The 11 Best Space Heaters for Staying Warm

Shorter days, longer nights and freezing temperatures are here. To keep the chill at bay, space heaters provide a great and economical way to stay warm in a single room without having to heat up the whole house (or apartment). Not all space heaters, however, are built the same. Some may help heat up a large room while some are just good for keeping your personal space toasty. And then there are some that just feel like you’re using a public bathroom’s hand dryer. We tested and researched a number of space heaters to find 11 units tailored for different needs. The best part? Most come in at under $100.

Space Heaters 101

Are space heaters more efficient than central heat?

Yes, because space heaters are only heating up single rooms rather than entire living spaces, space heaters will use drastically less energy. If you’re only going to be spending your time in your bedroom, just use your space heater so you’re not heating up the rooms you’re not in.

Can’t I use my oven to heat my home?

Tempting as it may be to use your oven to stay warm, don’t do it. You risk carbon monoxide poisoning, and it’s just not an effective way to stay warm. Think about it: ovens are meant to contain heat, not spread it throughout your home.

Can you leave a space heater on all night?

To be perfectly safe, don’t leave your space heater running while you’re asleep. Most space heaters will have built-in safety features to ensure you don’t hurt yourself or burn your place down, but these measures won’t completely ensure bad things don’t happen. We can’t fully recommend you sleep with the space heater on, but we understand there may be instances when it’s needed to stay warm overnight. It’s also possible to run a space heater for a while before you go to sleep, then shutting it off once it’s lights out.

Is it OK to leave my space heater on while unattended?

If you’re not in the room where your space heater is on, what’s the point of keeping it on? While any good space heater will have built-in safety features to keep it from overheating and malfunctioning, you probably shouldn’t keep it on if you’re not going to be around. Always be in proximity to your space heater when it’s on so you can take action if something bad were to happen to it.

Energy for space heaters

Depending on how old you are, you may have grown up around kerosene-fueled space heaters. These heaters burn petroleum-derived lamp oil — AKA kerosene — to provide heat, and while they are still available, their use in homes has decreased immensely. That’s because, while they provide ample heat, kerosene heaters have a number of drawbacks. They smell strongly of kerosene (a similar smell to gasoline), their fumes are bad for the environment and for your health, they burn up the oxygen in a space and can be dangerous to use in small areas and they’re a greater fire risk than cleaner-energy alternatives.

Speaking of those cleaner alternatives, most space heaters on the market today are electric. Electric space heaters heat up quickly and don’t have to burn any fossil fuels, so they’re much better for the environment as well as your home’s local air quality. They’re also safer, as they contain no combustible fuels and frequently boast features like auto-shut-off mechanisms that prevent them from running for too long or running after being tipped over. Given the vast health and safety benefits that electric space heaters possess over kerosene heaters, this guide only contains the former.

Space Heater Safety

Don’t leave a space heater unattended: If you’re not going to be in the same room as your space heater, don’t leave it on.

Keep your space heater away from fabrics: Keep your space heater at least three feet away from fabrics as they can spark a fire if kept too close to the heat.

Plug your space heater directly into the wall: Don’t use a power strip or extension cord because doing so can overload the circuit and spark a fire.

Keep your space heater on the floor but off the carpet: To avoid the risk of toppling over your space heater, put it on the floor and not on furniture. Also, make sure it’s not sitting on carpet or a rug, and do be careful of young children and pets.

How We Tested

Amazon

Best Electric Space Heater

Vornado AVH10

• $130.00 at Amazon
  $150.00 (13% off)

• Settings: High, Low, Fan-Only
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

After a while all of the Vornado space heaters look the same. The AVH10 differentiates itself from the other heaters in Vornado’s lineup thanks to its large-number digital display and noticeably stronger fan. The AVH10 has two heat settings with the option for fan only, so you’re set for winter heating and summer cooling. A big bonus to the AVH10 is you can set the unit to a specific temperature. Rather than using a dial to set it to some arbitrary level, you can ensure you’re setting the device to the temperature you want.

The wrap-around cord storage lets you hide away excess wires, which is a minor touch that provides major convenience. Many testers give props to the space heater for being quiet despite its powerful heating abilities. And along with the typical safety features, the digital display counts down to exhaust any remaining heat. This timer ensures you don’t touch the device or move it before it actually shuts off. In short, expect super quick heating and a fairly decent distribution of heat across a room.

Amazon

Save $130

Dyson Pure Hot+Cool HP01

• $400 at Amazon
  $529 (24% off)

• Settings: Heat/Purify, Fan/Purify (10 total fan speeds and to-the-degree temperature control)
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: Yes

The Pure Hot+Cool HP01 performs admirably not just as a space heater but also as a fan and air purifier, making it a flexible, year-round option that doesn’t need to move into a storage unit every six months. Not that you’d want to, anyway, with how sleek and stylish the appliance is; it just looks great on display.

Our tester found the Pure Hot+Cool HP01 simple to operate and users can control it directly on the base of the heater or with a magnetized remote control that can be placed on top of the device when not in use. It can also be tailored and adjusted in myriad ways: it can be set to heat a whole room or adjusted to blow a focused jet if you’re using it on, say, a desk as a personal space heater; it can oscillate up to 70 degrees wide and tilted up or down for a maximum effect. Finally, it’s very quiet and suitable for everything from office spaces to baby rooms.

Things to watch out for: This is a tabletop fan/space heater. You can use it on the ground, but it functions best — especially as a personal space heater — when it’s placed on a table or desk. That takes up space. It’s also quite expensive, retailing for $500 at full price (though it’s frequently on sale). Our tester feels like you get what you pay for, what with all the added functionality and flexibility as a fan and air purifier, but it’s a lot to pay for a space heater if that’s all you need.

Amazon

Best Budget Space Heater

Lasko 754201 Ceramic Space Heater

• $35.00 at Amazon
  $40.00 (13% off)

• Settings: High, Low, Fan-Only
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

If you just need something to heat up a small space and don’t care about award-winning aesthetics, the Lasko 754201 Ceramic Heater offers huge bang for your buck. Our tester was amazed at this affordable little heater’s ability to quickly and easily heat up a small space. Using it as the sole heat source in her drafty enclosed office — which, she notes, has seven windows — our tester states that the Lasko raised the temperature in her room around 8-10 degrees after a couple of hours, and within five hours of running the heater her office was at balmy t-shirt levels of comfort … in October.

Given the intensity of its heat, our tester had to keep the Lasko off of her desk and a bit further away than a personal heater; otherwise it was unbearably hot and drying. Despite its power, however, our tester notes that the Lasko is still too weak to heat larger spaces, placing it in the realm of a small-room heater. Our tester also was impressed by this budget heater’s abundant extra features, such as its plethora of temperature settings and tip-over safety switch, comparing them favorably to features on more expensive space heaters she had previously used from Vornado and others.

Amazon

Best Small-Room Space Heater

Vornado MVH Vortex Heater

• $60.00 at Amazon
  $70.00 (14% off)

• Settings: High, Medium, Low
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

While we prefer the pricier Vornado space heater overall, this more budget-priced option makes for an excellent alternative. The Vornado MVH is comparable to the AVH10 with fewer features but similar heating capabilities. There are three three fan speeds and a seven-setting thermostat dial. Some people who have used the MVH recommend blasting the device on high speed with the highest heat setting, then dropping the thermostat and fan speed so you’re at your desired comfort level. This space heater is good for light sleepers because of its quiet fan, and if your room is small enough, you’ll be cozy all night long.

Home Depot

Best Large-Room Space Heater

Lasko AW300 Bladeless Heater

• $100.00 at Home Depot

• Settings: High, Low, Automatic
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: Yes

The Lasko AW300 has more of a presence than other space heaters, but luckily it looks good and it works. It uses trademarked Exclusive Heat Channels that offer long-range heat projection. Since it oscillates, the heater can ensure every corner of your room gets ample heat. Our tester also gave it points for being intuitive to use and having slight upgrades from cheaper options.

It was easy to use, with a digital temperature display and automatic climate control instead of more primitive space heaters that only offer simple choices like low, medium and high. There are no visible heating elements, which makes it safe to have around the accident prone. Additional features include an eight-hour timer, an air filter and remote control. Our tester said the Lasko AW300 never quite hit the level of heat he hoped — ” I like a space heater that feels like an afterburner,” he says — but it did effectively heat up his space and looked good doing it.

Amazon

Best Personal Space Heater

Honeywell UberHeat

• $43.00 at Amazon

• Settings: High, Low
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

Honeywell’s UberHeat offers excellent personal space heating in a simple little device. The UberHeat has two fan speeds and a dial to adjust the temperature, but our tester noted that even the low setting keeps things pretty toasty, creating what she referred to as an “all-or-nothing approach to warmth.” The hot temperatures combined with the lack of oscillation make the Honeywell excel as a direct-heat personal heater, but you shouldn’t expect it to warm up an entire room.

Aesthetically, our tester found the UberHeat extremely easy to live with, admiring its speaker-like appearance and compact size that allowed it to blend in with her decor. You’ll know it’s there when it’s running, however, as she described the fan as on the louder side, comparing it to a white noise machine. The fan also comes across as safer than many competitors thanks to a bevy of safety features — such as a tip-over switch and cool-to-touch exterior — making it generally safe to keep around pets and kids.

Amazon

Best-Looking Space Heater

Vornado VHEAT Vintage Metal Heater

• $160.00 at Amazon

• Settings: High, Low
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

If looks are the priority when shopping for a space heater, the vintage-inspired VHEAT from Vornado is the clear winner. The VHEAT nixes the typical plastic construction of other Vornado space heaters for a substantial metal body. It’s heavy, but it also gives it some heft so it won’t easily topple over. Don’t worry if it does tip over because it’ll automatically shut off it does. While the exterior does get hot when in use, it’s still bearable to touch. Don’t let its looks deceive you because the VHEAT is not all about looks; it works well, too. Flip a switch to toggle between low or high heat and use the dial to set the thermostat. You can’t set the space heater to a specific temperature, but having clear markers on the thermostat helps you achieve the right heat level every time. Vornado’s Vortex Action helps to circulate hot air across the room, and while it won’t evenly and quickly heat up even a small- or middle-sized room, it will warm up a room so that it’s comfortable to be in. And as a personal space heater, the VHEAT will definitely keep you toasty.

Courtesy

Best Portable Space Heater

Dreo Solaris Slim H3 Space Heater

• $317.00 at dreo.com

• Settings: High, Medium, Low, Eco, Fan-Only (to-the-degree temperature control)
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: Yes

Out of the space heaters we tested, Dreo’s compact and stylish cylinder was perhaps the most convenient. Our tester especially appreciated the device’s remote control, noting that it was very responsive and works from 20 feet away — making it great for turning on the heat on chilly mornings without having to get out of bed. Even more appreciated by our tester than the basic controls of the remote was its mute button, which she utilized to eliminate the usual beeping noise that’s a frequent bane of electric space heaters.

Another standout feature of the little Dreo is its memory function, as our tester notes that the heater was able to remember her last settings so it was always ready to hit her preferred temperature soon after being turned on. Our tester also enjoyed how the seamless exterior of the device easily blended into her daily life, matching the heater’s easy-to-use functionality. And while the Dreo is light and compact enough to easily move from room to room, our tester notes that it isn’t quite powerful enough to heat larger rooms.

Walmart

Best Programmable Space Heater

De’Longhi Dragon4 Programmable Portable Radiator Heater

• $145.00 at Amazon

• Settings: Auto, Eco, Anti-Freeze (to-the-degree temperature control)
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

People may recognize De’Longhi more for its espresso makers than home appliances, but its Dragon4 space heater is one of the best on the market. The 1500w unit delivers three heat settings with an easy-to-use timer that exemplifies the saying “set it and forget it.” While it’s not easy to use off the bat, setting aside five minutes to read the manual will clear everything up. Using the turn dial, you can set the Dragon4 to turn on when you know it’s going to be especially cold, say the mornings and nights, but have it off during the afternoon or when you’re out. There’s also a slightly more expensive version of the Dragon4 model that offers a digital display, which may or may not justify the extra price, depending on who you are.

Our tester out in California found the Dragon4 to work especially well in a particularly drafty part of his home. Set on max, our reviewer was able to comfortably sit at home in a tee and jeans with an outside temperature in the 40s. “Unlike with some radiators or ceramic fan-forced heaters, I didn’t feel like the heat was unbearably dry or that it was roasting me alive,” he notes. “Also, it was completely silent which is something you don’t appreciate until you’re stuck in a room with a roaring little fan heater.”

Amaazon

Best Quiet Space Heater

Pelonis PH-19J

• $55.00 at Amazon
  $65.00 (15% off)

• Settings: High, Low
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: Yes

You shouldn’t have to speak over your space heater just to keep warm. The Pelonis PH-19J is one of the quietest options on the market, while still doing an excellent job at keeping you warm. Despite its compact construction, it heats up very quickly, hitting 70° Fahrenheit in just three seconds. It oscillates so you can spread the warmth, plus necessary safety features — like a tip-over switch and overheat protection — means you can rest easy knowing nothing will catch on fire.

Amazon

Best Space Heater on Amazon

GiveBest Space Heater

• $30.00 at Amazon
  $60.00 (50% off)

• Settings: High, Low
• Wattage: 1500
• Oscillating: No

With over 43,000 reviews on Amazon, and an average rating of 4.5 out of 5, this is the top space heater to get off the e-tailer. The GiveBest space heater is pretty barebones when it comes to the category: there’s a thermostat dial and fan dial, safety features like an anti-tip switch and it’s portable. Reviewers praise the tiny device for its ability to keep rooms warm without overheating, and it’s hard to beat the low price.

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