Ads for the Handy Heater claim it delivers “quick and easy heat, instantly!”. TV Shop, which sells the heater, boasts the device is “so powerful, it transforms cold and chilly spaces into warm and cosy places”.
But don’t throw away your bed socks just yet. We reckon the claims for this heater are well and truly overcooked.
The Handy Heater’s capacity is 370 watts. Even to heat a tiny room (up to 4m²), the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority estimates you’ll need a 500W heater. And for a small room (10 to 13m²), you’re looking at 1500W.
“It didn’t make any difference at all”
TV Shop's Handy Heater
Consumer NZ member Anne Gibbs also thinks claims for the heater are a crock. She bought a Handy Heater from TV Shop for $49.98, marked as a half-price special.
“I tried it in a small room and was extremely disappointed. I thought it would at least take the chill out of the air but it didn’t make any difference at all,” she said.
TV Shop states it provides a “30-day money back guarantee” and customers can get a full refund “if an order you have made does not meet your requirements”. But when Anne asked for her money back, the store said the guarantee didn’t apply to products discounted by 30% or more.
When we contacted Brand Developers, which owns TV Shop, it said it regretted that Anne’s expectations of the Handy Heater weren’t met and would refund her as a gesture of goodwill. The company said it stood by its claims, but it would clarify in advertising that the heater “is most suited to heating personal spaces”.
We say
The Consumer Guarantees Act requires goods to be fit for the purpose the retailer claims. Handy Heater ads tout this device’s “powerful” ability to fill chilly rooms with cosy warmth. However, a 370W heater just isn’t “powerful” enough to do this. Don’t waste your money on this heater.
We can't do this without you.
Consumer NZ is independent and not-for-profit. To help us get a fairer deal for all New Zealand consumers, you can make a donation. We’ll use your contribution to investigate consumer issues and work for positive change.