Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsLOW SETTING BYPASSES TEMPERATURE CONTROL heats nonstop.
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2018
This is a review of the Honeywell HHF370 digitally controlled 360 heater with remote. I would give it 5 stars if they would change functionality to be more like their non-digital versions when it comes to the LOW HEAT setting. On this digital version, the LOW HEAT setting completely bypasses the temperature control thermostat, and the darn thing heats nonstop.
I have several of the Honeywell 360 type heaters, some are years old and they still work well. But the combination of features that made me like them has been changed for the worse on this digital version. This is my main gripe... it is that I want to run the heater ON LOW BUT STILL HAVE A TEMPERATURE CONTROL. Yes the HHF370 has a digital thermostat that controls temperature, but it works ONLY on the HIGH SETTING.
On the older non-digital Honeywell 360-style heaters that I own, you can set the heat to HI or LOW and then adjust the temperature dial. It controls the temp regardless of the HI/LO setting, so when it get too warm it stops heating, and the fan stops. But not on this new digital version, and this wasn't made clear in the product details nor in the instructions.
Whoever designed this new digital version totally misses the point of why you want and need a LOW setting. It is not about "energy conservation". The need for a LOW setting is all about avoiding tripping the circuit breaker (or mains as they say in the UK). Look... most electrical outlets in most rooms in the US are 15 amps (except bathrooms, kitchens, and garages, which are typically 20 amp). Now when using the HIGH HEAT setting the heater operates at 1500 watts. This means it draws 12.5 amps (that is 1500 watts divided by 120 volts). This leaves only 2.5 amps left for everything else you might have plugged in and running on the same branch circuit. Say for instance you're using the heater in your den, and the same circuit has on it the sound system, your wide screen TV, the ceiling fan, and all the lights. It adds up quickly. This is why so many folks find that running their space heater keeps tripping the circuit breaker; It's too much when there's other stuff loading up the circuit.
That is why a lower watt setting is not only desirable, but in some circumstance it is the only setting you can use in certain room of the house because of the circuit situation. To forgo having a thermostat control the temperature on the LOW setting is a total design blunder.... Honeywell... are you listening? If it had this ability and was a bit quieter, the HHF370 would be 5 star all the way.
I'm not knocking Honeywell's products, because I really like their heaters. At least they actually have a real true LOW setting, where so many other brands DO NOT. There are other brands of heaters that claim to have low settings, while they actually run at full power (around 1200 to 1875 watts). but they rapidly cycle the power to the heating element on and off. Yeah it's a LOW setting in terms of heat output, but not in terms of maximum electrical load. It's not a good way to do it, and that method will not keep you from tripping a circuit breaker on a loaded up 15 amp circuit.
That's why I always loved the Honeywell heaters because most of them had a REAL TRUE LOW SETTING where it only consumes 750 watts (6.25 amps) while heating on low. Honeywell is one of the few companies that gets that right.
Regardless, I still want to have the output controlled by a thermostat while operating on low. All of Honeywell's older non-digital models offered that ability, including the non-digital HHF360V which I would recommend over the digital HHF370 if running on LOW HEAT setting is a necessity like I find it to be. .
So be aware that when using the HHF370 digital version, the LOW setting heats nonstop, and it will make things uncomfortably warm if it is near you. The high setting you can adjust, but it might trip your breaker. Too bad! I really liked the idea of having a remote plus a digital readout. You almost got it 100% right Honeywell. Try again.
Other than that... if you're not sitting near the heater, and you happen to be plugged into a 20 amp circuit, the HHF370 digital might be a really good heater because the temp control works fairly well (but always 1500 watts - and it can put out a lot of heat). Also the remote is very, very handy.
Like many of the newer heaters, the HHF370 is not very quiet. It's not terrible, but if it is near where you're sitting its noise is a bit obvious. So at this point it seems that the only heaters that Honeywell offers with TEMP CONTROL ON LOW HEAT SETTING are their non-digital models. If anyone has found a digital heater with TEMP CONTROL on LOW HEAT please leave a comment. I'm sure they exist, I just haven't found one yet. Anyway, regretfully, I am sending this one back and getting another non-digital HHF360 instead.
One last comment.... I wish Honeywell still made the HZ2200 because it was much quieter than the current versions. I still have one that is 10 years old, and it still works great. As far as space heaters go I like and prefer Honeywell... they do the job well.
