3 in 1 bathroom heaters will consist of the light, extraction fan and heat and most of the time each manufacturer will normally only do 1 of the 3 well. This means you need to know what specifications will benefit your bathroom most.
Below I will run through all the specifications you will need to look at before buying your bathroom heater and what they actually mean.
Consider How Much Air Extraction You Need
The extraction for majority people is the most important specification to get right.
The extraction will always be measured by m³/hr. The size of your bathroom will depend on how high you need this number.
When installing the 3 in 1 exhaust fan you must not place the unit straight over the shower, they should be installed in the most central part of the room.
Choosing the right extraction fan for your bathroom is crucial as steam will enter every part of your bathroom and once the condensation starts this creates an ideal place for mold and mildew. If you have a high quality extraction this will take out the steam before creating these nasty breeding grounds.
Below is a general guide for you to work out the air extraction.
5m³ Bathroom = 100m³/hr Bathroom Unit
10m³ Bathroom = 200m³/hr Bathroom Unit
20m³ Bathroom = 400m³/hr + Bathroom Unit
Think About How Much Heating You Would Like
The heating feature in a 3 in 1 bathroom heater is very underrated until you need it. The heat should only be used when needed as it creates the heat by drawing an extremely high amount of power.
A rough guide is below to work out how much heat you need for your application.
5m³ - 10m³ Bathroom = 2 x 275w E27 Globe
10m³ - 20m³ Bathroom = 4 x 275w E27 Globe or 1000w R7 Globe
Consider The Lighting Requirements
The lighting, in 3 in 1 bathroom heaters, is typically a lower level of brightness which is okay for basic functionality.
💡 Note: For medium or larger bathrooms you will still need extra lighting, such as downlights.
All units will include a light, so check which colour temperature is included and try to match to your downlights. Most units will have a temperature of 4000k.
When selecting your lighting plan, you will want use LED Downlights evenly across your bathroom and 1 right over your basin, this will assist for a more practical use over your vanity.
Another good option is to have strip lighting running underneath your bathroom vanity and along the the mirrors top or sides.
When measuring how much light you need for a bathroom you must go off the lumens and not the watts. For a bathroom you want to have around 500-600 lumens per SQ/M.
💡 Tip:
Another point to check when buying a new bathroom unit is that the light is replaceable, some will have a built in LED board which is non replaceable. This means you will need to replace the whole unit if the light fails. We recommend purchasing a model which takes LED globes that can be replaced.
The Colour/Style
Today's market now have a very wide range of 3 in 1 bathroom heaters, to the point now they are a statement piece which tie in with the rest of the bathroom instead of hiding it with the same coloured ceiling. Check out the image below for some nice inspiration.
The Lighting Outlet's Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans with a Light and Heater
The below list is in no particular order.
Martec Linear 3 in 1 Bathroom Heater Exhaust Fan & LED Light
The Martec Linear 3 in 1 Bathroom Heater Exhaust Fan in Silver and White.
This bathroom heater fan has now been The Lighting Outlets best 3 in 1 bathroom heater by far. As discussed earlier, a lot of fans will do 1 out of the 3 aspects well, however, Martec have done 2 out of the 3 very very well.
Extraction
The extraction on this unit is by far the best for this price range which moves 600m3/hr, this will extract all moisture and fog instantly in any medium to large bathrooms.
Lighting
The lighting in this bathroom heater unit is the best on this list by far in terms of brightness, @ 4x9w, 2500 lumens it makes this so bright you won't need any other lighting other then maybe over your vanity. The globes are interchangeable with GU10 LED globes. If you need to replace the globes you will need to buy the boss globe from Martec as they are a certain irregular size to suit this fan only. We hope Martec changes this to a more standard globe and with the tri colour option, the globes are a warm white which isn't the best for bathrooms, ideally you want 4000k.
Heating
The only downside to this 3 in 1 is the heat option, the linear heater takes a R7 1000w globe, we have found these globes blow often and use a lot of power, use this feature modestly.
💡 Tip:
When changing the R7 globes also make sure not to touch the new globe with your bare hands as the oil from your fingers will blow the globe much quicker. We recommend using a tissue or gloves if you ever have to replace these globes.
Style and Finish
The finish on this 3 in 1 is also a great feature, it is a very slimline clean finish which looks very high end and will suit any bathroom. The white model is by far our best seller.
This 3 in 1 exhaust fan is best seller across Australia and New Zealand now for over 8 years, Martec has not tweaked this product, they got it right the first time and it's sells daily at the lighting outlet. In terms of extraction only, this is the best 3 in 1 sold in NZ and that's the most important feature at the end of the day. The linear by Martec also comes in amini linear versionwhich is a great 3 in 1 bathroom heater for a small bathroom.
Ventair has gone one step further by making this a “4 in 1 fan” which means you have both a heat option and a cool option with the fan. As this runs off of ceramic coils this means you won’t have to replace the heat globes constantly, resulting in very low maintenance.
Extraction
This 4 in 1 fan performs extremely well with an extraction output of 380m³/hr, this would work well even within a large 30m³ bathroom.
Heating
The heating element is the best in this list as it runs off ceramic coils, this means you won’t have to replace the heat globes constantly, resulting in very low maintenance. The fan-powered heater will circulate warm air around the bathroom and maintain heat even after the heater is turned off.
Lighting
The light output is 1500 lumens (most competing fans only reach 1000 lumens), with this additional brightness it allows you to have this as the main source of light in a small to medium size bathroom. For larger rooms we recommend additional lighting by adding downlightsover your vanity. The light on this unit as you can see in the picture is a nice slimline LED panel, this means once the light dies you will need to change the whole front plate, it's really easy to do you will just need to buy from selected stores who sell that model. If you watch the video on the products links below I demonstrate how easy it is to do.
Style and Finish
The Ventair Sahara 4 in 1 Since it's introduction around 3 years ago it's had an overwhelming response on it’s performance and the look. This exhaust fan is the closest you will get to an architectural look. Make sure you check the reviews for customers pictures of the these installed.
💡 Tip: It's recommended to run this unit on a dedicated circuit as it draws about 10A on full
Additional
The Sahara has been backed with a 5 year warranty which again is much stronger than it's competitors with most providing only 3 years. Compounding this with it's heating/cooling function, the Sahara could be a great choice. The cooling function in my opinion is a bit of a gimmick you won't find yourself using to often. Overall this bathroom heater is one of the best New Zealand has to offer that ticks all the boxes. Make sure you read all the reviews on the products link below, our customers are 100% happy with this product and we never have returns for this product.
Promotional video of the Sahara Provided by Ventair
The Domino 3 in 1 bathroom heater from Mercator is one of our best sellers which is down to it's superb value. Mercator has really found a great spot in the market with the Domino, this unit stacks up with all its competitors in regards to performance but it's much cheaper.
Extraction
The Mercator Domino's best selling point is the high extraction of 500m³/hr which is extremely high and will suit medium to large bathrooms easily.
Heating
The heating element on the domino is a traditional R7 800w globe which is very effective for heat as it heats instantly, great for them frosty mornings, however, they do use a lot of power so use only when needed. The only downside to this is the R7 globes don’t last the longest.
💡 Tip:
When replacing these globes use a tissue or cloth as the oil from your fingers when touching the globe will burn the new globe out much quicker.
Lighting
The lighting on the Domino is perfect as it has 2 x 10w LED replaceable panels which are really bright over 1000 lumens which means this can be your main source of light instead of needing lots of downlights however, its recommended put downlights over your vanity so you can see clearer for shaving or makeup. The light output itself is a 4000k which is the perfect temperature for a bathroom as it gives off a brighter almost natural skylight look.
Style and Finish
The Domino has a sleek modern design and with this model coming in 3 different colours (Black, Silver and White) The grills are round the panel which looks much more streamlined. The lighting panels are a frosted glass which look high end.
Additional
We can't recommend the Domino by Mercator enough, it looks modern, has very high performance and is backed by one of Australia's largest brands with 3 years warranty. It includes a 3-year in-home warranty for everything but the globes which means if it breaks the supplier will come to you and fix it or replace it.
Brilliant lighting have been in the air movement game for over 30 years. They know what they are doing when it comes to mass producing fans. Any issues with Brilliant products they will swiftly rectify by fixing or replacing their products which the smaller companies wont do.
Extraction
The Marvel has a high airflow of 500 m³/h, this will handle just about any size bathroom and remove moisture and fog instantly without any issues.
Heating
The Marvel again takes the standard 1000w linear tube which is great for instant heat but does use a tonne of power, so use wisely. The globes are easy to replace and get be purchased just about anywhere.
Lighting
The lighting on the Marvel is not a strong as the 3 in 1's on this list but it does offer a nice wide light output which globes can't achieve. This light kit is the only one on this list that offers the tri colour technology which means you can flick a switch on the back of the light to change the colour temperature to your desired colour which can be a warm yellow, natural white or blue daylight colour. The light is actually a lighting LED board which can be replaced but will need to be ordered from the same supplier, in saying that, because it's LED you should get 10 years or more out of it. The light is 2x8w LED at 1200 lumens which is fairly inefficient and would hope Brilliant address in the future.
💡 Tip:
If purchasing this unit for a smaller bathroom the lighting will be fine but for a large one you will need lights over your vanity and maybe a couple more on each end of the room depending on how much light you want to achieve.
Style and Finish
The Marvel is a very standard looking unit but still looks classy, with the white model especially it will blend into the room very easily without being an eye saw. This finish looks high end compared to the older models with the big bulky globes hanging out of the unit. The milky finishes on the face plates make this unit attractive and will add sophistication to any bathroom.
Additional
This unit includes a thermostat switch so when the internal unit gets over 50 degrees the extraction will kick on automatically which is great when you forget to turn the unit on before entering the shower, this will help considerably fight against mould and mildew. Overall this 3 in 1 is great value, it ticks all the boxes in performance and style without being great. If this fan had the ceramic coil heating, a slightly brighter light and a higher end finish then it would be over the $550 price point, so at around $350 for this unit its a solid option for any bathroom.
So, what are the benefits of a 3 in 1 bathroom heater?
Having a 3 in 1 bathroom heater with the proper extraction for your bathroom is crucial for ventilation. Having adequate ventilation is paramount for removing stale air and unpleasant smells. Condensation occurs when the moist warm air comes in contact with cooler surfaces such as walls, ceiling and windows. This leads to mold, peeling paint and timber decay. Having a high-quality extraction will avoid this.
In Conclusion
There's so many different options and we know a lot of this information can be overwhelming. Buying a new 3 in 1 exhaust fan can become very confusing, even after years and years selling them I still learn new information and how the technology within them is evolving.
If you have any more questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
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