With the temperature dropping, there is a good chance you have been considering a new, safe space heater. There are many options — not all of them good — but one proven model is the De’Longhi Dragon TRD40615T, an oil-filled space heater.
De’Longhi Dragon4 TRD40615T Basics
Here are the specs of the De’Longhi space heater…
- Space Heater Type: Oil-filled radiator
- Model: TRD40615T
- Power Level: 1500W
- Heat Output: 5100 BTU
- Maximum Space: 250 square feet (about a 16′ x 16′ room)
- Mobility: 4 casters so it can be rolled
- Adjustable Temperature Control: Yes
- Dimensions: 16″ deep x 7″ wide x 25″ tall
- Weight: 24 pounds
Why Buy An Oil-filled Radiator?
Oil-filled radiators are the slow-and-steady option in the race to heat your room. Many people don’t do their research and opt immediately for more affordable radiant and fan-based space heaters because they have low starting prices and they look both cool (relatively speaking) and modern.
Oil-filled radiators look old-fashioned and boring but they have distinct advantages over other types of space heaters. These heaters take a long time to heater a room because they are essentially big, heavy heatsinks. Once the heater is warm it starts radiating heat in a comforting glow of warmth around it, which is also a slow process as there is no fan to direct the warm air — air circulation is used to heat the entire room, instead of directing all the hot area as a single space. And then the space heater stays warm — and continued to warm — for hours after it is turned off.
De’Longhi TRD40615T Advantages
OK, so you’ve decided on an oil-filled radiator as you next space heater, but why the De-Longhi? We recommend this model because…
- Great design – This unit has a handsome design in a modern European sense. You can just picture it heating a room in northern Italy.
- Cool Outside: The radiator gets hot in the middle, where heat is piped up into the air above the TRD40615T, but the rest of the heater stays cool to the touch.
- 24-hour Timer: Once you plug this unit in, you never need to unplug it or even turn it off because it has a 24-hour timer that you can use to have it automatically power on and off as heat is needed.
- Built to Last: The TRD40615T has an all-metal body and no digital interface, so it will last for year and years
- No-Freeze Setting: If you have a home where you are afraid of pipes bursting you can turn on the TRD40615T so that it never runs except if the temperature dips below 41 degrees F (5 degrees C). This means you can have efficient operation and frost protection. This mode only works if the timer has set the thermostat to be on!
Thoughts On Usage
Having used the TRD40615T for some months now, it’s easy to say that this is a very good space here. The TRD40615T is very well built and, for a space heater, it looks quite nice. This heater is tip-resistant thanks to a heavy design and it has 4 wheels so it’s easy move around a room. There is a 6-foot cord so you have some localized movement possible, but not much.
Being a 25-pound, oil-filled radiator it takes some time to heat up, so no noticeable heat is produced by the radiator for about 30 minutes. After this time there is a steady stream up heat up through the center of the heater into the air above it. This “chimney” design allows for hot air to heat the room using convection currents but means the outside of the heater can stay relatively cool. The metal exterior of the heater is hot to the touch, but not hot enough to burn someone.
This model has no digital controls, but does have a 24-hour programmable timer. Using this you can set the heater to be on and off in any 15-minute segment of the day. This means you an have the heater turn on before you wake, turn off when you go out for lunch, and turn back on when you return. The timer works great but has no awareness of the day of the week, so its operation on Saturday will be the same as on Tuesday.
De’Longhi does have digital models which add in an Eco mode for increased efficiency, they are a bit more expensive but don’t add much in the way of attractive features.
The space heater operates in near silence and has three heat levels, which moderate the power usage as well as the heat output.
Heating Performance
The TRD40615T was used under a few different circumstances within standard home scenarios. It did very well at heating a good-sized bedroom and keeping it toasty. The heater is quiet and seems quite safe for use over extended periods of time. Of course a portable space heater is not nearly as efficient as furnace heat so as good as this heater is, it’s not a full-time solution.
The TRD40615T space heat was able to raise the ambient temperature of the bedroom 5+ degrees, being it from a cool 64 degrees to a reasonable 70 degrees F.
The TRD40615T and its chimney design are not good at heating tall rooms. If you have ceilings over 8 feet the hot air will use the chimney effect and heat the ceiling space, but the natural convection currents of the room will have limited effect as the air can cool before the heat gets to you. A smaller room with a higher ceiling might be ok, but if the room is, say 14×14 feet and has a peaked or double-height ceiling this radiator simply will not be effective at heating the room.
Ultimately, this radiant space heater is good at heating a room, but not good at heating a person, which is consistent with most radiator designs. It can be combined with a quiet room fan to optimize its performance.
De’Longhi TRD40615T Price and Availability
The TRD40615T is easy to find online but sometimes goes out of stock in the winter months. Expect to spend about $110 on it.
If it is sold out, you can upgrade to the digital model (TRF40615E) for about $40 more. This has a smart Eco mode of efficient operation and easier to use controls.
De’Longhi Space Heater Parts
- A: Thermostat
- B: Power setting
- C/D/E: LED Indicators
- F: 24-hour timer
- G: Power cord storage
- H: Casters (in extended position)