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3 in 1 Bathroom Heater Review - Our Best 3 in 1 Bathroom Heaters

Mitchell Elworthy March 19, 2024 at 9:06 am

What is a 3 in 1 bathroom heater?

3 in 1 bathroom heaters are a compact all in 1 unit, they will consist of a light, an extraction fan and a heating function.

Glossary

Things to consider before buying

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.

💡 Tip: To ensure you choose the correct extraction for your room you can use our free exhaust fan calculator tool

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.

A photo montage of 3 bathrooms cut together in the 1 image displaying the lighting and exhausts fans mounted in the roof

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

Features:

  • 2 year In Home warranty
  • Long life ball bearing motor
  • Airflow 600m³/h
  • Best seller now for over 8 years

Price (RRP): $499.00*

*Price may have changed at time of reading

The Martec Linear 3 in 1 Bathroom Heater Exhaust Fan in Silver and White
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.

View The Martec Linear

Additional

This 3 in 1 exhaust fan is best seller across Australia 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 Australia and that's the most important feature at the end of the day.  The linear by Martec also comes in a mini linear version which is a great 3 in 1 bathroom heater for a small bathroom.


The Sahara By Ventair SAH31BL, SAH31WH

Features:

  • 5 Year Warranty
  • Fan cool function for warmer climates
  • Premium LED light panel
  • Ceramic heating coils for low maintenance

Price (RRP): $459.99*

*Price may have changed at time of reading

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 downlights over 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 Australia 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
View The Sahara by Ventair

Mercator Domino Airflow 3 in 1

Features:

  • 3-year in-home warranty
  • High air extraction
  • 2 x 10w LED panels

Price (RRP): $385.01*

*Price may have changed at time of reading

An Installed Mercator Domino 3 in 1
An Installed Mercator Domino 3 in 1

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.

View The Domino by Mercator

Eglo Inferno 3 In 1 Bathroom Heater

Features:

  • 3-year in-home warranty
  • High air 550 m³/h extraction
  • 4 x 5w LED replaceable globes
  • Very quiet

Price (RRP): $549.00*

*Price may have changed at time of reading

An Installed  Eglo Inferno 3 in 1
An Installed Eglo Inferno 3 in 1

Extraction

The Inferno has a high airflow of 550 m³/h that will extract moisture and fog extremely well even in larger sized bathrooms.

Heating

The Inferno takes a 1000w, R7 globe which produces great heat instantly however, the 1000w will tally quickly on your energy bill so use only when needed. The globe them selves are easy to come by at around $30 each, which will need replacing every couple of years depending on how much you use the heating element.

Lighting

The lighting on the Inferno is great as it's really bright at around 1600 lumens which will light a large bathroom. The globes are very easily replaceable and you can buy the globes almost anywhere and install without having to pull apart the unit. The globes are LED so they should last a minimum 10 years. The globes are a 4000k which is generally best suited for bathrooms as you can see clearer compared to warm white.

💡 Tip:

When buying replacement globes for this unit make sure they are the same length, the width will always be the same but if the globes are longer they will stick out, also you could look at buying tri colour globes so you can change the lighting to your favourite temperature.

Style and Finish

The Inferno is a very classy looking unit especially compared to the old IXL units, our customers love the slimline architectural look. Once installed you will be glad you made the extra investment on this unit, all boxes are ticked.

Additional

Eglo lighting are one of the biggest global lighting suppliers, producing over 80,000 products per day. Since hitting the air movement market around 4 years ago they have nailed the finishes on their ceiling fans and also on this unit. This product is expensive but in this case you definitely get what you pay for.

View The Inferno by Eglo

Brilliant Lighting Marvel 3 In 1 Bathroom Heater

Features:

  • Great value
  • 3-year in-home warranty
  • High air 500m3/hr extraction
  • Automatic thermostat switch

Price (RRP): $396.99*

*Price may have changed at time of reading

An Installed Brilliant Lighting Marvel 3 in 1
An Installed Brilliant Lighting Marvel 3 in 1

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.

View The Marvel by Brilliant


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. Adequate ventilation is now a requirement to be met by the building code of Australia to prevent uncomfortable and unhealthy living conditions. 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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