# Those Amish Heaters **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122 "2009-02-09T19:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/41 "2009-02-10T11:41:34Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > The ads spell it “mantle.” If they would spell it right, they might make more sales. Exactly! As in, “mental”, or “lament”. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/42 "2009-02-10T14:41:13Z")
What do actual Amish people think about this? I assume it must piss them off mightily. ---
**Author:** ![shallora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@shallora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shallora)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/43 "2009-02-10T15:03:56Z")
The heater is made in China. The mantels are made in a factory in Erie, Pa. Even the actors in the ads aren’t really Amish (the ad was produced by Sitwell Markting Concepts in L.A.). So these “Amish” heaters have Chinese components assembled in Erie, PA, and marketed by actors in Los Angeles with credit card transactions from companies mostly based in Delaware. Right. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/44 "2009-02-10T15:04:10Z")
I went to an Amish quilt auction a few years ago and was horrified by the quality of the quilts. They were really terrible. OTOH, my husband and I have had some custom furniture made in the past year at one of the many Amish-run furniture companies in Holmes County and have nothing but good things to say. The man we worked with told us he wished he had CAD! But he did a fine job drawing our plans by hand, and everything was perfect. You just have to check out what you’re getting, same as any business. I am no more impressed by the phrase “Amish craftsman” than I am by “Methodist secretary.” ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/45 "2009-02-10T15:05:30Z")
When a friend of mine’s parents had a house built in Northeastern Ohio a few years back it was Amish who put up the frame. They worked on the house almost constantly in small teams to get the frame up. Apparently if they got the job done in a certain amount of time it gave them points for getting into heaven or something. The contractor who hired them regularly worked with Amish and he mentioned some weird terms in contracts he had made with them, such as the demand for 40 bologna sandwiches a day (and not crappy grocery store bologna either, but real bologna on plain bread), which became a running joke between my friend and me. ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/46 "2009-02-10T15:14:47Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > When a friend of mine’s parents had a house built in Northeastern Ohio a few years back it was Amish who put up the frame. They worked on the house almost constantly in small teams to get the frame up. Apparently if they got the job done in a certain amount of time it gave them points for getting into heaven or something. Oh, come on. Points for heaven? That’s just silly. Lots of subcontractors have a large team and send out differently skilled people according to the work that needs to be done that day. And if they got it done quickly, how is that a source of ridicule rather than commendation? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/47 "2009-02-10T15:17:49Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > not crappy grocery store bologna either, but real bologna There’s REAL bologna? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/48 "2009-02-10T15:30:43Z")
> [@StuffLikeThatThere](#): > > Oh, come on. Points for heaven? That’s just silly. Lots of subcontractors have a large team and send out differently skilled people according to the work that needs to be done that day. And if they got it done quickly, how is that a source of ridicule rather than commendation? I wasn’t ridiculing them, I’m just saying they had a higher source of inspiration. > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > There’s REAL bologna? The Amish produce many fine meats and cheeses. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/49 "2009-02-10T15:33:13Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > What do actual Amish people think about this? I assume it must piss them off mightily. I would, er, imagine they rarely see the commercials. ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/50 "2009-02-10T15:40:01Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > I wasn’t ridiculing them, I’m just saying they had a higher source of inspiration. I read it wrong, then. I apologize. I didn’t grow up Amish, but I did grow up in a very religious tradition that was considered odd enough to be the object of curiosity and speculation. (I do not adhere to that religion as an adult.) Simple curiosity was never a problem, but some of the speculations were silly, and some were insulting and hurtful. I think you stumbled into some residual defensiveness. 🙂 Sorry about that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/51 "2009-02-10T15:45:54Z")
**Quasi** , brother, if you want an electric fireplace, I’ve got one I’m dying to get out of my house. PM me and we can set something up. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/52 "2009-02-10T15:56:35Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I would, er, imagine they rarely see the commercials. I suppose so, but they would certainly hear about the allegedly “Amish” products from non-Amish neighbours who _do_ see them. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/53 "2009-02-10T16:07:00Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > There’s REAL bologna? That’s probably [Troyers Trail Bologna!](http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/13793/places/14287/) Yum! Come and get some! ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/54 "2009-02-10T19:46:59Z")
Never heard of trail bologna before, but [this](http://www.seltzerslebanonbologna.com/%5B/url) is what we call real bologna in PA. After growing up with this, I tried some Oscar Meyer “bologna” thinking it would be at least remotely similar to the stuff I knew and loved. It was not. I spit it out and threw the entire package into the trash. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/55 "2009-02-10T21:30:34Z")
What about [these “e-heat” panels?](http://www.eheat.us/) Any experience with them? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/56 "2009-02-10T21:41:15Z")
Hey, hey, hey, now. Oscar Meyer Bologna, may be so overly processed, using parts of the cow, pig and other miscellaneous animals that just happened to get sucked into the hopper, chocked full of all sorts of preservatives, carcinogens, and hormones that gave me man-boobs and knocked me sterile… yet with enough primary-yellow mustard, and super-refined white Wonder bread, you’re talking about the taste of my childhood. And of last Thursday afternoon. Pure bliss… Mmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/57 "2009-02-10T21:53:41Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > What about [these “e-heat” panels?](http://www.eheat.us/) > > Any experience with them? [This page](http://www.eheat.us/site/products.php?opt=products&show=0601) lists some of the specs of the units, and this phrase makes me think they’re pretty much useless: > [@](#): > > Low Surface Temperature Lets say that the air coming off the heater is 72F, and that the room temperature is 65F. If the air coming off the panel loses one degree of heat every inch in travels away from the panel (this is purely for illustrative purposes, not actual numbers, though I suspect the physics are pretty close), once the air gets 7 inches away from the heater it now matches room temperature. There’s also no fan, apparently, so that means the warmed air will most likely travel _up_ the wall and **not** circulate out into the room and warm that up. ---
**Author:** ![Sanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanders)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/58 "2009-02-10T22:24:26Z")
Aren’t all electric heaters 100% efficient? Is there really anything to distinguish one from another? ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/59 "2009-02-10T22:29:32Z")
> [@Sanders](#): > > Aren’t all electric heaters 100% efficient? Is there really anything to distinguish one from another? Yup, they’re all ~100%. The only thing to distinguish them is their degree of heat localization- A fan or an IR dish will direct that heat on **you** vs warming up the rest of the room. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmundex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sigmundex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmundex)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122/60 "2009-02-10T23:30:59Z")
Well, heck, I wanted to order one this morning, but I was in the “mild” zone, so I couldn’t call until after I arrived at work. I’m so jealous of those people in the “frozen” zone of the country, who can order the darn things all day long. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-amish-heaters/485122.md?page=4)