Heat Surge scam
If you liked Cool Surge, the overpriced swamp cooler, you’ll love Heat Surge, the overpriced space heater:
It uses about the same energy as it takes to run a coffee maker. Yet, it produces an amazing 5,119 BTU’s.
Nothing amazing about it. It’s a 1500-watt electric space heater, and if you do the math, 1500 Watts is 5119 BTUs per hour. If you run a 1500-watt coffee maker for an hour, it will also produce 5119 BTUs of heat, most of which goes into the coffee.
The Heat Surge is yours free if you buy an Amish-made “solid wood” box ($338 for cherry, $298 for oak) plus $49 shipping. Note that the boxes are “solid wood”, not “solid cherry” or “solid oak”. From the BBB report:
The company’s position is that according to the standards of the furniture industry, a product that uses veneers over real wood qualifies as being made of solid wood. BBB staff have since examined the mantle units and determined that the mantle is comprised of several layers of wood with veneer finishing.
Meanwhile, I did some googling and found a 1500-watt space heater at Lowe’s for $15. That’s less than one-third the cost of shipping the Heat Surge. But, hey, you can’t put a price on Amish craftsmanship.
I find this stuff very entertaining. I sit down with the Sunday paper and there’s a fake article about a fake bargain on a fake fireplace inside a box of fake wood. What a country!
November 15th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Yes, definitely not something you want to buy if you expect actual heating. In addition to all the other shortfalls, one more has been overlooked. The product has a money back guarantee, but since they are “giving you the Heat Surge for free,” any manufacture defect or shortcoming will get you no cash return, since you supposedly never paid for it in the first place. It’s a BS product all around.
November 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am
If you return the whole product, you should get the whole refund, assuming that they honor the money-back guarantee. Whether the mantle and heater are itemized or bundled doesn’t affect that.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
This scam is so rediculous. Just look at the website and the pictures! First of all, there’s engrish everywhere. Secondly, they claim that this technology was developed by an Amish guy here in the states and then elsewhere on the site they refer to this cheesy space heater “technology” comes from the China coast. Seriosly? Old folks beware: you’re the primary targets. How sad is this?
December 9th, 2008 at 8:50 am
The TV commercial shows “so called” amish working on these units, being born and raised in Lancaster county Pa. I know for a fact that NO amish will allow themselves to be video taped or photographed EVER, you can tell these guys are all fake….very sad.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:30 am
So you’re saying that the pictures in the Wikipedia article on the Amish are all fake, and if I google for Amish images, those are all fake too… I suppose if I look at Lancaster County on Google Earth, the satellite images are fake as well.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:35 am
We’re an established company with millions of satisfied customers whose focus is to exceed customer expectations.
To accomplish this, along with other successful methods, we’ve set up a Web site to share the facts about our company at http://heatsurge.wordpress.com to address any question or concern you may have.
December 10th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Readers are invited to decide for themselves whether Chris Pugh has addressed any of the points I made in the original post.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
In regards to the Amish and photographs, true “Amish” do not allow themselves to knowingly be photographed or videotaped. There are Mennonites that look and dress like Amish, but do not fully follow the Amish way of life that allow themselves to be photographed.
As for the craftsmanship of the product, no “Amish” would want their name associated with this. It’s a shame that this company is using their reputation to sell below par products.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:45 am
http://heatsurge.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/mantles-are-amish-made/
December 16th, 2008 at 11:11 am
The company very carefully avoids saying that ALL the woodworkers are Amish. They also do not say whether the people in their pictures are Amish.
There are many varieties of Amish and Mennonites, and not being an Anabaptist myself, I’m in no position to judge who is “truly” Amish or what they would or would not do.
Given the level of BS in the text of the advertisements, it would be no surprise if the images were misleading as well.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
[...] quick search for Heat Surge I found complaint after complaint after complaint after complaint after complaint after…well, you get the [...]
December 16th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Many thanks for linking to my site! I’ve been reading your blog and quite enjoy it. I’ve added you to my blog roll. No need to reciprocate unless you deem it worthy. No worries there, so don’t feel the need to link back if you don’t want to.
Keep up the great work! Love your site!
December 24th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Notice the “Amish craftsmen” in the commercial that don’t even know how to use the tools they are handling…like the guy with a level (instead of a square) and the woman using a box plane like a clothes iron. I never saw a plane used in an x/y random orbital motion!
December 26th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Obviously it’s a scam. You can’t break the laws of physics. If this thing really did what they say it does, this company wouldn’t exist because General Electric or some huge corporation would have made these things years ago. I heard the same “Amish craftsmen” are also working on an electric car that gets a thousand miles on a single charge. Also made out of wood.
Other sites report that it takes six months to get your money back if you return the thing, “because the Amish don’t have electricity”. If they don’t have electricity, then why are they making electric heaters?
December 27th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
if the amish are giving the heater away why are they charging 249.00 for just the heater. i can’t believe they are getting away with outright lying to people the amish should put a stop to them using them for credability
December 28th, 2008 at 9:53 am
To stop this, the Amish would have to go through the court system, which would be against their principles.
December 29th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Boy,
Like you said what a country!
People just seem to just not eduicated enough. Or they have alot of money to throw away.
I seem to also have the knack to see through people & things. I thought it was funny on that shamwow commercial where the guy pours the coke. Then the camera switches before he picks the coke up and before he does the coke is already dry.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:16 am
ummmmmmmmmm…..the olmish dont make electricity………they dont bvelieve in it….so ur a lyar butt haed
January 20th, 2009 at 6:38 am
This is a scam! I live in Lancaster, my neighbors are Amish. Amish DO NOT have electricity, do not market themselves for any type of product, and they don’t pose for pictures. The pictures in the ad ARE suggesting that they are old world amish(prayer caps, etc.). They are paid actors. The truth to the ad is that the Amish do have craftsmanship that is superior…but they do not make this product, I assure you. If you want a truly good piece of Amish furniture, go to the Amish…they won’t look for you. This product looks cheaply made, and misleading in its advertising…buyer BEWARE!
February 14th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Well of course it is a scam, all claims that electric heaters save you money are a scam. Any first year student of electrical engineering will tell you that the heat produces by a heating element is directly proportional to the watts consumed by that unit. There is no such thing as an “energy saving” electric heater. There is no such thing as produces “rooms full” of heat with an one thousand watt heating element, unless that room is the size of a hallroom closet.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:47 am
Just to let you know, I’ve done a little studying on the company, and the “amish” thing is actually pretty legit. Ohio has the highest concentration of Amish in the world (yes, that means more than even PA my friend). And actually, there are enough different sects of amish that you can’t really say what they will or won’t allow. Some won’t even ride in a car, some own them. (Yes, amish own cars.. not menanite.. amish..) Some won’t use any electricity, some use it for business only, and yet others use it in their households. Who’s to say they’re not “real” amish?.. According to the bible, Christians shouldn’t get drunk, have sex before they’re married, or judge others. Does that mean every person who claims to be Christian and does those things is lying?.. no.. they’re just not a different sort. (Not saying that’s good or bad.. just saying it IS)..
As far as the advertising goes, I can’t say much about that, but as far as the amish community thing goes, its pretty legit.
June 20th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
As far as the advertisement goes you just have to read the words… Not just look at pictures it states where the heaters are made and how much the mantles cost. Amish will be photagraphed but they will not look into the camera. If you think its a scam then you obviously didnt pay attention to the comercial or the advertisement. You have to have everything put in the advertisement for it to even be approved to be put in the newspaper. Or it would be called false advertisement.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
National Geographic Magazine - October 2009 issue strating on page 130 runs a two pages add on these Miracle Heaters. How is that?
October 19th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Bad economy, desperate for ad revenue, that’s my guess.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I bought one and I LOVE IT. It DOES put out heat and heats my living room and kitchen which is an open area. It is amazing how someone can complain about a product without trying it. I guess if all you have to do is read about it to KNOW IT ALL then I would say it’s a good thing you can at least read.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:36 am
I didn’t complain about the product, I complained about the deceptive advertising and the ridiculous price. Which you would know if you could understand what you read.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:13 am
I am frequently searching for new posts in the world wide web about this theme. Thx!!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I’m a master electrician, a customer just left one of these heaters for me to repair. It is just a cheap 1500 watt heating element connected to a controller. Some of the wiring had started to melt down due to connections commong loose over time. I couldn’t find repair parts online to take care of a component failure on the heating element. My advice is don’t waste money on this unless it is for the looks. There is no free heat out there!
December 14th, 2009 at 6:16 am
I love my Heat Surge!! Ordered one for my mother and daughter! Keep it on 6 hrs a day and my electric bill went up 12 dollars!
It’s well worth it!!!
December 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Cool Surge, is junk, bought 2 and when we started to use it as a heater I had to replace the cord and then all the buttons quit working. On the second one half the buttons quit working and now the heating unit does not work. All this within 60 days of when we turned on the heating part.