There is no single right way to use a Dimplex heater, and that is not a cautious answer. It is the practical answer. What to do depends on which of these describes you:

  1. You already have a Dimplex heater in the room and need it to produce heat.
  2. You don't have one yet and you're reading reviews to decide if a panel heater like the PLX100E fits.
  3. You need an outdoor heater for a deck, entry, or event space.

I've handled heating equipment for commercial buildings since 2015. I'm now the person who keeps the checklist because I learned most of these lessons the expensive way. I don't have hard data on every Dimplex unit sold. I only have our own maintenance records. Those records include 18 Dimplex heaters ordered since 2017, one DOA unit, one element failure after years of use, and more setup errors than I'd like to admit.

Scenario 1: You need to know how to use a Dimplex heater

If you are here because you typed dimplex heater how to use into a search box, start with the basics. Make sure the main switch is on. Choose the heat mode, not frost mode. Set the thermostat to a temperature higher than the current room temperature. Then wait a few minutes before deciding the unit is faulty. I once wasted part of an afternoon deciding a PLX100E was broken when the rocker switch on the unit was simply off. The heater was fine. My process was not.

The next thing to check is the timer. Many Dimplex heaters include a 7-day timer, and if the current time falls in an off period, the heater will stay silent even though the display looks normal. I learned that in 2018. I set a timer, walked away, came back to a cold room, and assumed the heater had failed. Manual mode still needs to be switched to manual. If in doubt, set it to manual or on and try again.

For wall-mounted panel heaters like the PLX100E, do not crowd the bottom air intake. Panel heaters pull air in from the bottom and push warm air out from the top. If a couch, storage bin, or long curtain covers that path, the heater works longer without actually warming the room. Keep the clearance distances shown in the installation section. I know the temptation to push a heater closer to the wall to get it out of the way. I have a melted trim piece from 2019 that says it does not work out the way people hope.

One cleaning note: if the heater sat unused over the summer, vacuum the intake grille before turning it on. Do not use an air compressor for car tires to blow the dust out. I tried that once. The high pressure pushed dust into the control area, and the smell during the next heat cycle was worse than the dust had been. A soft vacuum brush is slower and safer.

Scenario 2: You are comparing PLX100E panel heaters

Dimplex PLX100E panel heater reviews usually mention quiet operation and straightforward controls. I agree with both. The PLX100E is a convector heater, not a fan-forced heater, so it does not rattle or blow a constant draft. For a bedroom, small office, or room that needs steady heat for several hours, it makes sense. I would not use it as a blast heater for a huge open living area and expect instant warmth from across the room.

Since the model name suggests a 1000W unit, it helps to keep expectations realistic. Any 1000W electric resistance heater can only produce so much heat. The advantage of a panel heater is not magic efficiency. It is in the thermostat control, the lack of fan noise, and the steadier heat pattern. If the room is poorly insulated, no panel heater setting fixes that. If you read a review that promises large savings simply because it says panel heater, be skeptical.

My own review notes after installing several PLX100E units: build quality has been fine, controls are learnable, and wall installation is manageable if the wall surface is flat. The users who complained the most were the ones who wanted the room hot in three minutes. That is not the right scenario for this product.

Scenario 3: You need an outdoor heater

An outdoor heater is a different decision because heat outdoors is mostly radiant. It warms what is in line of sight, not the whole open-air area. Mounting it higher covers a wider zone but the heat feels weaker at ground level. Mounting it lower feels stronger but only in a smaller zone. Before choosing the biggest-looking unit, decide where people will actually sit or stand. The heater needs to face that spot.

Check the product rating before calling any unit an outdoor heater. Some units are rated for dry or damp locations but not for wind-driven rain. I have seen an outdoor-rated heater work fine under a solid roof while a similar-looking unit failed when it was mounted where rain could blow in. Use the mounting clearances in the manual, especially near eaves and plastic trim. I once rushed through a mounting job and damaged a small piece of trim. That damage was not Dimplex's fault. It was mine, because I did not check the required clearance.

If you are buying outdoor heaters for a date-specific event, this is where I would spend extra money on delivery certainty. In March 2024, I paid 180 dollars extra for a guaranteed delivery window on a small outdoor heater order. Some people would call that a rush fee. I call it a certainty fee. If the unit arrives three days after the event, the lower delivery cost does not help anyone.

Which scenario are you in?

Here is how I decide when someone asks me for a recommendation. If the heater is already in the room and not producing heat, start with scenario 1 and check the controls before replacing anything. If there is no heater yet and the space is a small or medium room where people spend hours, scenario 2 is a reasonable route. If the location is outside, under a roof, or in a drafty semi-open space where people sit, scenario 3 is the relevant one.

If the whole building or house is cold, the problem may not be a room heater at all. That is when the old filter question comes up. I still get asked which way to put air filter in furnace, up or down? The arrow on the filter frame is the answer. The arrow should point in the same direction as the airflow, toward the furnace blower. In an upflow furnace, that may mean arrow up. In a downflow furnace, arrow down. The rule is not always up. It is always toward the furnace.

And if the plan is to clean a heater with an air compressor for car tires, stop. A tire pump is for tires, not for heater elements. Low pressure, dry air, and a vacuum brush are safer. That lesson cost me a burned smell and a longer cleanup than necessary, which was still cheaper than replacing the heater.

There is nothing wrong with reading a product review, but start with the scenario that matches your actual situation. That has saved me more time than any fastest-shipping option. The checklist I wish I had in 2017 is simple: know whether this is a control problem, a product choice problem, or a placement problem. Most heater mistakes are one of those three.