South Africans are currently experiencing one of the most bitter winters ever as low temperatures were even joined by snow, a rarity in the country that has not been seen for around a decade.

As we get deeper into the cold months it is time to invest in new heating solutions and Xiaomi is offering South Africans a newer, more modern way to do this in the form of smart heaters.

Take the Xiaomi Smart Tower Heater Lite in the header image above as an example. This compact and easy to move heater betrays its size by being packed with features including amazing efficiency for providing heat. We’re all familiar with the long wait for regular electric heaters to actually start warming up a room, but this one instead does it in a scant three seconds. Yes, just three seconds. The 2 000W PTC ceramic heater carefully controls the local temperature between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius and it uses a 70 degree oscillation vent to spread that heat widely and evenly through a room.

That careful control between 22 and 28 degrees is thanks to the smart control of this heater, and that’s just the start. Easily control your heating with voice activation through both Google Home and Alexa or with your phone through the dedicated app. The app control is especially nice as you can activate your heater from wherever you are so your room is nice and toasty when you wake up or when you get back home from work. Those worried about operation when you’re not home will be happy to see a ittany of safety features such as tip-over protection, a child lock, overheating protection and more.

One final feature we love about the Xiaomi Smart Tower Heater Lite is the ability to be used even when it’s not cold. The Natural Mode can be used to move air around a room, increasing airflow. This makes working in a stuffy room more bearable and it also means that you can install your new smart heater and leave it in place all through the year.

All of this comes in at a local RRP of just R2 199, which is a bargain given that “dumb” heaters and fans can cost just as much or more.

Those looking for a classic flat space heater should consider the Xiaomi Smart Space Heater S which again comes with a low local price and an RRP of just R2 899.

With 2 200W of heating power and a wide front duct, this heater can warm up a larger area, and fast. With some clever air circulation this heater also avoids common issues with AC such as dryness and sore eyes and throats when left on while sleeping too, though we have another solution for that we’ll get to soon.

Aside from tackling this newer and sharper South African Winter, the Xiaomi Smart Space Heater S is also engineered with efficiency in mind as the smart temperature control uses a built-in thermometer keeps the temperature at the desired number as efficiently as possible, which saves electricity. When we’re not hit by loadshedding, electricity is still rather expensive in South Africa, so any saving is welcome.

With more features like IPX4 splash-proof water-resistance and quiet operation, this really is a compelling package with the same great smart features we discussed earlier.

Humidification – The other side of heating

Heating your home or office in Winter is, of course, very important, but many don’t consider the downside of drying out the air during this time. This can lead to dry, cracked skin and even dry eyes which becomes a real pain when we all need to be starring at a screen for most of the day.

The Xiaomi Humidifier 2 Lite offers the perfect answer to that, again bringing smart functionality to a quality humidifier.

Here you will find a humidifier with a large four litre capacity that can be run for up to 30 hours before needing a refill. If you’ve ever used one of the smaller desktop humidifier which needs to be constantly refilled throughout the day, this will be a game changer. And, when you do need a refill, there’s no irritating tray that needs to be carefully removed. Instead simply fill up your humidifier through the easy opening in the top.

You will find even more great features compared to barebones humidifiers, such as the water shortage protection that will turn the machine off should the water supply run too low, and you can easily track that water level yourself with a transparent gauge on the side.

Again we have to point out a favourite feature and for us that’s the super low running noise, although calling it “noise” may be a misnomer given the 30 – 40 decibels this unite gives off when in action. Given that moderate rainfall is only 40 – 50 decibels, and a conversation is 50 – 60 decibels, you will likely not even notice when your humidifier is running.

The Xiaomi Humidifier 2 Lite has yet another low RRP of R749 in South Africa.

Xiaomi smart heaters, smart humidifiers and the rest of the smart appliances range can be found online from Takealot and Tafelberg.