Some devices are built for utter dystopia. The Heatbit Maxi Pro is one such device – a space heater that also mines bitcoin.

In case you're so rich you didn't notice, residential electricity rates in the US have spiralled to stratospheric heights since 2020, rising over 40% in six years as of February 2026. Extreme weather exacerbates heating and cooling bills.

So here comes Heatbit with a solution that might just be too good (or bad) to pass up: what if your space heater mined bitcoin to offset energy costs? Alternatively, what if your energy-intensive miner helped heat your home?

The concept is intriguing – perhaps no device this year has generated as many email chains and Slack threads from other WIRED staffers as the Heatbit. Gearheads often ponder quirky gadgets with bemusement and curiosity.

However, while the idea sounds ingenious on paper, it falls short in practice. It’s neither a great heater nor an efficient miner, and its $1,499 price tag means energy savings will take years to materialise, unless you're crafty about usage.