Heat Surge Amish-made fireplace

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the Heat Surge "Amish-made" fireplace, focusing on its effectiveness as a heating solution, marketing strategies, and consumer perceptions. Participants explore the implications of its pricing, the legitimacy of its claims, and the quality of its construction, with references to both technical specifications and consumer experiences.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that the Heat Surge fireplace is essentially a 1500 watt electric heater housed in an expensive cabinet, questioning its value compared to cheaper alternatives.
  • Others suggest that the targeted consumer demographic may include shut-ins or the elderly, indicating a potential marketing strategy.
  • A few participants express skepticism about the claims of heat output, with one noting that the maximum BTU rating is misleading.
  • Concerns are raised about the marketing tactics used by Heat Surge, with comparisons made to other products that exaggerate performance claims.
  • Some participants share anecdotes about using similar heaters, describing them as primarily decorative rather than effective heating solutions.
  • There are discussions about the legitimacy of the "Amish-made" label, with one participant stating that the heaters are actually manufactured in China, while only the wood mantle is crafted by Amish artisans.
  • Technical discussions arise regarding electrical ratings and the implications of power consumption, with participants questioning the accuracy of power ratings for various devices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions, with no clear consensus on the effectiveness or value of the Heat Surge fireplace. Disagreements persist regarding the legitimacy of its marketing claims and the quality of its construction.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight limitations in the product's claims, particularly regarding its heating efficiency and the implications of its pricing structure. There are also unresolved questions about the accuracy of electrical ratings and the implications for consumer safety.

  • #31


Greg Bernhardt said:
The video on the website is just flat out ridiculous.

Note that in the video at heatsurgetv, they state: "Don't be fooled by glorified space heaters".

Those would be the ones that sell for $14 to $50, or so, and produce just as much heat.
 
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  • #32


Ivan Seeking said:
http://www.heatsurgetv.com/


http://www.heatsurge.com/images/cherry-07.jpg
http://www.heatsurge.com/

The problem? These sell for up to $587.00 but are just a 1500 watt electric heater plus the fancy "Amish-made" cabinet.

A 1500 watt electric heater like this sells at Walmart for less than $14.00

0002983779257_215X215.jpg

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7768641

Note that the Heat Surge cited maximum of 5110 BTUs, is just 1498 watts.

The two products aren't comparable. Walmart is selling a heater, strictly designed for that function. On the other hand, this amish company is selling a furniture piece, and oh yeah it can also heat your house. I'm sure there are lots of people out there who would pay $500 for a hand-crafted amish cabnet without the heater.
 
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  • #33


maze said:
The two products aren't comparable. Walmart is selling a heater, strictly designed for that function. On the other hand, this amish company is selling a furniture piece, and oh yeah it can also heat your house. I'm sure there are lots of people out there who would pay $500 for a hand-crafted amish cabnet without the heater.

The point is:

We were already using all electric heat in this house. With the Roll-n-Glow Fireplace, I believe we still saved money last winter. In a very short time the room heats to the comfort wanted, quietly and cheaper! It's paid for itself already!

Rolls Anywhere
Slash Heat Bills
Christmas Rush Forces Household
Limit of 2
Only Uses about 8¢ Electricity an Hour on standard setting

As I said, it may be fair to sell it as a decorative item. But if one wants to save money, this is not the way to go. You will get the same cost benefit by zone heating with any 1500 watt electric heater. The fact that they state, "Don't be fooled by glorified space heaters" while showing photos of inexpensive heaters that provide just as much heat, is extremely misleading. Fooled? How is one being fooled? Who is fooling whom?
 
  • #34


Ivan Seeking said:
"Don't be fooled by glorified space heaters" while showing photos of inexpensive heaters that provide just as much heat, is extremely misleading.

That is an interesting piece of datum. I'll have to listen for it. It begs the question:

"How can a blatantly contrafactual statement, such as that, be good advertising?"

Billy Mase (oxyclean and other stuff) has a voice like fingernails on a blackboard, yet his voice is good advertising. Is there a connection?
 
  • #35


Ivan Seeking said:
These rating are often obtained by increasing the voltage to the motor until the point that it self-destructs. The power rating is obtained just before it bursts into flames, or smokes. That is the "peak HP".
That is my point. They are not rated for continuous power which the average person would assume it is. While 2 HP is just under the limit for a standard 15A service, I don't know of many homes that have a completely free circuit to plug into. You pull 2HP through a 15A circuit, you'll blow the breaker.
 
  • #37


Proton Soup said:
i think 15A is a common breaker size now for wall outlet circuits. in the past, larger size fuses may have been used. few enough and large enough to be fire hazards.

wall outlets in an actual "shop" in a commercial building may be another story, though. do we have an electrician in the house?

Wall outlets in the USA that have the conventional two vertical slots are limited to 15A, whether in a shop or not. You can have a 20A circuit however. The plug has one vertical and one horizontal blade. The 20A outlet has one vertical slot and one "tee" slot so it can accept devices rated for either current limit. Beyond 20A, there are many sizes/shapes/flavors depending on voltage/current/phases, which is why I usually end up buying the wrong pigtail for a new (non-amish) dryer.

Now that I have butted-in to your forum... This looks like a fun place. Can I stay and play?

I had a little comment about Heat-Scourge fireplaces. My 83y/o dad bought one last year from a USSA-Today ad, against my advice. He was impressed by the claimed energy savings. I was impressed with the huge uninsulated barn they were building them in instead of a workshop, and the fact that several of the electric units seemed to be operating.

Fortunately, they took it back (incl. shipping) without a problem. All of the arguments against this thing are clear to the people here, but here's a little icing. The unit does look really nice, kind of like the ones at Home Repot and Crustco for half the price. It is laminated plywood with what looks like a polyurathane finish (organically grown by the amish I'm sure.) It weighs little, and has tiny wheels that will bury themselves in the shallowest pile carpet. We never plugged it in, but you can imagine what the "flame" must have looked like anyway.

Other than the "amish made" (don't go all lawyer about who made the heaters vs mantles) and "energy savings" claims, the most insulting blow is the size of the thing. To quote a famous musician, "it was in danger of being trod upon by dwarves!" If you see their current TV spots, you'll see what I mean. In every scene, they are careful to make sure that all people (mostly children) are always sitting on the floor next to it, because the arm of the(empty) couch next to it is TALLER than the thing! Even the "dad" is taller while on his hands and knees!

These people score marketing points, but with me they ethically rank up there with the guy who wanted to sell me 200-Tesla (not a typo) magnets that would remove impurities from my house water and make it more healthy by "polarizing" it.
 
  • #38


xykotik said:
Now that I have butted-in to your forum... This looks like a fun place. Can I stay and play?

Please do! Do you know any good Amish games?
 
  • #39


Ivan Seeking said:
Please do! Do you know any good Amish games?

Well, there's Pin the Tail on the Mule, Music-less Chairs, and Hangman is popular among teens.
 
  • #40


Just saw they had a full page ad in USA Today a few days ago.
 
  • #41


Although I agree wholeheartedly this is a fancy, small space heater, does anybody else on here live near Amish? If so, look at the people in the ads. Do the clothes colors look right to you?
 
  • #42


Ivan Seeking said:
True or false: You can get the same amount of heat from a $15 electric heater from Walmart?


True. And the commercials showing bearded Amish hand-assembling these units is false as well. These are made in factories.

And they will not save you money unless you shut off your main heat in other rooms of your house.

A classic rip off.
 
  • #44


rerubin said:
And they will not save you money unless you shut off your main heat in other rooms of your house.

It would actually cost you more money to shut of your heat pump and run these electric heaters.

CS
 
  • #45


stewartcs said:
That's a really low PF for a UPS. Most newer ones are around 0.9. Sounds like mgb bought a cheap UPS! :smile:
Hey, it was nearly $50!
It kept the PC alive during our regular winter brown outs and it powered the cable modem + wireless for an hour when the power went out, so I could stay on PF from my laptop.

I don't understand why they don't quote the actual amp-hours of the battery though - except it would allow a fair comparison of the products.
 
  • #46


I see these ads all over, and I personally think that these should be allowed to continue simply because I find it so humorous and amusing (also, at least there isn't any false information).

Besides the fact that the Amish are really into the whole electronics thing, I find the concept hilarious. I can picture people at home...

"Mom - My room's really cold... could you please wheel in the fireplace?"

Plus, it'd be great to just have a fireplace in the middle of a room, with no chimney or anything, wouldn't it? Guests would be fascinated. ;-)

It scares me that these things must sell, though; otherwise, the company wouldn't have the cash to keep publicizing themselves.
 
  • #47


mgb_phys said:
Hey, it was nearly $50!
It kept the PC alive during our regular winter brown outs and it powered the cable modem + wireless for an hour when the power went out, so I could stay on PF from my laptop.

I don't understand why they don't quote the actual amp-hours of the battery though - except it would allow a fair comparison of the products.

My UPS cost way more than that...

Of course, I'm running a small data center. ;-)
 
  • #48


Maybe the Amish should start working with the guys that make corn cob fueled heaters...makes more sense.
 
  • #49


- On BTU based calculation, Gas heat 80% efficient (BTU) are at least 2 times cheaper than Electric heat 100% efficiency (BTU).
- Normal home electrical outlet(15A) can produce max 15x110=1650 watts max at 100% efficiency.
- This heater is not hand made by Amish. May be China has Amish population. In short I do not understand what is the purpose of such claim.
 
  • #50


Well, ignoring the claims of perfect efficiency which would imply that the Amish recently became involved in the production of antimatter, it just sounds like an electric heater.

More telling perhaps, is that nearly every review for it I've found, from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O4CTTQ/?tag=pfamazon01-20 to others were "1 star" with the fond hope that soon negative stars would be forthcoming. So, the claim is to fool gullible people and to use marketing buzzworks to reel them in, oooooold trick.
 
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  • #51


My neighbor has two of these "Amish Fireplaces". Last night she mentioned that the plugs were hot to the touch. I went over to her house to check them. One plug had melted to the outlet and the other showed melting damage. Previous posts have mentioned that these are rated for using only a few hours at a time, yet people plug them into outlets and leave them on all winter.