Trio vs S9 Space Heater Kits

The Bitmain S9 has earned its place as a legendary Bitcoin miner. From the moment it launched in 2016, it was recognized for its high hashrate and efficiency, which helped drive a substantial increase in the Bitcoin network’s total mining power. Even more impressive than its initial engineering was its reliability; the S9 has remained relevant for years after its release, gaining a reputation as a robust and strong device.

Today, the S9’s price has depreciated significantly - as it’s no longer efficient enough for profitable mining at scale without valuing heat exhaust. This makes it an intriguing entry point for hobbyists. Thanks to its affordability and availability, S9 miners have become a popular choice for DIY hashrate heating and home mining. Several companies have even taken the S9 platform further, modifying and retrofitting it to create some of the first Bitcoin-powered space heater prototypes.

The Heatbit Trio builds off the success of the S9 and interest in home mining (the first generation Heatbit One device even used an S9) - with a ground up design centered around ease of use, reliable heating, and efficient mining performance. The device aims to take home mining and heating to the next level.

Here’s how S9-based DIY space heater builds compare to the Heatbit Trio—the first fully integrated, plug-and-play heating appliance powered by Bitcoin mining.

Functionality

​​The Bitmain S9 was initially designed as an industrial, single-function device, purpose-built for Bitcoin mining in large-scale facilities. After it became obsolete for industrial mining businesses as more efficient machines hit the market, its compact form, ability to operate on standard 110 V household outlets, and depreciated cost have made it popular among Bitcoin enthusiasts and companies looking to repurpose for hashrate heating and home mining applications.

Compared to today’s efficient and powerful industrial miners, the S9 appears more manageable and suitable for home use. However, transforming it into a home ready device with additional functionality is no small task. An S9 miner requires extensive modifications to convert it into a hashrate heating appliance that can operate effectively in a residential setting.

In contrast, the Heatbit Trio was designed specifically for home mining, heating, and air purification. From the start, the Trio was built as a high-end home appliance that seamlessly integrates mining technology. It provides substantial heating power that can replace traditional systems and includes HEPA air filters that improve air quality while protecting the device’s internal components from dust and debris. This multi-function design enhances the reliability and lifespan of the ASIC chips while bringing mining, heating, and air purification together, making the Heatbit Trio a complete package for home use.

While both devices bring Bitcoin mining and heating into the home by converting mining energy into heat, the Heatbit Trio provides additional features and ease of use that the S9 cannot match. The S9 remains a single-purpose mining device that requires significant modification and fine-tuning to also function as a home heater, often with trade offs like noise, dust, network limitations, and software adjustments. The Heatbit Trio, on the other hand, arrives ready as a versatile home mining appliance, fully optimized for residential environments right out of the box.

As a miner

When comparing the mining capabilities of these two devices, their design intentions and performance differ significantly. The Bitmain S9 was engineered as an industrial Bitcoin miner, delivering substantial computational power of the time, at 14 TH/s. To achieve this, however, the S9 consumes 1350 watts, resulting in a mining efficiency of 96 J/TH.

The Heatbit Trio, on the other hand, was created as a home heating appliance with Bitcoin mining as the core technology behind that function. Its built-in miner generates 10 TH/s of hashing power while consuming only 400 watts, achieving a mining efficiency of 40 J/TH—more than twice as efficient as the S9. This means the Trio delivers more bitcoin relative to its energy use, and is better-suited for home heating, where maximum power is rarely necessary.

Out of the box, the Heatbit Trio directs its hashing power to the NiceHash Pool, offering a plug-and-play experience - with the option for users to change the pool if desired. The S9 heaters require more involvement, and users must select their mining pool during setup. The S9 lacks several creature comfort features by default. To make the S9 suitable for home use, custom firmware is often needed to add power regulation, fan speed control, and temperature control to prevent overheating. The S9 is inherently designed to mine at full capacity—producing high heat and noise—whereas the Heatbit Trio is optimized for a more refined, adjustable mining and heating experience for residential environments.

As a heater

Both the Heatbit Trio and the Bitmain S9 use Bitcoin ASIC technology to convert electricity into heat, where every watt of power used for mining is released as warm air. This approach offers a new heating technology that goes beyond traditional resistive heaters, generating warmth while simultaneously producing Bitcoin rewards. However, as mentioned above, the S9 requires significant modifications to become a suitable home heating device, while the Heatbit Trio is built for home heating right from the start.

To make an S9 manageable for home space heating, upgrades are necessary: larger, quieter fans are essential to reduce noise levels, and WiFi adapters allow for wireless network connectivity. Installing aftermarket firmware is also necessary to regulate temperature and performance settings, ensuring safe and comfortable warmth without overheating. Initial calibration can take hours to adjust fan speeds and miner settings. Additionally, adding air filtration helps protect the miner from dust buildup while keeping the warm air exhaust clean for indoor use.

All of this setup - and more - comes pre-integrated in the Heatbit Trio, making it as simple as plugging it in, downloading the app, and starting to heat and mine Bitcoin.

Beyond ease of use, the Heatbit Trio also includes a traditional resistive heating element to enhance heating capacity, bringing total heating output up to 1400 watts — slightly more than the S9’s 1350 watts. This dual heating system maximizes the uptime of the 400 watt bitcoin miner during most heating conditions, while still offering the ability to heat larger spaces quickly and effectively. This design enables the Trio to serve as a versatile and cost effective bitcoin heat source for a variety of room sizes and climates, with the supplemental resistive heating element stepping in during the coldest days.

In contrast, the S9 was built solely for industrial mining, where full power, noise, and heat output are constants. While it can match the Trio’s heating power at peak settings, it's much louder, and the range of heating capabilities is more limited without the fine-grain control and efficiency optimizations that the Heatbit Trio provides.

As an air purifier

The Heatbit Trio goes beyond just hashrate heating—it also improves indoor air quality through an integrated HEPA air purification system. This feature serves a dual purpose: it improves the surrounding air quality by filtering out dust and allergens, and also protects the sensitive ASIC chips from dust buildup, which could compromise performance over time. Designed as a home appliance first and optimized for the practical benefits of Bitcoin mining, the Trio’s air filtration system highlights Heatbit’s commitment to user-friendly functionality and long-lasting performance.

Ease of use and operation

Simplicity is essential. Traditional industrial Bitcoin miners like the Bitmain S9 are loud, bulky, and require technical expertise or extensive DIY modifications to adapt them as hashrate-powered heaters suitable for home use. While it’s impressive to see dedicated bitcoiners modifying S9 miners themselves or companies retrofitting them for home use, these options require technical skills and patience. For those who prefer a purpose-built hashrate heating device, engineered specifically to solve the challenges of mining Bitcoin for heat at home, the Heatbit Trio offers a streamlined solution.

The Trio is designed for easy setup, featuring an intuitive touch display and mobile app compatibility. With multiple mining and heating modes, convenient remote control for temperature adjustments, and a simple interface for cashing out Bitcoin rewards, it’s optimized for user-friendly operation. The S9 space heaters offer none of these features.

In terms of noise, the Heatbit runs quietly at 40 dB—no louder than a soft conversation. By comparison, S9 hashrate space heaters vary in noise level depending on power settings and aftermarket fans, ranging from very quiet (40dB) to the sound of a vacuum cleaner (75dB) at full power.

Safety

Safety is critical for any device intended for home use, especially when it comes to high power heating. Heatbit places safety at the core of its product design, standing as the only Bitcoin mining heater with UL certification. This certification ensures that the Trio includes essential built-in features like tip-over protection and fire safety measures, providing extra peace of mind for home use.

In contrast, S9 Bitcoin miners lack formal safety certifications. Originally designed for industrial mining rather than residential heating, these repurposed devices were built with a primary focus on maximizing mining performance. While the S9 can deliver high heating power alongside mining, it doesn’t meet the rigorous safety standards required for dedicated home appliances, nor was it designed with household safety as a primary consideration.

Cost

The Heatbit Trio is a premium, all-in-one solution combining Bitcoin mining, heating, and air purification, built from high-quality materials like aviation-grade aluminum and leather. Its design includes custom hash boards, a microcontroller for remote access, a robust mobile app, and UL-certified safety features—all engineered to deliver a seamless, user-friendly experience at home.

On the other hand, Bitmain S9 DIY space heater builds or pre-modified products benefit from the availability of used, depreciated mining chips. These options, while more budget-friendly, offer fewer home-oriented features and require more technical setup and modification to optimize them for residential heating and ease of use.

As a result, the Heatbit Trio has a higher price point, with an MSRP of $799 (or $80 per TH), compared to the Bitmain S9 space heater devices, which range from the cost of a standalone S9 miner to around $400 (or $28 per TH) for fully modified units ready for home heating.

The pricing of each reflects its unique value: the Heatbit Trio integrates the functionality of both a home heating appliance and an air purifier, while also mining Bitcoin. In contrast, the Bitmain S9 space heater kits are a budget-friendly option for users who want Bitcoin-powered heat and are comfortable with additional setup and fewer built-in conveniences.

Conclusion: which device is right for you?

Choosing between the Heatbit Trio and a Bitmain S9 space heater comes down to your needs, preferences, and personality.

If you’re someone who values simplicity, elegance, and ease of use in a home appliance, the Heatbit Trio is an ideal choice. This device seamlessly combines warmth, air purification, and Bitcoin mining rewards, all in one thoughtfully designed package. It’s built for users who want a plug-and-play experience that integrates effortlessly into their living or work space, providing ample heat for larger areas while stacking Sats in the background. With its emphasis on safety, ease of use, and aesthetic appeal, the Heatbit Trio is perfect for those who want to support the Bitcoin network without DIY challenges or technical setup.

On the other hand, if you’re a hands-on tinkerer who enjoys the process of customizing and optimizing your setup, a Bitmain S9 space heater kit might be a better fit. These devices give you a builders approach to hashrate heating, where you’ll need to make modifications to adapt the S9 to home use and work through the trade-offs of using industrial hardware in a residential setting. For those willing to invest time in the setup, the S9 space heaters offer an accessible entry to Bitcoin mining heat at a lower cost. Yet you may want to put a pretty enclosure around it to make it wife approved.

Both products bring Bitcoin mining into the home in unique ways. For those seeking a polished, reliable, and hassle-free experience, the Heatbit Trio shines as a versatile, all-in-one solution, making mining and heating accessible without any technical know-how required.