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Amish Heat Surge Miracle Heater Scam
Posted on December 19th, 2008 107 comments
I saw a two-page ad in the Rocky Mountain News this week about some new miracle heater called the ‘Amish Heat Surge‘ and it fell into the category of things that sounded to me to be ‘just a little fishy’. Later I saw a commercial for the same product. Sure enough, after doing some calculations, I figured out that this is just a scam to overcharge people for a cheap electric heater made in China. Searching the Internet, I found a few unhappy customers who fell for it. Even though the heaters are ‘free’, you pay $298 for the ‘Amish authentic wood mantles’ that enclose them. In reality, there’s no reason to wrap an electric heater with a wooden box or mantle. It also has some sort of fake fire effect. Oh, and shipping costs $50 EACH. And they’ll stick you with an extended warranty for $28 each. So for around $770, you’d get a pair of heaters that do the same thing as a pair of $21 electric heaters you can pick up at Wal-Mart. The people who run scams like this have no shame.
A 5,119 BTU/hr heater generates about 1/20th the heat produced by a household furnace. It will draw 1.5 kW. For every hour this thing runs, it will cost about $.15 in electricity, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but over a 730 hour month, that adds up to an extra $108 on your electric bill. Electric resistive heat is the most expensive way to heat a house. It costs about twice as much per BTU as natural gas heat. Just to put it in another perspective, a 2,100 sq. ft. house in my home state of Colorado uses about 6 therms of natural gas a day in the coldest winter months. At the current gas price of $1.20 per therm, a typical gas bill is $216/month during the winter months. To heat your house to the same temperature with this electric heater, you’d need to have 5 of these heaters operating at the high setting 24 hours a day. The additional monthly charges on your electric bill for just the heaters would be $540!
This heater can be yours for only $385
This heater produces the same amount of heat and costs $21 at WalmartThe ad talks about only using it to heat zones, which can save on your heating bill, of course, but only at the expense of having some of the rooms in your home being uncomfortably chilly. And you can’t really completely turn off your central furnace without the risk of pipes freezing. In other words, if you put a heater like this in the room that has your furnace’s thermostat, and thus your furnace never comes on, you may freeze pipes in a remote part of the house.
The ad is full of nonsense, such as requiring a special savings code that expires in 48 hours, or you’d otherwise pay $587 each! There is a limit of 2 per household and they need to ‘turn away dealers’ because they can’t keep up with demand.
If you’re one of the people reading this article who bought an Amish Heat Surge heater, please note that I mean no disrespect to you. I’m just tired of con artists using slick advertising to suck people into buying things that aren’t worth even 1/10 the sales price.
107 responses to “Amish Heat Surge Miracle Heater Scam”
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Chris Pugh December 19th, 2008 at 21:21
We’re an established company with millions of satisfied customers whose focus is to exceed customer expectations.
To accomplish this, along with other successful methods, we’ve set up a Web site to share the facts about our company at http://heatsurge.wordpress.com to address any questions or concerns you may have.
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Anonymous December 21st, 2008 at 09:52
Hi Lee,
I also question the validity of these ‘new world’ Amish shown. Don’t most Amish shy away from being photographed? And why not say that it’s a Chinese heater when the Amish don’t use electricity? I guess people need an Amish 101 course and I hope they don’t buy.
A Quaker in Pennsylvania -
Lee Devlin December 21st, 2008 at 13:30
The first comment on this blog entry was left within a 2 hours of my posting it by a representative of the company. My guess is that he is a PR professional hired by the company and he uses tools like Google Alerts to respond quickly to criticisms that are springing up in the blogosphere about the company’s business practices.
Any company that has the wherewithal to take out full page spreads in major newspapers isn’t going to sit by idly and let a few bloggers get in the way.
My objection to the company is that it uses deceptive advertising practices such as:
1. Implied scarcity of the product (and then trying to sell 2 to each customer).
2. Misrepresenting the potential for energy savings.
3. Significantly overcharging for the heater based on the price of products that perform the same function.
4. Associating the company with the Amish in an effort to coopt attributes like honesty, hard work, integrity, and high quality workmanship.
5. Inducing the customer to act quickly with a “discount code” that expires in 48 hours.
6. Upselling an extended warranty.
7. Implying that UL certification for a heater is ‘coveted’. No legitimate company would sell a heater in the U.S. without it.
8. Implying that customers are getting something for ‘free’, when free means spending a minimum of $385.I thought that this kind of nonsense went out in the 1970’s when the TV Guide was full of miracle products that didn’t live up to their advertising.
I figured that the Internet would help undo this tendency of over-the-top advertising claims, but I can see that even the Internet can be used for similar chicanery like setting up fake blogs.
I have no commercial interest in writing about this heater or the company. My only goal is to point out the misleading advertising statements and let potential customers draw their own conclusions.
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Lee Devlin December 21st, 2008 at 13:50
As for the comment about the ‘new world’ Amish, I didn’t specifically address the Amish connection in my posting. I used to live in Lancaster County, PA which has one the highest concentration of Amish in the U.S.. Our property bordered on an Amish farm. We have purchased a lot of our furniture from Amish craftsmen, and they do very nice work (and charge accordingly).
Their workshops use the latest wood working equipment and electricity generated by off-the-grid diesel generators.
Amish need to make money just like everyone else. I don’t know if these cabinets are made by real Amish or not, but like I mentioned, Amish use modern equipment and factories to produce furniture and I’ve been in these factories myself, so they may be making them under contract for this company. I would doubt that any Amish company is directly affiliated with Heat Surge other than as a supplier of cabinets.
I would venture to guess that the image they have of the Amish folks in the wooden barn working with hand tools in no way represents a real factory where the mantles are produced. The image of the buggy delivering cabinets 3 at a time is amusing. The Amish have no aversion to owning and using trucks to deliver products (they just don’t drive them themselves).
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Chris S December 23rd, 2008 at 05:08
Hi Lee,
Chris Pugh is from a reputation company, I’m sure.
The (Most sects) Amish DO NOT allow themselves to be photographed. The image on the posting is likely a fake.
I would guess the mantles are NOT made by the Amish, and are, instead made in factories in China or something. The way I see it, the demand for those things would be too high for an all Amish workforce to build with “genuine” Amish techniques in barns, using horse drawn carriages to pull the mantles 3 at a time to wherever.
Chris
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Chris S December 23rd, 2008 at 05:17
By the way, that image on the wordpress blog of the company is photoshopped. Compare the quality of the heater to that of the surrounding image. In fact, it looks like some of the people may have been inserted into a blank barn scene.
I’m amazed that a company who can get a response out to a small blog out in a matter of hours can’t photoshop an image worth squat.
Chris
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kavi_var December 23rd, 2008 at 18:29
The add came in wall street journal today. I bthought it is free, That is how the add sound unless you read carefully. Thanks to original blogger I am not bothered to call them now. Thanks.
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Anonymous December 26th, 2008 at 04:54
What a crock. Amish my butt. What a scam. Why do people think that “Amish” makes it more durable, better crafted and a quality product. Wake up people! It’s just a piece of Chinese junk with marketing to appeal to you gullible rubes.
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ronniecaliente January 16th, 2009 at 16:03
Personally, I love the image on the heatsurge blog. Apparently, they have the heaters plugged in and on while they work on them. Wouldn’t all that miracle heat make the barn too toasty?
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pyoung April 4th, 2009 at 06:15
I brought 2 of these heaters 1 1/2 years ago & both heaters are down & I can’t get parts for them, therefor they are just junk. Paul
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Marie Brigham April 7th, 2009 at 16:55
I bought the heatsurge last year for my cold bedroom, thought it was nice at first. Then when ever I used it I started coughing. Thought it was in my head, but now my beautiful bedroom walls and ceilings are covered with a soot like substance. Had furnace guy out today..Has to be the heatsurge as I have radiant floor heating and baseboard heating. I am so mad,am calling them tomorrow for full refund. Iwill let you know…….
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[...] Artists at it Again Posted on August 4th, 2009 Lee Devlin No comments Last year I wrote a blog article about a Miracle Amish Heater that generated a ton of traffic. I was even interviewed by the New York Times as a result of that [...]
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Tom from Canada September 16th, 2009 at 18:20
They just scammed my 76yr old father into buying everything X2. They ran a full page add in a city paper claiming that you had to act to day and get a second fireplace free. He fell for it hook line and sinker. They sold him the mantle mirror hearth & corner unit and charge him $3000.00 for the privilege.
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annette j September 19th, 2009 at 04:46
Gosh, I’m glad I happened on these blogs, I was gonna buy 2 this year. Thanks Guys
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How can they get away with putting ads in National Geographic? I mean, National Geographic turns away tobacco ads, and this is a lot worse than a tobacco ad. I hate companies like this!
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Hi Kevin, Getting ad space in all the major newspapers and magazines is expensive and allows this company to tap into the goodwill those publications have with readers. I see it as an act of desperation on the part of the publications to get more advertising dollars in tough times. When I was interviewed by the NYT about this article, I asked if they had taken money from these folks. They had. But because of journalistic integrity, they couldn’t simply ignore anyone who might have an alternate view on the company and so the article they wrote was balanced with alternate viewpoints. That moved my opinion of the NYT up a few notches.
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I don’t know how this can be true. I see these adds in every magazine and newspaper each week. They say you have 48 hours with a special code yet the add appears every week. I would definitely stay away from this one!
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Brandon September 29th, 2009 at 21:25
Well I knew it had to be a scam, I mean free? Call in the first 48 hours? remined me of some coin thing i fell for about 2 yrs. ago. And be sure to call in the next 48 hours!!! Well I did just to gril them, expain to them about false advertising, and explain that a lawsuit could be in the works! I couldn’t believe the wall street journal would put this in their paper… These company’s target the old, get credit card numbers and exploit these people with upsells! I asked the snake I was talking to to just send me a free heater then and she explained the heaters were not free like mentioned(somewhere around 250). And were only free if you purchased a 300 dollar mantle. I told her she was bogus, and then she tried to sell me a scratch and dent for 200, on a payment plan. Take it and shove it up your “miracle amish” heat vent! I will look into a class action lawsuit!
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Amish people do not have button on their shirts and the don’t wear polo shirts.
The people in the ads are not Amish.
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Todd Zeigler October 4th, 2009 at 06:43
When I saw the first ad, I knew this was a hoax, because anyone that knows anything about the “true” Amish, knows that they will not be photographed or video taped due to religious beliefs. If you have ever seen a photo of Amish, did you ever take notice it is from a distance, and usually a side or rear view shoot – because they will NOT pose for a camera. I know, I lived near Lancaster, PA for 40 plus years. Unfortunately, the vast major of the population doesn’t know this and fall for the scam. Isn’t that false advertising, should we contact the state’s attorney general fro the state in which they operate? Spread the word.
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Amie Hernandez October 5th, 2009 at 16:38
Lee,
Thank you soooo much for posting this info and for the other helpful commenters. I was lured by the ad, but wanted to do some more investigation before I purchased one, and I found this site very helpful in uncovering the truth. I am also sick of this unethical advertising and hope they are heaping hot coals on their heads for this scandal. Thank you again so much! -
Hazel Schwartz October 13th, 2009 at 21:32
I have had a Heat Surge fireplace for over a year now and I love it. I paid 200. and free shipping by putting my email addy on the Heat Surge website. Then they email you special offers. I have had no problems with it and I love the free remote control that came with it. I have checked my electric bills the last year and a half and they did not go up when I used the Heat Surge. I live near the Amish community that makes the fireplace mantles and accessories. They are made down near MIllersburg, Ohio. There are may orders of Amish and many do use buttons, snaps, and zippers on their clothes. They also use power tools that are run by generators. The Amish on the ads may be fake but I have see the Heat Surge Amish and been to their building where the Heat Surge mantles and accessories are made. The heaters may be made in China but the Amish do make the mantles and accessories. I am not an employee of Heat Surge. I just thought that someone should post about the good Heat Surge fireplaces they bought. I also bought the Heat Surge grill they offer. I won’t ever use a regualar propane grill again.
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Lindsay October 14th, 2009 at 12:12
Yet another thanks you for posting this information. I miss my real fireplace so much, the glowing fireplace ads did attract me. Was about to toss an old (Sept 30th NYT) this morning when spotted full page ad run in that issue. Discovered your article — many thanks.
Especially the link to Holmes Ceramic Heaters –
Guess I just have to part with yearning for cozy flameless fire… Sorry NYT, and National G are so hard up for ad dollars that they would run ads from scam outfits as this one clearly is.
- Grateful Unrooked Senior -
Deborah Baker October 15th, 2009 at 12:48
They sell you an Amish heater that is scratch or dent…..don’t believe them! When it arrives it is a refurbished heater; not scratch or dent. Apparently they don’t know the difference between refurbished and scratch or dent. Don’t believe anything this company tells you!
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When I first saw the newspaper Ads for these heaters, the one in the foreground, being “worked on” by one of the Amish men, appeared much larger than all of the others in the barn.
Again, a PhotoShop trick to get you to believe that the unit is of a substantial size.In actuality, the unit is about 3′ long by 2′ high, and about 12″ deep, The wood is stained to resemble either oak or cherry, but is not a genuine species of that tree. Another “First” for Made in China.
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Rebecca Lemings October 21st, 2009 at 03:52
I am not sure which part of Amish country they found their workers. In the area of Upstate NY that I grew up you would not have been able to find an Amish farmer that spoke such clear English without a thick German accent, nor would they have used the pneumatic nail guns you can see in the background of the TV advertisement. They also would not constuct something that would use electric when they themselves do not use electric. The cardboard box in the back of the horse and carriage was a real treat too.
That said, I would like to thank the marketers for providing such a clear oportunity to explain to my children what false advertisement is.
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Bridgett October 21st, 2009 at 18:34
Thank you so much. I rec’d the ad today in my sales paper. I live in Arkansas and was especially interested in the heater. I was really sucked in and rearranging funds in order to pay for it. I thought I’d better check it out first and happened up on your site. GOD BLESS YOU! I am so over them and their bogus ad. How do they know when the 48hrs. are supposedly over anyway? I am not well versed on the amish, however what I do know is that they will not allow themselves to be photographed and know about it. Oh yes, since when did they start promoting electricty?
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Debbie October 24th, 2009 at 07:16
I too am thinking of purchasing one of these heaters, and after reading your blog was very concerned, so……..I went to the web site selling the Amish heat surge units. Guess what? They have the Good Housekeeping seal! Now for those of you who don’t know what that is, Good Housekeeping is one of the BEST voices for consumers. If a product has their seal, they have made sure that it’s tried & true to its statements. Also, if you purchase an item with the Good Housekeeping seal, Good Housekeeping guarantees you a 100% refund for any product that doesn’t hold true for you for up to 2yrs after the purchase! So……just to make sure this wasn’t “photo shopped” into the heat surge advertisement, I went directly to the Good Housekeeping web site. Guess what! It’s there! The Amish heaters are truely backed by the Good Housekeeping seal! So, for all of you folks (like me) who were almost swayed by this blog that apparently didn’t do their homework, there’s your facts. Good day.
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Robert October 24th, 2009 at 11:03
Todd Zeigler: You are correct. I think the people in the photos are not the Amish, they are the “Scamish”! LOL
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Robert October 24th, 2009 at 11:10
I have an idea for the “engineering genius” in China who invented this miracle heater: The next version, the next generation could include a Cosmic Ray flux capacitor to retrieve and store energy from space! That extra, free energy could then be routed to the heating element to generate even more heat!
In fact, Hazel Schwartz (posted on Oct 13) may in fact have one of these units because she said her electric bills did not go up when she used the Heat Surge!!! That unit may be running on this free energy from Space! -
Hey what do you know about the Eden Pure Heater? Is it the real deal or not?
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I just read that the CZ infrared heaters are the best. It’s the only heater that I have found good comments on.
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Honeybig October 27th, 2009 at 23:55
I bought one of these 1 year ago. It only worked for about 2 months. It keeps kicking off. And it does not save any more power than a regular heater.
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Consumer affairs did an article on this thing. Pretty states that it is a rip off. As for Good Housekeeping seal of approval. Here is what is says about that:
“According to a Good Housekeeping spokesperson:
“In order to earn the Good Housekeeping Seal, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute evaluates a product to ensure it meets product claims and confirms that all product promises and directions are accurate. We verify that all information required or recommended on a label is provided. For categories in which there are accepted industry standards, we review the data to ensure the company has followed current performance and safety methods. If a problem about a Seal product is brought to our attention, we investigate it. Products that have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal carry a limited warranty: if the product proves to be defective within two years of purchase, Good Housekeeping will replace the item or refund the consumer.”
In other words, it is what it is.’
Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/02/amish_heaters.html#ixzz0VXdc3mNn
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chris e November 3rd, 2009 at 19:07
ok so my grandma bought me one of these for my house psssshhh amish my ass you can tell these thing are put together on a line in china by 12yr old children. yeah they heat but what you said is right. but i cant say much it was free to me.
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Jackie Brown November 4th, 2009 at 00:52
I saw the add on tv for the first time about a year ago, and was sold. But never took down the information. I just saw another add on tv tonight and was so excited and ready to purchase it.
I was typing the words heat surge into google, and ya know how google has a box that pops up underneath with options, well the second option was amish scam, if I had gone straigt to the website I would of never read the reviews.
After reading them I am mixed on weather to buy or not. I was certain it was a scam but then read the Good Housekeeping seal information. I don’t know what to do. I also enjoy the glow and look of the fireplace, but if it is not quality then it’s not worth it. On the other hand, if good housekeeping will refund the money, do I want to take the chance, and might have to go through the hassel of contacting good housekeeping to get a refund and pay for shipping? I wish there was a similar fireplace that was in a department store. -
I know you probably won’t publish this because I am raving about this heater. My uncle drives the Amish who make the mantles and he got us one of the heaters three years ago. It is amazing and beautiful to look at. Who wants to sit and look at the Wal-mart heater?? This fireplace heater heats our entire living room,dining room and kitchen on the high setting and does not run up the electric bill. Everyone who visits makes great comments about it. You do need to read the newspaper ad closely though, as you only are getting the heaters free with payment of the beautiful handcrafted Amish mantles. READ people don’t just assume.
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I don’t care anything if they mantle was made by Amish or doges. I just want to know about the quality of the fireplace insert. Is the price worth it. It’s sold for $249 (insert only). I looked on Lowe’s website and I found some fireplaces that were about the same price but had less BTU’s. There is a lot of bad/false advertisements on a lot of products out there.
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Lisa Walker November 7th, 2009 at 10:49
I bought this heater and in the beginning of the second winter season of use now it has already broke down. It is not even winter officially yet. Do not buy these!
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Brad from Elkhart, IN November 7th, 2009 at 16:10
I like reading all of your comments. The comments about the Amish are the best. The thing you need to realize is that these are made in OH, and just like in IN the Amish do use power tools in the plants. They built the R.V.s the same way in Elkhart, IN. I know b/c I worked along side of them. I have driven past this factory many times. They do have the 15 passenger vans outside to haul the Amish around, just as in IN. It is true that they do not make these things with turn of the century tools, but they are made or assembled by “some” Amish. The point is that they say on their website that the heaters, which is the most important thing, are made in China.
If you don’t believe me about the Amish, pull up any of the Elkhart R.V. plants and you will see Amish plain as day working with power and pneumatic tools.
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Horatio Hill November 18th, 2009 at 07:31
You only pay for the mantle? At a price of $298? Are you kidding me? If anyone buys that piece of junk you’re either a gullible senior citizen or an idiot!
As most people know, space heaters suck! They only heat one room at a time and if you own a home like mine – I would have to buy 8 of these things in order to heat all the different rooms of my home!
Consumers beware! It’s just a flippin cheap space heater folks! It’s made in China!!!!
Here’s my source: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/02/amish_heaters.html
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How can so many of you people still actually think about buying this crap. $28 and you get a known good heater listed above. Why risk getting scammed.
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This may have been covered in a previous post but anyone can figure out what the Amish heater will cost to run for an hour in your own area because the cost of power varies all over the country.
It appears that Lee used the national average of 10 cents a kilowatt hour to calculate the stated power cost. But 14 states have higher rates than the national average and specific municipalities and power providers all vary from area to area.
If you review your power bill and locate the cost of a kilowatt in your area and multiply this rate by 1.5 (the same as 1,500 watts) you can determine exactly what these heaters cost to run per hour. Where I live that comes to just under 20 cents an hour.
However, in New York the average rate is .1723 cents a kilowatt hour so it would cost .1723 * 1.5 or just under 26 cents an hour to run this heater- or if you purchased two as my mother-in-law did it would cost 52 cents an hour.
As someone who builds energy-efficient homes these are such a waste of money–thanks Lee for providing this forum.
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The Heat Surge infomercial is running in the background as I type this. I would never buy that hideous thing but the ad smelled scammy and your posting confirmed my suspicions.
My favorite parts of the infomercial are the shots of actors dressed in Amish-wear incorrectly using hand tools, especially the woman scrubbing circles with the wooden-bodied block plane. Priceless.
They do admit that the thing could cost “as little” as $0.09/hr to operate. That’s probably true if you live next to a hydroelectric dam. And it includes “imported Asian fireless flame technology!”
Incidentally, most cheap furniture is made of veneered MDF, not solid wood. Can anyone confirm this is the case on the Heat Surge cabinet?
In any case, good investigative work.
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Victor M November 28th, 2009 at 02:16
sorry if someone posted already, but i couldnt help but notice that in the website, the two products on the left have the same exact image on them, photoshop rotations much?
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@Debbie
You say the “Heat Surge” carries the Good Housekeeping seal. But I went to the GH site. They have NO heaters or fireplaces, because space heaters are the top reason for home fires.
Also, my Uncle is Amish, and though he is a bit strange. Their religion forbids them to use electricity or have their image captured by cameras.
They are also forbidden to sell items that are mass produced or have anything to do to with electricity.
The Amish are not into greed or getting rich. They are a humble people who live on the things they grow, and use the things they make. Although I have heard they do have furniture for sale. I believe this is furniture bought from them. Not mass produced for some scam artist company.
So Debbie and the other people who talk about the Amish and their beliefs, should read up on them.
Here is a link: http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish4.htm -
Donald C. December 2nd, 2009 at 00:58
Though I agree with you that these heat surge heaters are over priced and will not save you money as claimed, I can not agree with you regarding your comparison of the $21 Holmes heater as you suggest will do the same job. I know because I bought a couple of them a while ago and I can tell you about the only thing the Holmes heaters are good for are boat anchors though not very good at that either. I have used a number of electric heaters and the Holmes heaters are the least efficient of any that I’ve used. It’s true that gas heat is more cost efficient in comparison to electric heat, but you failed to take into account the efficiency of the heater you are talking about. Gas heaters can run anywhere from 70 to 96 percent efficiency where electric, depending on the model and technology used, can range from 10 to 50 percent efficiency. One of the best are the oil filled heaters. Some infrared heaters can do pretty well, though the better ones are much larger than the Holmes heater you pictured in you blog. Simply doing calculations with out doing the actual testing doesn’t really give you accurate data. When you test the unites, you will find that there are factors that you have over looked that have significant affects on the output. By the way, the only thing I ever found the Holmes heaters useful for was as foot heaters with the heaters on high and very close to my feet. The electric bill went right through the roof.
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I haven’t owned a Holmes heater, so I cannot say how well they work, but all electric resistive heaters are 100% efficient. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, and if you put 1500 watts of electrical energy into a resistive heater, you’re going to get 1500 watts of heat out of it. Generally, when people talk about energy efficiency, it has to do with the ratio of a desired form of energy such mechanical energy in the case of a motor, or lumens of light in the case of a light bulb, to an undesired form of energy like waste heat. Since the product of a resistive heater is just heat plus a small amount of air movement from the fan (which also turns into heat) the heat output of a resistive heater will always be equal to its electrical input.
In the case of gas heaters, you need to vent them to the atmosphere, so you’ll lose heat through the exhaust pipe, and there’s always the possibility that the fuel will not be completely combusted, so that’s why you see a range of efficiencies for heaters that burn fuel to produce heat.
Heat pumps are sometimes advertised to be more than 100% efficient, but they do not create energy. They work like an air conditioner in reverse, namely, moving thermal energy from one location to another location. They move this thermal energy in the reverse direction it would normally flow which is normally from hot to cold.
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Marsha December 2nd, 2009 at 14:51
There are lots of thanks for a guy who didn’t try one telling everyone else not to try one either. Where I live, homes are built for efficent cooling in the summer. Winter is short and expensive. Fireplaces just suck the heat out of the rest of the house. A space heater adds a “warm spot” to go to. Some people like the warmth of a space heater. Some don’t. That doesn’t make them suckers, or stupid.
If the heater doesn’t meet your expectations FOR ANY REASON – you can return it in 30 days. If it doesn’t perform well – or smokes – etc as many have said – you have a 12 month warranty. Yes – you can buy a 36 month warranty for $36. Have you bought any device or appliance lately that did NOT offer an extended warranty? -
Steven Fritz December 4th, 2009 at 04:36
Bought one of these and it heated our entire 2500 sq ft house. We didn’t run the furnace at all. The bill for the entire winter totaled $20.00. It snowed 12 inches one night and we set the heater in the front yard, and it melted all the snow in our yard as well as those of the the neighbors on each side of us. We suspect global warming may actually be the result of these heaters, and the polar ice cap melt may be the people up north buying thaese heaters. We have alerted Al Gore. This product is just amazing. What more can I say?
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Michael December 4th, 2009 at 08:31
I like the giant UL Listed certificate being handed to the Amish Guy – I can go to the Dollar Store and any electrical item will have a UL Label on it.
It looks to me like these Amish Craftsman are assembling these from a stack of pieces already made, who knows where and by who.
It is just a electric heater in a cabinet with a fake fire.
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danell December 4th, 2009 at 21:32
I just ordered one from HSN $79 on flex pay as I couldnt afford the full price in the ads I had been seeing in the Sunday paper. Thank goodness I found this blog. I called and cancelled my order!! I heat my house with off road diesel fuel (6 gals every day and 1/2 and it’s not even cold out yet). Any ideas how I can be warm and save money? Can’t use wood stove due to allergies.
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As someone who was raised in Northern Indiana in an area populated with Amish, I can 99.99% guarantee you that the Amish have nothing to do with this product. If you notice on their website, they actually capitalize Amish Craftmanship, as if its a product. Furthermore, it is correct that Amish do not like to have their pictures taken. I can’t imagine any Amish person allowing themselves to be in a TV commercial. Also, every single Amish person I have ever met has an accent. Their first language is not English. They speak English, but to each other, they speak Pennsylvania Dutch. It gives them an accent that sounds quite German. The man on the TV had a southern accent.
This company should be stopped! Not only are they taking advantage of customers by ripping them off with their scams, but they are taking advantage of the Amish as well. They are using the good Amish name to sell a piece of crap heater from China. And, I’m sure their lawyers have already checked and found out that the Amish would not sue them because of their religious beliefs. It is absolutely despicable what they are doing. I would rather freeze to death than give them my money.
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Hi Danell, I saw the HSN commercial (on YouTube) and those people are very good at selling. It’s their business. The HSN pitch focuses not so much on the savings, but on how ‘real’ the flame looks and the quality of the mantel. My original goal in writing the blog article was to refute the over-the-top approach to pushing this product, particularly the potential for energy savings. The only way you’ll save money with an electric space heater is if you heat only the rooms you occupy. This may be practical for some, but not for most people who don’t want the rooms in the house too chilly to use during the winter season. Sure, the electric heater comes on and starts heating instantly, but if a room is at 50 degrees F, it can take hours for it to come back up to a comfortable temperature using a 5000 BTU/hr heater. The contents of a room have a lot of thermal capacity and so they keep drawing the heat out of the air as fast as the heater warms it.
If you’re using 6 gallons of diesel per day and 1/2, your current heating requirements are about 480,000 BTU per day assuming 80% efficiency of your furnace. It would take about 4 of these 5000 BTU/hr heaters running 24 hours a day to produce that much heat. Assuming an electricity cost of $.10/kWh, your electric bill would be an additional $430/month if you did that. I checked the price of heating oil and it’s at $2.74/gallon and so there would probably be no savings in converting from diesel to home heating oil. Based on your 4 gallon/day usage, your heating bill is approaching $300/month assuming you’re getting it for $2.50/gallon.
The easiest way to reduce heating costs in the winter is to reduce your home’s temperature. In general, each 1 degree F lower you can set your thermostat, you’ll see a 3% decrease in your heating bill. The biggest potential for savings are at night, since you’re sleeping and you won’t even know the rest of the house is cold. You could use an electric blanket and comfortably reduce your home’s temperature by as much as 10 degrees at night, but if you do that, I’d suggest using a programmable thermostat to set it back about an hour before you get up, or else you’ll be reluctant to get out of your warm bed.
I don’t know if natural gas in an option for you, but its cost per BTU is about half of what people pay for oil and propane. And a heat pump may also be an option, which is about 3x more efficient than a resistive type heater, but they are quite a bit more expensive than a traditional furnace, so there are more up-front costs. And should the temperature drop below 0 degrees F, they tend to use a resistive heater as a backup, so they get very expensive to use when you need heat the most.
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shirley trent December 10th, 2009 at 09:21
Thnak you!
I wish I had read this sooner!
I just called and cancelled my order!
They wanted to keep the shipping charge even though it has never been shipped..
Hopefully I will get a full refund..but I am not sure of that!
This company should be exposed as a fraud! -
[...] by and idly watch. Several of my most popular blog articles are related to exposing scams like the Amish Heat Surge miracle heater, the Arctic Cool Surge (yes, same company), and exposing the unworkable mathematics [...]
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LiveInAmishCountry December 11th, 2009 at 13:06
Hey Folks:
I live here in Paradise, Pa. Lancaster County, Our property borders an Amish farm, and we have many Amish friends.They don’t market their good like this.
And after a bit of research, sounds like just another scam to make money in the good ‘ol USA.
Where, thanks to politics and greed, it seems making money the old fashioned way is a bit scarce.Have A Healthy and Happy Holiday…anyway
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B. Bentor December 14th, 2009 at 04:28
Saw the commercial for the first time today and knew immediatedly that this had to be a scam. Googled “heat surge scam” and came across this page. What a shame! I feel bad for those who will buy this and think that they’re getting the best thing since sliced bread.
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Cindy Ince December 15th, 2009 at 18:09
I am so up-set that my husband has ordered one of these fireplace/heaters. I had made a coment that one of the neighbors had gotten one. Big Mistake. We were not supposed to buy Christmas gifs this year and he ordered this anyway. I have not opened the box and told him they are very small and if we were to get one I liked the full sized ones I had seen in Big Lots for under $300. Big Lots is a discount store These heaters are very small and not even as long as my foot stools. Save yourself, If you want a Electric fireplace I see nothing wrong with that, but purchase it in person so you can evaluate the size and craftsmanship. Don’t be fooled it will save you on heating bills. You may save on the gas but the electric will skyrocket.
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L. Kullberg December 17th, 2009 at 15:53
We purchased two Amish heaters in Nov 2007. They worked fine until a week before the guarantee ran out in Nov. 2008. One started blowing cold air, no heat. We boxed it up and the company eventually fixed or replaced it. (it took about six weeks) Then, this November 2009 the second fireplace did the same thing only the guarantee has expired. The company needs to furnish repair kits (and instructions) or names of local repair shops. Does anyone know how to repair this kind of heater? I see that the BBB has had LOTS of complaints about this company. Why isn’t a class action suit happening? We think these cheap Chinese heaters are giving the Amish a bad reputation.
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THESE SCAMS ARE UNBELIEVABLE! THEY SELL GREAT ELECTRIC FIREPLACES AT LOWES HARDWARE STORES FOR 100 BUCKS..IT LOOKS NICER AND BETTER QUALITY…
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Carol R. December 18th, 2009 at 11:37
Oh my gosh, I was totally going to buy this heater. I was skceptical and decided to check out the internet about this product. Thank you so much for this blog. I will not purchase!! I am just so tired of these companies taking people like this. You cannot trust any company until you do some research.
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Mennonite December 18th, 2009 at 23:31
Yes these ppl are Amish. New Order Amish. Many Amish ppl do allow themselves to be photographed. The more conservative of the Old Order Amish would not. Yes they wear shirts with buttons LOL. Some New order and Beachy Amish will wear a polo shirt. The Amish are a part of this because they are making the mantles. The wooden mantles are the only Amish part of the product. The ppl in the add are very obviously Amish to any plain person or person who spends time in plain communities.
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I have to raise the BS flag here myself. I was just subjected to their infomercial and was surprised how full of BS it was. one guy comes on and says “my HS heater has raised my electric bill less than 50 cents a month”. 3 minutes later a spokesperson says “it uses as little as 9 cents an hour”. using their own statements and numbers, simple math says 50 cents will only get you 6 hours or less of use per month.
also someone correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t the guy doing the infomercials the same guy that sells the pills that are supposed to make your whatchamacallit bigger.
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Michael December 21st, 2009 at 12:25
My name is Michael, I had just gotten out of the shower when the I noticed the Informercial playing on the TV in my bed room, I was initially intrigued by the amount of Amish people on the TV, which stuck my curiosity because Amish people shun these types of technology. I don’t know why I wanted to investigate this product, but I was waiting for my girlfriend to come out of the shower, so I decided to just take her laptop and look up this product.
I am appalled by the amount of negativity surrounding this product, I will never buy the Heat Surge. It seems like a piece of crap and its probably dangerous.
Sites like these are invaluable to the consumer experience. Shams like the Heat Surge need to be exposed for what they really are.
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They got my senile mother in law for two of them. They’re garbage. I agree with lady who posted about the coughing too. Been coughing ever since they got here. STAY AWAY.
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Lee…your calcs on the electric and gas usage is dead on. I find this all very amusing, though. Mostly the tie in with the Amish. This company is flat out scamming folks. I own a heating and a/c company and we shudder when people tell us they try and save money by using electric heaters. You do not save money.
Once your house is heated to a certain level, it only takes a small amount of heat, in every room, to maintain that level of comfort. You cannot do that with tiny electric heaters. It’s called a balance point. That certain level where the structure is losing more heat than is being produced internally.
This is a good thing you are doing, alerting an unsuspecting public to the shady business practices of Heat Surge. Keep up the good work!
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Anonymous December 23rd, 2009 at 19:35
Ok I don’t see what the hate is for I work for a company not affiliated directly with heat surge, that takes the calls generated by the print ads and tv ads, but one thing gets me about the people I talk to, first there are the ones from the print ads that stop reading after they read the word “free” and get pissed when i tell them it costs money, then I politely point them to the section that has the price, and they feel like morons and they should, there is NO such thing as a completely free lunch, and you morons crying that it should be “free” as it says are morons, and besides I want you to think of some things the next time you think it is completely free.
1. A 1-800 number is not free, the phone company charges money for that, the money has to come from somewhere right
and
2. I don’t answer the phone for free either, I have children to feed, so I don’t answer the phone for my health, and due to the increasing amount of morons like yourselves that give me headaches I am seriously thinking of asking for a raise.
So the next time you think that something is completely free, think of this, could you walk into home depot, pick up an electric heater and walk out the door without paying for it, enough said.
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Fomoco December 25th, 2009 at 05:11
This so called Amish heater,has low,medium,high.Which is 600,900,1500 watt settings.No different than a ceramic floor heater,at walmart.Your paying for the wood,and shipping.Don’t fall in the chinease hole for this preety box.In addition the Amish don’t even make these.
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Fomoco December 25th, 2009 at 05:23
This is a Ohio based company,and that’s just one factory.
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ed thomas December 25th, 2009 at 06:48
I appreciate the blog. Looking for nonsense is a hobby of mine. As a teacher, it appals me at the number of folks who escaped our public schools, colleges and even grad schools with so little knowledge of how the world works. They don’t read ads carefully. They don’t know how their utility bills are calculated. Your blog explained things so that any who care can learn a little.
BTW, I don’t expect any class action lawsuits, the ads are scammy and smarmy, but they don’t seem to out right lie.
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hazel schwartz December 25th, 2009 at 07:17
You people are all crepe hangers! I have bought two of the ash fireplaces. They are excellent. They heat my large family room and kitchen so toasty warm I have to turn the settings down on the fireplace. I compared my electric bill with before the fireplace and after and my bill did NOT go up. I have Ohio Edison and it is the highest electric priced company there is. I suggest you read what the BBB (Better Business Bureau says about Heat Surge. They investigated them after reading complaints from negative people like those o this website. They went to the amish areas of Ohio where these Heat Surge products are made. They investigated thoroughly and came back with the FACTS that the fireplaces are made by actual amish not people pretending to be and the fireplaces are good and do work.
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I just saw the commercial on TV and saw an “Amish” person with buttons on his shirt. If you have an knowledge of the Amish you would know that genuine Amish DO NOT use buttons so this sent me to the computer to investigate this company that I though might be using the Amish persona to sell a product.
Having been raised in a Mennonite household I am aware of certain things about the Amish and being photographed is not allowed. Another thing I noticed was the way some of “their Amish” had their hats tilted back on the head rather than coming down on the forehead which didn’t look right.
Who in our society would not be aware that they were being used in such a way because they do not watch TV? The Amish. It a very cynical thing to do using a people who would not bring lawsuits and fight back at being used in this way.
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I just saw the ad on tv a while ago. I figured it was a crock from the first minute. What I was curious about was how it worked……”cheap made in China electric heater” is exactly what I expected to read in my google search.
Made by genuine Amish “craftsmen” is neither here nor there……if it’s too good to be true it probably just is, which has been proven with mathematical calculations posted in the replies above.
What gets me is the posts I have read in a few different spots here praising this overpriced piece of made in China junk. LOL Obviously those opinions must have been made by someone with a financial interest in this “product”. LOL
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Gordon December 29th, 2009 at 14:42
Come on people. Just because they might not be real Amish, is that a reason not to buy the Heat Surge? Let’s face it, sure your can buy an inexpensive electric heater encased in steel with wires in front of it. If you buy a Heat Surge, you are buying a nice looking piece of furniture with fake flames instead of a wire grid. I think most people would expect to pay more and as far as using it to heat your house, NOT. It should just be used to warm up a room or two. It’s funny, celebrities advertise all kinds of products from trucks to golf clubs and many people buy their products, not because they endorse them but because they like the appeal. Sure, you can buy an electric heater and pay less but just keep in mind, you can spend $35,000 for a very nice new car or you can spend less than half of that and get a nice new car that will get you where you want to go a whole lot cheaper. The insurance is less too. It’s what appeals to you.
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vicky kamer December 29th, 2009 at 17:42
i have two that keep cuttind off tried to send back but they did not give us right return slips and they dont call back what should i do
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Gordon – the point of the blog is not to belittle someone’s personal taste in an item, its to present the FALSE advertising and sleazy salesman tactics going into heat surge marketing.
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Darold January 2nd, 2010 at 05:14
I’ve seen the new commercial for this season. The one hosted by a guy who looks an awful lot like the guy on the male enhancement commercials. I’m not to concerned about who does the hosting, what concerns me is that they offer the heater for free, but you pay nearly $300 for the mantle, but it is guaranteed. What I want to know, is what is covered by the guaranty? The FREE PART — the only thing likely to need replacement or the wood? When did anyone ever guarantee what they give away for free?
Another thing. In this year’s commercial they have a lot of women working alongside men in a wood-shop — are there that many Amish women carpenters? And the men–are there that men middle-aged single men in an Amish community I know they are single, because they have no beards.
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Gordon January 4th, 2010 at 13:29
Well, I ordered one and it came in last week. I was really hoping it would make my room nice and cozy (As stated in the manual) NOT. This thing would be hard pressed to heat up my small bathroom. It’s going back and I agree with Darold above. When I call to find out how to send it back, I’m concerned that they will say the only thing that is guarantted is the FREE heater. Will let you know.
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They were just selling the Heat Surge heaters on HSN tonight for $399 & free shipping. I did not hear them explain that the heating system is made in China, it simply stated Amish built. There are a bunch of these type of fireplaces at Lowes & Home Depot. I seen a few on clearance already for $149.00 They all seem to have similar controls and do the same thing. All are most likely imported. No magical stuff, just a small heater in a large cabinet. It is wonderful marketing. The post about the $21 heater from Walmart doing the same job is correct. Not as nice to look at though. Just about any electric heater can save some money if you set back your central heating thermostat to the rest of the house and essentially spend most of your time in one room. If you are looking for a eye-appealing small heater buy one, but you will be buying it for looks because the price isn’t justified if you simply need a small heater.
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My friends: I am an ‘energy engineer’. I DESIGN energy-efficient heating systems as a career (25 yrs), as well as other energy-efficiency equipment and strategies. (O.K. so I’m sorta qualified!) Now….
First, people at home out there want to save money .. that’s the demand or need! Second, ideally, they want to do it safely, conveniently and without spending a lot of money up front, and the heat source should be attractive (not a lot of exposed pipes or other unattractive heating devices in the space, etc.). And these ‘fireplaces’ (!) are what this company supplies by their massive ad-campaign, admittedly well-thought out and well-positioned to take lots of money out of unsuspecting and (not trying to be arrogant here!) uneducated people’s pockets. The fireplace is pretty, attractive and would be safe if it were well-constructed and would stand up to use, which it is NOT and does NOT! As Mr. Devlin states, you can get a safe well-built ceramic heater these for $25-$30 or less! The concept of zone-heating is not new, in fact, I’ve used ceramic heaters in my bedroom and family room for years at low setting myself and save a huge amount by setting my stat back. It’s not a big cabinet sitting in the middle of my rooms! My family loves the money I give them on what we save. It’s attractive, too, because I close a small cabinet door when I’m not using it, and it is out of sight! And they are convenient and I’m comfortable! A small oil-filled electric heater can be completely silent!
America, wake up to the fact that there are people like me who WISH I had thought of this scam myself! (But I have morals, and I feel good about myself for that!) These companies appeal and successfully supply to a lot of people’s “wants/desires”, and successfully suck money out of these people by overcharging for thir cheaply-built (therefore, high profit) products. The massive ad campaign should always be a clue there is something both better quality and less expensive available, if you just do your homework.
In this case a little homework witll save you a LOT of money, both in safety, a long-lived product product, low cost and if you zone heat your house with safe products, you can save a good amount of money on your heating costs too!
Oh, I also enjoyed the ‘cosmic ray’ post, pinging on the lady who thought her bill ‘magically’ did not go up! Lot’s of miconceptions out there, most of it anecdotal, like, “I won’t save any money by turning my lights out if I leave the room for just a few minutes…” (My favorite!) But, let’s be nice…!!
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GET A ROPE January 7th, 2010 at 09:12
i’ve been a electrician for 40 years your better off with a 30 dollar ceramic heater 1500watt is 1500watt no matter what you buy ! your paying for the flake flames and the wood cover
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The most efficient electric are quartz rod heaters but probably more expensive & harder to find. The quartz rods are also more fragile than ceramic.
As for the Amish, if you have ever owned an Amish built tent trailer you may have noticed that they can’t drive a screw any straighter than the rest of us & they strip out just as many screw holes & leave just as many rough edges so “Amish built” means nothing. -
Pamela January 11th, 2010 at 13:12
I have decided after reading all of these posts that maybe buying two “snuggies” would be the best way to go. I am very appreciative of this blog, both the positive and negative.
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I work for an electric company and when I was flipping through the channels this morning I ran across this commerical and decided to research it a little. This is a total scam and anyone that states their bills have not gone up at all normally has electric heat. Space heaters which is exactly what this is cleverly disguised as a fireplace will definately cause your bills to go up. They state they are free and there is a limit of 2 — They are not free they are extremely expensive to buy and to run,.
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Thanks for the post and everyone’s follow up comments. If the mantle is in fact a woodwork created by the Amish, this company counting on the fact that the Amish people will never know that they are using “the Amish” to represent their product. They should at least put a disclaimer that the Amish people in the commercial are actors and NOT real Amish people. My first question was, “how does it work?” The Amish do not use electricity. I listened more closely and found that the “Amish crafted mantle” part was specified. This product is basically a glorified plug-in electric heater in the shape of a fire place.
This product is clearly shipped from China based on the box it comes in and should not be represented as made in the USA by a testimonial from an unsuspecting buyer if ONLY PART OF IT is made in the USA (if in fact this is even true). A message to “HeatSurge.com” staff: Calling this product an “Amish Heat Surge” first of all is incorrect, and second, statement of this product being made in the “heartland of America” is insulting to people who try to buy American made products.
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I called the phone number on the tv. and the woman who answered the phone was pretending to be Amish…..lol I asked her if she could tell me hgow much it would cost to run a month, and she said she didn’t know. I then asked her if it had the engery star that means its energy efficent and she said no,but it has a good housekeeping seal?????? so does my loaf of stale wonder bread…whats that got to do with heat………and cost to heat. Junk.junk buy a heater at walmart for for $20 and get the same or better results.
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I am so glad I came across this page. My mother was just talking about buying this heater after just seeing the infomercial on TV. I thought it sounded too good to be true and I am so glad we left this heater in OH or wherever it is really built. I will stick with my $50 Holmes heater from Walmart. It heats great, but the Heat Surge made me wonder if my Holmes was good enough. LOL
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I laughed so hard when this thing was called “Amish” made. I was born and raised in Lancaster County, PA home of the highest amish population in the country. The Amish would never make a piece of crap like this. For one it is uses electricity. There are a few Amish that use power appliances but they only use gas not electric. When they interviewed an “Amish” man you could tell he was an actor because where was the Dutch accent. I think I will run this by one of the Amish in my neighborhood so they can make some money.
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Thank you Lee for your quality information… very helpful… I don’t understand why we allow scams to go on in the United States… it should be against the law !!!
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I find it suspicious that the woman who claims she loves her heaters would somehow find herself on this site praising them two years after she says she bought them. I mean, when was the last time you went online to post positive feedback about a product you have had a long time on a site dedicated to exposing a scam? Does she love it so much that she woke up one day and said, “I must go blog about this!”. More likely she works for the Heatsurge. I’d say “she” should feel shame, but something tells me I’d be wasting my breath. Won’t be wasting my money on this one though. Thanks for exposing these predators.
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I bought one of these heaters and it is amazing! It doesn’t run up my electric bill at all. It works so well we have to keep it on low all the time, and we decided to take out our furnace. Living in Pennsylvania it gets cold in the winter, and we see no need for our furnace anymore. The homeless actualy had to move a few houses down just to sleep at night because they said it was too hot outside of our house. It’s an amazing product, I also use it for clearing my driveway of snow and ice, and since the mantle is built with Amish pride, I use it during the summer months to. Like when I had a glass of lemonaid in my hand last July, I set that glass down with no problem. It’s great for holding things. I heard they are actually using it in Hati to hold up collapsed buildings. The “Heatsurge” is truly a gift from above. I’m supprised they arent charging double for this wonder product! I love the heatsurge soo much, I asked Chevy to take the heater out of my truck so I could put a Heatsurge in it. I’m not sure if it is true or not, but I am told that the only reason the tropical area of earth is warmer than the rest of the planet is because 7 Heatsurge heaters are located around the equater. The Heatsurge is fantasic product and made so amazingly well. I recommend it to anyone who has Hundreds of Dollars to spend on a chinsy, space heater thats worth about, and I’m being very generous here, 40 Dollars, since it’s in a wood box.
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I purchased 2 of these units as gifts for Christmas of 2009. Now, one year later, mine is so noisy we can’t use it and even watch TV or read the newspaper. At least the one we gave my son isn’t noisy – it has the common decency to just quit working!
What an expensive hoax-lesson. -
FACT: The person in the ad with the suit is Rodney Napier, the owner of the company. Now for the really amazing part – he is the ex-son-in-law of the owner of the company that makes EdenPure. There is no love lost between them and he saw how much EdenPure was making and jumped on the band wagon.
Draw your own conclusions! -
Okay people let me tell you this about that:
I worked in returns, and despite the fact that we were overwhelmed by the SAME THREE COMPLAINTS(no heat, Broken logs/noise and less heat then a normal heater), they got rid of me, for their mistake.
Here is what you tell them to get a FULL REFUND, including shipping. Or, if you’re out of the warranty period how to get a new heater every couple years since the things break about a that point.
For a refund (if you heater is less then 2 years old, or you have the extended warranty and it less then 3.)
Ask Customer service for “Diana Weekly”, if Not available ask for the senior with the initials J.W. There’s only like 10 people that can refund you shipping, and these are the only 2 I can remember.
Cuss, throw a fit, what ever and mention P60(credit card or P65(check or EBT) for full refund), get one of those to authorize shipping, MAKE SURE YOU MENTION AND RETURN THE REMOTE, even if it was free!
Ship it back with THEIR labels, and you will get a full refund for this POS.
Otherwise, if you’re not under warranty. DO NOT CALL THEM! IF YOU HAVE THE PAPERWORK, use their labels, and what ever box(doesn’t matter if its in a million pieces or not when it gets back.) and send it in, it will get “lost” and they have to return it to you, so they send you a new one. If you have one form before Jan 1rst 2009, don’t do this unless it breaks, otherwise do it about every 2 years.
Have fun people, these things are CRAP after the first of last year.
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Well, I guess I am one of those senior citizen types, who fall for anything, but I LOVE my Heat Surge fireplace! I admit I just got a replacement one after two years…. luckily I had bought the 3 year extended warranty…. and the company sent me a brand new one! I am not naive enough to think this little heater would heat my whole house…. but we love the ambiance it creates in our family room… a place where we spend most evenings. It just makes our California winter nights cozy…. and our dogs and cats love it, too! This also saves on running our fireplace insert in the living room when we are not in there. Judy …Lafayette, CA.
February 18, 2010 P.S. I must admit the above comments make me a bit wary of how long the new one will last! -
JimmyDaGeek February 18th, 2010 at 17:18
This is what the Good Houskeeping Seal really means: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/history/about-good-housekeeping-seal.
It means that they guarantee you are buying an electric fireplace that will work for 2 years. Otherwise, you have to contact Good Housekeeping regarding problem.
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My dad bought one of these junks a little over a year ago. The little 40 watt motor that turns the tinfoil rotor died. He only used it five times. He has contacted the company three times and I have contacted them four times about a shipping label. They just give us the run around. This is just an attempt to dodge the three year warrenty that dad has. I have a hard time beleiving that the Amish would put their good reputations on something this cheap and with a faulty warrenty. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SACAM! Don’t do like poor dad did.
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Christine in FL March 1st, 2010 at 08:31
Yes, the ads come across like a used car dealer runs the company’s PR dept. HOWEVER, the product is attractive and heats reasonably well for the electricity used. Note the comparison photos of the Walmart space heater and the arguably Amish encased version. One is very ugly and the other pleasing. If you have need of a space heater and wish to invest in one that is not an eyesore in your home, this is the best on the market. The artificial flame looks fairly convincing and it is easily portable. We have one and appreciate its added warmth and calming light. We’re getting another for my elderly mother’s birthday… her feet get cold and she can not tend a real fireplace.
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We purchased one of these heaters over a year ago and it works just fine and the wood cabinet and mantel are very attractive. We paid $299 for everything. We live Florida so this works perfect to take the chill off of our bedroom at night and in the morning and is a lot more inexpensive then having to turn the heat on. I really don’t care who made it, I just care that it works.
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i have one of the heatsurge heaters i got it with out the wood casing and it heats up the area i have but not as well as the space heater i had to buy but its nice to have a fire with out smoke heat and you can use it all year long
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charmaigne May 23rd, 2010 at 10:36
I am so sorry to hear about the bad experiences that some have had with their heat surge units. I have 2 and frankly I love them! I live in Kansas and we are ice storm central. My home has high ceilings and with the gas I can have it cranked but never feel really warm.And my bill was $300+ per month. I have the gas on 62 so the pipes dont freeze and use the units in the rooms I am in. They are not quite as cheap as advertised to use but I have paid less in electric than I did in gas and we are much warmer. The work quickly and heat a room nicely. I love mine.I like the fake fire I think they are cozy.
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I think the “hey, these things are awesome and fill my life with joy!” postings are hilarious, so by all means keep those coming. It’s a shame this blog has tapered off.
Oh, and one points people to check out what the BBB has to say about these folks. Presumably here:
http://www.bbb.org/canton/business-reviews/fireplaces/heat-surge-llc-in-canton-oh-20005318/
Notice all the good things the BBB has to say about Heatsurge LLC:
“Following the BBB request to modify the ad, the “coffee maker” claim was removed from the print promotion, but is included in the television commercial as “uses about the same energy as a coffee maker.” This correlation is based upon the two electrical products drawing the same average wattage from the standard electrical outlet. Recent ads have indicated that the company has changed the headline to read ” Only uses about 8 cents an hour” . The BBB will continue to monitor this statement.”
“Solid Wood (Oak)- inquiries have indicated confusion as to the validity of the mantel being made of solid wood (oak). The company has informed the BBB during a 9/11/08 meeting, that they are now using real wood.”
I guess this is what the above poster would call ‘investigation’.
‘Yo, you guys using real wood now?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Good enough for us.’The BBB goes on to rave:
“This business is not a BBB Accredited Business.”
Clearly the BBB is big on Heatsurge!
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M & T May 28th, 2010 at 17:46
All I know about this is that my husband and I purchased two of these heaters about 3 yrs ago and we really love them. They heat well and are energy efficient. I don’t know if the Amish actually built the mantle, but I am not really concerned because it does look nice and works well.
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I am organizing a class action lawsuit against Heat Surge for false advertising. If you are interested in joining email me at joeldjoseph@gmail.com.
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oscar t. macapobre July 4th, 2010 at 16:21
I bought the heat surge more than 2 1/2 years now. Two weeks ago while watching tv in the family room with my wife, I heard a very loud bang like an explosion. I stand up and look around both the back and front windows of the house but didn’t see anything. When I came back to the family room, I saw the glass of the heat surge shattered but intack. the unit was not even on. ( Are you kidding? Temp. outside this summer is 90 deg. F). Last winter I didn’t even use it because it didn’t heat up my small family room as advertised in the tv. this was the winter of 2009. This winter of 2010 the unit was “not” being used at all. The unit is worthless as a heater.
I called the company but “they” don’t sell me replacement parts. I have to go to a qualified technician for safety reasons. I have a vast experience in electro-mechanical repair and an electronic tech by trade. I trained a lot of guys in both fields until I retire 2 years ago. I am 67 years old now and can’t buy a replacement glass to replace the broken one….for safety reasons? This is very basic and a mickey mouse work!!! I will buy my own glass in a local glass store. They want me to buy the whole insert for $249 plus shipping. This is big crap and a scam!!!
Thanks for reading my stuff. I am mad.
Oscar
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Christina S. August 30th, 2010 at 22:24
These heaters are total crap and the only way you can heat a house north of Georgia without buying 15 of them is to chop them up with an ax and make a fire with the wood. As for being quiet, my hairdryer makes less noise than that thing. We sent it back, and were out the cost of shipping which could have paid for several of the space heaters from Walmart! Anyone on the fence about making the plunge and purchasing a “miracle amish heater” needs to think it over and instead donate the money to a favorite charity and be sure to read Jan. 31, 2010 entry from Mike in Pennsylvania because he is RIGHT ON.
PS Mike, the homeless outside(no disrespect intended) probably just moved down the block because of the “gentle roar of the electric motor” that was just too peaceful for them.
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