Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater vs Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater
Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater (#1, best overall) vs Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater (#4, best value): in our Space Heaters for Garages scoring the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater totals 8.7/10 and the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater 8.1/10.
We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. Prices and availability shown are accurate as of Aug 24, 2026 and are subject to change; the merchant's price at purchase applies.
Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater
$128.79Check price at AmazonRead full review
TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater | Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $128.79 | $112.99 |
| Heater Type | Electric infrared (quartz) | Electric infrared quartz + PTC |
| Voltage | 120V (standard outlet) | 120V (standard outlet) |
| Power | 750W / 1500W | 1500W (≈5,200 BTU) |
| Coverage | Up to 500 sq ft (insulated) | Small to medium garages |
| Thermostat | Digital, remote controlled | Electronic, 50–85°F |
| Mounting | Wall bracket or floor feet | Portable, four caster wheels |
| Safety | Cool-touch housing, tip-over shutoff, overheat protection | Tip-over shutoff, overheat protection, 12-hr auto-off |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
How they differ in real use
Built from our space heaters for garages scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater and the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater made our Top 5 Space Heaters for Garages, at #1 (best overall) and #4 (best value). The safest first pick for a typical home garage: Bob Vila's tested best-overall garage heater and Pro Tool Reviews' best-smart pick (via the WiFi sibling). It plugs into any 120V outlet — no electrician, no dedicated circuit, no propane — has a digital thermostat and remote, wall-mounts to keep the floor clear, and its cool-touch housing is friendlier around kids, pets, and stored gear than any fan-forced radiator. Its 1500W ceiling caps how large a garage it can meaningfully warm, but for the vast majority of insulated one- or two-car home garages it is the least-fuss route to reliable heat. The most-recommended portable 120V heater across the reputable roundups and the best value here. The DR-968 combines infrared quartz and PTC heating with a low-noise blower, an electronic thermostat that holds 50–85°F, a 12-hour auto-shutoff timer, and a remote, on four caster wheels you can push to the workbench. It lacks the wall-mount elegance of the Phoenix and the raw output of the DR-988, but for a small-to-medium garage that needs a heater on hand it wins on capability-per-dollar.
We score space heaters for garages on Heating Power for Garage Size (30%), Warm-Up Speed & Coverage (20%), Installation & Portability (15%), Safety Features (15%), Running Cost & Efficiency (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater totals 8.7 out of 10 and the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater 8.1. The widest gap is Heating Power for Garage Size, where the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater scores 8 against 7.5 for the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater — BTU or watt output matched to typical garage square footage and insulation. Safety Features also separates them: 9.5 for the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus 8.5 for the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater. The Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Heater Type — Electric infrared (quartz) on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus Electric infrared quartz + PTC on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater; Power — 750W / 1500W on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus 1500W (≈5,200 BTU) on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater; Coverage — Up to 500 sq ft (insulated) on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus Small to medium garages on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater; Thermostat — Digital, remote controlled on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus Electronic, 50–85°F on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater; Mounting — Wall bracket or floor feet on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus Portable, four caster wheels on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater; Safety — Cool-touch housing, tip-over shutoff, overheat protection on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus Tip-over shutoff, overheat protection, 12-hr auto-off on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater. They match on Voltage and Warranty.
Pricing as of August 24, 2026: $128.79 for the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater and $112.99 for the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater, a $15.8 difference in the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater's favor. Owners praise the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater for plugs into a standard 120V outlet — no dedicated circuit or hardwiring required and wall-mountable to keep floor space clear, or floor-standing with the included feet; the most common complaint is 1500W ceiling limits it to insulated one- or two-car garages. Owners praise the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater for dual infrared + PTC heating combines fast radiant warmth with room-air circulation and electronic thermostat (50–85°F) actually holds a temperature rather than cycling on/off max; the most common complaint is still a 1500W 120V heater — coverage stops well short of a 240V unit's.
Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater
- Plugs into a standard 120V outlet — no dedicated circuit or hardwiring required
- Wall-mountable to keep floor space clear, or floor-standing with the included feet
- Cool-touch housing is safer around kids, pets, and stored items than a fan-forced radiator
- Digital thermostat and remote let you set and hold a target temperature
- 1500W ceiling limits it to insulated one- or two-car garages
- Infrared warmth is directional — spaces behind objects stay cooler
- The non-WiFi model has no scheduling; you set it with the remote each time
Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater
- Dual infrared + PTC heating combines fast radiant warmth with room-air circulation
- Electronic thermostat (50–85°F) actually holds a temperature rather than cycling on/off max
- Four caster wheels move it wherever you are working without lifting
- 12-hour auto-shutoff timer plus tip-over and overheat protection
- Still a 1500W 120V heater — coverage stops well short of a 240V unit's
- Cabinet takes floor space a wall-mounted infrared does not
- No smart-home connectivity or scheduling
Which should you buy?
The Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater is the better fit for insulated one- or two-car garages and renters and owners who cannot add 240V wiring — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Heating Power for Garage Size and Safety Features. The Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater is the better fit for workbench-side or bay-side heat in a small-to-medium garage and buyers who want a thermostat and remote at a portable price, and the stronger choice if Value matters more to you than the overall score. If the $15.8 saving matters more than Heating Power for Garage Size, the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater is the better value. The Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater is a poor fit for large uninsulated shops or barns; the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater is a poor fit for large uninsulated shops (buy the DR-988 or NewAir instead).
Choose the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater if
- Insulated one- or two-car garages
- Renters and owners who cannot add 240V wiring
- Workshops where a floor unit would be in the way
Skip it if
- Large uninsulated shops or barns
- Anyone who needs a hardwired 240V solution
Choose the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater if
- Workbench-side or bay-side heat in a small-to-medium garage
- Buyers who want a thermostat and remote at a portable price
- Anyone who prefers a floor unit to a wall-mount
Skip it if
- Large uninsulated shops (buy the DR-988 or NewAir instead)
- Wall-mount-first setups
Common questions
Is the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater better than the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater?
In our Space Heaters for Garages ranking the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater scores higher overall, 8.7 to 8.1, with the biggest advantage in Heating Power for Garage Size. The Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater is stronger on Value, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater cost than the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater?
$15.8 more as of August 24, 2026: $128.79 for the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater against $112.99 for the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Heating Power for Garage Size — 8 versus 7.5 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater and the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater?
The headline spec difference is Heater Type: Electric infrared (quartz) on the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX Phoenix Infrared Heater versus Electric infrared quartz + PTC on the Dr. Infrared DR-968 Portable Space Heater. In use, the gap that matters most is Heating Power for Garage Size (8 vs 7.5 in our scoring): BTU or watt output matched to typical garage square footage and insulation.