. It cost over $100 a piece to send it back to them and I STILL haven’t received a credit on my card. My electric doubled and my gas bill stayed the same, plus it cost me over $100 to send it back and whatever the cost was to send it to me in the first place. The ad was very misleading saying the use only solid oak (which they did use a veneer because it was peeling off). It looked and felt cheap to me. So, all in all, this was a very expensive lesson learned. If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is:) I learned the hard way. Think twice before buying one of these.
A big thank you to those who posted notes explaining that the wood is not solid.
The heat insert I expected to be just an electric room heater. I already knew that ALL electric heaters are 100% efficient in converting electrical energy into heat. What I didn’t expect was to receive a “solid wood” mantel made from a thin oak veneer glued to particle board.
I will attempt to cancel my order.
The cost of this product seems excessive and overkill compared to a small portable 1500 watt space heater that I bought for $25 over 10 years ago. I only use it when I get a chill. People need to think logically about their objective when purchasing such a product.
Thanks for all of the input. I was contemplating buying a heater like this to heat my garage since running gas is not an option. Sounds like this is not a very good option either. Can anyone provide an alternative to heat a garage that doesn’t require venting or costly modifications. As for the advertisement…not for one minute did I think I would be getting a product from the Amish…had to know it was just a marketing ploy but then again what isn’t these days.
I purchased two of these. One quit working. Cann’t get thru to customer service. Was put on hold for almost an hour than cut off. Doesn’t appear to be solid wood. A peice on the front appears to glued and the other had a dent of the conner that looks more like particle board.
What we are talking about is a space heater, which works fine, like most all other space heaters. It’s not the answer for the GREEN people or the answer for the penny savers. No, it a rather good looking space heater.
Yes, my Mom bought one and it works fine in her 12×12 room. Nothing more, nothing less.
We saw the ad and read it completely and it said that the heater was made in China and the mantle by the amish. This is not a scam. For fine furniture WITH a heater, it was/is a steal.
The cabinetry is awesome. It is hand rubbed cherry and finished beautifully.
We put one in the den in front of the fireplace and it looks so real. We were going to install gas logs but are thoroughly enjoying having one ‘fireplace’ in the bedroom and one in the den.
We live near Atlanta and have not yet turned our furnace on because our bill with our heat pump was around 350 a month last winter.
We are hoping to see savings this year.
There are a lot of amish puppymills however and from what I have seen on you tube, they have no mercy on their dogs and
refer to them as “livestock”.
Just received my heater today. I called last week to cancel, was told it had already shipped, and I could just refuse it. UPS driver told me he had been delivering a lot of these heaters lately so, I changed my mind and kept it. Was led to this site after a google search and now I don’t know whether to open the box or not. Don’t know how to tell if I have real wood or a cheap veneer. I paid extra $40 for cherry finish on mine. Now, I feel like I have been scammed. Could someone please tell me how to tell if I have real wood or not. Thanks.
Hey Cindy,
It’s often difficult to tell a veneer from hardwood. Here’s a tip on how to tell the difference, I hope it helps. This tip is from howstuffworks.com:”It isn’t always obvious what’s veneered and what’s not. Sometimes the veneer is visible at the edge of the wood surface, a thin layer glued over the base wood. If you can’t see a joint at the edge, look at an unfinished area under the piece of furniture. If the unfinished wood looks the same as the finished surface, the piece of furniture is probably solid wood. If there’s a considerable difference, it’s probably veneered.”
Some other links (copy and paste into your browser window):
http://home.howstuffworks.com/guide-to-furniture-woods-ga.htm
http://www.furniture.com/Common/magazine/shopper/veneers/veneers.asp?xs=546800d33c1-3a75-4094-8762-da67986e820c&se=633361944322500000
http://www.palliser.com/BuyingWood.php#quest2
i work for this company. it’s not so much a scam as it is a marketing ploy. i’m not a fan of the marketing techniques we use, but the same can be said about most any other advertisements. as an american living in this time period, you must be attentive. if you don’t read the article, and then don’t listen to a single word i say when you call, and then you’re pissed off about something you were “tricked” into, then that is clearly your fault. you willingly call us, you willingly give us your credit card information, and when we tell you your total, you willingly write down your conformation number. you may not be, but some people ARE interested in a space heater that’s aesthetically pleasing, and are ready to pay for it. yes, sometimes customer service is a little backed up, but we are hiring a good 20 people a week and cross training salespeople on customer service to help with overflow. we are a rapidly growing company, and we’re doing our best. while i’m not sure the details, i know there’s been a shakeup in the warehouse as well, to ensure proper care of all units being shipped. we can be contacted via the website(heatsurge.com), or by telephone at 1-800-924-7964. but please keep in mind, if you’re simply calling in to give your two cents about how you think this or that, all you’re doing is keeping us from assisting others. if you’re not interested, then simply continue on with your life. if you indeed are interested, then give us a call. thanks.
I bought two of the heaters just before xmas and just got my PG&E bill, almost had a heart attack, it had gone up from $192.00 to over $400.00! I love my heaters, they look great and put out lots of heat, but ‘OUCH’ on the electric bill!
Ordered a Heat-Surge(1-16-08 and next day realized it was probably a scam. Called the customer number and recording said it was nearly a 2 hr wait so I called the order line number, told the lady I wanted to cancel my order she put me on hold then came back on a few minutes later and said her supervisor canceled the order (1-17-08). Today (1-18-08) my debit card was charged with the amount and I can’t get ahold of anyone. I called the order number again and the lady I talked to today said you could only cancel an order thru the customer number which I called again and after 30 minutes on hold a recording said the office was closed call again later that was at6pm EST and their hrs accoring to the website is 9am-11pm EST and the lady on the order line said it was 9am-9pm either way I called at 6pm..what a rip off. I did make a comment on their website and said I would contact the BBB if they didn’t refund my money!
I am really displeased with your communications. The only thing that gets done quickly is when you order. If you have a problem, you are lied to about how the problem will be hamdled. I receieved my unit damaged. I was told it would be picked up by UPS on 1/18/08 and whe receieved a replacement would be sent. I wated almost all day for UPS. When I contacted then, I was advised that Heat Surge had not ordered a pick up. I immediately contacted Chase Bank, my creit card provider (Visa) and told them to get my money back and that I did not want a replacement.
I a convinced that something is wrong. There is no way to contact you. I was told that I could leave my number and I would get a call in three hours. I did and was put innto a folding pattermn and then told after about a hour that you were closed and to call back.
I will surely tell the folks I suggested that they buy one of your units not to as you are surely a scam!
This company runs full page ads in a number of Sunday newspapers, some of which can run up to
$10,000 a page. They sell under the names Heat Surge, World Monetary Reserve Fund, and another that sells weight loss/male enhancement products. All hve many complaints against them.The address for all is 3939 Everhard Rd, in Canton Ohio. Like one person sai about the elecctric heater is that the law allows portable electric heater to be a max of 1500 watts. 1500 watts is 1500 watts is 1500 hundred watts!!! you get the same heat (5000 btus whether you pay $29.00 or $600.00!!) you are just paying for the looks, name aor advertising !!!
My neighbor just bought one of these. Even though he’s a well educated engineer (civil) he was taken in by the claims of ultra efficiency. Additionally, while he believed the ad offered the wood surround free with the purchase of the $290′ish heating unit, his card was billed over $400. Don’t know if this was his misunderstanding or another example of the questionable Heat Surge advertising.
The unit does look nice. The wood surround is attractive but the “mantle” on top was clearly veneer over almost certainly particle board. Easy to tell when the end grain looks identical to the side grain. Whether the Amish have anything to do with it is debatable considering the other exaggerated & misleading claims.
As was pointed out, 1500 watts produces a fixed number of BTU’s no matter how much you pay for the heater. If they are getting more BTU’s out than other electric heaters using the same amount of power, as the ad suggests, they don’t need to sell portable heaters. They’ve invented perpetual motion and are looking at wealth beyond imagining.
What he got is a nice looking, VERY expensive portable electric heater no more efficient than a $25 unit at WalMart. Worth it? Your choice.
Does anyone know how long it takes for arrival I ordered one on january 9 i forgot to ask how long it takes for delivery any input thanks ,
JA
The notion that the Amish do not use electric is false. The Amish choose not to be controlled or influenced by outside forces, and that includes not being hooked up to utilities. But many of them will and do generate their own electric. I have a friend who lives among the Amish and my inlaws live in an Amish community.
I spent a day in an Amish household , old order Amish. The man provided for his family with his pallet shop which was run on electric that he generated.
The Amish women also use washing machines. Amish rebuild and retrofit old ringer washers with gas engines for their wives to use.
They also have gas heat and lighting. They often own their own mineral rights and sink their own gas wells and heat and light with natural gas.
There are also no specific rules. Different Amish sects and communities subscribe to different practices.
On New Years Day huge ad in local news. I called the 800# left a message to order. The message PROMISED someone would get back with me to place my order. NEVER HEARD A PEEP!!! Tried to call several times before deadline, always a recording. A friend order 1 on line on New Years Day. She received in about 2 wks ago, she loves it. She has not mentioned fake wood, she like the heat generated. I called the company 2 wks ago about not getting a call back. They reall had a don’t care attitude. They told me that I should have called back. We’ll I tried and still could not get through. I have a wnat v/s scam feeling. I am writing this because I truly think that if you have doubt, just don’t do it. Really to many bad storis about customer service contact, credit card problems and shipping issues makes me think. IT JUST ISN’T WORTH THE HASSEL!! Do you really need anymore to deal with. Besides winter is 1/2 over and if it is such a great deal, do your homework for next season. THNIK ABOUT IT!!
Read Consumer Reports evaluation of space heaters. You can pay around $60 for the highest rated electric heater or $400 for one of the lowest rated heaters. Both will use about the same amount of electricity. Your choice.
Total scammers. Use your head and put it towards adding insulation etc…
As for the amish, would not support them if they created world peace.
Screw over the system all the time,
While everyone else pays taxes. Freeloaders.
I’ll leave out all the immoral fabric they seem to get off on.
Like most of everyone else I have seen both ads for the Heat Surge and the EdenPURE heaters. I have read and reread the ads debating about which one to try. Thanks to all of you, I am saving my hard earned cash. I hate to be duped again. Thanks again for all of the input.
I’m 70 with deteriorating joints.Had to sell my 3 story house in MD with brick hearth and Franklin Stove (wood burning)and moved into all-electric condo building. No flame, charcoal grilling or propane allowed; gas not available ! I miss my wood fire and was HAPPY to pay $400 for FAKE FLAME (the best looking elec.fake flame I could find). Sure, I have a $30 ceramic heater,but aesthetically…I love my Fake Fireplace.Elderly neighbors above,below and next door to me keep their apts. at 75 degrees,so I only loose heat via the outside (window) wall.
I agree with m.e.winters 01/10/2008; Cindy 12/11/2007; Jen 12/15/2007 and gary 12/25/2007. I only live an hour drive from Lancaster,PA and have great respect for the Amish, Mennonites and their Brethren. We should be so lucky to have all our citizens be like them.
Furthermore, I don’t fear dying of Carbon monoxide or a gas explosion if the pilot light goes out in my electric “fire”(there is none).
You greenies shouldn’t panic about global warming either. The average birthrate in the western world is lower than 1.5 per couple, so in 50 or 60 years the people of industrial western nations won’t have siblings,cousins,aunts or uncles and a lot less CO2 will be emitted.
1 Heat Surge Roll n Glow Amish Fireplace
$298.00 Ordered 9-13-07
Delivered 9-26-07
Defective: 12-18-07
Problem: Lights light but no heat at all, 4 button lights are on.
Customer Service # 1-866-282-6587 Note: Several Calls made 12-18 -07 -12-19-07 all automated answering. Calls not returned as indicated by automated operator. Finally by calling Sales # 1-800-918-2192
I spoke to a Regina@1-800-924-7964. Claim# 1831789
I was told that UPS would come to pick up defective unit and once in their possession a new replacement unit would be shipped. I requested priority service as this fireplace is primary source of heat. Forced to live in conditions under 50 degrees in upstate NY winter until replacement arrives. Regina advised that a trucker from UPS would have me fill out shipping information so that they could pick up same day. ( Subsequent calls to UPS 1-800-742-587 indicated that UPS had not been authorized to pick up unit (no Z#) .
On 12-20-07 I visited UPS branch spoke to Supervisor: I brought defective unit there and Trinidad and I had conference phone call with Adam Dadisman (330) 966-9000 ext 8736 of Univerasl…, World Reserve…Heat Surge…etc. In light of priority need, Mr. Dadisman authorized supervisor @ UPS to accept package for return. We are to let him know tracking # (advised immediately tracking ). Mr Dadisman said they would reship that day but could not guarantee replacement unit would be here by Christmas.
FOUR WEEKS LATER… Replacement unit yet to arrive. I called Adam Dadisman Friday, Jan. 18 2008 and left message (call not returned). Called Sales #Jan. 20, 2008 to ask for supervisor. I was refered to Supervisor “Daniel” who said she was unable to solve my problem. She said somebody to get back to me within 24 hrs. In light of broken promises and commitments I advised this was unacceptable and that I wanted to speak with someone in authority who could solve my problem. No person in authority was willing to speak with me. Called Adam Dadisman …no response to date
WOW! Now I’m really confused - don’t know what to do? Wanted to buy one, now I’m not sure. Talk about mixed reviews! Thought that the nice Amish made mantle would make it worth the buy until I read the note from Dick Trost about the “wood” being particle board cover by veneer. I guess if I bought the wood, routed it, assembled it, bought the insert, put wheels on it, bought gas for my car and used my tools, I would have more into it than $300.00 so I think we will order one and let you know what we think after we use it for 1 month….
Problem with this ad that appears like a news story is that many senior citizens believe this mumbo jumbo, not realizing it’s an ad. They purchase this or some other crazy thing like two dollar bills and think they got a deal. This eally bothers me about these type of faux news stories which are really ads for productsand aimed at many seniors who cannot call or email or anything so they’re stuck.
mj
Soaring oil prices and housing have helped to derail the economy
Surge in crude has had an impact – less disposable funds for other goods
The silent killer of our economy
Many Americans are changing their spending habits. Cost of energy and other necessities have gone through the roof, leaving very little disposable funds for other goods.
The sub-prime mass and the lack of mortgage funds for housing are increasing our economic nosedive. The Feds can lower interest rate, if the financial institutions are not providing financing and or asking for a large down payment and a perfect credit score, the economy is not going no-where.
When the housing market is down, there is a snowball affect on other industries, appliances, furniture, carpeting, etc.
Economists will tell you that; when income is not keeping up with increases in the cost of housing there bound to be fallout.
Our automobile industry has gone to overseas companies, jobs lost forever. We must wake up and take some dramatic initiative to change this economic course.
Jobs in the United States are continuing to go overseas, our export has diminished substantially over the past 25 years and our imports have increased substantially in the same period.
We have resources, we have technology and manpower, why are we not utilizing them and devise a mechanism to re-instate our economic independence.
Put the politics and egos aside, let us all unite in a common cause, consider what is really good for our country without any hidden agenda or political favors. Bring honesty and integrity to our society; re-instate economic boom and fiscal responsibility.
We have been behind the eight ball before; we can muster whatever it takes to turn around our economic downturn.
Politicians are spending millions campaigning; those funds can be utilized for better purpose. Do not give me promises and tongue twisting, empty promises are easy “show me” that is the motto.
Yehuda Draiman
I bought one of these heaters back in December. I received it on the 19th of December. It did not work. It blew cold air and the settings from high to low did not work. I called the company the next to return it. They were very good at having it picked up the next day and covered the shipping charge. I did not want a replacement. It looked very cheep and I did not like the idea that it said you must unplug when not in use. I asked for a refund. I was told my account would be credited within 2 weeks. I waited 2 weeks, nothing. Called again, waited on line forever, was told it would be 4-6 weeks. Called the following week to see if any change in amount of weeks to wait. I was then told they refund in 3-4 weeks max. They said would credit my account by that Friday or Monday but to wait to check my account until the middle of the week. Still waiting. Does anyone really get their money back?
Just be careful! The craftsmanship was beautiful, but it did not meet the expectations for heat. The problem is returning it for a refund. It cost Heat Surge $49.00 to send to you which you do not get back if you want a refund. Second, it will cost double that to send it back to Heat Surge. Imainge that, $150.00 investment on a $250.00 unit. So much for the free heater as advertised.
BEWARE, BEWARE, if it sounds to good to be true, it definitely is.
read all the revues here about 2 wks ago, trying to decide. after discussion w/ my wife (whom i love very much), & hearing her say she’d always wanted a fireplace… living in a mobile home, that’s a tough one! i knew it was a quartz heater in a pretty nice looking wooden case/ mantle/ whatever you want to call it. i ordered it. order arrived quickly, it worked great out of the box, no complaints. it appears to be oak plywood, which is better than particle board. it looks nice & my wife loves it. that’s enough for me, but we also found that by running the unit in our living room, it prevents the gas furnace (forced hot air, which we both hate) from coming on much at all. as to the dollars and cents, i don’t know yet. a kw hr is cheaper than a gallon of propane, but we haven’t done the math yet. i look at it this way, my wife loves the fireplace look; it’s a really cheap fireplace; if i have to pay a couple of bucks more in heating bills, i don’t really care - so far, we’re happy with it.
I was not satisfied with the company..the unit was defective..I returned it and was told they would not refund my money for 4 to 6 weeks after they received the unit…
these heaters are great! took my husband a while to figure out the heat control. for several hours we only had the flames on with the heater off. we realized there had to be much more for 350.00 so he got to checking & finally found where the heat button was to turn it on low or high. we have purchased 2 & turned our thermostat down to 65 & the rooms are really nice & warm with the heater on low.
it also makes a beautiful piece of furniture for your home.
i say go for it!
My son got taken advantage of when trying to claim his “free” fireplace. He is disabled and the operator took down his information and then deducted 347 from his checking account. When trying to resolve this the customer support makes you wait hours on hold or don’t deliver on the promise to call back. Buyer beware. We have had a terrible time with this company.
Thinking of whether to buy one of these or not. I live in a rancher and would primarily use the fireplace in my basement when I’m in the family room. The family room floor has ceramic tile and is very cold. Does anybody have any advice on whether this fireplace would work in my scenario?
We ordered one in mid Dec. It looked really nice, but quit heating in about a week. I called the service number. A recording said they would call me back in about 2 hours, which they did. I told them the problem and I wanted a refund. They said they would send me a UPS return label via email in about 2-3 days, and then I was to schedule a UPS pickup. That has been two weeks ago. I am still waiting. From reading all the other comments, I will keep calling, but I think it will be in vain. If anybody reads these comments, and still buys one, heaven help you.
I later bought a small unit that looks like a wood stove from a home improvement store for $79.00 that heats just as good, is almost as pretty, and is still working.
I purchased an Enden-Pure Infra red heater, because of the advertising from Paul Harvey.
I have had it three months and it does not perform as advertised.I purchased the larger unit for my basement Rec. room which is 16X28.
The heater does not turn off and on with it’s thermostat.It runs constantly.I returned the heater and they sent me another which also does not cycle as advertised.It also takes a lot of electricity.A 30.00 1500Watt heater would do as well. Very unhappy customer
Wow….I am sure glad I didn’t waste my time on this…what a shame….I despise people who take advantage of others. Thank you all for your comments….I am sorry that I have had the opportunity to learn from all your mistakes. I will pray for your refunds. That is horrible. Ill stick with my little electric heater. My heat is electric and my heating bill for two months is only $200 - $250 every two months my thermostat is on 65 degrees. I live in NY. Insulation is the KEY!!! Good Luck to all!!
I purchased two of these and tried to return one of them after realizing 1500 btu’s is the same regardless of slick packaging. Here is the problem, two months later and still no refund and getting customer service on phone is impossible. The unit looks great though, and if you are ordering this for the look then go for it except for one problem, the unit is already not working. Heat is still produced but fire does not light up anymore. Took it to local shop to see if they could fix and they told me this unit was not made to last (visual effects). So do yourself a favor, save your money and buy a 1500 watt space heater as cheap as you can find it and set it on a fireproof surface. It just isn’t a quality heater, doesn’t last and the customer service is horrible. For what I wanted it for it was great, but for only two months, and then kaput. And do you really want a dangerous space heater wrapped in fire starting wood if something goes wrong. Duped in Kentucky.
This unit is definitely not for people in a budget contraint. You might spend more money on your household heating.
if you want the look of a fireplace etc. then that’s all fine and good but also be sure to check around - there are other electric room heaters that are wrapped in a mantel to look like a traditional fireplace and may cost less then $350 - I know hardware stores like Menards sell them…
if you don’t care about the fake fireplace look then, like many others here have said, just get a small ceramic heater with a fan for 1/5th the price and it will put out the same amount of heat.
@ Vicky in Kentucky
if the heater is broken you could still use the wooden mantel part - have it made into a nice book case or something… albeit an *expensive* bookcase but better then just throwing the whole thing into the landfill… I did that with an old floor-model TV my family had - the TV died, there was no way to fix it. the cabinet it was in was still in great condition and was made of nice wood with nice detailing so I tore out the TV guts and built in some shelves and made a really nice book case unit out of it…
OK, quick followup - I’m looking at the sunday ad from Menards - they have an electric heater with a much larger and nicer looking (much more detail) wooden mantel and the “realistic flame effect” and it’s $300… not that much cheaper but looks a lot more like a real traditional fireplace… but I guess it wouldn’t be movable from room to room either…
so bottom line… use the internet to research any ad you see before buying anything… the internet is the real “miracle” here in that you can easily look up an ad that sounds too good to be true and get a ton of feedback to judge for yourself if it’s a scam or not.
Before considering this scam. Try http://www.lasko.com ceramic tower heater for $49.95 that can be purchased at your local hardware store. I bought mine at Lowe’s and it works great as a supplement for my HVAC system.
I usually do internet research before making large purchases, but for some reason, I was so intrigued with yesterday’s ad, I placed an order for two heaters. After not receiving an order confirmation via email, I became suspicious, then started an internet research. Today, after reading the many opinions posted here, I decided to cancel my order. I immediately contacted my credit card company (DISCOVER). After alerting them of the possible scam, they agreed to cancel my account to avoid the charges being processed. I have been re-issued another credit card under a different a/c number. I have tried many times throughout the day to reach customer service (800-924-7964) in order to advise them of my intent to cancel, but of course a recording is all I get. Thanks everyone for your comments!!
It is a scam. Do not purchase it, please. I did ordered them, tried, did not like it. Send it back via UPS $182, plus, they are saying that the 49$ shipping will not be returned even the advertisement was saying free shipping. No save on electricity. It is a real scam. Good luck if you bought it.
I paid for one yesterday and after I looked closely, I saw it was an advertisement made to look like a newsreport. I went to the internet and discovered it was a scam. I immediately emailed them to cancel the order and today I called them to cancel my order. The wait time on the phone was 1.5 hours and you had to leave your phone number and they said they would return your call. Thank God my order is cancelled.