Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 Reviewed

The Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 is undoubtedly one of the most popular models from the brand, but will it be the right choice for you?

Well, it’s a question that’ll take some time to answer as this infrared heater has many features that are worthy of a discussion. However, we expected nothing less because it is an advanced model that’s more on the expensive side too.

Although this unit is not without faults (what product is?), we found that it offers a host of benefits to make up for them. And we’re saying that after using the heater for an entire week, so you can take our word for it.

However, will it be ideal for your specific needs? Read this Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 review to get the complete details!

Why buy this product?

In case you didn’t know, let us tell you that Dr. Infrared is a renowned name in the world of room heaters, and the DR968 is only one among many great products they manufacture. To review this unit, we’ll discuss each of its positives one by one, starting with…

1. Longevity

Infrared heaters have a notorious reputation for “running out of juice” well before they should; thankfully, this model doesn’t fall into the same criteria. Since all the heating elements and other mechanical parts are of high quality, the manufacturer claims you can use it for over 80,000 hours! Well, there’s no way for us to confirm that, but it might be possible.

Even if you think the claim might be an exaggeration, we don’t think there’s any other brand out there that can dare to make that kind of a statement and not have any fact to make it up.

2. Cost-efficiency

Another commendable aspect of this model is that it heats your room by warming the objects present inside rather than the air. So, apart from getting sunlight-like warmth, you’ll also save quite a bit on your electricity bill as it causes no loss of heat transfer. It claims to utilize 100% of the heat generated and is thus energy-efficient than most other 1500W models.

3. Level of sound

There’s probably nobody in the world who likes to have a loud infrared heater in their room. It not only makes having conversations difficult but can also muffle the sound of the TV or any audio device. Thankfully, our experience with the Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 proved that it isn’t loud at all. In fact, we sometimes had trouble identifying if the unit was even on!

This is made possible by the unique ‘High-Pressure Low Noise Blower’ technology that caps the maximum sound produced at 39dB. So, if you’re a fan of solitude, this is the perfect product to get.

4. Advanced features

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, this heater offers many more thanks to some cutting edge features. Some of the important ones are the following:

1. Dual heating system: The “magic” of this model lies in its dual heating system (convection and radiant heating) through which you get the quickness of fast heating of a convection heater and the warm, sunny heating of a radiant heater. Not many units on the market are capitalizing in this technology, though.
2. Built-in humidifier and oscillation: Thanks to the built-in humidifier, we enjoyed the summer-like warmth of this heater throughout the winter. It added some much-needed humidity to the otherwise dry winter air. And the oscillation element gave us the choice of operating the machine with or without a humidifier, which we’re sure will come in handy during summer.
3. Auto power settings: Because of the electronic thermostat, you get to choose between running this unit at low (1000W) or high (1500W). And if you select the auto Energy Saver mode, you can set the temperature anywhere between 50F to 86F. We think this feature is much needed because nobody likes to keep a constant watch on the temperature.

5. Great design aesthetics

Heaters, in general, don’t look like products that’ll win awards, not at least in this price range, but the Dr. Infrared DR968 seems good enough to be suitable for any room. The first great feature is its size, which is on the smaller end when compared to other 1500W heaters. And the cabinet is made out of real wood, here in the USA, and looks good beside most furniture.

6. Safety

A lot of people take this lightly, but electric heaters are not objects that you use casually and without precautions. As a device that uses electricity to create fire, there’s always a chance of something going awry. Especially when you don’t take the safety precautions and keep combustible material too close to the heater or constrict the air intake somehow.

Luckily, infrared heaters like this one are still safer and shouldn’t be a cause of an accident as long as you take all the safety measures. Please read the instruction manual carefully before plugging this in for the first time!

What could’ve been better?

As great as this infrared heater might be, it does have a few faults which are not deal-breakers in any way. Firstly, we noticed that on auto mode, the unit switched off by itself and didn’t turn back on; this happened on a few occasions. Although we didn’t mind switching it on again manually, it did tell us that not everything is alright with our unit. 

Also, some people have complained that the customer care isn’t very helpful in most cases and tries their best to keep delaying issues, hoping you’d let it go. This is a serious red flag in our book! We highly recommend that you don’t get discouraged if the customer service feels lackluster and keep following up until your query has been addressed.

Verdict

Look, despite the flaws, Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 is a must buy, in our opinion. If you have a smaller home and are looking for a compact device to keep you warm during winters, this model can be the ideal fix. Also, because of its compact size and low weight, we think that you can carry the unit along in your RV too. And the best part is that this model will save you a lot of money too due to its energy-saving features!

Go ahead and try it out! Let us know about your experience in the comments section below. We’d love to hear about it!