Amish Heaters

Ever since Amish heaters hit the market a few years ago they have taken quite a beating in news articles across the Internet and in print. They have been called everything from a scam to outright lie. Not because these heaters do not work, they seem to work as well as any other electric heater designed to be a supplementary heat source. So why is there so much negative publicity surrounding these heaters and is the publicity fair?
 
It's All In The Name
What gets people all heated up over Amish heaters is their name. People seem highly offended that a heater that runs by electricity is named for a religious group that lives without using this type of energy. Most people claim because the heater itself is not made by the Amish and in some cases may not be made in this country that the use of the name Amish heater is a scam.
 
However, Amish heaters are not the first product to be given a name that had nothing to do with its origination. Chinese checkers did not originate in China and in fact are not even a form of checkers. Yet no one has seen fit to call this game a scam and accuse its originators of trying to cheat the customers who buy this product.
 
And what about English muffins and French toast? Neither of these products originated in the countries whose name they bear. So are these products also scams and did the originators set out to somehow cheat the people who would eat these foods? The fact is, that it is not only foolish but also, irresponsible to label something a scam based solely upon its name. A scam is a deliberate attempt to cheat someone out of their money by making false claims. Amish heaters do live up to their claim, which is to produce heat.
 
The Amish Contribution To Amish Heaters
When you look closely at the Amish heaters and what they are, you can see that the Amish do contribute to the making of what is known as the Amish heater. While the heater itself is not made by the Amish, the box or mantel that the Amish heaters fit into and gives it the look of a fireplace is made by the Amish. Since the Amish have contributed to the making of these heaters then the companies that make them have every legal right to call them Amish heaters.
 
It seems somewhat ironic that in a time when there are so many products flooding the market that are cheaply made and don't live up to any of their claims that people could get so irate over a product that does work simply because of its name. It is even stranger that the people who seem to be getting hot under the collar due to using the Amish name for this product are not even Amish.
 
No one is saying you should be purchasing one of these heaters. But, to accept that these heaters are not a legitimate product simply because of the name is somewhat foolish and unfair.

Most homeowners have discovered that their main heating system often needs to have a bit of supplemental heating added to it during exceptionally cold weather or to heat that one room or area that their main heating source never seems to heat. Electric space heaters are usually the most common type of supplemental heating that most families choose. With so many different styles and prices of electric heaters on the market today why would someone chose a somewhat pricey Amish fireplaces or Amish heaters?
 
Amish Heaters Add A Decorative Touch
One of the main reasons why people are choosing a Amish heater over other electric heaters these day is simply because these infrared heaters are designed to look like a real fireplace and are encased in a beautiful handmade cabinet or mantel made by hand by the Amish. This makes these heaters ideal for the family or individual who longs for a fireplace but lives in an apartment or rental home where having a real fireplace is not possible. For these people sitting in front of a roaring fire, even one created by electricity is a relaxing and romantic experience well worth the cost of these types of heaters.
 
For others the fact, that these heaters are well built and attractive adding a decorative touch to their home is enough reason for them to purchase Amish heaters. In areas where cold months far exceed the warm months of the year having an attractive heater that blends in or enhances your homes décor can be important. If you need supplemental heat and need it for 6, 7 or more months out of the year then you might as well have an attractive heater.
 
Of course if you live in a climate that is warm enough that you only need a bit of heat every now and then you may also want an attractive heater and having an electric heater that is attractive certainly makes more sense that installing central heating that you may only use two or three times a year.
 
Amish Workmanship
There are other people who simply love the beauty of Amish workmanship and have several pieces of Amish furniture in their homes. For these people, when they need supplemental electrical heat it simply makes good sense to acquire a heater that is housed within a beautiful mantel that is of the same high quality as their other pieces of Amish furniture. For these types of people, inexpensive heaters aren't what they are looking for.
 
The truth is that most people choose to purchase those $30 and $40 heaters to supplement their heating needs not because they like them but, because that they are affordable and in today's economic recession, we often times have to make do. Given the choice, who would rather not have an attractive and beautiful Amish heater that can enhance your home's decor? For those, that can afford these Amish heaters they offer a wonderful option. For those of us who can't, we can still dream can't we?

There is probably no product on the market today that seems to have stirred up so many people than the so-called Amish heaters. Due to its name and some of the advertising regarding these heaters there seems to be a lot of confusion about what this heater is, who makes it and what it actually does.
 
What Are Amish Heaters?
An Amish heater is an infrared heater that is placed inside a wooden mantel and made to look like a fireplace. This type of heater runs by electricity and is designed to be a supplemental heat source in your home. The roll and glow Amish fireplace or heater is set on wheels so it can be moved from room to room where ever you need heat.
 
Infrared heaters are designed to heat up objects rather than air and so do not work quite the same as a forced air heater. However, Amish heaters do have a small fan that pushes the warmed air out into the room, enabling it to provide adequate heat for smaller areas.
 
Who Makes The Amish Heaters?
Much of the controversy over the Amish heaters have been in regards to exactly who makes these heater. As most people know the Amish people shun most of modern technology including the use of electricity. Due to this fact, most people want to know why a group of people who don't use electricity themselves would make an electric heater. The simple answer is that they don't.
 
The Amish contribution to the Amish heaters is the mantel that houses the heater. This mantel is made by the Amish and has all the quality construction of any other piece of Amish furniture. No more, no less. The actual heater itself is made in China.
 
What About The Claims Regarding This Heater?
Like any other products on today's market, one has to take the claims that the company makes about this heater with a grain of salt. For example, their claim that this heater is a miracle heater pertains not to its ability to produce heat but rather as its function as a decorative piece of furniture in your home. The miracle in this case is simply that it is an electric heater that looks like a wood burning fire.
 
As for the claim that these heaters are cheaper to run than a coffee pot. The claim is true if you consider that a coffee pot uses about 900 watts and on low these heaters use 750 watts of electricity. If you run the heater and the coffee pot for exactly the same amount of time the heater does cost less to run. However, keep in mind that in most cases a person is going to run a heater far longer than a coffee pot.
 
Are Amish Heaters Worth The Price?
Deciding on whether or not an Amish heater is worth the price depends on what you want out of your heater. These heaters are quite pricey when compared to most heaters that heat the same amount of space. So if you are just looking for something to heat a room on occasion, these heaters may not be worth it to you. However, keep in mind that these heaters come with mantels made of high quality craftsmanship so if you want a heater that is going to dress up your home then this may well be a heater you want to consider.