Electric heaters are versatile bits of kit: they can help add warmth to a room that already has a radiator, they can be used to heat just one room without having to turn the main heating on, plus they can be used anywhere there’s a plug, such as in an outbuilding. With the cost of electricity at an all-time high, buying an electric heater may not sound like a great idea. A typical 1,800W heater, for example, may cost 61p an hour to run, which might sound terrifying. However, don’t let that necessarily put you off. Electric heaters are generally fast at warming up a limited area, that is, putting out a lot of heat in a short space of time. This means they don’t have to be on for long to make a noticeable difference, and if you buy a heater with a thermostat then it will shut down once your room has reached the right temperature. Don’t let the power rating put you off, either. As it’s easy to turn electricity into heat, all electric heaters are roughly as efficient as each other. The main difference between different powered models is how much heat they can put out at once: a high-power heater will warm a room faster than a lower-powered one, but their overall power usage will be similar. That said, very low-power heaters are good for warming just yourself: making a cold working space more comfortable, for example. Also, you should buy a heater that’s big enough to warm your room, as every heater will tell you the maximum-sized room it will work in. The downside to electric heaters is that the warmth they produce will be lost quickly (radiators cool down slowly, so rooms cool more slowly as a result), and they can struggle to fill up larger rooms. As such, they’re better suited for small to medium-sized rooms, or for use with existing heating. Here, we’ve rounded up the best electric heaters, having reviewed all types of models: fan heaters, convection heaters and oil radiators. All use electricity, so efficiency remains the same across all models. The main differences come in the way that they work.
Best electric heaters at a glance
Great all year round: Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde – check priceSmart heater & cooling fan: Princess Smart Heating and Cooling Tower – check pricePowerful heat & fan modes: Dimplex MaxAir – check priceSmall but powerful: MeacoHeat MotionMove Eye – check priceWell-priced for smaller rooms: Princess Glass Smart Panel Heater – check price
Dyson’s app is one of the best. From here, you can control every aspect of the fan, including enabling the heat mode, setting a target temperature and even scheduling when you want it to turn on and off. In this way, the Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde acts much like a smart thermostat. It warms a room quickly, but it’s also exceptionally quiet, running at 39.62dB (background noise) on its lowest setting. On full pelt in fan mode, I measured it at 3.8m/s – fast enough to provide cooling, with Dyson’s fanless design delivering smooth air. Air purification is equally as good, and the range of sensors this model has means that it responds to lots of atmospheric contaminants quickly and efficiently. Perfect for use at any time of year, this is a brilliant all-round product, but it is expensive. Review: Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde Reviewer: David Ludlow Via the Climate app, you get all of the same options that the remote control gives, plus you can set a timer and schedule when you want the fan to become active. That’s very useful if you want to regularly heat a space and need smart thermostat-like controls. There are a few mismatches between what’s on the fan and what’s replicated in the app, but these are minor annoyances at worst. In fan mode, the Princess Smart Heating and Cooling Tower is as powerful as its Dyson rival, although quite a bit louder – particularly as the lowest fan speed isn’t that low. Heat mode was enough to cope with a 30m2 test lab, getting it to a comfortable 21°C before the fan shut down. Having an accurate thermostat is very helpful on a product such as this, as it means you’re only using a high amount of electricity (1983kW here) for a shorter period. Heaters with inaccurate thermostats will typically run for longer than you need them to run. Well-priced and useful throughout the year, the Princess Smart Heating and Cooling Tower is a great option for anyone who wants a smart device with a high level of control. Review: Princess Smart Heating and Cooling Tower Reviewer: David Ludlow Drop this on a desk and angle its grille, and the De’Longhi Capsule Desk can push out an envelope of warm air. We found that it made it much more comfortable to sit in a drafty office, making us feel warmer and, crucially, keeping our hands warm. The controls on this device are very simple: there’s a single dial on top that you twist to adjust the unmarked thermostat. We don’t think that the thermostat is that helpful here, as we tended to set this heater to maximum and turn it off once we felt warm, rather than letting it click off automatically. This heater doesn’t have the power to affect the temperature of an entire room, but if you want a relatively cheap way to keep yourself warm, it’s a great choice. Review: De’Longhi Capsule Desk review Reviewer: David Ludlow As well as being a versatile unit, the Dimplex MaxAir is also pretty attractive, so you’ll have no problem leaving this product out in your home throughout the year. You can set the desired fan speed and, if required, the temperature using the simple on-body controls or via the provided remote control. There’s also a Bluetooth app, which lets you use your smartphone control when within range of the fan. The app provides the same controls, although they’re a touch easier to understand. Performance was excellent, with the fan producing some of the most powerful airflow we’ve seen: it maxed out at 5.7m/s when measured from 15cm. Heat performance was just as good, with the Dimplex MaxAir warming our test bedroom by the largest degree of any heater we’ve reviewed. At 44.9dB, the fan is a touch noisy on maximum power. So if you’re after a quieter unit, a convector heater might be a better choice. With tip-over and overheating protection, the Dimplex MaxAir is a fan that can be left unattended without concerns about any accidents. The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool is slightly more flexible and looks neater, but it’s far more expensive, making the Dimplex MaxAir an excellent-value alternative. Full review: Dimplex MaxAir review Reviewer: Simon Handby The top panel houses the controls, including two heat levels and a fan-only cooling mode. Unlike its little brother, the 1.8kW Heater, this model also has a thermostat, so it will turn off when the target temperature is reached. There are three heat modes (L, M and H), although there’s no corresponding temperature printed anywhere, so you may have to experiment. The MeacoHeat MotionMove Eye 2.0kW Heater also adds an oscillation mode into the mix, which lets you cover a wider area with warmth. This is good if you want to take care of multiple occupants. Unusually, there’s an IR motion sensor, which lets the heater turn on automatically when motion is detected. This could be useful in a rarely used room, such as a garage or other outbuilding. Positioning is important, though, as this heater only has a 1m motion detection range. If you do want to leave the heater unattended, then tip-over and overheating protection keep things safe, even if the heater gets knocked over. A great occasional heater for small rooms, or for boats and caravans that can take the peak 3kW power drain, the MeacoHeat MotionMove Eye 2.0kW is a well-made and attractive fan heater. Full review: Meaco MeacoHeat MotionMove Eye 2.0kW Reviewer: David Ludlow Via the controls on top, this fan heater can be put into one of its three heat modes (high, low and cool), and the temperature adjusted by the thermostatic control. Having a thermostat is great, as this fan heater saves power when the right temperature has been hit. It’s a little annoying, however, that the fan doesn’t turn off when the target temperature has been reached, dropping into fan-only mode instead. Using it in a chilly office that was 15°C, the TCP Smart Heating Fan Heater Mini took the temperature to 19°C in 30mins. On high heat, this heater costs 66p per hour to run, while it’s 37p per hour on low heat. Low heat is ideal when it’s not as cold and you just need to take the chill off a room. If you want a smart heater for a smaller room, this is a good choice. Review: TCP Smart Heating Fan Heater Mini Reviewer: David Ludlow There are two heat modes to choose from – high and low – with the former heating up a small room quickly, while the latter is more economical and useful if you want to maintain a specific temperature. In small to mid-sized rooms, there’s enough power for this to be the only heater you need. Full review: Princess Glass Smart Panel Heater Reviewer: David Ludlow There’s no tip-over protection on this model, as a result of it being able to stand in two positions. However, if it’s knocked over when it’s vertical, the heater drops into horizontal mode. Controls on the De’Longhi Capsule Fit Fan Heater are basic. There are three heat levels: 2.3kW (79p per hour), 1.3kW (47p per hour) and 982W (33p per hour). That’s handy, as this electric heater can be turned down when it’s not so cold, to provide a more gentle heat. There’s a thermostat, too, although this isn’t marked. De’Longhi recommends setting the thermostat to maximum, and when the temperature feels right, turning it down until you hear a click. We found that this fan took 20mins on maximum to take a cold office from 14°C to a more comfortable 19°C. It was also quiet at 44dB. There’s a fan-only mode, although this is very gentle to the point of being worthless. If you want something you can use all year around, check out the hot/cold fans on this list. If you’re after a quality electric heater that looks good and can fit into multiple spaces, this one is a good choice. Review: De’Longhi Capsule Fit Fan Heater review Reviewer: David Ludlow
