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Lasko

Lasko FH500 DUO Comfort Tower Fan & Space Heater: the downsides first

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#2 of 8
$$TowerScore 3.8/5
11%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)

Tom's Guide's best overall: the strongest heater in its test, with a remote, an eco thermostat and a summer fan mode. But reliability is a negative aspect on Amazon (units that keep turning off or quit), the display is annoyingly bright for some owners, and it is a tall, 12.5 lb tower with icon controls that are not intuitive.

Top complaints

  • Keeps shutting off or stops working

    Reliability is a negative aspect in Amazon's review summary, with multiple owners saying it keeps turning off and stops working after a short period of use.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Display too bright, remote hit or miss

    Brightness is a negative aspect on Amazon, with several owners finding the LED display annoyingly bright; opinions on the remote are split.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Confusing icons, bulky, filter to vacuum

    Tom's Guide needed the manual to decode the icon controls, found the 41.9-inch, 12.5 lb tower awkward to carry, and notes a permanent filter that should be vacuumed every two weeks. Assembly takes about 15 minutes with a screwdriver.

    Source: Tom's Guide review

What owners love

  • Strongest, most even heat in Tom's Guide's test

    It was the only heater to consistently raise the 15 x 10 ft test room by 10°F, and it heated perfectly evenly; Tom's Guide felt warmth within 12 seconds. Heat output is a positive aspect on Amazon.

    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Cool exterior with tip-over and overheat shutoff

    Surfaces measured 73-74°F after 30 minutes on high, and it shuts off if tipped or overheated (Tom's Guide).

    Source: Tom's Guide review
  • Year-round fan with a remote and eco thermostat

    Tom's Guide praises the remote, the eco mode that cycles to hold a set temperature, an 8-hour timer, and its usefulness as a cooling fan in summer. Noise level is a positive aspect on Amazon.

    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
Good for
  • Heating a whole living room or bedroom
  • One device for winter heat and summer cooling
  • Remote control and set-temperature eco mode

Scores (tap for why)

  • Heating power5.0
    Why 5.0?+10°F in Tom's Guide's test room, the best result there; heat output is an Amazon positive.
    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page
  • Even, steady heat4.5
    Why 4.5?Raised the room 'perfectly evenly', with oscillation of about 45 degrees (Tom's Guide).
    Source: Tom's Guide review
  • Quietness3.5
    Why 3.5?48.9 dB on high, about average and roughly a dishwasher (Tom's Guide); noise level is an Amazon positive.
    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page
  • Safety features4.0
    Why 4.0?Tip-over and overheat shutoff, and a cool 73-74°F exterior (Tom's Guide).
    Source: Tom's Guide review
  • Controls & thermostat3.5
    Why 3.5?Digital thermostat, eco mode, timer and remote, but icon controls aren't intuitive (Tom's Guide), and the remote and display get mixed-to-negative Amazon feedback.
    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page
  • Durability2.5
    Why 2.5?Three-year warranty (Tom's Guide), but reliability is a negative aspect on Amazon.
    Source: Tom's Guide review, Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • Tom's Guide: Best overall (roundup updated 2026-05-22; five-star review): heats a room effectively and evenly, but its controls are a bit confusing.
  • Wirecutter (NYT): Listed under 'Other good space heaters': a former pick and still the best and largest tower heater it has tested, though Wirecutter is wary of tower designs in general.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

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Good Housekeeping's best value: a tiny, cheap heater with a real 1°F thermostat and tip-over protection that is hugely popular on Amazon. But its touch buttons are hard to find in the dark, it is meant for smaller rooms, and reliability is a mixed aspect on Amazon, with some owners saying it died within months.

Its catch: some units stop working within months#4 in space heatersDe'Longhi Dragon Digital Full Room Radiant Oil-Filled Radiator

Wirecutter's oil-filled pick: silent, sturdy, and it keeps a room warm long after switching off. But it can take half an hour or more to feel any warmth, the case reached 180°F in testing, it's a 25 lb suitcase-sized unit, and Amazon owners report a burning-chemical smell and some early failures.

Its catch: very slow to warm up

Head-to-head

See all 8 space heaters ranked →