Let me start by saying this heater has some serious pros and cons. The installation was surprisingly straightforward for me, but I’ve heard horror stories from others about the angled metal box causing major headaches. If you’re handy, you can make it work, but if you’re hiring an electrician, be prepared for potential extra labor costs.
The heat output is... underwhelming. At 1000 watts, I expected my bathroom to toast up quickly, but it takes its sweet time. Compared to my old plug-in ceramic heater, this feels like a downgrade in speed. The fan is whisper-quiet though - major plus if noise bothers you.
I absolutely love the built-in timer and thermostat. Being able to set it and forget it gives me peace of mind that I’m not wasting electricity. Contrary to some reviews, the timer does reset to zero when turned backward - a nice little feature Cadet doesn’t advertise enough.
The build quality isn’t what it used to be according to long-time users (some report their old Cadets lasted over 50 years!), but for the price point, it’s decent. The white finish blends well with my bathroom decor, and the compact size doesn’t scream ‘industrial heater.’
Biggest surprise? The voltage option. While mine works fine on 120V, several users report significantly better performance at 240V. If you have the wiring option, definitely go for the higher voltage setup.
Would I buy again? For a small bathroom where quick heat isn’t critical - yes. For larger spaces or if you need instant warmth - probably not. It’s a middle-of-the-road solution that gets the job done... eventually.