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A chilly bathroom can leave you shivering when you’re getting ready for work, but many of the best space heaters aren’t designed for bathroom use due to safety concerns. I was intrigued when I learned the Dreo WH517S was safe to use in a bathroom, so I had to test it. I installed the wall-mounted heater in my guest bathroom and tried it out.
The Dreo wall heater quickly warmed up my small bathroom, and best of all, it has several features designed to make it safer for use in rooms with moisture and humidity. Keep reading to discover what happened when I tested the Dreo Wall-mounted space heater. And wait…did I mention it’s smart?
Dreo Smart Wall Heater: At a Glance
Our rating: 4.8/5
| Dreo Wall-Mounted Space Heater Specs | |
| Power source | Corded electric |
| Type | Wall-mount |
| Remote control | Yes |
| Safety features | IP24 rated, ALCI plug, overheat protection, child lock, smart safety notifications |
| Heating levels | Eco mode, H1, H2, H3, Fan |
Testing the Dreo Space Heater
Testing the Dreo wall heater was straightforward. I installed it in a small guest bathroom with about 65 square feet of floor space. Typically, that bathroom is the coldest in the house during winter because it sits at the end of a long HVAC duct run, so it was the perfect room for the test.
Once the WH517S wall space heater was in place, I plugged it in to see how well it heated and whether the controls were user-friendly. I tested its heat output on each of the operating levels, using both the manual controls and the remote control. Then, I downloaded the app and tried its smart features from my cell phone. Over a 2-week period, I used the Dreo space heater daily, and I must admit that I like the way it looks and love having a nice, warm bathroom.
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Several safety features | Not for use as a floor heater |
| Fast heating for bathrooms | |
| Easy installation and quiet operation |
Is the Dreo wall-mounted space heater easy to install and set up?
Dreo hit it out of the ballpark with this one. I figured I’d probably find some screws and wall anchors in the package—and I did—but the company also included a template with a bubble level at the top. The template features excellent illustrations that walked me through the process. If you’re new to hanging something on a wall, no worries: Dreo includes a QR code linked to a video where you can watch an actual installation. But you probably won’t need to—the printed instructions are clear and easy to follow.
The only tools you’ll need to round up are a drill, a Phillips screwdriver, and a pencil. It took me about 5 minutes to install the space heater on the wall. It’s really that easy.
What makes it suitable for use in a bathroom?
I’ve always been iffy about running a standard floor-type space heater in a bathroom for fear it would get splashed and short out or shock someone in the room. Dreo incorporated several features that help make the WH517S a safe space heater. The first is an appliance leakage circuit interrupter (ALCI) plug that can detect an electrical leakage or malfunction within the heater and immediately turn it off.
Most bathrooms already have ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets that cut off power if they detect an abnormal flow of electricity, but having an ALCI plug is another layer of protection. The Dreo space heater is also IP24 rated, which means it’s designed to take an occasional splash of water. And there’s one more thing—the louvers on the front of the heater are placed closely together to keep little fingers from reaching in, and the unit doesn’t get hot to the touch.
I suggest mounting it on the wall as close to your electrical outlet as possible to keep the 6-foot cord from dangling. On the back of the unit, there’s a place to wind up the excess cord, another feature I appreciated.
How well does the space heater warm the room?
The bathroom space heater warmed my bathroom from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit on the highest heat setting in less than 15 minutes. Ultimately, your results will depend on your room’s size, starting temperature, and factors like the outdoor temperature and level of insulation in the walls. Overall, I found the Dreo heater highly effective and quiet; it generates just 28 decibels on its Eco setting, and I could barely hear it.
What are the space heater’s best features?
This is an all-around great little heater. At 15.75 inches tall and 12.2 inches wide, it’s on the compact side, and it sets just 4.72 inches out from the wall, so it won’t take up too much space, even in small bathrooms.
I like its enhanced safety features and remote control, but my favorite feature is its smart capability. After I’d tested all the rest of the components, I scanned the Dreo QR code, and the app walked me through the setup process. From the app, I was able to set a timer on the heater, schedule a heating program, choose the level of heat and temperature I wanted, and monitor the temperature in the room.
Now, on cold mornings, I don’t have to go into a frigid bathroom and wait for the heater to warm it up—I can turn it on from the app before I get out of bed. That’s a pretty cool perk.
The Dreo WH517S: A Good Value for the Money
The Dreo wall-mount space heater sells for $119.99 on Amazon and about $100 on Dreo. That’s competitive with other wall-mount heaters but more than many non-wall-mount space heaters. For my money, it’s worth the cost because it offers safe, reliable heat for bathrooms and other moisture-prone spaces, such as garages or laundry rooms. It’s uber-quiet while running and being able to control it via an app puts it over the top.
Buy the Dreo wall-mount space heater at:
Product Comparisons
| Dreo Wall Heater | Envi Space Heater | GiveBestHeater | Heat Storm Heater | |
| Type | Wall-mount | Wall-mount | Wall-mount | Wall-mount |
| Remote? | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Smart? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $119.99 | $189.95 | $99.99 | $103.68 |
So, is the Dreo wall heater right for you?
The Dreo WH517S is a good choice for anyone looking for supplemental heat in a bathroom or other moisture-prone space. It’s compact and stylish and warms up the room quickly and quietly. Including a safety plug and IP24 rating offers additional peace of mind.
However, if you’re looking for a space heater to heat a large area or prefer a floor-type heater, several good models are available at lower prices, and we regularly test the newest models for our guide on the best space heaters.
Meet the Tester
Glenda Taylor is a contractor, product tester, and writer focusing primarily on construction, DIY tools, and home appliances.
