The 8 best space heaters of 2024, tested and reviewed (2024)

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Best overall

The Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater is one of the smallest heaters on this list at just about 10 inches tall but pulls a powerful 1,500 watts of power to heat efficiently for its miniature size.

There are three settings (low, high, and fan) and an adjustable temperature dial. The temperature dial uses dots instead of specific temperatures, so it's not terribly intuitive to adjust the unit — I ended up watching a YouTube video. Once I got it working, the heat cycling feature kept me comfortable for hours, and quietly so: I didn't feel the need to shut it off during Zoom calls.

Keep in mind that it's not a whole-room heater, though. It only increased the overall temperature in my office by about three degrees Fahrenheit in my testing. However, sitting close to the heater, I felt much, much warmer.

The heater has cool-touch housing, which didn't heat up during use, but the front grille gets quite hot (though you can expect this with most space heaters). It'll also shut off automatically if it detects overheating. The manual didn't specify at what temperature this function triggers, and I didn't encounter it during my testing.

There's no tip-over safety switch, but the unit is quite stable. I really had to shove it off my desk for it to tip over.

Overall, it's a great option when you're unwilling to turn on the furnace. It's easy to store and tote around the house. –Steph Coelho

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Best for large rooms

There's a lot to love about the Govee Smart Space Heater Pro. First and foremost, it does an outstanding job of heating. During the five-hour heating test, this ceramic heater upped my office's temperature by 17.4 degrees, well above average. Since it's designed to heat larger rooms, I tried it in a 1,000-square-foot space, and it produced a greater temperature increase than any other unit.

While it brought my office up to the target temperature of 70 degrees in just an hour, among the best, it did not maintain that temperature in my thermostat testing. Instead, it just kept pumping out more heat.

If we had a "best smart space heater' category, this would be it. The Govee Home app (available for iOS and Android) is packed full of features. In addition to the standard scheduling and heat settings, there are three oscillation-like air deflector ranges. You can also choose from various lighting options or create a custom look. My nine-year-old insists on using this heater in their room because of the cool lighting.

If you don't feel like using the app, the Govee Smart Space Heater Pro has on-device controls, but they're a little confusing. I had to look at the user manual to determine what the icons represented.

The Govee wasn't completely silent but was close to it. It has plenty of safety features, including tip-over protection, an auto-off timer, and overheat protection. I couldn't test the overheat protection, but the timer and tip-over protection worked well.

At $100, the Govee is reasonably priced. However, it was one of the biggest energy users in our tests, which could translate to higher electric bills.

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Quietest

All the space heaters I tested were quiet, but only three were so quiet I could barely hear them running. Of those, the Honeywell ThermaWave 6 Ceramic Space Heater was the best at heating. During the five-hour test, it raised my office's temperature by 15 degrees.

While it was one of the best at reaching high temperatures, the ThermaWave 6 was among the slowest to heat the room to 70 degrees and didn't maintain the target temperature well. Instead, this ceramic heater continued to pump out heat, registering 73 degrees at the end of the hour testing period. So, it's great if you want to make your room as toasty as possible but not if you want to maintain a specific temperature.

Using the Honeywell space heater is simple. I didn't need the directions to get it up and running. The buttons are intuitive, making it easy to adjust the heat mode, thermostat, and timer. A lever lets you direct the airflow so the heat goes where you want it. However, the unit lacks oscillation, like the Govee directly above.

The Honeywell ThermaWave 6 features a full array of safety features, including an auto-off timer, tip-over protection, and the housing stays cool. The combination of safety and quiet makes this an excellent option for bedrooms. As one of the most energy-efficient heaters we tested, you can run it all night without raising your electric bills too much.

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Best high-end

The Dyson Purifier HP07 Hot+Cool Purifying Fan Heater did the best in our heating tests, increasing the temperature in my office by nearly 20 degrees in five hours. It was also the fastest to reach the target temperature, hitting 70 degrees in 45 minutes. Yet, its $550 price tag is cost-prohibitive for most, so we didn't put it in the top spot.

If you have the budget, the Dyson HP07 is packed with features. A powerful fan keeps you cool in the summer. It's constantly cleaning the air. We put it through the testing we use for our best air purifier guide, and it did an average job of removing particles from the air but was one of the worst at capturing volatile organic compounds (VOCs.)

The quiet-operating Dyson HP07 features WiFi connectivity via the MyDyson app (available for iOS and Android), though, for safety reasons, you're limited in what adjustments you can make to the heater. You can adjust the fan speed, turn the heater off, and choose the precise angle of oscillation you want, but you can't turn it on or change the heat settings. Instead, a remote controls these functions. Still, with all the moving parts and features, this isn't as user-friendly as most space heaters.

The Dyson space heater did a poor job of maintaining temperatures once it achieved them. I programmed the thermostat to 70 degrees, but the room temperature rose after achieving it, registering 77 degrees an hour later.

The tip-over protection and timer-off, two important safety features, worked as advertised. Once the Dyson was below a 45-degree angle with the floor, it turned off and stayed off until I turned it back.

In our five-hour heating test, the Dyson HP07 used more power than any other heater, so plan on higher long-term costs for electricity and replacing the air filters.

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Best with a fan

The "two-position" feature of this heater means you can place the unit upright or on its side so you can use it in a variety of spaces and situations. I primarily used it in the upright position and was impressed by how this little rectangular heater warmed my office by three degrees very quickly.

It uses a fan to push heat around, and the warmth spreads evenly throughout my office instead of being concentrated in one area. Since the heat disperses so well, it didn't leave me sweating while I was waiting for my office to warm, unlike some other models I tried.

In addition to being a good feature for dispersing heat, the fan can also keep you cool. While the fan is powerful on its own, this feature does make a fair bit of noise, which I could hear from adjoining rooms.

I also appreciated the thoughtful safety features of this space heater. While it doesn't have a tip-over sensor, the unit stays cool to the touch, and the wiring is thermally insulated to prevent the cord from overheating.

It also has an overheat sensor and an ALCI plug like those found on many blow dryers, which reacts quickly to shorts as a surge protector does. Overall, it's a great space heater for those who are safety conscious and those who want a product they can also use in warmer weather. –Steph Coelho

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Best for a desk

At 6.5 inches high, 4.5 inches wide, and 3.5 inches deep, the Lasko 102 Space Heater is tiny, making it unobtrusive on any desk or nightstand. It's simple to use too. There's just one control, the on/off button. You plug it in and it starts blowing hot air within seconds.

At 200 watts, the Lasko 102 isn't powerful. It's not designed to heat a whole room. Instead, it's a personal heater blowing hot air directly at you. In two hours, it only increased the office's temperature by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit. We'd compare the warming effects to putting on a sweater fresh out of the dryer. We were impressed by how quietly the Lasko heater operated. It's no louder than ambient noise.

There is a downside to this Lasko space heater. It doesn't automatically turn off when it tips over. This is dangerous since the front of the device gets hot enough to burn your hand. It does have overheating protection though and is an affordable option for staying warm at your desk. –James Brains

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Best energy-efficient

The Boldr Kelvin is unlike any space heater we've tested. It looks like a 53-inch flat-screen TV, and you can mount it on your wall like one. Unlike a TV, it also works in a vertical orientation, so you have this sleek black (or white) piece on your wall that emits heat. The Kelvin comes with all the mounting hardware you need, though we did not mount it on a wall for our testing. Instead, I precariously leaned it against a wall, which may be a good option for renters who can't mount the heater. While there's a risk of it falling over, the heater stayed in place for me.

Other than the on button, there are no controls or screens on the Kelvin. Instead, you rely solely on the app (available for iOS and Android), which allows you to make heating schedules, set an auto-off timer, change the heat settings, and more. The app worked well, except it kept trying to get me to update the firmware, but each time I tried, the update failed. According to Boldr, the company is working on a new app.

In our heating tests, the Boldr only increased my office's temperature by nine degrees in the five-hour testing period, a lower increase than most. However, this infrared heater was the only unit we tested that maintained the target temperature in our thermostat test.

You can't hear the Kelvin space heater running. It's just that quiet, making it an impressive, unobtrusive heater for any space. You can enter the cost per kWh rate from your electric bill into the app to track how much the Kevin costs to run. I gauged the accuracy using a smart plug and found it was spot on, and the Kelvin was the most energy-efficient space heater by far. It used about half as much electricity as the average of the other units. So, while this has a high upfront cost, you'll save on energy costs in the long term.

The Boldr doesn't have tip-over protection, but since you're supposed to mount it to your wall, it's unlikely to tip.

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Best design

The Vornado VHEAT Vintage Metal Heater is the perfect option if you're looking to curate a retro look in your living space. Modeled after the company's original fan released in 1945, the Vornado VHEAT has an attractive look and heavy-duty feel. While it lacks many of the high-end features commonly found in heaters in this price range, the VHEAT Vintage heater is easy to use, with just a toggle switch to adjust the heat level and a thermostat dial. I didn't need the instructions to get the unit up and running.

The Vornado space heater heated my office quickly, reaching 70 degrees within an hour. As I kept it blasting, the temperature increased another five degrees, better than average in our tests. The thermostat doesn't have temperatures on it. Instead, once the room is comfortable, you slowly turn the dial down until the heat turns off. Then, the unit maintains the temperature. This worked well. The heat kicked in once my office dropped two degrees below the target, bringing the temp back up.

The Vornado VHEAT's power use was about average, but it was the loudest heater I tested. Still, it was only about as loud as a quiet office environment and didn't disrupt my meetings.

The unit doesn't have a shut-off timer, but its other safety features functioned properly. When I tipped the heater over, it turned off automatically. And, even after running it on high for five hours, the housing stayed cool enough to touch. It also has overheat protection, though I couldn't test that.

Read our full Vornado VHEAT Vintage Metal Heater review.

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What to look for in a space heater

Types of space heaters

• Ceramic space heaters:These use electricity to heat metal coils that run through ceramic and may employ a fan to distribute the heat. The ceramic takes a while to cool down, so the heater still radiates heat after it's turned off. Ceramic space heaters are compact, lightweight, and portable but aren't a good choice for large spaces. Most of our picks are ceramic heaters with forced air because they tend to do a better job of quickly heating rooms and directing the heat where we want it.
• Forced air space heaters:Much like a whole-home heating system, forced air space heaters feature a fan and a heating element. The fan blows the heat right where you want it.
• Infrared space heaters: Using infrared rays, these heaters heat objects in the room rather than the air. You can often feel the heat right away. Infrared space heaters tend to be more energy efficient, though they have a higher upfront cost.
• Oil-filled space heaters: Also known as "radiator heaters" because of their radiator-like design, they contain heated oil. The heat then radiates from the unit. Oil-filled heaters heat long after the unit is turned off, making them energy-efficient. However, they lack a fan to help distribute the heat. We tested one oil-filled unit, the DeLonghi Full Room Radiant Heater, and were disappointed with its heating capabilities and marginal energy savings.
• Propane space heaters: These non-electric heaters rely on propane for fuel. They work indoors and out, though they present a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Propane space heaters are the cheapest to operate, but they also have more safety risks as they require a consistent supply of propane and a flame. Since safety was a top concern and we were testing indoors, we only tested electric heaters for this guide.

Here are some other features you should consider when shopping for a space heater:

Power: Most heaters in our guide have 1,500 watts of power, which is pretty standard for space heaters. More-powerful heaters are usually marketed as "garage heaters" and either need to be hardwired into your electrical circuit or run on a special appliance circuit. Fortunately, a heater with 1,500 watts should be enough to heat a room of about 150 square feet.

Heat-cycling function: You'll want a space heater with a heat-cycling function for comfort and energy efficiency. It allows you to select the desired temperature the unit then attempts to maintain by cycling on and off when the temperature is above or below the threshold. This is similar to how a built-in thermostat works in your home and prevents you from having to manually turn the unit on and off to maintain comfort levels.

Size: A small space heater is great for desktop use in a home office, dorm room, or office building. It'll usually heat just the area right around the heater comfortably, which is good enough if you're just looking for a small bubble of personal comfort. A space heater with a bigger footprint has a larger fan, which helps blow air around the room and is ideal for heating large spaces like garages or full rooms. Opt for a full-size heater if you have a lot of space to heat.

Safety: We outline more safety features to look for in the section below, but overheat protection is a must.

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How we tested space heaters

In addition to interviewing two safety experts about space heaters, we relied heavily on our experience reviewing heating devices like the best patio heaters and portable outdoor heaters. We put 17 space heaters through the same set of standard tests and used a reference thermometer to collect temperature data. Here's what we looked for with each test:

Ability to heat: We tested every heater in a 100-square-foot office with a starting room temperature of 60 to 64 degrees, and the home's heating turned off. A reference thermometer was placed in the middle of the room, with the heater in a corner. We then blasted each heater on high for five hours taking temperature readings throughout. We ran the same test in a 1,000-square-foot room if a heater was designed for larger spaces. To test the thermostat, we used the same office setup and ran the units at 70 degrees. Once it hit 70 degrees, we took readings for the next hour to see if it maintained the temp.

Easy-to-use controls: While safety experts recommend reading the manual cover-to-cover before using a space heater, we tried to figure out the units on our own before referencing any manuals. We looked for controls that were intuitive and easy to figure out.

Noise: To gauge noise, we placed a decibel meter 6 feet from the heater as it ran on high. None of the space heaters we recommend were louder than a normal conversation. In some cases, you couldn't hear them at all.

Safety features: We verified whether safety features were functional (except for the overheating functions, since that would have presented a safety hazard), including tipping the units over to test for automatic shutoff.

Power use:Using a smart plug, we measured how much electricity each unit used while running on high during the five-hour test. On average, the heaters we tested used 1.2 kWh of electricity per hour. Based on average electricity costs, that works out to about 20 cents per hour.

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Space heater FAQs

How to safely use a space heater

Space heaters are ultra-convenient, but safety experts said they can also be dangerous if not used properly. According to a 2022 National Fire Protection Association report, space heaters cause one-third of home heating fires and 18% of home fire deaths.

Matthew Griffith, fire prevention section chief with the Montreal Fire Department, and Dan Mock, brand manager of Mister Sparky, an electrical services company, said the number one rule for using a space heater is never to leave itunattended.

Griffith said customers should look for a space heater certified by the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL or ULC in Canada) with safety features like an auto-shutoff and tip-over switch. Mock also recommends reading the instruction manual cover-to-cover and inspecting the device before running it. It's also a good idea to keep the packaging to store the heater and keep it dust-free during the warmer months.

Griffith said not to put a space heater too close to walls or flammable materials and keep the backside clear, as the unit can overheat if blocked.

Mock also warns against using extension cords or overloading circuits with these appliances

Are space heaters energy efficient?

Most space heaters use 1,500 watts of power. To put that in context, if you were to use your space heater eight hours per day for a month, it would add $50.36 to your energy bill, based on the current average electricity rates. They're typically cheaper to run than trying to heat a whole home.

How long can I leave a space heater on?

Modern space heaters have various features that make them safe for prolonged periods (over hours). However, you should still take the above-mentioned precautions and turn the space heater off before sleeping. Designs with auto-off settings are convenient and safe, so you don't have to remember to turn it off.

Is it safe to run a space heater overnight?

While many of the latest space heaters are packed full of safety features, you still should not leave them unattended or let them run while you're sleeping. We recommend getting your bedroom all toasty before you go to bed, then turn the heater off when you're about to go to sleep.

How long do space heaters last?

Generally, the length of a manufacturer's warranty can tell you how long an item is expected to last. The space heaters in our guide have warranties of 1 to 3 years, but with proper care, they can last you for more than a decade.