8 best pre-heaters

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Winter is becoming a real challenge for many cars. If the machine is a daily necessity, then the owner has to deal with numerous problems associated with low temperatures. Preheaters have become a reliable assistant to the motorist in the fight against the cold. They allow you to warm up a frozen engine before starting, save fuel (no long heating of the car is required), reduce the load on the battery and starter. The car market offers many different models, which differ in the principle of operation, degree of autonomy and price. With the help of expert recommendations, the car owner will be able to choose the most suitable device.

How to choose a pre-heater

1. The main criterion when choosing is the energy source. For engine heating, manufacturers offer several popular options.
2. Electricity. The simplest and most effective way to heat fuel and antifreeze is heating elements. Unfortunately, the low power of the battery will not allow the cooling and heating system to warm up. Therefore, devices operating from the on-board network can only increase the temperature of the fuel (most often diesel fuel). Decent efficiency of warming up the engine before starting is provided by devices with an operating voltage of 220 V. If the car hibernates in the garage, then such a preheater will be the best option.
3. Automotive fuel. The energy required for heating can be obtained by burning automobile fuel. There are gasoline and diesel versions of preheaters. They are integrated into the cooling system, connected to the fuel path and the on-board network. When the device is turned on, fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber, and the generated heat is used to heat up the antifreeze. The pump is used to create circulation, which distributes heat evenly throughout the engine and the passenger compartment. These heaters are very efficient, but they are expensive. And the device can often be installed only in specialized service centers.
4. Heat accumulator. With daily use of the car, you can use the heat accumulator. It is a kind of thermos in which the warm coolant does not cool down for several days. A stock of warm antifreeze is formed when the car is moving. In the morning, a separate pump begins to pump liquid from the heat accumulator into the cooling system, warming up the motor. In the conditions of the Moscow winter, such a thermos is able to retain heat for 3 days.

We have selected 8 of the best pre-heaters for review. All of them are sold at the domestic car market. When distributing places in the rating, the opinion of experts and reviews of Russian motorists were taken into account.

Rating of the best pre-heaters

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best liquid preheaters for a gasoline engine	1	WEBASTO THERMO TOP EVO 5 GASOLINE	RUB 48 100
	2	EBERSPACHER HYDRONIC B5W S	RUB 39,900
	3	WEBASTO Thermo Top Evo Comfort	RUB 44,900
	4	Binar-5S	RUB 22 900
Best diesel preheaters	1	EBERSPACHER Hydronic D5W S (diesel) 24V	RUB 55,400
	2	APZh-30D (diesel, 24V)	RUB 55,000
The best electric pre-heaters	1	Satellite NEXT 1.5 kW with pump	RUB 2 200
	2	Nomakon PP-201	RUB 6,500

The best liquid preheaters for a gasoline engine

Gasoline engines are characterized by fast warm-up, therefore pre-heaters are installed on cars with a large engine volume (2.0-4.0 liters). The pluses include the autonomy of work and the efficiency of heating. A clear disadvantage is the high price and complex installation. The experts have chosen several high quality models.

WEBASTO THERMO TOP EVO 5 GASOLINE

Rating: 4.9

Prestarting heaters of the German company WEBASTO are so popular among motorists that the name of the company has become a household name. If the car is equipped with “Webasto”, the winter cold is not terrible for it. The WEBASTO THERMO TOP EVO 5 model, designed for installation in gasoline cars, finds a wide scope of application. On factory conveyors, manufacturers of modern cars integrate this heater into passenger cars, minibuses, and SUVs. The main thing is that the volume of the gasoline unit does not exceed 4 liters. Experts note the versatility of the launch. This can be done from the key fob, through the smartphone application, or set the activation using a timer.

The heater deservedly wins our rating. Users are satisfied with the device's performance, simplicity and durability.

Advantages

• suitable for different cars;
• different control options;
• unpretentiousness;
• long trouble-free work.

disadvantages

• high price.

EBERSPACHER HYDRONIC B5W S

Rating: 4.8

There are petrol versions from the well-known manufacturer of preheaters EBERSPACHER. The HYDRONIC B5W S model is designed for installation in vehicles with a voltage of 12 V. The power of the device (5 kW) is enough to warm up cars, vans and SUVs with engines of 2.0-2.4 liters. Experts recommend the heater for temperate regions. Only a mounting kit is supplied with the device; you will have to purchase controls separately. The device consumes from 0.2 to 0.69 liters of gasoline per hour.

The heater ranks second in the ranking for reliability and durability. Motorists note the ease of operation and maintainability. The disadvantages include a modest configuration and a high price.

Advantages

• ease of use;
• reliability;
• durability;
• maintainability.

disadvantages

• modest equipment.

WEBASTO Thermo Top Evo Comfort

Rating: 4.7

Premium products include the Thermo Top Evo Comfort preheater from the renowned German manufacturer Webasto. This is one of the latest developments of the company, which has a compact size. Due to its small dimensions, the device can be installed in modern cars with limited space under the hood. The device consumes up to 0.75 liters of gasoline per hour. The developers did not provide for the possibility of controlling the heater using non-standard organs (there is no analog input). The experts gave the model the third place in our rating.

Russian car owners have no particular complaints about the heater's operation. It fits most famous cars. The device is inferior to the leaders only in gasoline consumption.

Advantages

• compact size;
• universality of application;
• unpretentiousness;
• effective heating.

disadvantages

• no analog input;
• high gas mileage.

Binar-5S

Rating: 4.4

The Russian company Teplostar develops and manufactures a wide range of starting heaters. Binar-5S looks compact, providing a thermal performance of 5 kW. The new generation device is equipped with a range of modern features. The device can operate not only as a pre-heater, but also in the mode of antifreeze re-heater. The model is installed on vehicles with an engine capacity of up to 4 liters. The delivery set includes a remote control timer, in addition, you can connect a GSM modem and set up control via a smartphone.

Domestic motorists are pleased with the low price of the device, its compact size, and good functional equipment. The disadvantages include incorrect operation of temperature sensors.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• compact size;
• the possibility of self-assembly;
• good equipment.

disadvantages

• defective temperature sensors.

Best diesel preheaters

The driver and passengers manage to wait for heat in the passenger compartment of a diesel car only 30-60 minutes after starting. Therefore, preheating will solve this problem, making it easier to start the frozen unit. But not all owners of diesel cars can decide on an expensive purchase and complex installation. The specialists have selected several effective devices for trucks.

EBERSPACHER Hydronic D5W S (diesel) 24V

Rating: 4.9

An excellent option for heating the cooling system of a truck would be the installation of the EBERSPACHER Hydronic D5W S. This diesel version was created for vehicles with a voltage in the on-board network of 24 V. Experts note the high-quality manufacture of the device and economical fuel consumption. The heater consumes from 0.27 to 0.62 liters of diesel fuel per hour. The manufacturer has equipped its product with a timer, which allows you to start the device, adjust the intensity and duration of operation. Recommended for vehicles with engine capacity over 1.9 liters.

The heater becomes the winner of our rating, since Russian motorists have no complaints about it. It is unpretentious in the quality of diesel fuel and is easy to operate.

Advantages

• high quality;
• light weight (2.3 kg);
• economical fuel consumption;
• durability.

disadvantages

• high price.

APZh-30D (diesel, 24V)

Rating: 4.5

An alternative to imported pre-heaters is the Russian APZh-30D design. It is designed for installation on trucks with a 24 V on-board network. The heater is introduced into the liquid cooling system of a diesel engine, the heat output of the device ranges from 7 … 30 kW. The device not only warms up the engine, it additionally warms up the coolant, accelerating the entry to operating mode and heating the passenger compartment. Diesel fuel consumption is 0.75-3.7 l / h. Experts gave the model the second place in our rating, appreciating the automatic mode of operation.

Domestic users speak flatteringly about military development, its reliability and simplicity. The disadvantages include the serious consumption of diesel fuel and large dimensions.

Advantages

• high thermal performance;
• simplicity;
• reliability;
• low price.

disadvantages

• high fuel consumption;
• big sizes.

The best electric pre-heaters

Electricity is the cheapest and most affordable form of energy. Therefore, manufacturers of preheaters use the on-board or household electrical network to heat various engine systems. The experts drew attention to several developments.

Satellite NEXT 1.5 kW with pump

Rating: 4.7

The most budget-friendly option for heating the engine in winter will be the use of an electric heater Sputnik NEXT 1.5 kW. The device can be installed in a car or small truck. Installation of the device is simple. Even motorists with little experience will cope with the installation of the heater on their own. The model is integrated into a liquid cooling system, thanks to the built-in pump, the heated antifreeze circulates in a closed loop. The warm-up time is 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the air temperature and engine size. Experts gave their laurels to the winner of the rating of modern Russian development.

Motorists are pleased with the heating speed, quiet operation, affordable price and ease of installation. The only drawback of the device is the need for a close location of the 220 V outlet.

Advantages

• low price;
• efficient heating;
• easy installation;
• silent work.

disadvantages

• not detected.

Nomakon PP-201

Rating: 4.6

A simple heater Nomakon PP-201 will help prevent waxing of diesel fuel in severe frost. This small device crashes into the fuel system of a diesel car (in front of the fuel filter), powered by the 12 V on-board network. The manufacturer has equipped the model with an electronic automatic autonomous control unit. The heating element is turned on when the temperature of the diesel fuel in the fuel supply system drops to + 5 ° С. The maximum throughput of the heater is limited to 150 l / h. Experts gave the product the second place in our rating for its compactness and portability.

The device failed to bypass the winner due to limited capabilities. It does not add heat to the interior, so you have to spend time warming up the engine.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• lightness and compactness;
• automatic inclusion;
• good bandwidth.

disadvantages

• limited opportunities.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.