Lasko 16-inch Ceramic Tower Space Heater (CT16670) review

The Lasko CT16670 is a small-footprint, 16-inch ceramic tower with an included remote, an adjustable thermostat, two heat settings and an eight-hour shutoff countdown. Its base oscillates, but neither the manufacturer page nor the exact manual gives a sweep angle. This is a useful distinction if you are comparing it with a tower whose movement range is specifically listed. I assessed the exact Black, single-SKU U.S. model using its current Lasko product page and page-linked Rev. C 05/25 manual; this is not a hands-on heating test.

Remote control and a real shutoff timer

The remote operates the same documented functions as the heater's controls, except it cannot change the temperature display between Fahrenheit and Celsius. It requires two AAA batteries, not included, so budget for those if the remote is the reason you are choosing this model. The manual describes an elapsed shutoff countdown of up to eight hours. That can fit a supervised period of use when you want the heater to switch off after a set duration. It is not a scheduled-start timer, and a countdown or thermostat does not make the unit suitable for unattended running.

For an evening routine, the countdown is a meaningful practical advantage over a similar tower with no listed timer. But the safety instructions take precedence over the lifestyle copy: Lasko says not to leave the heater operating unattended. Do not treat the timer as a way to leave it running while nobody is present or as approval to use it while sleeping. If your essential need is an automatic later start, this model does not meet it.

Two heat levels, with a thermostat on either

The product page lists 900 to 1,500 watts at 120 volts and labels the two modes High and Low. It does not assign an exact wattage to Low, so the bottom of that range should not be assumed to be the low-mode draw. The manual does provide a useful control detail: automatic temperature mode can be used in either heat setting. When the sensed room temperature reaches about two degrees above the set point, the heater turns off; when the room falls about one degree below, it starts again. The display returns to room temperature, not the temperature of air leaving the grille. After reaching the selected temperature, its fan may continue for about 15 seconds.

This gives more set-and-cycle flexibility than a heater whose thermostat works only on High, but it does not tell you how quickly a particular room will warm. The page's 150-square-foot maximum is a manufacturer coverage claim, not a tested result. Room insulation, ceiling height, drafts, placement, and the rest of a home's heating system all affect comfort; do not treat a published area figure as a guarantee.

Oscillation without a published angle

Lasko describes widespread oscillation, and the manual identifies a base oscillation button that starts and stops it. That supports a qualitative side-to-side motion requirement. It does not establish a 90-degree, 170-degree, or any other numeric sweep. A feature questionnaire should therefore include the CT16670 when horizontal movement is all you need, but exclude it when a minimum sweep angle is essential and unknown is unacceptable. The model page says it is standalone and fully assembled, and describes its 15.75-inch height and narrow 5.07-by-5.91-inch body. The small body can fit where a wider console cannot, but the whole safety envelope is much larger than the footprint.

Placement and care are part of the choice

The exact manual calls for a stable, flat, level surface and at least three feet in front and one foot at the sides and rear from combustible materials. It requires a direct 120-volt wall receptacle; do not use an extension cord, power strip, surge protector or similar cord-connected device, and do not share the outlet or circuit with multiple devices. Keep the cord uncovered and away from traffic. The heater is for residential supplemental use in dry indoor locations, not outdoors, bathrooms, laundry areas or wet or damp rooms. Lasko also says not to leave it operating unattended and to keep children away while it is on or plugged in. Overheat protection is a protective feature, not permission to ignore airflow or clearance instructions.

The manual does not describe a removable filter. Instead, it says to vacuum the intake grills with a brush attachment every two weeks, unplugging first; it also says not to disassemble the heater or use solvents. If the thermal-overload protector trips, unplug the unit and wait ten minutes before restarting. The three-year limited warranty is for the original purchaser and requires proof of purchase; it is not a substitute for checking the manual or a guarantee of lifetime service.

Who should shortlist it?

Consider the CT16670 if you want a compact tower for a dry indoor room, remote adjustments, thermostat control in either heat mode, and an eight-hour shutoff countdown—and you can follow the direct-outlet and clearance rules. Skip it if you need bathroom permission, app control, a later scheduled start, a documented numeric sweep, fan-only air movement or unattended operation. For a defined 90-, 170- or 360-degree sweep, compare the taller CT22360; it has a removable filter but no listed countdown timer. If remote control is less important and manual vertical aiming is more useful, the shorter CC13700 offers a different louver-and-timer arrangement. Read each model's own instructions: similar Lasko towers do not share an interchangeable control package.

Compare the CT16670 with Lasko models CT22360 and CC13700 · Lasko CT16670 product page · Lasko CT16670 Rev. C 05/25 manual