How to actually pick the right infrared heater for your bathroom
When you’re picking out a bathroom heater, the temptation is to just grab the most powerful unit on the shelf. But here’s the thing: more power isn’t always better. If you go overboard with the wattage, you’re just burning electricity and turning your bathroom into a sauna. On the flip side, if you go too low, you’ll still feel that annoying chill on your skin even when the heater is cranking. It’s all about finding that sweet spot for your specific room size. Getting the power right If you’ve got a tiny powder room (anything under 4m²), a 400W to 600W shortwave lamp usually does the trick. These are great because they don’t waste time heating the air—they just beam the warmth straight to you. For those bigger master baths (around 8m² to 12m²), you’ll want to bump it up to 800W or 1200W. Pro tip: instead of one massive, scorching lamp, try splitting the load between two smaller units. It spreads the heat around the room much better. You won’t end up with those weird “hot spots” where you feel like you’re being toasted in one corner while your toes are still freezing in the other. The “feel” of the heat Most of these wall units use shortwave quartz lamps. They’re fantastic because they’re instant. Since most of us only spend 15 or 30 minutes in the bathroom, you don’t want to wait for a room to warm up—you just want to feel warm now. But there is a catch. This kind of heat can feel a bit aggressive if the lamp is too close to you. To avoid that “too hot” feeling, mount the unit at least 2.1 meters high. This gives the heat a chance to spread out before it hits you. Saving a bit of cash on the electric bill If you want to be efficient, take a look at the reflector. You want a parabolic one. Basically, it pushes the heat forward into the room rather than letting it soak into your wall. It’s a small detail, but it can let you drop your wattage by 10-15% without actually feeling any colder. Just one last thing—double-check your wiring. Winter startup peaks can be brutal on a circuit, and nobody wants to be standing in a cold bathroom because they tripped a breaker.