Keep Cozy This Winter with the Top 5 Electric Space Heaters

The chilly winter months are upon us, and you may be looking for an efficient, affordable way to keep your home warm and comfortable. Electric space heaters are an excellent option for heating small spaces and supplementing your central heating system. With the right space heater, you can add extra warmth to drafty rooms without sending your energy bill skyrocketing.

In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about choosing the best electric space heater. First, we’ll share our picks for the top 5 space heaters on the market based on performance, features, and overall value. Whether you need a lightweight and portable model or a powerful heater capable of warming large rooms, we’ve got you covered.

Next, we’ll provide a comprehensive buyer’s guide covering the key factors to consider when selecting a space heater. We’ll look at important criteria like room size, safety features, noise levels, and special options to help you find your perfect match. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to look for as you shop the latest space heater models.

Finally, we’ll wrap up with answers to some frequently asked questions about space heaters. We’ll discuss topics like electricity use, proper sizing, safety precautions, and more. You’ll find the answers to all your burning space heater questions right here!

So curl up, get cozy, and let’s dive into choosing the ideal electric space heater for you!

The Top 5 Electric Space Heaters

After carefully reviewing dozens of the top-rated space heaters on the market, we are ready to share our picks for the very best models across a range of budgets and needs. Keep reading for our top 5 recommendations!

1. Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater

If you’re looking for an affordable and ultra-portable space heater, the Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater is a fantastic choice. This lightweight unit packs a surprising amount of heating power at 1500 watts.

The Lasko heater features widespread oscillation and a ceramic heating element that provides penetrating warmth throughout small to medium-sized rooms up to 150 square feet. You can easily adjust the thermostat to find your desired comfort level. The exterior remains cool to the touch for safety, even when the heater is cranked up to high heat.

For convenience, this model includes a carry handle and cord storage on the bottom. The compact design makes it simple to move the heater wherever you need focused warmth, be it your home office, kitchen, bedroom or more. Safety features like overheat protection and automatic shut-off if accidentally tipped over give added peace of mind.

With its combination of portability, safety, and effectiveness, the Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater is one of our favorites for quickly heating small areas. It delivers targeted heat at an affordable price point.

Key Features:

• Adjustable thermostat
• 1500 watts of heating power
• Ceramic heating element
• Widespread oscillation
• Overheat protection
• Carry handle for portability

2. DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater

The DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater is an excellent choice when you need to quietly and steadily heat a larger room in your home. The finned, oil-filled radiator design retains heat and keeps delivering warm, moist air for hours after turning the unit off. This makes it more energy efficient than conventional fan-forced heaters.

DeLonghi built this heater with convenience and safety in mind. It has adjustable thermostat controls, 24-hour timer, and wheels for easily moving it from room to room as needed. The heater maintains near-silent operation, making it a great choice for bedrooms or offices. Integrated safety features include thermal shut-off and a tip-over switch that automatically turns the unit off if accidentally knocked over.

Available in multiple different wattages, the DeLonghi radiator heater can handle warming a room up to 160 square feet (with the 1500W model) all the way up to 260 square feet (with the 2500W model). Luxurious design details like a brushed metal finish give this workhorse heater a sophisticated look.

Key Features:

• Adjustable thermostat with 24-hour timer
• Oil-filled radiator heats silently
• Safety features like thermal cut-off and tip-over shut-off
• Wheels for portability between rooms
• Elegant brushed metal finish

3. Vornado Velocity Electric Space Heater

The creatively named Vornado Velocity Electric Space Heater lives up to its moniker by rapidly heating rooms with a vortex of warm, circulating air. Vornado’s signature vortex technology moves heat up to 80 feet, helping to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the room.

This compact, portable heater is very effective for warming small and medium-sized rooms up to 300 square feet. The adjustable thermostat provides precise temperature control. Three different heat settings let you customize the velocity of hot air being pumped out according to your needs. The heater automatically oscillates 90 degrees to evenly spread heat without the annoying back-and-forth motion.

The Velocity space heater offers excellent safety features including automatic tip-over and overheat protection. It has an integrated handle and relatively lightweight, portable design. With its combination of rapid, vortex heating power and practical features, this versatile model is a great choice for home or office use.

Key Features:

• Vortex circulation quickly heats rooms
• Adjustable thermostat and multiple heat settings
• 90 degree oscillation distributes heat evenly
• Protective automatic tip-over and overheat shut-off
• Portable and compact for home or office use

4. Heat Storm Infrared Space Heater

Here’s an innovative, high-tech option: the Heat Storm Infrared Space Heater. This WiFi-enabled space heater has dual heating systems, including infrared quartz tubes and a convection heating element. The infrared technology produces heat that directly warms up people and objects in the room, much like the sun’s rays. This allows you to dial back the overall thermostat setting and still feel comfortably warm.

The LED touch screen control panel provides access to a range of convenient smart features. Connect the heater to your home WiFi network to control heat settings, schedules, and more from your smartphone. Mount it on the wall if desired, to free up valuable floor space.

Heat Storm designed this heater with durability in mind. The handsome brushed metal housing resists scratches, while internal components are protected against corrosion and overheating. Advanced safety features keep surfaces cool to the touch and automatically shuts off the unit if tipped over.

For powerful smart home heating capabilities, the Heat Storm Infrared Space Heater hits the mark. With both infrared and standard heating modes, it provides the ultimate in heating flexibility.

Key Features:

• Dual infrared and convection heating
• WiFi connectivity for smart home control
• LED touch screen with multiple settings
• Wall-mountable space-saving design
• Durable metal housing with protective finish

5. Honeywell UberHeat Ceramic Heater

The Honeywell UberHeat Ceramic Heater delivers robust heating performance in a compact, lightweight design. Simple to operate yet packed with features, this versatile model is a budget-friendly choice for warming small to mid-sized rooms in your home or office.

This small but mighty heater has a powerful ceramic heating element and adjustable thermostat with two heat settings plus fan-only option. The housing remains cool-touch even when cranked up to 1500 watts for rapid heating. Tip-over protection and overheat auto shut-off keep the UberHeat heater safe to use around kids and pets when used as directed.

Easy to move from room to room, the Honeywell UberHeat has integrated side handles and a sleek modern profile at just 9 inches tall. It takes up very little floor space but can heat an area up to 170 square feet with no trouble. Affordably priced, this compact ceramic heater delivers a whole lot of heat!

Key Features:

• Powerful 1500W ceramic heating element
• Adjustable thermostat with 2 heat settings
• Cool-touch exterior for safety
• Tip-over auto shut-off protection
• Lightweight and portable for use anywhere

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Electric Space Heater

Now that you’ve seen our top recommendations, let’s discuss how to select the ideal space heater based on your heating needs, space, and lifestyle. Keep these key factors in mind while shopping the various space heater models available.

Room Size

First and foremost, make sure to choose a heater appropriately sized for the room you want to heat. Space heaters are rated for certain room sizes based on their power and heating capacity. Here are the basic guidelines:

• Small heaters up to 1500W are designed for efficiently heating small spaces up to 150 square feet. Great for home offices, bathrooms, bedrooms and the like.
• Medium-sized heaters in the 1500W to 2500W range work well in rooms 150-300 square feet. Living rooms, family rooms, dens can be heated with these models.
• Large heaters over 2500W are made for warming extra-large spaces over 300 square feet. Great for basements, workshops, garages, and open floor plan areas.

Select a heater that matches or slightly exceeds the size of your space. Undersized models will struggle to get your room comfortably warm. Oversize heaters use more electricity than necessary.

Portability

Consider if you need a fixed space heater for one room, or a portable model you can move around your home to zones that need heating. Smaller, lightweight heaters often have built-in handles and casters for easy portability. These are great if you plan to use it in multiple rooms.

Larger heating units tend to be heavier and remain stationary for heating one main living area. Think about your needs for moving the heater when making your selection.

Safety Features

One major concern with space heaters is safety, especially if you have kids or pets. Be sure to select a unit with ample precautions to prevent fires or accidents. Must-have safety features include:

• Tip-over auto shut-off which turns the heater off if accidentally knocked over
• Cool-touch exterior that remains safe to touch during use
• Overheat protection to avoid any dangerous overheating

Other worthwhile safety features are timer auto-shutoff, anti-freeze setting, and automatic low oxygen shut-off on certain models. Safety comes first with space heaters!

Noise Level

Some types of space heaters, like fan-forced models, blow out hot air at high velocity and can be quite noisy. This may not work well for bedrooms or home offices where you want quiet operation.

Radiator style oil-filled heaters are virtually silent. Ceramic and infrared heaters also operate very quietly compared to noisy fan-forced models. Check the noise rating if a subtle operating sound is important to you.

Special Features

Higher-end space heaters offer extra features that provide greater heating flexibility and convenience:

• Adjustable thermostats allow customizing the temperature to your perfect comfort level
• Timers can schedule the heater to turn on and off at set times
• Oscillation enables the heater to rotate and distribute warmth evenly
• Remote controls allow adjusting the heater from across the room
• Smart heaters can connect to WiFi for app-based controls

Consider which features would be useful to provide the most heating options for your situation.

Cost

Finally, set a reasonable budget for your space heater purchase based on your needs. Basic portable heaters start around $$-$$, while heavier-duty ceramic and infrared models run from $$-$$. Large heaters and smart wifi heaters range $$-$$ or more.

Make sure to purchase an established brand with a good reputation and product reviews. Reliability and safety are worth investing in. Avoid cheap heaters which may have potential fire risks or inadequately heat your room.

Choosing the right electric space heater does not have to be complicated, as long as you carefully consider the factors above. Determine your space size, portability needs, and which features you find most useful. Consult our top picks and do extra research reading buyer’s guides and product reviews. In no time you’ll have a high-quality space heater keeping you cozy and warm!

Space Heater FAQs and Answers

If you’re in the market for a space heater, you probably still have some questions. Here we’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about electric space heaters.

Are space heaters safe to use?

Provided they are an established brand and UL certified, modern electric space heaters are very safe to use when proper precautions are taken. They have extensive safety features like automatic shut-off if tipped over and overheat protection.

The key rules are: Only use the space heater according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Never leave a heater unattended when operating, and always unplug when not in use. Avoid using extension cords or overloading circuits. Always place heaters at least 3 feet from any objects or combustibles. Follow these guidelines and a quality space heater is generally very safe.

How much electricity do space heaters use?

Most standard portable space heaters range from 1500 to 1800 watts. To calculate the hourly electricity cost, simply multiply the wattage by your local utility’s rate per kWh.

For example, a common rate is around 15¢ per kWh. So a 1500W heater running for 1 hour uses 1.5 kWh, costing about 23¢ per hour to operate (1500W x 0.15 per kWh = 23¢). If used for 8 hours that’s 1.2 kWh total at a cost around 50¢ daily. More powerful heaters exceeding 1500W will use electricity faster.

What size space heater is needed for a room?

Choosing the right sized heater comes down to matching its heating capacity in watts or BTUs to the square footage of your space. The basic guidelines are:

• For small rooms up to 150 sq ft, use a smaller heater with up to 1500W.
• For medium rooms 150-300 sq ft, opt for a mid-sized heater with 1500-2500W output.
• Large spaces over 300 sq ft will require a bigger heater with over 2500W of heating power.

Always pick a heater that meets or slightly exceeds the size of the room. Undersized models will not heat adequately. Oversize heaters use excess electricity.

Is it safe to leave a space heater on overnight?

It is not recommended to leave a portable space heater running unattended for extended periods. The safest practice is to turn units off overnight or when away from home. Some heaters have timer functions to automatically power down after a set number of hours.

If you need 24/7 heating, use a smart outlet plug to automatically shut off the heater at night. Built-in timer functions also work. Never leave any space heater on overnight without a way to automatically shut it off. Safety first!

Stay Cozy and Warm with a Quality Space Heater

We hope this comprehensive guide gives you all the information needed to pick the perfect space heater. With an understanding of the different types, critical features, and safety best practices, you’re ready to shop smart. Remember to assess your room size, portability needs, and preferred settings before choosing.

Space heaters are an outstanding way to affordably heat small areas as needed. We’re confident our top picks include a model suited for all budgets and lifestyles. Just follow our tips to stay cozy, save energy, and heat your home safely.

For more helpful home product reviews and smart gadget recommendations, be sure to check our site regularly. We aim to make technology easy, practical, and accessible for your household. Until next time, stay warm friends!