This post is sponsored by BOLDR but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
I Live in a 100-Year-Old House—This Is the Only Heater That’s Actually Helped
If you’ve ever lived through a Michigan winter, you know the cold hits differently here—especially when you’re in a 100+ year-old house with drafty windows and that one room that never quite warms up. For me, that’s actually three rooms: my youngest daughter’s bedroom, our newly finished basement, and my home office. During the coldest months of the year, those rooms can dip into the high 50s and low 60s, which makes space heaters less of a luxury and more of an absolute necessity.
Like many others living in an ultra-cold climate, I already owned a couple of traditional space heaters that we rotated from room to room. They technically worked, but they came with trade-offs: constant fan noise, dry, blowing heat, and needing to make a million mental notes to turn them on and off all day (or worrying if someone forgot to turn one off entirely). Eventually, I realized I needed something smarter, quieter, and more comfortable for everyday use, and that’s what led me to the BOLDR Kelvin smart space heater.
What makes BOLDR’s smart infrared space heater different?
The biggest difference between the Kelvin and every other space heater I’ve owned comes down to the type of heat it delivers. Instead of blowing hot air around the room, the Kelvin uses infrared heat that warms people and objects directly. The result is a sun-like, wrapped-in-warmth feeling—kind of like sitting near a fireplace or under an outdoor patio heater. I noticed the difference immediately. My office has windows on two walls, which means great natural light but constant cold drafts. With a traditional space heater, I was always toggling it on and off, trying to avoid overheating while still staying warm. But with the Kelvin, the room feels consistently comfortable without that harsh, dry heat. And because there’s no fan, it’s completely silent—no background hum during meetings, and no white noise competing with my thoughts.
Another standout feature: installation is refreshingly simple. The Kelvin installs in minutes, plugs into a standard outlet, and can be mounted vertically or horizontally, depending on your space. It can be used as a primary heat source in a smaller room or as supplemental heat in stubborn spaces like bedrooms, offices, or playrooms that never seem to warm up.
The smart features that actually matter for busy moms
Personally, I’m a bit skeptical of “smart” features that sound impressive but don’t actually make life easier. Thankfully, the Kelvin space heater’s tech is genuinely useful.
The app was easy to download and connected to both the space heater and thermostat in under five minutes. Once it’s set up, you can see the room’s real-time temperature, adjust it remotely, and create room-by-room schedules. I love being able to heat my office during work hours without wasting energy when I’m not in there.
One of my favorite features is real-time energy cost tracking. The app shows exactly how much energy the heater is using, which makes it easier to be intentional about when and how long it runs. BOLDR estimates that the Kelvin can help reduce energy costs by up to 30 percent, and while I’m still tracking long-term savings, I’ve already noticed we’re relying less on cranking the heat for the entire house.
It’s also worth noting that the Kelvin is the only space heater in the U.S. that supports Matter and works with Apple Home. If you already use smart-home tech, it integrates seamlessly, and you can even use voice commands to control it (which feels like a small luxury on particularly busy mornings).
Design details that blend into a real home
Traditional space heaters are notoriously bulky and awkward-looking. The Kelvin, on the other hand, feels like a thoughtful home upgrade. Made from premium aluminum and glass, it has a minimalist design that doesn’t scream “temporary winter solution that we just have to accept is an eye sore.” It comes in black or white, making it easy to match different rooms, and it looks especially polished in my home office—so much so that I don’t feel the need to hide it when spring rolls around. This isn’t something you stash in a closet half the year. It genuinely feels built to last.
How the Kelvin space heater performs day-to-day in a Michigan winter
I’ve been using the Kelvin daily in one of the coldest rooms in our house, and the difference is undeniable. The room stays consistently comfortable without overheating, and I no longer feel the need to constantly adjust the temperature or layer up just to sit at my desk. Because the space feels warmer overall, we’re also less reliant on turning up the heat for the entire house, which matters both for comfort and energy costs. For a 10’ x 12’ room like my office, the Kelvin heats the entire space perfectly.
Who this space heater is best for
Based on my own experience, I think that the Kelvin would be especially helpful for:
Anyone who lives in colder climates
Families in older or drafty homes
Anyone with one room that’s always freezing
Smart home users who want native compatibility with Apple Home
Households looking to reduce energy costs without sacrificing comfort
And a quick note for parents of toddlers: the surface does get hot to the touch. If you have little ones who don’t understand “don’t touch” boundaries yet, it’s best installed out of reach or in an adult-only space.
Final thoughts: Is it worth upgrading to the BOLDR Kelvin space heater?
If you’re tired of noisy, drying space heaters that only sort of work, the Kelvin feels like a meaningful upgrade. The comfortable infrared heat, silent operation, smart scheduling, and energy-tracking features all add up to something that genuinely improves day-to-day life. While installation is straightforward, older homes with plaster walls may require a bit more prep (a stud finder, drill, and level were helpful for us). The Kelvin does come with all the necessary hardware and a clear installation guide, but it’s worth setting aside a little extra time if your walls aren’t standard drywall.
Overall, it comes down to one thing: it made the coldest room in my house comfortable again—without the noise, dryness, or constant adjusting I’d come to accept as normal. For busy moms who want warmth that works smarter (not harder), it’s an investment that is most definitely worth it.
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.
As the Branded Content Editorial Assistant, McKenna collaborates with our sales team by creating both written and social media content, collecting and analyzing performance data to report back to our partners, and assisting our editors with their everyday tasks to ensure a smooth and productive process.
This post is sponsored by BOLDR but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
