The 5 Best Electric And Hydronic Toe Kick Heaters

If you live in an area of the country that experiences exceptionally frigid winter temperatures, you likely have that one room in your home that never quite feels comfortable enough. No matter how you set the temperature, this room still feels way colder than it should.

In these cases, many homeowners elect to make good use out of space heaters. Despite the increase in energy costs associated with their use, they help to create a warmer, more comfortable living space in winter months.

On the other hand, there are some homeowners that opt to take on a higher up-front cost in the hopes of saving on their utility bills by installing baseboard units. However, these units are incredibly bulky and may not be physically suitable for your home. Thankfully, there is another option to supply extra heat to the chilly areas of your home – toe kick, or kickspace heaters.

Toe kick heaters, otherwise known as kickspace heaters, provide the compactness of a space heater and the energy-efficiency of baseboard heating units. They are, for all intents and purposes, the best of both worlds. These units come in a very compact design, meaning that they can accommodate virtually any room layout.

Rooms or homes that are not suitable for baseboard units will be able to fit a toe kick heater seamlessly and effortlessly. Toe kick heaters are installed at “toe-level” either underneath cabinetry or physically inside a wall or flooring. In fact, they were originally designed with the intent of being inconspicuous.

In most cases, toe kick heaters are installed along the bottom edge of kitchen base cabinets and bathroom vanities in the inset cavity. It is here where these heaters are able to enhance the warmth from your main HVAC system while operating nearly out of sight. They use an electric fan to circulate warm air through the space and do an excellent job of supplementing warmth in the home.

In general, there are two main types of toe kick heaters that are widely used today: hydronic units and electric units. Although both units are very similar, they differ based on one vital design variation. Both hydronic and electric units draw in cool air from the room and slowly filter it back to the space after it has risen the temperature to a predetermined level. They also both warm the captured air in the same way, by subjecting it to heated coils.

However, the point of distinction between hydronic and electric toe kick heaters is that the former heats up the coils by grabbing water from the home’s hot water heater or boiler. Alternatively, with electric toe-kick units, the coils are heated by (you guessed it) electricity!

Although to the naked eye you likely won’t be able to spot the difference between the two, their installation requirements are very different. The electric variation is a complete unit that is typically installed under a cabinet and then plugged into a nearby outlet. In addition to being connected to the electrical circuit, a hydronic toe kick heater needs to also be hooked up to the home’s hot water system.

If you’re looking for a compact toe kick heater, the Marley Qmark QTS1504T may be the choice for you. This small unit will fit in even the tiniest of kick spaces, making it very popular among homeowners who prefer smaller appliances. Despite its size, this toe kick heater offers a thermostat option and its advanced ‘Over Temperature Protection’ technology.

By far the biggest advantage to this unit is its specialized Tangential Blower which is virtually silent. When compared to other fans, this model’s blower is far less noisy. This allows the Marley QTS1504T to work great in areas where you desire quietness, such as a bedroom. Both its compact size and quiet fan makes it an excellent choice for virtually any room in the home.

Products designed and manufactured by Marley Qmark are notorious for their excellent quality. In fact, the quality and long service life of the heater’s components is ensured by their 5-year warranty. Its three-piece construction makes installation both fast and simple. The only downside to this unit is the price, as it is more expensive than some of the other options on our list.

Takeaway

Due to the Marley QTS1504T’s compact size, you likely won’t find a unit that is better suited for living rooms, kitchens, workspaces, or any rooms that have kick spaces with low clearance. Additionally, its heating power is on par with its wide range of available functions.

The Cadet company has been manufacturing innovative heating devices for over fifty years. Their mission is to provide high-quality and affordable heaters to their customers. All of their models are made of top-of-the-line commercial materials, involve low maintenance, and are incredibly durable. Their UC101W Perfectoe design is of no exception.

This unit is a high-quality electric toe kick heater that is the ideal choice for those who desire sleek design and decent performance. The front of this heater consists of a stylish grill and comes in both black and white to mesh perfectly with virtually any interior décor. It is also worth mentioning that this heater does not have any sharp edges so it is safe for use in homes with children and pets and you won’t risk injury during install or regular maintenance.

The Cadet UC101W Perfectoe is a sensible model for homeowners who don’t want to break the bank paying for expensive add-ons. Though this heater is relatively simple, its fan operates with the greatest efficiency and makes minimal noise. It is manufactured with heavy-duty materials and the grill is detachable for easy service and installation.

While it is a very basic model, you can expand its functionality by purchasing additional modules such as enhanced coils, a thermostat, or a more powerful fan. Aside from its simplicity, the other downside to this heater is the fact that dirt and dust are visible on the horizontal louvers, necessitating more frequent cleanings.

Takeaway

The Cadet UC101W Perfectoe is the perfect built-in device for heating up bathrooms, kitchens, stairwells, and hallways. Though it is a relatively basic design, you can purchase additional features if you desire an upgrade. This heater is very simple to install and the fact that the grill is removable makes it easy to maintain.

Of all the five options, the Broan 114 electric toe kick heater is the most budget-friendly choice. This unit is relatively inexpensive while still maintaining decent quality for those who do not want to dish out too much money for a compact heating device. Similar to the Marley QTS1504T Qmark heater, this unit has a low-profile design for fitting easily into under cabinet kickspaces, or any other areas where space is a concern.

The Broan company’s mission is to provide electric heaters that supplement warmth, rather than replacing the main source of heat. Because of this, the performance of their toe kick heaters, this one included, is slightly lower than other options on the market. While the Broan 114 isn’t a world-class heating device, it has some very unique features.

More specifically, this unit is compatible with virtually any type of power supply and is factory wired at 1500W at 240V, but can easily be converted to 750W at 120V. This allows some versatility for a relatively low-end toe kick heater. For more efficient heat dispersion, this heater is designed with vertical louvers. Although the Broan 114 is capable of warming up a room in a matter of minutes, it is better suited for small spaces due to its moderate power output.

Takeaway

The Broan 114 toe kicker heater offers the best price to quality ration. With its low-profile design, it’ll work great in small rooms such as mudrooms, half baths, and basements. Although its power output is significantly less than other units on the market, it will be perfectly acceptable in small areas of the home.

The Beacon Morris K84 model is a hydronic toe kick heater that utilizes hot water to provide additional warmth to your living spaces. Cool air is collected and put through a special heat emitter, and then a powerful fan distributes the warm exhaust air back into the room. This is the standard operation of all types of hydronic toe kick heaters.

When compared to similar products though, the Beacon Morris K84 has heating elements with ½” nominal copper tubing. These advanced copper connections ensure quick heating of the rooms in which it is installed. This model is ideal for providing warmth to medium-sized spaces in the home such as kitchens, or living rooms. The Twin-Flo III is capable of heating up to 103 cubic feet a minute, which is an exceptional result for a compact heater.

This unit is designed for quick and easy installation into your home’s kickspaces and will work great in bathrooms, foyers, hallways, or any other rooms that are difficult to heat. It also has a two-speed fan switch, allowing you to control the temperature of the device and speed of the fan. One of the major advantages of this device is the fact that you can choose the source of hot water supply. In most cases, you will connect the until directly to your residential hot water heater. After selecting your heat and fan speed, you’ll have warm living spaces in no time at all!

The Beacon Morris K84 offers minimized energy consumption, effectively helping you save money on your energy bills each month. Aside from its larger size, the only downside to this unit is that it is considerably noisy when the fan speed is set to high.

Takeaway

The Beacon Morris K84 Twin-Flow III is a premium hydronic toe kick heater that is suitable for virtually any room. It is easy to install and offers quick heating results. The manufacturer offers a five-year warranty, affirming the device’s quality. This heater will serve you for many years without giving you any troubles.

Another premium option for a toe kick heater is the Marley QTS1500T. This model offers a considerable amount of more features than many other devices on the market. Its biggest edge over the competition is the fact that it comes equipped with a user-friendly front-mounted thermostat. With this built-in thermostat, you have the ability to adjust the temperature in your rooms from 45 degrees and up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit to fit your heating needs.

The Marley QTS1500T’s stainless steel-plated heating element and powerful fan work together to quickly distribute heat around the room. Its grid pattern design also allows for even heating and the utmost comfort. While the fan in this unit delivers exceptional power, it does this with a very limited sound output. Therefore, you can keep your living spaces warm in the winter without experiencing any unpleasant noises.

This unit is the ideal choice for bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, offices, stairwells, and virtually any space in the home as both a main and an additional heat source. Its ability to provide quiet and even heating makes it suitable for just about anywhere. Furthermore, this heater is unobtrusive, takes up minimal space, and will fit in nicely below a desk or cabinet.

Takeaway

The Marley QTS1500T unit is a premium electric toe kick heater, offering fast and uniform heating. Its powerful fan and quiet operation make it suitable for pretty much any space in the home, regardless of size. The greatest advantage to this device is the front-mounted thermostat, allowing you to control the temperature and adjust it to your liking.