Amazon Basics Ceramic 1500W Review

This tiny heater put up more than significant results. Below is our in-depth explanation of why.

Room Heating

When the nights are long and the sun is mostly slumbering, it can be a real challenge to heat a corner room in your house or keep frosty air from creeping into the garage. That's when choosing the right space heater for your personal needs becomes more of a necessity than a desire. Our testing team agreed that this is the most important testing metric and should account for 40% of the overall score.

To score this metric, we designed an in-depth test to analyze how every heater affected the rise of a controlled environment. By using eight industrial-grade temperature sensors placed strategically throughout our tool room at the GearLab headquarters, we could track, record, and then calculate the temperature rise. Starting at our control temperature of 64 degrees, we turned the Amazon Basics Ceramic 1500W on high and observed the data points of each sensor before aggregating and analyzing all the information to score each space heater accordingly.

After monitoring our controlled room heating test, we found that the Amazon Basics only had an average room increase of 5.3 degrees Fahrenheit, which wasn't exactly a surprise, seeing as this is both a smaller and the most affordable option throughout our lineup.

We measured the Amazon Basics to increase our testing room by 5.3 degrees Fahrenheit, putting it below the average change produced by other heaters in our review. Considering its small size and low cost, these results came as no shock. With its small, lightweight build and inaccurate temp dial, we found this heater does fine in a small room or even a medium room. For those looking to warm up a bigger space, the Amazon Basics doesn't contain enough horsepower or stature to turn up the heat in any large or drafty room. The dial is much more of a low, medium, or high setting rather than maintaining a specific room temperature.

Despite the Amazon Basics falling behind the top-scorers for this metric, one feature we appreciate during those variable days inside is the fan-only mode. That allowed us to switch off the heating element halfway through the day and circulate air in the room as temperatures began to rise. There is also an oscillating model available that further allows for reasonable air movement with just the fan; however, that didn't fix the problem of the Amazon Ceramic struggling to heat up a medium-sized room, let alone any large amount of square footage.

Direct Heat

If you have worked in a large barn, workshop, garage, or even a drafty basement, you know how important a direct heat source can be to warm your digits for the next project. For this section of the review, we score each heater on its ability to focus heat directly at a subject. This metric accounts for 25% of the total score.

To properly analyze and procure each product's score, we hang a large sheet in our test room and place five heat sensors on a 6-foot horizontal pole before placing them along our test sheet. We then strategically position each heater in the exact control location and turn them on full blast. After recording the rise of each sensor for five minutes, we place the heater perpendicular to the sheet and record through a thermal camera how much distance every manufacturer's fan can blast hot air from its grille.

Once we tested its ability to heat a subject directly, this tiny Amazon Basics heater transformed into quite a fire-breathing dragon. When observing the little heater through our thermal camera, the images showed that it spews out heat in a very focused pattern when turned on high. The Amazon Basics brought the center of our test sheet from 64.2 to an astounding 80.2 degrees, rising by over 15 degrees. After checking and logging all the figures, we brought this little furnace into the offices to ensure we could feel those same statistics when we sat directly in front of this little furnace.

Unsurprisingly, the Amazon Ceramic functioned like a flame thrower and gave our toes a good toasting while heating the entirety of our desks and the front of our bodies intensely enough for us to turn it on low mode after only a few minutes. Despite the Amazon Basic space heater being such a hot subject, that is ultimately one of its downfalls. When we used the heater for extended periods, it made recognizable hot zones wherever it was pointing, leading to a cold sensation wherever the hot air wasn't blowing directly on us. The Amazon heater also made a slightly alarming hotspot on the floor in front of the heater, which could lead to some safety concerns.

Safety is one of the most important factors to consider when buying an appliance such as a space heater. Fortunately, for anyone looking to purchase the Amazon Basics heater, it has tip-over protection and an indicator light for when the heater is turned on.

We tested its shutoff mechanism by covering it with a sheet, timing how long it took for the heater to shut down, and measuring the grille temperature afterward. It took this model 50 seconds to shut off, and it reached a temperature of 175 degrees, which is not the best performance for this assessment. If you would like to know more about how we test each heater and its safety features, take a look at our extensive how we test space heaters article.

Consistent Warmth

For the next 25% of our total score, we evaluated how well each heater was able to reach and maintain a temperature for an extended period of time. The models that performed the best for this metric were the ones that you could set and forget. Conversely, we docked points from heaters that needed to be babysat, got too hot too quickly, and were hard to fine-tune.

The consistency with which the Amazon Basic unit can produce heat close-up is astonishing and can even be stifling at times. We found that by turning down the dial, the heating element would output less energy while the fan maintained the same speed. This gave us the ability to literally turn down the heat, and not suffocate from such a blast; however, the consistency with which this unit can produce heat evenly is somewhat lacking.

The Amazon Ceramic also doesn't produce enough power to heat up more than a small room or directly heat any spot. We had to physically get up and move the unit to maintain consistent warmth around us while testing, which is when we stumbled upon another issue. The power cord is particularly stiff, which makes it difficult to fine-tune the heater's location. That, combined with its intense and steady stream of heat coming through a constant fan, gave the Amazon Basic a lower-than-average score of five in our consistent warmth metric.

Sound

For the final 10% of the overall score, we measured each heater with an SPL meter and also noted whether or not the devices produced any sort of annoying grinds, squeaks, or whirs while running at their highest setting.

When we broke out the sound pressure level meter, we measured the noise emitted by the Amazon Ceramic at 46.8 decibels, which was just above the average reading for the entire lineup. Our team did not find anything about this heater's sound to be particularly annoying or frustrating.

Once we turned the Amazon Basics heater off, it was noticeably quiet as the fan shut down, which indicated it could become somewhat cumbersome after a long time running. That being said, one of our favorite features of this product is the fact that we can use the fan-only setting when the weather is warm. Like many others, this heater didn't catch us off guard with overpowering sounds, and we would recommend it to anyone looking for the most affordable option without too much earache.

Should You Buy the Amazon Basic Ceramic 1500W Space Heater?

For anyone looking to keep a simple heater at their workbench with immediate warmth for their digits, or if you have a small office that could use an extra blast of heat, then the Amazon Basic Ceramic 1500W is the personal broiler for you! It has versatility throughout the seasons as well, with a fan-only setting and an optional oscillating model that can help move stale air or act as a fan in those shoulder seasons. Combine all of this with a low price tag, and this heater is sure to suit the needs of anyone trying to pipe it up on a budget!

What Other Space Heaters Should You Consider?

If being wallet-friendly is of no concern and you want something with a multitude of functions and technology to boot, then give a look at the Dyson Hot+Cool AM09 Jet Focus with a lot more room heating coverage and wide-blowing pattern. Another option for comfortably heating a large room in your home or office would be the Lasko Ceramic Digital Tower 755320, which has a myriad of options, a remote, and a room temperature display. Another cheaper budget-friendly option would be the Lasko Portable Ceramic with Tip-over Switch with astounding direct heat scores, fan-only mode, and whisper-quiet sound scores.