Nothing beats central heating for warming your whole home, but what if you just want a warmer living room without heating up your whole house? Maybe you have the central heating turned down for the summer, but still feel a chill as the night draws in. You might even have spaces that your central heating cannot reach, like a garden office, conservatory or loft conversion. How do you get things nice and cosy?
This is where electric heaters still have their place. Don’t worry: we’re not talking about those old two-bar heaters you might remember from your student days, but about safety-conscious, economical and even stylish models that are perfect for filling in with some extra heat where it’s needed, or warming up a cold space fast. For as little as £25 you could get a compact heater with enough welly to warm your cold bones and we’ve carefully researched and picked out five of the very best.
How to buy the right electric heater for you
Heaters come in different types and with a range of power ratings, some suiting different scenarios and coming with different short and long-term costs. Before you buy, think about what you want from your heater. Are you looking to keep a room warm throughout the day or evening, or do you just need a quick blast of heat here or there? Are you looking for something that can warm up a whole room, or something to keep you warm while you’re sitting on the sofa? What kind of running costs are you willing to put up with? All these things will help determine the kind of heater you need to buy.
Should I go for a fan heater, a convector heater, a radiator or halogen?
There are four main types of electric heater, and each has its own particular pros and cons:
- Fan heaters: These blow air across a heated element, providing a good, fast way to heat a room. However they’re noisy and not always so great if you want to keep a room warm over a long period – the heater needs to keep kicking in every time the temperature drops.
- Convection heaters (also known as Convector heaters): These designs channel air currents through the body of the heater and out into the room, are slower to warm the space but not so noisy and obtrusive and often provide a more even heat around the room.
- Radiators: Here, an electric element heats up oil or another substance inside the body of the heater. They have similar pros and cons to convection heaters, but tend to hold the heat for longer, making them great for constant background warmth.
- Halogen heaters: These are the descendants of the old two-bar electrics, radiating heat directly on the objects in front of the glowing element. They’re good for warming one or two people at fairly close proximity, but not so ideal for heating the whole room with an even heat. Some also find the amount of light given off annoying.
How powerful a heater do I need?
Heaters have an output measured in W or kW, and generally you get out what you put in. In a smaller room or one requiring fill-in heat on top of central heating you may be happy with something as low as 600W, but larger or colder rooms may need a 1.2kW to 2.5kW model. Not all heaters are equally efficient, though, so just because you have a 2kW heater, that doesn’t mean it’s actually putting out 2kW of heat.
How much should I spend?
You can spend as little as £10 on a heater or over £400, though most come in at between £50 and £150. You’ll pay extra for attractive or slimline designs, new technologies, smart controls and advanced features, though not necessarily for heat or power; 2kW of heat from a £20 heater won’t feel any different from 2kW of heat from one costing five times that amount, though efficiency and how it’s directed around the room will make a difference.
The bigger issue may be running costs. A 2kW heater uses 2kW of electricity running at full pelt, so if you’re paying 50p per kilowatt/hour for electricity, it could be costing you £1 an hour to run. That’s at full blast, of course, and with it dialled down and an effective thermostat running it should be much cheaper. What’s more, while fan heaters tend to use more energy in the short term they also take less time to warm a room from cold. One could actually be more cost-effective if you just want to get a cold room to a comfortable temperature quickly.
Are there any other features I should look out for?
The thermostat is the key one, as it’s crucial to keeping the room at a decent heat – not too hot nor too cold – and saving energy (and money) by turning the heater off when that level’s reached. Frost protection can be a useful feature for conservatories or utility rooms, as it means you can use the heater there and it will run at a minimal level, dishing out just enough heat to keep the temperature north of zero. Some heaters come with a timer to switch them on just for, say, the evening, while others have a temperature display or a remote control. A cold air setting means the heater can act like a fan in hot weather, though the usefulness of such a feature varies. Finally, watch out for safety features like tilt protection or a safety cut-out, which could prevent the heater overheating or falling over and causing a fire.
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The best electric heaters to buy from £25
1. Dimplex DXUC2B: The best small heater for under £30
Price when reviewed:£25
It’s not hard to find a compact fan heater for under £30, but the Dimplex DXUC2B looks and feels like a superior budget model. Just 26cm tall and 18.5cm wide, it has a slightly odd rounded shape, but its 2kW ceramic element puts out of plenty of heat which the fan quickly gets where it needs to go. Despite its diminutive size it has a choice of heat settings including a Cool Blow fan mode, plus a safety cut-out which kicks in if it overheats. Throw in a three year guarantee and you have a great budget option which stows away neatly when you don’t need extra warmth.
Key specs – Heat output: 2kW; Controls: Heat setting and thermostat dials; Extra features: Overheat safety cut-out, Cool Blow mode; Dimensions: 258 x 185 x 184mm; Weight: 1.4kg
2. Delonghi DCH7093ER: The best small heater for under £75
Price when reviewed:£67
Delonghi’s little wonder packs in more features than your average small fan heater, including a 24 hour digital timer and a digital temperature display. What’s more, you can switch between its three power settings and adjust the thermostat using either the touch controls or the bundled remote – perfect when you can’t face getting out of bed. The heater swivels left and right on its stand to distribute warm air across the room, and it does a great job of warming up a small to medium space in minutes. The only real complaint from some users is that the tip-over safety switch can be over zealous, turning off the heater when there’s no real need.
Key specs – Heat output: 2.4kW; Controls: Touch sensitive heat settings, on/off switch and thermostat; Extra features: Tip-over safety switch, anti-frost, cool blow setting, digital timer, remote control; Dimensions: 338 x 253 x 170mm; Weight: 2.2kg
3. Dimplex Optiflame Electric MicroFire: The most stylish small heater under £75
Price when reviewed:£50
If you’re looking for a little retro style in your electric heater, this Dimplex model has your average fan model beaten. It combines a 1.5kW fan heater with Dimplex’s Optiflame flame effect, giving you enough heat and a rosy glow cheerful enough to warm the very cockles fo your heart. The controls on the back give you the choice of two heat settings, plus a flame only setting if you just want to enjoy the glowing faux-coals. It doesn’t have the power to heat a massive room, but the thermostat delivers a steady heat in smaller spaces and it’s small enough and light enough to fit just about anywhere. Just two things to watch out for: the bulb in the flame effect needs occasional replacing, while shagpile carpet is a no-no if you don’t want scorch marks.
Key specs – Heat output: 1.5kW; Controls: Power on/off, two heat settings and flame-only via switches; Extra features: Flame effect; Dimensions: 370 x 330 x 205mm, Weight: 5.5kg
4. Dimplex 403TSFTie: The most versatile electric heater for under £75
Price when reviewed:£65
It’s no looker, but this Dimplex convector wins out on flexibility and features. It’ll work as a portable heater or a fixed, wall-mounted unit, with all fixtures and fittings provided. You can set it to come on and off at up to four specific times of day using the buttons and LCD panels and It even has a special Turbo fan mode for warming up a chilly room. It’s quiet enough not to disturb anyone sleeping, but capable of maintaining a comfortable background temperature. Setting the time could be a little more intuitive, but this a good choice for nearly any situation. A pricier black variant, the 403BTB, provides Bluetooth connectivity for controlling the heat from your iOS or Android phone.
Dimplex Convector Heater with a Choice of Heat Settings Timer and Turbo Boost, 3 Kilowatt, White
Key specs – Heat output: 3kW; Controls: 24-hour timer, heat settings dial, turbo-boost switch; Extra features: Turbo-boost, anti-frost; Dimensions: 442 x 733 x 200, Weight: 4.8kg
5. Silentnight Benross S-Type Oil Filled Radiator: The best oil-filled radiator under £100
Price when reviewed:£67
As they maintain a more consistent level of heat, oil-filled radiators are ideal for quietly keeping an area warm over longer periods or overnight. This Silentnight-branded Benross model has some rather intimidating controls, but the old-fashioned pushpin 24-hour timer works well and the smooth dial makes it easy to get your ideal temperature. Just be aware that the timer makes a light ticking sound while active, and this and the odd gurgle mean it’s not quite as completely silent as the branding might suggest. Like all radiators it also takes a while to warm up, but once it reaches the right level it will keep the room nice and toasty. It’s heavy and no beauty, but it is an effective heater for most size of room.
Key specs – Heat output: 2kW; Controls: 24-hour timer, three heat settings, temperature dial; Extra features: 24hr timer; Dimensions: 625 x 461 x 29mm; Weight: 11.6kg
6. Dyson AM09 Hot & Cool: The most innovative electric heater
Price when reviewed:£399
It’s one of the most expensive electric heaters you can buy, but there’s no mistaking the AM09’s Dyson pedigree. It’s effectively a heater version of one of the firm’s Air Multiplier bladeless fans, sucking air through the base and rectangular ring then pushing it out in a near-silent, long-range airflow or a more diffuse stream of air. With the AM09 the fan’s combined with a ceramic element and an intelligent thermostat, giving you the option of heating in the winter as well as cooling in the summer. Unlike most fan heaters with a cooling option, it handles both functions well, warming up spaces quickly with the option of the more focused jet effect, and what little noise it makes isn’t too distracting. The tiltable design and oscillation also make it more flexible across a range of spaces. Of course, it’s ten times the price of your average fan heater, but that design makes it feel just about worthwhile.
Key specs – Heat output: Not quoted; Controls: Power button, remote control for temperature, fan mode and timer; heating and cooling modes, Jet Focus; Dimensions: 590 x 205 x 205mm; Weight: 2.6kg