I’m Always Cold, and the Dreo Solaris 718 Is the Best Space Heater I’ve Tried

Space heaters have long played an essential role in helping me endure the winter. I had one in my childhood bedroom, which had dysfunctional baseboard heating, and I still use them today in my current apartment with its modern central heating—and the distressingly high gas bill that comes with using it.

Across the years of my life as a person who is always cold, I’ve used a whole parade of them. I’ve found many to be finicky, loud, or questionably safe to operate. But this year, I think I’ve finally landed on platonic ideal of the space heater (at least for me). It’s the Dreo Solaris 718, and I consider it my own mini fireplace. 

An unobtrusive space heater

I like the Dreo Solaris for its simple design, easy-to-use controls, and ambient, nearly silent heat production. It’s the kind of heater you can set and forget about, and I mean that in the best way possible: It’s not constantly drawing your attention with a loud hum, bright lights, or heat that’s too hot. I know—how can heat be too hot? Well if you’ve had a bad space heater you know what I mean. The heat seems to only hit one area or go out in one direction, so the entire room never feels comfortable.

The Dreo Solaris a tower space heater. You plug into the wall outlet and it stands vertically on the floor. Its slightly conical shape is simple, and not an eyesore in the living room. The display on the front is where you can observe your goal temperature, whether it’s set to oscillate or on a timer. The backlit, touch activated control panel is on the top, so you can easily find the on/off button is, and set the timer, oscillation modes, and temperature controls. 

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Pros:

• Quiet

• Comfortable heat

• Cool-touch exterior

• Adjustable oscillation

• Tipover safe

• Budget-friendly eco-mode

The two most important factors for me are that the Solaris is the quietest space heater I’ve ever used, and the heat it produces is gentle and fills the room. The first day we used it, my partner observed it offers all the warmth of a small fireplace. I laughed at first, but soon came to agree with him. It’s powerful and emits heat like a glow, rather than blowing it in your face like other space heaters. As you can see in the picture below, one of my cats insists the Solaris be turned on every morning so she can sleep in front of it. That’s a true stamp of approval.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

The exterior housing stays cool, so if your kids bump into it while playing on the floor, they won’t get a burn. The adjustable oscillation (30°, 60°, 90°, 120°) allows you to set it up in the middle of a room, in the corner, or wherever you cat prefers to sleep. 

Cons:

At nearly 30 inches, the Solaris is a tall space heater. This is a boon to me because I get a larger heating element for my living room, but if you’re heating a smaller space, this unit might command too much space. For example, I don’t like to use it in my bedroom (which is about half the size of my living room) because it gets in the way. 

Obviously, the pros well outweigh the cons for me. The Dreo Solaris is an absolute prize if you’re looking for a quiet space heater that gently warms larger rooms, even on eco-mode. Though I’ve only been using it for about six weeks—and there is so much more winter on the way—I am already benefitting from a lower heating bill (and fairly regular electric bill) compared to this time last year. My cat and I couldn’t be happier. Stay warm out there, folks.