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Oct 25, 2024

Best electric heaters UK 2024 – Expert tested for all budgets

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Including the most energy efficient models, tried and tested by the GHI When the winter chill hits, some rooms can feel

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Including the most energy efficient models, tried and tested by the GHI

When the winter chill hits, some rooms can feel impossible to warm up. Enter electric heaters.

Ideal for spaces where you don’t have traditional heating, such as attics or shed conversions, these portable radiators or fans can provide targeted warmth whenever needed – whether that’s toasting your feet in a home study or giving your bedroom a pre-sleep blast.

They do have a reputation for guzzling energy, so it’s important to know you’re buying the most efficient electric heater possible. So, the Good Housekeeping Institute set out to discover the truth behind their energy consumption, and find the best electric heaters for warming small spaces quickly.

These are our top-rated models at a glance but read on for our detailed reviews.

If you’re replacing an existing electric heater, there are plenty of places for you to safely recycle your old one. Find your nearest electrical recycling point, or read our guide on how to donate or dispose of your appliances and tech for extra guidance.

As everyone’s homes and electricity usage are different, this is a hard question to answer definitively. So, we turned to Joanna O’Loan, the Energy Saving Trust’s Knowledge Manager, for an expert opinion.

“Gas is a cheaper fuel than standard rate electricity, so if you have gas central heating, it will generally be cheaper to use than an electric heater,” she explains. “If you don’t want to heat your whole home, turn your radiator valves lower in the rooms you’re not heating and higher in the rooms you are.

“If you need to use an electric heater, place it in the part of the room you want to warm, a safe distance from you and any furniture. Use the heater’s thermostat and timer to avoid using more energy than you need.”

We’ve measured the energy consumption of each electric heater featured below when used on both its lowest and highest settings for an hour. You’ll find the prices in the specifications, so you can assess each model's overall affordability for you and your needs. All prices are based on the current £0.245/kWh electricity cap, set by the Energy Price Guarantee.

Safety is paramount when it comes to using heated products. All the heaters we’ve featured below either have timers or auto shut-off features, which will turn them off if they get too hot. We’ve also highlighted whether they have handles, as this impacts their portability – many don’t, which means you'll have to wait until they’ve cooled down before you can safely move them.

How the electric heaters are used can also impact their safety, explains Giuseppe Capanna, Product Safety Engineer at the charity Electrical Safety First. “Some simple steps people can take to use their heaters safely are to avoid powering from an extension lead, as this can overload and cause fires, and to ensure they are at least a metre away from combustible materials such as clothes,” he says.

“We would advise people to only use these devices when they are in attendance and awake. It’s important that you never leave them unattended or on overnight in case something happens. Alternatively, people could warm the room before going to bed.”

We’ve tested three different types of heaters – here are the pros and cons of each.

Similar in appearance to the radiators you’ll find in your home, these portable versions generally heat and circulate oil instead of water to generate their warmth.

They are also Giuseppe’s top pick for safety and efficiency. “Unlike fan heaters, halogen heaters and convection heaters, oil filled radiators don’t have exposed heating elements and the heat from them is less intense, so they're less likely to ignite any items near-by,” he says.

“They take longer to warm up, but they also continue to give out heat after they have been switched off. They are generally more economical to run than a fan heater or a convection heater. However, the fins still get quite hot so keep children from touching the radiators while they warm.”

These heaters circulate air throughout the unit and into the surrounding space, so they are generally quiet and better at evenly warming an entire room. Like radiators, they can take a while to warm up.

Ideal for quick, targeted warmth, fan heaters work by blowing air over a heated element as it passes into the room – this means they can be noisy. They’re best used for short blasts, rather than extended periods of time, as the elements don’t always retain heat well (which means they must keep reheating, using more electricity). Fans with ceramic elements are generally more efficient.

Once you’ve settled on the best type of heater for your room and needs, there are a few extra things to consider.

Size: As heaters are best used to warm smaller spaces, check the dimensions to ensure that you have room to position it safely and to store it away when it’s not needed.

Portability features: If the heater is going to sit in the same spot, you won’t need these, but if you’re likely to move it around your home, wheels and handles can prove useful.

Timers and thermostats: These give you more control over how long your heater runs for and the warmth it emits. Setting a timer and thermostat also means you can use your fan more efficiently, as it will turn off once it's been on for a set period of time or when the room reaches your desired temperature – much better than guessing or leaving it on for longer than necessary!

Wattage: We’ve highlighted the energy consumption for the products on this list, but where you’re not sure about a heater’s efficiency, check its wattage. Broadly speaking, the higher the wattage, the more energy it’s going to use.

Smart connectivity: Falling firmly in the nice-to-have category, you can connect to some heaters on this list via apps. This means you can control them remotely – perfect if your home office starts getting toasty mid-Zoom.

To find the best electric heater, our GHI experts start by measuring their power consumption. They run each heater for an hour on its highest and lowest setting and calculate how much it costs for that period.

They also carry out two tests to see how effective each heater is at warming a small room. Firstly, they measure the temperature at a series of set distances away from the heater. This helps them ascertain whether it needs to be placed near you or if it can heat the whole space from afar.

Then they assess how comfortable it is to sit in a room with the heater. Our experts ensure the room is cold beforehand, then use the heater on max to see what difference it makes.

For fan heaters, our experts also measure their air strength using a device called an anemometer; the more powerful the air strength is, the more likely you are to feel its effects quickly.

Finally, they measure how loud each heater is, to ensure it won’t prove too disruptive if it’s running in the background when you're trying to work or watch TV.

Throughout testing, they assess the heater’s overall design and ease of use, awarding it a final score that takes all the results into account. These are their best buys for a cosy winter.

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Score: 91/100

With its compact design, this electric heater won’t look out of place in even the most stylish of homes. Testers found it intuitive to use and were astounded by how quiet it was, noting that you can barely hear it even on max.

It’s not the most powerful fan we tested, but this does mean its energy consumption is lower – costing 18p on its lowest setting for an hour (the least of all products tested for that power level). It still proved effective at heating our test room and would suit a home office well.

The instruction manual wasn’t the clearest, but you don’t really need it given the simple design. As a nice bonus, it features ioniser technology, which helps neutralise nasties in the air.

Score: 89/100

Whether you want to wheel it around or mount it on a wall, this is a smart, radiator-style heater. Testers praised its quiet design and Wi-Fi compatibility, which allows you to control it via your phone, even if you’re not directly nearby. You can even set a seven-day timer. Crucially, our experts found it distributed warmth well throughout the test room, too.

It is heavy if you’re moving it around, and testers would have liked a longer plug cable. It’s also a little fiddly to set up, but once started, it heats up in 14 minutes, so you don’t have to wait too long to feel the warmth. Its lowest temperature setting is economical, too. It also has a setting that detects if a window is open and automatically switches off.

Score: 86/100

Performing well on test, this radiator-lookalike is hard to fault. Our experts rated it highly for its sturdy design, complete with a neat cord storage system and a responsive control panel. Instructions are thorough, too.

It did a reliable job of heating our test room, keeping warmth levels consistently high. It was also the quietest heater we tested; on its highest setting it reached just 37.5 decibels – that’s barely louder than a whisper – so there’ll be no apologising to colleagues about your background noise on Zoom.

It’s heavier than many we tested, and you’ll need to wait until it's cooled to move it due to the positioning of its handles, but if portability isn’t top of your must-have list, it’s a reliable warmer.

Score: 84/100

While this heater looks compact, it packs a real punch, heating up in just 38 seconds and then maintaining its heat well. The unique round shape means air is blown upwards, so wherever you place it in your room, it should still distribute heat evenly. This does mean that it can’t provide targeted warmth, so if you need a heater for cold feet, scroll on.

We found its instructions detailed and its controls intuitive, plus its accompanying app doubles as a remote. Our experts liked how it connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, offering added flexibility if you’re heating less connected spaces such as a garden shed.

It has a few dust traps, but it is quiet (although it continues to make a noise after it’s turned off, while it cools). The small yet stable design should store away easily come summer too, making it a savvy pick for small homes.

Score: 84/100

You may recognise this as one of our top tower fan picks, and it fared well as a heater too, which means it can keep you company year-round as the seasons change. Testers found it simple to set up and move from room to room, too.

Its air strength is fairly strong, but it wasn’t the cheapest to run when it came to energy consumption. It's quiet on its lowest setting, although unsurprisingly, it's more noticeable on high. Overall, it heated our test room nicely, so if it’s value for money you’re after, we’d suggest adding this one to your cart.

Score: 82/100

Another super-quiet heater, this radiator is a large, robust home addition. Because of its size, it takes nearly 15 minutes to warm up, but once in action, it offers reliable warmth. Wheels are a handy design feature, but you’ll need to wait until it’s cooled to move it safely as it doesn’t have a handle.

The accessibility of its controls is a mixed bag – the thermostat dial is simple to adjust, but the small off switch is hard to activate. It has good cable storage though, and three temperature settings; its lowest wasn’t too costly at 24p for one hour. On balance, if you need a bigger heater, it’s a trusty choice.

Score: 81/100

This good-looking yet affordable heater is great if you need something portable, thanks to its compact design and well-placed carry handle. It still feels sturdy despite weighing a light 2.1kg, and there’s no assembly needed, so you can unbox it and warm up straight away. In fact, you’ll feel its heat within just 45 seconds of turning it on!

While it doesn’t have a timer, it does have technology to prevent overheating – it cuts off power if the heating element gets too hot. Our tester also liked how the design of its front vent allows you to vacuum away dust.

It’s not the most powerful heater, but this is to be expected for its price. Plus, it's fairly quiet and wasn't too expensive to run on test (28p for one hour on low). Position it relatively near to you and it should do an ample job.

Score: 79/100

Fancy the De’Longhi but not its price? Well, this oil heater from Dunelm is similar in style and will set you back less than £60. On test, we found it a notably stable unit; of all the heaters tested, it withstood the strongest knock to remain standing. It’s straightforward to use too, with a clear thermostat and well-placed switches that keep your hands at a safe distance from the heater.

It's also one of the more economical heaters we've tested – its lowest setting used 26p of electricity an hour. However, it struggled to project heat, with relatively low temperatures measured from one metre away. It doesn’t have a timer either, and assembly was a bit of a faff. That said, its instructions are easy to follow and if you’re looking for an affordable heater to warm a small space, it fits the bill well.

Score: 77/100

It has a hefty price tag, but you can turn to this versatile Dyson year-round; it heats, cools and cleanses the air in your home. Because it’s a fan heater, it’s a pro at providing directional heat, so you can position it in front of you to feel the benefit quickly. It also scored full marks for the distance it projects air, so even if it’s not right by you, the warmth should still reach you. Its 10 speed settings and adjustable rotation give lots of scope for customisation too.

Typical of Dyson, it’s a premium appliance that’s thoughtfully designed, so it's effortless to use and intuitive (although we’d have liked a handle for moving it). It is, however, one of the noisier fans we've tested, ranging between 58 and 63 decibels – that's equivalent to rain on the window, so not disruptively loud, but noticeable. It looks sleek though, and for functionality, it can’t be beaten.

Quiet, portable and relatively affordable to run, the Dreamland Silent Power Pure Fan Heater is a worthy winner that should suit most homes.

Or for something more permanent, consider the Beldray Smart Ceramic Core Radiator EH3108W, which you can mount on the wall. You can leave it on wheels too, and control it via your phone.

For maximum flexibility Dyson is always a great bet. This one heats, cools and purifies the air – but it is more expensive, both to buy and run.

At the GHI we test everything from fans to heaters and electric blankets, to ensure you stay comfortable, whatever the weather. Our testing team, led by Blossom Boothroyd, develops meticulous protocols to ensure they live up to their claims and check how much they’ll cost you over time.

Our homes editor, Hannah Mendelsohn, keeps her eye on market trends to make sure we're testing all the leading brands and models and help you find the perfect heater for your home.

Hannah is our homes editor, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.

Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more.

Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe.

Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.

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