Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Toasty Toes
I am lucky enough to have an office with two windows. Unfortunately, I have an office with two windows in the winter.
The cold draft is not pleasant. Fortunately, I have a Foot-Warmer and am comfortable again.An additional bonus is the low power usage and convenience. Unlike those expensive, ceramic space heaters, it uses very little power and isn't waiting to trip me. I'm happy to be warm again and recommend the foot-warmer to all my chilly friends.
Rating:  - Keeps feet warm like nothing else can for 1 cent a hour
I must say I have been pleased with the overall performance of this product. I had contemplated getting this about a year ago after seeing mention of it in an old issue of the Lawrence Berkely National Labratory newsletter "Currents". The administration had suggested it as a energy efficient solution to many of its staff who found the cooler 68 degree settings at the lab to leave their feet cold. Previous to that individual staff members were bringing in their own 1500 watt space heaters and really driving up the electricity bills.
Anyway, I was finding that even if I had the temperature in my house up to 68-70 degrees that my feet would still get cold, especially at the computer desk. Seemed silly and very expensive to crank up the furnace even higher just to get two cold feet warmer. The rest of my body was OK but the feet just got cold and stayed cold. So after waiting another winter I finally bought one. Now with this foot warmer I find that in as little as 10 minutes I can begin to warm my feet. Sometimes I begin with only my socks on for that direct heat but that in a few more minutes it is really cranking and will heat your feet directly through your shoes.
The cost to run this mat is as close to zero as you can get. In California with our very high energy costs and a local tax it still only costs 1.2 cents per hour to operate. In most other states I imagine the cost will be only about 1 cent per hour. I have also gotten a optional Hi-Lo switch to operate it a little lower and now it only costs me about .6 cents per hour. That means I can run it for 8 hours for a nickel. It would cost me a hundred times that amount to operate the central gas heating to a level that would keep my feet equally warm.
So on a economic level it is a no brainer.Now for some practical operational considerations. I have had mine a few months. When I first got it, like any new rubber product, it had a new rubber smell....much like you smell with any new rubber product, tires, tennis shoes, etc. This is made more evident because you are heating it to about 135 degrees. As I have used it more and more this has greatly diminished and I expect it to all but go away as the months go on. I suppose if you really wanted to speed up that process, you could turn it on and stick it out in the garage for a hundred hours. Remember, that would only cost about one dollar to power it that long. I have used it in my home office and find it quite acceptable. Oh, I suppose I can still detect the new rubber smell, but as low as it is, its an acceptable trade off to have warm feet and I imagine by the end of this winter it will be all but gone. Another consideration is that since this unit gives off such a good amount of heat, some people with diabetes and some elderly folks should use it with great care since their feet can be ultra sensitive to any heat over 95-100 degrees. From what I can understand this will give off as much as 135 degrees and with only thin socks on it can get quite hot for some people. As it heats up, I find it more comfortable to use with shoes on or I switch it down to a low heat level with the optional Hi-Lo switch I got. So all in all, I am pleased with the product. It sure beats trying to heat my toes up with a blow dryer or by running a 1,500 watt space heater right next to my desk for hours. Oh, one last thing. Given the amount of heat this puts out, and since I have it on a hardwood floor, I took the precaution as instructed in the directions to place a cardboard template I cut out from the box, under it, since I was uncertain if years of use in the same spot might affect the hardwood floor finish. I'd buy the product again and suggest it to anyone who like me was long suffering from cold feet.
Rating: - Great foot warmer - a little stinky
It was great for keeping your feet warm or drying shoes, but it has a rubbery smell when it's working that just doesn't work in my living room. It'd be fabulous up north for a garage to dry snow-ful shoes.
|
