The best gifts – whether you buy them for yourself or someone else buys them for you – are practical gifts that make life more comfortable and help you help others.
There are key products that those who work at a desk really need that can greatly increase productivity.
In this post I’m going to start laying out what they are as the first step into researching the very best products of each type.
The first thing a blogger or other worker at a desk needs in the winter is to stay warm.
Cold fingers are simply not conducive to typing –
and cold feet affect overall well-being.
Staying warm is a greater challenge because many of the heaters being sold today are junk.
We must stop focusing on “cheap”
and go instead for quality and safety!Saving a few bucks is NEVER going to make up for
burning down your house and losing everything
or losing your loved one’s lives!
USELESS HEATERS:
- FeatureComfort H0301 This thing is little more than a toy. You’re more likely to burn yourself on it trying to get a little warmth than stay warm. As I type this I have one leg on either side of it and can barely keep just my legs warm. Putting it 3 feet away would be joke. Save your money to buy a heater that actually makes an entire room or at least part of a room warm!
- Pelonis H0221 Ace Hardware doesn’t list the H0301 model on their Website, but they do have this one that is very similar that reviewers have given only 2.5 stars for similar reasons I’m calling this heater almost worthless. They do have a helpful types of heaters page.
- SQH310 This heater is sold under brand names Sunbeam, Jarden Consumer, Jardennsumer, Westpointe, Quartz Tower heater. This heater weighs next to nothing which was the first indication of poor quality. While it put out a lot of heat it lasted less than 30 hours before it croaked. That might actually be a blessing in disguise because this particular model is a heating fire hazard!
YOUR HEATER INPUT WANTED:
We all need to be at least somewhat comfortable to be truly productive so I’m asking for your input:
- What heaters are worth having that won’t endanger your life and surroundings?
- Do you know of any that are more economical to run and better for the environment and your health?
- What favorite INDEPENDENT small businesses sell heaters that we as bloggers can support? Ace Hardware immediately comes to mind because they are a co-op of independent hardware stores. There is an Ace Hardware Affiliate Program which unfortunately is NOT on the most trusted Affiliate Network ShareASale.
There are no doubt others worth promoting so do please leave links to any your use and recommend in my comments so I can link to and support them.
HEATERS WORTH TESTING?
- Floor Mat Heaters ~ Anyone who uses a computer knows we don’t want our electronic equipment to get too warm (or cold), but WE want to stay warm. Heating that radiates upward to keep our feet and bodies warm while not overheating our computers could be a great idea. Is anyone using these kinds of heaters? Can you recommend any that warm you without being too hot for stocking feet?
- Picture Frame Heaters ~ Manufacturers and sellers of this type of heater claim it is extremely economical to run and I suspect they might be ideal for cool weather but I’m not sure they would really do enough when it is really cold outside. It might take a combination of a floor mat heater and a convection infrared heater both close to your desk to stay warm.
- Stoves and Fireplaces that burn alternative fuels including wood, pellets, oil, etc. Suggestions on the best choices are greatly appreciated. Businesses and their agents ARE encouraged to leave information including links to related additional details in the comments of this post.
TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES:
If you’re a small business, RELATIONSHIPS are the key to surviving challenging economic times.
- Treat your customers like friends so they won’t shop elsewhere to save a few bucks!
- Make it easy for your customers to recommend you:
- Have business cards readily available where they can see them without asking.
- USE TWITTER and put your Twitter username on your site, blog, and business cards. Add Twitter sharing buttons like the ones at the top of this post. Influential social media users and bloggers use Twitter as their primary means of first contact. It is easier to remember a well-chosen Twitter username than the name of your business or the URL of your Web site.
- Provide them with tips on how to review your business and products. See my Supporting Small Businesses post for details.
- Reach out to bloggers – especially LOCAL bloggers – and share this information on blog outreach services with them.
- Consider having bloggers whose audiences are the same as yours (same location or write about topics related to what you sell) review your products. Select wisely and provide the products either on loan or outright gifts to the bloggers who are the best fit for your business. If you don’t know how to do that, contact me and I will assist you.
- Be memorable. Interact regularly with key social-media savvy bloggers so you develop a relationship with them. They’ll tip you off to opportunities and recommend you any time the opportunity arises. Remember that they spend A LOT more time online than you do!
- Send key fans of your business practical promotional gifts so they are constantly reminded of some combination of your company name, address, phone number, Web site, or Twitter username. (Whatever you have printed on what you send.) I will do a future post on what types of gifts to send bloggers if you want them to have your business info handy. YES we all have programs but NO we aren’t constantly thinking of EVERYONE we know. That would be impossible. But we do appreciate having something useful handy especially when it comes from a business we know and love as a constant reminder to recommend you!
- Contact me for free advice, introductions, or for additional information on Priorities for Small Business Online Marketing.
IMPORTANT: Please Read for your own safety!
In the U.S. where power is USUALLY pretty stable, many people do not consider what would happen if you had no power for any length of time. Until you go without power in the winter for days or even weeks few give it any thought at all.
A storm in north Texas once left residents without electricity for several weeks during the dead of winter when temperatures were below freezing. Since most homes in that area were newer, all electric, and did not have fireplaces that meant weeks with no source of heat at all and broken water pipes when the power came back on.
Believe me when I tell you there was a boom in sales and
leases of alternate heating solutions including
propane tanks, propane heaters, wood burning stoves,
and stoves that burn pellets and alternative types of fuel!
Something else few think about is the impact of down-sizing on the number of skilled employees available to get the power back on after storms and natural disasters.
Most companies have greatly reduced their workforces
and what that means to you is it will take MUCH LONGER
for power to be restored – and the more widespread the
disaster the longer that will take!
DURING EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES:
The time to prepare for emergencies is BEFORE they happen. Every home and business needs alternative sources of heat and light.
Remember that flashlights are only as useful
as the number of batteries you have on hand
or when they can be recharged!
- Make sure you have essentials like water, food, and toilet paper on hand to last at least several weeks. For food that means STAPLES like beans, rice, pasta, and canned goods. If you have never eaten that kind of thing now would be a good time to experiment and stock up. FOOD PRICES ARE CLIMBING RAPIDLY and will CONTINUE TO CLIMB!
- Oil-filled lamps for lighting or at least candles and plenty of matches.
- Heaters that burn alternative fuels including oil, pellets, or wood.
- Consider wind or solar power if you can afford them. They are not nearly as expensive as they once were.
- A camping shower that warms water using either propane or the sun. Most truck stops and RV parks have showers you pay for per use so find out where the closest showers are BEFORE you need to know.
- Keep phone numbers of friends and neighbors IN HARD COPY. Failing that immediately write down the most important numbers BEFORE your phone, PDA, or other electronic device’s batteries run down!
- Conserve your batteries by using devices sparingly for essential purposes only.
- If roads are clear, find out how widespread the outage is and consider relocating temporarily or at least visiting others for showers and to recharge batteries. If you have a vehicle, invest in 12V power cords so you can charge your cell phone and laptop batteries, but remember you need to run the engine periodically even if you can’t drive anywhere to recharge the vehicle’s battery!
Gail Gardner
I’m using a FeatureComfort model DQ720 under my desk. It’s electric ceramic. Not terrible but strictly a way to keep the house thermostat low and warm a small area. Kind of fries my shins. Has a button that pops out and turns it off if tipped over or picked up. I feel guilty using electricity to make heat. But writing with cold feet leads to an unimaginative, urgent style. A more expensive oil-filled radiator warms a small room and, because it’s a radiator, the toasty heat penetrates instead of blowing away. Also allows a lower house thermostat setting, which saves energy.
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I think before buying a heater it is important to look for good insulation of your house. you need a lot less heating if there is not a constant cold draft coming in. It might be a little investment but it will pay itself back in electricity savings.
Even energy efficient heaters take quite some energy. Especially if you want to heat the whole room.
We have city heating here, which is far from ideal.
It gets too hot sometimes and when I get to warm I become a bit sleepy. So now I just keep my door open even though it’s -3 right now. As long as my fingers don’t freeze it actually makes me more productive. You will stay very awake when you are a bit cold 🙂
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Duraflame Metal Infrared Quartz Heater is the stylish way to reduce heating bills at home or the office. Equipped with infrared quartz heating technology to spread clean heat evenly throughout the room. Features + Benefits Durable laminated galvanized steel finish Built in thermostat adjusts from 55-97°F 3400 BTU heats rooms up to 600 sq. feet Includes remote control
In general, the hot water flow rate of a small tank less water heater can support a bathroom and a kitchen with a dishwasher. The key to selecting the proper model is knowing the flow rates of your fixtures, the coldest temperature of incoming water, and your usage patterns (how many faucets do you expect to be able to use at the same time?). Work with your plumber to choose a size that fits your needs. It is really good.
My favorite is the radiator style heater–it’s quiet, efficient, and safe. Takes a while to warm up, but worth it.
In this winter low watt heater can used to warm room temperature. And also humidity level maintain.You can also buy a humidity sensor to maintained environment.In order to healthy life carry on.
This is what I want for Christmas! It’s freezing cold outside, and I sometimes sleep late at night. I can’t do my work in the living room where our fireplace was built. I hope Santa will hear my wish.
Without my heater I cannot work! It’s a ‘PREM-I-AIR’ fan tower heater and has been going strong for years. Definitely increases my productivity! Especially in the UK where it’s generally pretty cold
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Hi Gail,
I’m glad I don’t have to go under such complicated condition.
We have tropical climate here (wet and warm) weather. While you guys there are trying to get warm, us here always wish to cold temperature, pretty ironic.
Nice Post!
I am a very long time blogger and luv your effort for heater. but in single room can harm oxygen and humidity low children and old people can sick. only 1 condition heater safe just like micro wave oven etc. thanks for this good effort
Keeping yourself warm and paying your own heating bills is one of the few downsides to working from home. Last year I was living in a small loft apartment, which was great when I moved in in the spring, but come winter it was a different story… Freezing!
This year I have a really warm ground floor apartment so staying warm is not the issue it was last winter. Bloggers need to stay warm, that’s for sure, use anything you can including a blanket, hot water bottle or even fingerless gloves.
The Floor Mat Heaters you mentioned sound interesting, I would also like to know how effective they are as they sound perfect for someone working at a desk.
Twitter is a good way to build relationship with your customers and build online reputation. However, i think it would also be best to participate in other social media sites like Facebook and Google + in order to reach more customers and to have a bigger chance of breaking a sale.
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My mom bought FeatureComfort H0301 for my room and indeed it sucks. She got it from a mall sale and instead of saving it’s more of spending because she bought another one. 🙂
I was in England for four years (1999-2003) and absolutely dreaded the winter there. Productivity levels typically drop down to zero, and everybody just stays in.
Nice post!
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What an unusual post. reading this made me warm hahaha 🙂
Building a good relationship to all people connected to your business is the best way for you to strengthen the chance of your business to grow. The more friendly a business owner is, the more people would be very willing to be a part of the business success. Just for example the customers, making them happy by giving all what they need, like high quality of products or services.
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Hi!
Thanks for this informative article. I personally think that the best heaters would be the infrared heaters (I use them) because they are energy efficient, they are healthy – they dont burn oxygen as gas heaters do, and they are very fast because they heat up only the target, and not the whole room, therefore doesnt exist excess energy loss. 🙂
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Hi Eleanora,
That sounds very interesting. Do you have some details so I can look for the type of heater you mean? Brand names, model numbers or links to examples would be helpful.
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Sure, Lasko infrared heaters are very good, i use them, you can check out in Amazon all the offers, and you can also read reviews from other people and decide which model would be the best for your needs 🙂 I also buy all in Amazon, it is much cheaper 😉
Cheers!
EleonoraEOF would love you to read ..Why Playing Golf Helps You Lose Weight and Keep Fit
I have been wondering how to do image credit the right way. I saw where Google was ranking that highly. So thanks for showing how that is done with this post.
Hi Dave,
There isn’t any one way that every blogger does image credits. What I do is use related images to promote the content or talents of the person whose image I choose to use. Ideally I would get permission first, but sometimes I can’t contact the person so I hope they see the value in my promoting their work – and if they don’t worst case I will remove the image and links to them.
Usually I seek images first from the bloggers I personally know because they understand the value of cross-promotion and are never going to object to being featured in that manner. If none of them has what I need then I choose an image that allows me to introduce a new blogger or business my readers might be interested in knowing – like this photographer who does photo preservation and restoration.
Most people have photographs so it is not unlikely that my readers might want someone to scan their ph0tos for safekeeping, colorize an old photograph or want a favorite photo enhanced or restored.
I totally salute your article as is full with good info. I, myself hate winter time and implicitly the cold, i’m not a fan of winter sport and so on. If i feel any cold air in the house during the wintertime i’m not able to use the computer.
Last winter i had the chance to stay in W Africa for few weeks and i had a worm Christmas. It felt so good.
Hi Radu,
I’m with you – I dislike the cold very much. That is why I live in warm states. Texas gets both way too cold for me AND way too hot – but it isn’t anywhere near as cold as most of the rest of the U.S.
The most perfect weather I’ve ever encountered was in Cape Town, South Africa. When I traveled there to speak, the organizers warned me that I would be there for the hottest part of the year – 86 degrees! That isn’t even hot by Texas standards where it can be over 100 for days or even weeks.
It is my understanding that the temperature there stays very comfortable all year round around the clock. That’s my kind of weather! If it were up to me we would have just spring and fall and skip summer and winter altogether. Those people who love all four seasons can have mine. 🙂
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You had some experience too. I never reached South Africa but i’ve been in China too (i’m a seaman) and they had nice wheather too. Anyway my perfect country will be Spain, in which i hope i’ll be moving soon.
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Hi there.
I work from home in Australia as a blogger running an internet marketing site. Luckily the temperatures don’t plunge below around 10 degrees at worst winter time here, so heating isn’t such a problem most of the time.
Nice to see someone blog about this topic however. Thanks
Gail! I have noticed several times that sitting in electric or gas heater makes you down because it burns oxygen, similarly it also makes you bit weak to tolerate the cold outside, rather than heaters I usually prefer to keep your body hot by having coffee chocolates, chicken and stuff like that
Hi Umair,
Does it get cold where you are? When it is only 40 degrees outside not having a heater and staying warm with hot drinks isn’t very practical here. I do believe there are better alternatives to gas and some types of electric heat and hopefully this post will bring them to light so we can all benefit from healthier heat sources.
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