Best electric heaters of 2024
1. BEST ELECTRIC HEATER
Dreamland Silent Power Pure Fan Heater
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 22p 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 too and would suit a home office well.
The instruction manual wasn’t the clearest, but you don’t really need it given its simple design. As a nice bonus, it has ioniser technology, which helps neutralise nasties in the air.
2. RUNNER-UP
Beldray Smart Ceramic Core Radiator EH3108W
Whether you want to wheel it around or mount it on a wall, this is a nifty, 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 tad fiddly to set up, but once started, it heats up in 14 minutes, so you don’t have to wait too long for warmth. Its lowest temperature setting was economical, too. It also has a setting that detects if a window is open and automatically switches off.
3. BEST PANEL HEATER
Princess Glass Smart Panel Heater
This heater looks stylish and performs very well. It takes nearly nine minutes to warm up, but once in action, it’s reliable, earning full marks for its effective heating.
It’s quiet in use and was a relatively low energy consumer – we spent 24p to run it for an hour on its lowest heat and 44p to run it for the same time on its highest (the cheapest on test for high power). Plus, if your room doesn’t have any existing heaters, you can mount this one on the wall for permanent warmth. Rest assured though, it’s sturdy when kept free-standing, too.
Its smart connectivity relies on a good Wi-Fi signal (which may prove troublesome if you’re far from the router), but its touch screen buttons are responsive, the timer is easy to set and the glass finish wipes clean quickly. No wonder it was our testers’ top-rated panel heater.
4. BEST INFRARED HEATER AND BEST FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Princess Infrared Panel Heater 348254
Infrared heaters are different to all the other models on our list, as they radiate heat, rather than circulating it. This means they won’t heat a whole room in quite the same way, but if they’re positioned near you, they should make you nice and toasty. This was reinforced when we tested the Princess model; while the overall room temperature was lower than you’d find using a convection heater, it still rose after some use. And our expert found that when sat in front of it, they were suitably warm within just ten minutes, feeling the benefits even from 1.5 meters away.
Direct warmth isn’t the only advantage of infrared. As there’s no fan, the Princess heater was extremely quiet, even on its highest setting. Plus, it was the most energy efficient of all the heaters we’ve tested – and by a long way. On its highest setting it used just 14p of electricity over the course of an hour.
Its controls and digital display are all simple to use and the overall design is sleek. You can even mount it on the wall should you wish, which may be handy if you have little ones or animals running around, as while the freestanding feet are stable, it’s quite tall so could be easily knocked over. There aren’t any handles either, so only move it when cool.
5. BEST QUIET HEATER
Dimplex EvoRad Evo2BTA 2kW Oil Free Radiator
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 office 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 trusty warmer.
6. BEST SMALL ELECTRIC HEATER AND BEST SMART HEATER
Duux Threesixty Smart Fan and Heater
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 was quiet (although 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.
7. BEST HEATER FOR VERSATILITY
Vortex Air Pro Bladeless Tower Fan (Heater & Cooler)
You may recognise this as one of our top tower fan picks, and it fared well as a heater too, meaning it can keep you company year-round as the seasons change. Testers found it simple to set up and move from room to room.
Its air strength was fairly strong, but it wasn’t the cheapest to run when it came to energy consumption. It was quiet on its lowest setting, although unsurprisingly, it was more noticeable on high. Overall, it heated our test room nicely, so if it’s value for money that you’re after, we’d suggest adding this one to your cart.
8. BEST OIL-FILLED HEATER
De’Longhi Dragon 4 TRD41025T Oil Filled Radiator
Another super-quiet heater, this radiator is a large and 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 was mixed – 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 28p for one hour. On balance, if you need a bigger heater, it’s a trusty choice.
