Heater tips: keep warm and safe this winter

Six of the 15 heaters trialed by consumer group CHOICE in its latest review failed safety testing.

CHOICE heating expert Chris Barnes said electric heaters were a popular option with consumers because they were portable, and usually cheaper to buy up front than other heaters.

But Chris said it was important to be careful when choosing a heater for the home.

"We strongly recommend purchasing a heater that has a timer and an automatic shut-off if you can, so you don't accidentally leave it on overnight or when you're not home," Chris said.

"You should also generally never use a heater in the bathroom or let it come into contact with water."

"It's also worth being wary of particularly cheap heaters. While a few cheap heaters do well in our tests, more often than not it's the inexpensive models that perform poorly or have safety issues.

"This can be due to use of lower quality components, or less of a focus on optimal design."

Chris recommended potential buyers check out CHOICE's reviews before deciding on which heater to buy.

The six heaters that failed testing were:

CHOICE has contacted each of the manufacturers of the aforementioned heaters to advise them of their findings and those who have already replied are taking the concerns seriously. Heaters that failed the tests have been referred to the ACCC, who will work with manufacturers to determine whether recalls are necessary.

CHOICE employed a number of methods in testing heaters, including:

The tilt test and 'knock over' test

Heaters were tested to see how easily they could be knocked over. Heaters were turned on their side to see how quickly the tilt switch or thermal cut-out feature shut the heater off.

The towel drape test

A towel was draped over the heater while it was on full power. Testers checked that the heater didn't overheat and that its thermal cut-out feature shut the heater down before the towel or the heater were damaged.

The cord anchorage test

This test was done to determine how securely the cord was attached to the heater. A power cord that is not securely attached to the heater could result in various electrical faults, resulting in damage, or even fire.

Heat safety test

The testers also measured surface temperatures at various points on the heater to determine burn risk.

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