Lasko 22-inch Smart Ceramic Tower Heater (AR122) review

The Lasko AR122 is a 22-inch ceramic tower whose defining choice is phone and voice control instead of an included hand-held remote. It pairs three selectable heat levels and a 12-hour shutoff countdown with app functions, Google Assistant/Alexa support, a room-occupancy feature and base oscillation. The trade is a Wi-Fi-dependent convenience layer, no physical remote, an unquantified sweep and a strict dry-room, supervised-use manual.

One black configuration, a compact tower body

The current U.S. Lasko All Heaters record lists one Black finish and one available-in-snapshot SKU, AR122. Its page gives a 22-inch body on a 7.9-by-7.9-inch base; a no-tools base assembly is shown in the instructions. This is a floor heater, not a wall unit. The small footprint is convenient to place, but it does not reduce the operating clearances: Lasko’s AR122 manual calls for three feet of space in front and one foot at each side and the rear from combustible materials. Leave room for the cord and the moving base too.

There is a specification conflict worth keeping visible. The product-page feature list assigns Low, Medium and High to 750, 1,300 and 1,500 watts, while the separate electrical-output table gives a 900-to-1,500-watt range. The exact manual confirms H1, H2 and H3 modes, but it does not resolve that lower-output discrepancy. Three selectable heat levels and 1,500-watt maximum are established; do not use the product as a precise lower-wattage circuit-planning choice. Lasko also advertises coverage up to 300 square feet. That is the maker’s claim, not a room-heating test or a promise of even warmth in every room of that size.

App and voice control replace the remote

There is no physical remote in the listed package. The heater has top-mounted touch controls for power, heat level, oscillation, timer and Wi-Fi pairing; the Aria for Home app adds phone control, and Lasko documents Alexa and Google Assistant commands. That combination suits someone who wants to change a setting from a phone or voice assistant. It is not a reason to rule the heater out if Wi-Fi is unavailable: the manual still describes local controls. It is a reason to look elsewhere if an included handheld remote is essential; the similarly sized CT22850 supplies one, while the larger CT32150 is a different control arrangement.

The product page describes ClimaSense as detecting occupancy and maintaining a selected temperature, with automatic shutoff when the room is empty. Treat that as a maker-described convenience, not a safety system or proof that the unit may be left unattended. The manual says not to leave the heater operating unattended. It also documents a Wi-Fi recovery detail that is easy to miss: app operation can be restricted after the heater is moved or tipped, a local button is pressed, or it has received no app command for 24 hours; the Wi-Fi button must then be pressed to restore the connection. The app’s Night Mode can hide the display except briefly after a button press, and the display itself dims after ten seconds. Neither feature establishes quiet operation.

Three heat levels and an off timer—not a scheduled start

The manual names H1 Low, H2 Medium and H3 High. Auto Eco lets the user adjust a desired room-temperature target, but the instructions do not publish a selectable range, accuracy, or a mode-by-mode control sequence. The product page’s ClimaSense description should not be turned into a claim of independently measured temperature regulation.

The timer is useful for a planned session: it can shut the heater off after a countdown up to 12 hours, with half-hour steps through two hours and hourly steps after that. It is not a schedule that warms the room before you arrive. A separate fan-only mode is not documented, and the listing gives no oscillation angle. If a fan-only breeze, a quantified sweep or all-around 360-degree heat is an essential condition, the AR122 does not meet it. Its maker lists widespread oscillation, but the exact arc and axis are not specified in the sources checked.

Use restrictions and upkeep are not optional details

Use it upright on a stable, flat, level floor in a dry residential room, plugged directly into a 120-volt wall receptacle. The manual prohibits extension cords, power strips, surge protectors and other cord-connected adapters; it also says not to share the outlet or circuit with other devices. Keep the intake and outlet clear, and do not cover the cord with rugs. Lasko excludes bathrooms, laundry areas, damp or wet places, outdoor use, agricultural facilities and hazardous locations. Tip-over and thermal-overload protections are documented, but they do not override those limits or the supervision warning.

For routine care, unplug before moving or cleaning, vacuum the intake grilles with a brush attachment every two weeks, and do not dismantle the heater. After an overheat shutdown, the manual directs the user to unplug it and allow ten minutes to cool before resetting. Lasko lists ETL certification and a three-year limited warranty for the original purchaser, subject to the warranty terms.

Who should choose it?

Choose the AR122 when you want a short tower, three heat levels, an off countdown, oscillation and phone/voice controls in a dry room where you can follow its clearances and supervise use. Its strongest distinction is app and voice operation paired with an occupancy-related maker feature—not a documented physical remote or a verified wide numeric arc. Prefer a CT22850 if a physical remote matters more than app support; prefer the taller CT32150 if its longer body and remote-led controls suit the room. For all three, the manual’s clearances and no-unattended-use rule remain decisive.

For the control tradeoffs, see the AR122, CT22850 and CT32150 comparison. Exact-model references are Lasko’s AR122 product page and its linked AR122ES Rev. B 10/23 manual.