Best electric heaters, tried and tested for heating your home

Rachael Penn/The StandardWith energy costs surging and a cold winter looming, heating your home on a budget is top priority. If you’re wondering how to keep your space toasty without warming the entire house, the best electric heaters provide the solution.Electric heaters don’t require any plumbing or electrical work, instead plugging straight into the mains before pumping out heat. Most are extremely portable, so you can move them room to room depending on your needs. There are various types of electric heaters, including an oil-filled radiator, which will hold on to the heat even when it’s switched off. On the other hand, a fan heater is great for a quick blast, while a convector heater will circulate the warm air.Best electric heaters at a glanceBest overall – Dreo smart whole-room heater 720s: £113, Amazon.co.ukBest budget buy – Wessex 2kW PTC heater: £17.99, Toolstation.com Best smart heater – Mill WiFi Portable Convection Heater: £169, Diy.com Best wall-mounted heater – Ecostrad iQ Ceramic WiFi Electric Radiator: £305.99, Electricradiatorsdirect.co.ukBest for the bedroom – Dreamland Silent Power Pure Portable Fan Heater: £114.99, Amazon.co.uk Your individual heat needs and home layout determine which is the best electric heater for your space. But to make things a little easier, I’ve tried and tested the best electric heaters for keeping your home warm and cosy all winter long – without worrying about hefty heating bills. How I testedRachael Penn/The StandardI’ve been reviewing household appliances for years. I test all products in my own home rather than a studio or lab, so you get a good idea of how they actually work in real-world settings. I tested 10 heaters over the last couple of weeks, looking at how quickly they worked, how noisy they were and whether they kept the heat once they were turned off. To make sure I had the full picture about electric heaters, I spoke to James Harrison, director at Fusion Electrical, who said: “One of the biggest benefits of an electric heater is how simple and convenient it is. You don’t need a gas supply or any complicated plumbing, and you can heat individual rooms when you need to.“This will help reduce unnecessary energy, warming the whole house like your central heating may do. If you’re sensible about when and where you use it, this can help reduce unnecessary energy use and may help lower your heating bills.”Dreo smart whole-room heater 720sRachael Penn/The Standard ★★★★★Best: Overall electric heater What we love: Two heating modes, including one for personal and one for whole-room warmth, plus super quiet operation, a timer, eco mode, and a circular design so it doesn’t take up much space Take note: Wifi took a bit of time to connect The Dreo Smart Whole Home heater really is smart. Alongside app connectivity, it uses a motorised top which offers either focused hot air or a 360 degrees spread for the whole room. It performs just as well in my small home office as it does in the bedroom, where it kept the whole room cosy. The fan appliance heats up almost instantly, with a temperature range between 5-32º – perfect if you like it to feel like the tropics inside your own home. The compact, circular design doesn’t take up too much room, and it doesn’t get hot enough to pose a threat to pets. Easy to use via a control panel on the front, the remote control or the app, it was a little slow connecting to the wifi. I appreciated the five ambient lights, with the orange giving off a cosy glow. The heater is really quiet to run and boasts a 12-hour timer, while the eco heating mode automatically adjusts without running continuously. Type: Ceramic fanSize: 22 x 22 x 30cmWeight: 3.1kgExtra features: Eco mode, 5-32º range, 12 hour timer, Remote, Wifi and app operation, 5-colour RGB light, 360º heatingRoom coverage: 15-25m²Wessex Electrical 2kW PTC heaterRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Budget electric heaterWhat we love: Very cheap, compact and lightweight for easy moving; simple to use, and safety features including a tip-over switch Take note: Is a little noisy when in use, the heat doesn’t stay once it’s switched off Don’t let the size fool you: this budget appliance throws out a lot of heat. Small enough to pick up with one hand, it’s ideal for moving from room to room. Easy to control: one dial turns it on and off, while the other flicks between the two heat settings. The cooling setting lends it to summer use, too. It’s PTC ceramic heating, so it starts pumping heat right away. Though a little noisy, it’s a great choice for your home office or garage when you need a blast of heat rather than a steady stream. Safety is also covered, with a tip-over switch and overheat protection. For the price, it’s excellent. Type: Fan heaterSize: 17.5 x 13.5 x 22.8cmWeight: 1.44kgExtra features: 2 heat settings, cool fan only, tip-over switch Room coverage: Unknown but best for small roomsDuux Edge 1000 Smart Convector Heater WhiteRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★★Best: Convector electric heaterWhat we love: Slim and sleek design; can be wall-mounted or free-standing; operated via a smart app or remote control; and suitable for bathrooms Take note: 15m² would suit a smaller space, and the app can be a bit fiddly to connect the first time The Duxx Edge stands out with its suitability for bathrooms. While most heaters are banned from the bathroom – water and electrics don’t exactly go hand in hand – the Duxx Edge 1000 is rated IP24, so it’s splash-proof and designed to cope with a steamy room. But it’s not waterproof, and it is still electric, so please do check the guidance for the best placement before putting it in your bathroom.The slim design doesn’t take up too much space in your home, while the legs or a wall mount mean you can place it anywhere that works best for you. At 1000W, it’s not the most powerful heater in the Edge range – but it’s energy efficient and perfect for small to medium rooms. The smart heater is accompanied by an app, but I found it fiddly to connect to the wifi. Once connected, it stayed connected – with seven heating schedules and compatibility with smart home devices like Amazon Alexa. Alternatively, it has a remote. There are three heat settings and a 24-hour timer, plus an eco mode which uses half the power and also dims the display (a good setting for overnight use). It features the usual safety functions, including a child lock, tilt switch and overheat protection. Heating up really quickly, it then retains the heat so your room won’t go cold as soon as it’s switched off. It’s also extremely quiet. Type: Smart convectorSize: 80 x 6.5 x 40cmWeight: 7.55kgExtra features: WiFi and Duxx app control, Alexa and Google Assistant, remote control, 3 heating programs, 24-hour timer, Eco mode, LED display, IP24 splash-proof Room coverage: 15m²Mill WiFi Portable Convection Heater, Radiator 1200W Smart HeaterRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★★Best: Smart electric heater What we love: Plenty of smart features, low surface temperature, sleek look, and predictive heating Take note: £169.99 is pricey, and it took a bit of time to get the app to connect A heater that looks as good as it performs, Mill’s appliance has a sleek white body and silver stand, which makes it look like it’s floating. A small LED panel tells you the current temperature, while a small dial manually controls the temperature. When I tested it in the bedroom, I didn’t notice the dimly lit panel. It gets up to temperature quickly, while AI predictive heating quickly learns optimal room temperatures and makes it easier to put on a schedule. The app doesn’t just give you access to functions like scheduling, but tracks energy usage – giving you peace of mind when it comes to bills.It can also sense when a window is open and automatically stops working – a cool feature but hit and miss in practice. The heater is better suited to medium-sized rooms and is very quiet when in operation, making it a stellar choice for a bedroom. Type: Convection heaterSize: 32 x 24.5 x 38.5cmWeight: 5.5kgExtra features: Wi-fi and App access, AI predictive heating, eco mode, open window detection Room coverage: Unknown, but medium-sized roomEcostrad iQ Ceramic WiFi Controlled Electric RadiatorRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Wall-mounted electric heaterWhat we love: Stays hot for 40 minutes after switch-off, easy to control either manually or with the app, boost mode for a quick blast of heat without changing schedules, and easy to fit Take note: High price tag, very heavy, so if you’re wall mounting you’ll need a solid wall, and Wi-Fi range is capped Looking and acting like a traditional radiator but with smart capabilities, Ecostrad’s appliance is surprisingly compact with a fitted plug. It’s very heavy, so be careful if wall mounting. Designed with a ceramic core, it will stay hot for 40 minutes after switching off – meaning you don’t have to leave it running continuously. Even beyond 40 minutes, the room still felt nice and toasty. It’s also really quiet when it’s running. Heating up quickly, you can control it via the machine or app – I would recommend the app, owing to the slightly confusing LED panel. The heater’s boost function is great for giving the room a little blast – I used it in the kitchen before making a morning cuppa (it doesn’t mess up any schedules either). Type: Ceramic heaterSize: 52.5 x 8 x 56.7cmWeight: 11.25kgExtra features: Built-in WiFi, smart speaker compatibility, motion sensor that reduces heat when room is empty, boost mode, CeramiQ heat-retaining ceramic core Room coverage: 11m²Devola 2500W Oil Filled Radiator 11 Fin, AnthraciteRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★★Best: Oil-filled radiator What we love: Keeps the room warm after the heater is switched off, digital thermostat and timer, and has wheels and a carry handle, so it's easy to move around Take note: Heavy if you’re lifting, and no wi-fi or app control Oil radiators are among the most reliable electric heaters. Getting up to a good temperature, they keep rooms warm for hours after being switched off. This one is no exception, with multiple heating modes too boot. It’s controlled via a display or remote. Though not lightweight, castors and carry handles make it easy enough to move around. The performance is impressive, with three power settings (low, medium and high). I found the medium setting was optimal for my home, with its 2500W ideal for medium to large rooms. The only thing to note is that the outside gets hot, so be mindful where to place it if there’s children or pets around.Type: Oil filledSize: 44 x 24 x 60cmWeight: 9.1kgExtra features: 3 power settings, LCD dimply, remote control, carry handle Room coverage: 25m²Dreamland Silent Power Pure Portable Fan HeaterRachael Penn/The Standard ★★★★★Best: Electric heater for bedrooms What we love: Has a built-in air purifier, a small and compact design, is totally silent when working, and has a rapid heating mode Take note: Only works when the timer is set Dreamland’s heater does three jobs in one: heating, cooling, and cleaning the air. If you’re freezing one minute and boiling the next, it’s an excellent choice – particularly for the bedroom. The rapid heating mode blasts out hot air in seconds, while the cooling fan works equally well. It’s also impressively silent – you don’t hear it running at all. However, you can’t continuously run without setting a timer for either one, three, or nine hours. The built-in ioniser made a huge difference to my sleep: I woke up feeling fresher, and the room smelt cleaner too. Ionisers help purify the air, while reducing dust, pollen and other particles – making the fan a great choice for anyone with allergies (it automatically purifies on either hot or cool mode). The controls are a little fiddly owing to sitting beneath the lid, but this is to keep them free from dust. The heater has excellent reach considering its small size.Type: FanSize: 22 x 32 x 21cmWeight: 2.25kgExtra features: Timer, ioniser, dust-proof lid, cooling fan, silent power technology Room coverage: 18.5m²VonHaus Glass front stove heaterRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Electric heater for cosy spacesWhat we love: Cheap to run, realistic flame effect, and pushes air around the room Take note: A little noisy when on high mode, and doesn’t retain heat once it’s switched off If you want a real fire but don’t have a chimney, then this is a brilliant alternative. The heater looks like a real fire and gives off a warm, cosy glow even if you’re not running the heater. The buttons on the back are simple to operate, but fiddly when pushed up against a wall. The thermostat ranges from one to eight, with two power output options: 950W or 1900W. Though it heats rooms quickly, the heat doesn’t stick around once turned off – a common feature of fan heaters. I also found it heavy to manoeuvre, so you’ll want to find it a permanent spot. It can also get very hot on the outside, with the metal casing taking a while to cool down. Type: FanSize: 34.3 x 25 x 46.7cmWeight: 10kgExtra features: Vivid flame effect Room coverage: 23m²Dyson Hot + Cool HP1Rachael Penn/The Standard★★★★★Best: Hot and cold electric heaterWhat we love: Bladeless, so more hygienic; can be controlled via app or remote; purifies the air, and can be used as a heater or a fan Take note: It is expensive, and you have to buy new air filters when needed Dyson’s luxury fan can be used year-round. The bladeless fan has a built-in air purifier to help clean the air – and it makes a huge difference. When I used it in the bedroom, the air felt so much cleaner – an important feature with two dogs at home. For the price, it doesn’t have a huge amount of bells and whistles. It heats, cools and purifies, with the temperature running between 1 and 37ºC. It heats up quickly – even when placed on the highest temp – but can be a little slow to react when turning on and off. It also took a while to connect and sync to the app, which doesn’t just allow you to control the temperature, but gives you interesting stats on air quality and energy usage.The app also lets you schedule. Though not the smallest or lightest heater, with its 81m² coverage, it’s ideal for larger spaces. Type: Ceramic fanSize: 24.8 x 22 x 77cmWeight: 5.26kgExtra features: hot and cool fan, app control, usage and energy stats, built-in air purifier, magnetic remoteRoom coverage: 81Beldray EH0567 Electric Fan HeaterRachael Penn/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Basic electric heater What we love: Easy to use, extremely portable, and has a cool air fan Take note: Is quite noisy when in use This fan heater from Beldray is nothing fancy, but it does a great job of heating up small spaces. With 2000W power, it really does blast hot air out. The adjustable thermostat has three settings, and to be honest, there’s not much difference between the three; it just gets a little louder when it's on the hot setting. The heater can also circulate cool air – ideal for your home office or even a caravan. I did find that the heat didn’t hang around once the heater was turned off, so if it’s particularly cold, you will want to keep giving it a regular blast. Type: Fan Size: 22.5 x 12.5 x 26.5cmWeight: 1.12kgExtra features: Cool air function Room coverage: Unknown – best for small spaces What is the best electric heater? Choosing the best electric heater really depends on the type of space you’re trying to heat. You need to look at size, where you’re planning to place the heater, and whether you want smart functions like app control and scheduling. I’m really impressed with all the heaters on this list, but the Dreo smart whole room electric heater is the pick of the bunch, owing to its compact size, ability to heat quickly, ambient lights and the option for targeted heat or wider spread. Why trust me?I’ve been testing home appliances for years, from dehumidifiers to washing machines. I test these items in my own home, not some lab or studio, so I know what is genuinely worth the money and what’s not worth touching. Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of electric heaters, from small, manual models to oil radiators, so I know what to look for.