Best Dr Infrared Heaters [In-Depth Buyer’s Guide]

Sometimes writing these articles is an absolute joy.

I mean, it is always wonderful to write reviews – helping people find the best heating and air conditioning products for their homes, knowing that these reviews can make people’s lives better, more comfortable, and even safer.

But when I get to write about a product like the Dr Infrared line of space heaters it is fun on a whole new level!

Are Dr Infrared Dual Heating System Space Heaters Any Good?

Yes, absolutely, and that is why this article is so nice to write – Dr Infrared’s products are well made and effective, and the article pretty much writes itself. Well, I still have to write it, or else I’d be lying on the sofa having another cup of coffee, but you know what I mean.

And it’s not just safety, quality, and effective heating that make these space heaters so special. Some of the qualities and features of any Dr Infrared Dual Heating System Space Heater include:

• They are exceptionally effective, providing deep-down radiant heat and room-filling PTC heat
• They have overheat and tip-over protection and are UL listed
• They are well-built and reliable
• They burn no fuel, so they give off no fumes
• They turn nearly all their electricity into heat, like any electric heater
• They carry a 3-year warranty, according to the retailer listings for the home models
• They are quite attractive, with their distinctive “furniture grade” wood cabinets

And so, while the title of this article is Best Dr Infrared Heaters: An In-Depth Buyer’s Guide, that may be a little misleading. Dr Infrared makes three Dual Heating System heaters for the home, plus a garage heater, and they are all, arguably, the best.

You could, instead, ask what is the best Dr Infrared Heater for me.

What does Dual Heating System Mean?

Dr Infrared heaters use a Dual Heating system, which combines infrared heating with PTC, or Positive Temperature Coefficient, heating. Yes, you must be thinking, of course… Positive Temperature Coefficient…

Or perhaps instead you may be thinking what in the world does Positive Temperature Coefficient mean?

Simply put, a PTC heater uses a ceramic stone as a heating element, and that stone draws an electric current to heat it up to a certain point. When that point is reached, the stone’s electrical resistance rises and it draws less current, so it limits its own temperature.

A Dr Infrared heater uses both this ceramic PTC heating element and a more conventional quartz tube radiant heating element. The ceramic element is better at distributing heat throughout the room – especially with the Dr Infrared high-efficiency blower – while the quartz tube provides that nice, satisfyingly direct, down-to-the-bone radiant heat. Our ceramic vs infrared heater comparison sets the DR-968 against a ceramic tower.

With other heaters, you have to choose between heating the room most effectively and heating yourself most effectively, but the Dr Infrared space heaters offer both. At 1,500 watts they cost the same to run as any other 1,500-watt heater, about 27 cents an hour at the U.S. average price of 18.31 cents per kWh (July 2026).

Are Dr Infrared Dual Heating System Space Heaters Safe?

Dr Infrared lists its heaters as cool-touch, with no exposed heating elements, and on turn-on, they wait for user input instead of going directly into heating mode.

More importantly, all Dr Infrared products have an overheat protection circuit that will turn the heater off if temperatures get too high, as well as a tip-over monitor which does the same thing if the heater is knocked over.

They have essentially no dangerous fumes or emissions and consume no oxygen in heating, unlike gas heaters, and have easily removable and cleanable lifetime filters to keep your home’s air cleaner.

This all adds up to a Dr Infrared space heater with the safety features you should expect, but keep children and pets away from it, and turn it off when you sleep or leave the room.

But what Dr Infrared Space Heater is Best for You?

The three home Dr Infrared space heater models have the same 1500-watt rating and the same attractive wooden cabinet and nice retro look, and they share the basic features outlined below. The fourth, the DR-988 garage heater, is a different machine.

The home models are listed with a 3-year warranty; the DR-988 garage heater is listed with 1 year.

Really, you can’t go wrong with any Dr Infrared dual heating system space heater, but there are some basic differences between the models.

Here is a list of the three basic space heater models in the Dr Infrared line, as well as the Dr Infrared Garage Heater, but please read the individual descriptions below to get a better idea of which Dr Infrared model is right for you.

Amazon lists several other Dr Infrared space heater models; this guide covers four of them. Check the listing date and the seller before you buy an older one.

Dr Infrared DR-968 1500 Watt Dual Heating System Space Heater

The Dr Infrared DR-968 space heater is the most basic heater in the Dr Infrared line, and the least expensive.

Given its quality and effectiveness, for the price it is self-recommending, especially considering:

• It offers extreme value compared to similar heaters which tend to cost lots more
• And it offers much better performance than other heaters in the same price range

All of the basic features are there – infrared remote control, programmable timer, reusable filter, thermostat and three heat settings, a high-efficiency fan and built-in caster wheels for easy moving and set-up.

The Dr Infrared DR-968 space heater also has all the safety features built-in, which means its cabinet stays cool to the touch, according to Dr Infrared, and it has no exposed heating elements, and also that it will immediately turn off if it overheats or is tipped over.

What is not included in this basic unit is a humidifier or an oscillating fan, which means the Dr Infrared space heater models below may be better choices for larger rooms or very dry climates.

But for the money, and for small to medium-sized rooms, the Dr Infrared DR-968 dual heating system space heater is good value for a top-quality unit – a reliable and effective heater, though it costs the same to run as any 1,500-watt heater.

And the DR968 is listed with a 3-year warranty; check the seller’s return terms before you buy.

Features & Specifications

• Power Rating: 1500 Watts
• Dual Heating System: Quartz Infrared and PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient)
• High-Efficiency Fan
• Three Heat Settings: High, Low and Automatic (Thermostat)
• Infrared Remote Control
• Reusable Lifetime Filter
• Safety Features: Cool Touch; Tip-Over Protection; Overheat Protection
• Warranty: 3 Year Warranty; 30 Day Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Listed in both US and Canada

Dr Infrared DR-998 Elite 1500 Watt Dual Heating System Space Heater with Humidifier

Next in the Dr Infrared lineup is the  popular DR-998 Elite space heater, which is very similar to the DR-968 above but with two important additional features:

• A built-in humidifier for up to 15 hours of humidification
• An oscillating function

The humidifier makes the Dr Infrared DR-998 Dual Heating System space heater a better choice for people living in dry climates, or for people who are sensitive to the dryness normal heaters can cause – although the humidifier only adds moisture to the room, so keep its tank clean and filled as the manual says.

And although the DR-998 Elite has the same 1500 Watt rating as its little brother, its oscillating function helps distribute heat throughout the room better, making it more effective in filling larger rooms – customers claim their DR998 can heat a very large room, but at about 10 watts per square foot 1,500 watts suits roughly 150 square feet, so treat that as a best case.

And again, all the other features are included – infrared remote control, programmable timer, reusable filter, thermostat and three heat settings, a high-efficiency fan, and built-in caster wheels for easy moving and set-up.

The best space heater overall in the Dr Infrared product line, the DR998 is, despite its higher price, still a great value, and should offer safe and effective heating for many years.

Features & Specifications

• Power Rating: 1500 Watts
• Dual Heating System: Quartz Infrared and PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient)
• Built-In Humidifier
• High-Efficiency Fan with Oscillation
• Three Heat Settings: High, Low and Automatic (Thermostat)
• Infrared Remote Control
• Reusable Lifetime Filter
• Safety Features: Cool Touch; Tip-Over Protection; Overheat Protection
• Warranty: 3-Year Warranty; 30 Day Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Listed in both US and Canada

Dr Infrared DR-999 Nightstand 1500 Watt Dual Heating System Space Heater

The DR-999 Nightstand Space Heater is a newer model in the Dr Infrared line-up of top quality space heaters. A beautiful product, the Dr Infrared DR-999 space heater has 3 basic differences from previous models.

• Improved Advanced Blower
• Redesigned Controls and Display Panel
• Attractive Night Stand Design

The DR-999 dual heating system space heater offers Dr Infrared’s new and improved air distribution system, for even more efficient and effective distribution of heat throughout the room, and the updated control and display panels make for even simpler use.

All of the other great features you’d expect from a Dr Infrared product are, of course, still in place.

Designed to look like a nightstand, the DR999 heater is primarily meant for use in the bedroom, but is in fact equally effective in any room, within the limits of a 1,500-watt heater, about 150 square feet by the 10 watts per square foot rule.

A great product from Dr Infrared, the DR-999 Dual Heating System space heater is more expensive than the other models, and does not offer either oscillation or humidification, but is nonetheless one of the best heaters for the money, and maybe the most beautiful, effective and easiest to use the heater in their entire product range.

Features & Specifications

• Power Rating: 1500 Watts
• Dual Heating System: Quartz Infrared and PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient)
• High-Efficiency Fan with Advanced Blower
• Beautiful Nightstand Design
• Simplified Controls and Display
• Three Heat Settings: High, Low, and Automatic (Thermostat)
• Infrared Remote Control
• Reusable Lifetime Filter
• Safety Features: Cool Touch; Tip-Over Protection; Overheat Protection
• Warranty: 3-Year Warranty; 30-Day Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Listed in both US and Canada

Dr Infrared DR-988 Garage / Shop Heater

An entirely different animal, the Dr Infrared DR-988 utility heater does not come in a lovely furniture grade cabinet – instead, its bright red metal case seems to scream workshop!

The no-nonsense design extends to the purely mechanical controls and its carrying handle, as well as its oversized fan, to really force the hot air out with power – perfect for those cold workspaces in the winter months.

But still, this is a Dr Infrared heater, so it still has its advanced dual heating system, as well as safety features including overheat protection and finger-proof intake and discharge grills.

The DR-988 garage space heater also offers the famous Dr Infrared quality, and in fact, is especially ruggedly built and suitable for heavy use. As such, it does not run on normal 120-volt electricity. Retailer listings give it 4,200 to 5,600 watts on a 208/240-volt, 30-amp circuit, the kind an electric dryer uses, so have an electrician install the circuit.

The Dr Infrared DR988 is a powerful heater, meant for heavy-duty use, and stands as one of the very best values available for workshop heating, substantially less expensive than many comparable units from other manufacturers.

Features & Specifications

• Power Rating: 4,200 to 5,600 Watts (retailer listings differ)
• Dual Heating System: Quartz Infrared and PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient)
• Oversized High-Volume Fan
• Industrial Design with Metal Case
• Fully Mechanical Controls
• Carry Handle and Cord Storage
• Three Heat Settings: High, Low and Automatic (Thermostat)
• Safety Features: Safety Grill; Overheat Protection
• Warranty: 1 year, according to the retailer listing (check Dr Infrared’s current terms)
• Runs on 208/240 Volt, 30 Amp AC
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Listed in both US and Canada

Final thoughts: Should I Buy a Dr Infrared Space Heater?

I think it was clear from the beginning that we love Dr Infrared products, and can warmly recommend any of their heaters without hesitation.

Dr Infrared is a very innovative company with great designs, real innovations, and incredibly effective products.

What this means for you and your home is simple – their heaters combine two kinds of heat in a well-built cabinet at a reasonable price.

The clever combination of radiant and convection heat offered in Dr Infrared space heaters means that you can have the best of both worlds, enjoying deep heat when you are close to the heater, and still knowing that the whole room is toasty warm, with no cold spots.

When you combine all of this with the fact that Dr Infrared space heaters are so well built and reliable and that the home models are listed with a 3-year warranty, it is a strong choice.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article – Best Dr Infrared Heaters: An In-Depth Buyer’s Guide – and that you really enjoy your new Dr Infrared space heater.

And please come back soon for more great Home Caprice articles, reviews, and buyer’s guides for heating, air conditioning, and all related products!