Written by Jonathan Chan, Camryn Rabideau, Kyle Hamilton, and Dr. Dave Ellerby
Updated August 7, 2024
Space heaters are a great way to keep your toes from tingling without heating the whole house, especially in the winter months, when already expensive utility bills can skyrocket. For people who work in offices, space heaters can be just as useful in the summer months when the AC gets too frosty—as long as your workplace doesn’t forbid them.
The best personal space heaters are compact and able to quickly warm a small area while large space heaters can make an entire room toasty. Regardless of their size, the best space heaters are cost-efficient and effectively warm up the area where they’re used.
To find the best space heaters on the market, we tested top-rated heaters from trusted brands in the controlled conditions of our lab in Massachusetts, where it's been known to get very cold—and to have drafty homes. While the performance varied, most of them had something in common—safety features to make space heaters more safe to use.
There’s an inherent danger with using space heaters, as they are a leading cause of home fires in the U.S. However, if you take precautions, use them wisely, and follow operational instructions, you can lessen the risk.
After extensive testing, we found that the De’Longhi HMP1500 (available at Amazon) is the best space heater for most people because of its high performance and flexible design. For something smaller, a personal space heater like the Lasko 754200 is a value-packed choice.
There are several types of space heaters. For example, some are designed to radiate heat a short distance, while others have a fan and circulate warm air over a large distance. Because of that, our guide has recommendations for specific situations so you can find the best space heater for you.
Best Space Heater Overall
DeLonghi HMP1500
- Type: Mica heater
- Dimensions: 27 x 0.9 x 22 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 10.1 pounds
- Safety features: Automatic shut off if tipped over, overheat protection, power/caution indicator lights
If you want a space heater that does it all, the Delonghi HMP1500 is the best space heater for you. This mica heater aced our spot-heating and room-heating tests. Our thermal sensors recorded this Delonghi space heater outputting a maximum temperature of almost 95°F. It also raised the temperature of a 1,350-cubic-foot room by 6 degrees in an hour, more than enough to warm a chilly room.
Performance aside, the HMP1500 also has design elements that can fit any lifestyle. People who want their heater to follow them from room to room can install the included wheels. A handle on the back increases portability. If you have a room in your home that needs supplementary heating, the HMP1500 can be mounted to a wall as a permanent fixture.
Pros
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Can be wall mounted
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Easy to move
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Powerful
Cons
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Expensive
Buy now at Amazon
$119.95 from Walmart
Best Smart Space Heater
Govee H7130
- Type: Forced air and convection heater
- Dimensions: 9 x 8 x 17 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 7.54 pounds
- Safety features: Auto shutoff after 24 hours or certain temperature reached, timers, schedules
A smart space heater allows you to use your phone or tablet as a remote control—a much more convenient (and safer) alternative than having to stand up and do it yourself. With outstanding heat performance and the modern conveniences of a companion app, the Govee Smart Space Heater earns the No. 2 spot in our lab-tested guide of space heaters.
Aesthetically, this smart space heater is way ahead of most other fan-driven space heaters in this power class (1500W). It’s also the only one in our guide that offers smart integration features, allowing you to adjust the temperature from the Govee app on your phone and set schedules and timers. The space heater also works with smart assistants Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free voice control.
One of the most useful features of the Govee Smart Space Heater is the integration with the optional remote temperature sensor add-on. The weakness of all thermostat-driven standard space heaters is that the thermostat is located in the device, not necessarily where you want to receive the heat.
Another plus is that the fan is very quiet. Its dBA reads in the mid-30s, indistinguishable from regular background noise in most buildings. It also features an 80-degree oscillation and has a 6-foot power cord.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use space heater that you can manage from anywhere, the Govee Smart Space Heater is a fantastic choice for reliable heater performance.
Read our Govee Space Heater review.
Pros
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Great smart features
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Very warm
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Built-in thermostat
Cons
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On-unit buttons are confusing
Buy now at Amazon
Best Value Space Heater
Lasko 754200
- Type: Ceramic fan-forced heater
- Dimensions: 6 x 7 x 9.2 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 3.77 pounds
- Safety features: Automatic overheat protection
When you think of a personal space heater, the Lasko 754200 is what most people typically imagine. It's compact, light, and relatively powerful. However, its power is highly directional. When it's on, you can only heat part of your body. While this Lasko does not have the versatility of our top pick—it has a fan-only setting—the 754200 is still a good value, retailing for around $30.
Because it's small and light, the Lasko 754200 is a good option if you need a space heater that can be moved from room to room. It's best for small spaces and features a 6-foot power cord.
Pros
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Affordable
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Easy to move
Cons
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Only works as spot heater
$31.99 from Walmart
Best Fan Heater
Vornado AVH10
- Type: Fan-forced heater
- Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.3 x 12 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 4.8 pounds
- Safety features: Automatic shut off if tipped over, overheat protection
The Vornado AVH10 combines a Vornado fan with a heating element to circulate hot air throughout the room. The powerful fan means that heat circulates quickly. This isn’t surprising, given that our favorite desk fan is the Vornado 660.
With the AVH10 space heater, we were concerned about fan noise, but our testing found that the sound levels maxed out at a modest 44 decibels at a 4-foot distance. That’s quiet enough to fade into the background noise of most rooms.
The AVH10 has an easy-to-read digital thermostat. This lets you dial in and maintain a comfortable temperature for your room without wasting energy. The plastic housing remains cool to the touch. The cool exterior, plus a tilt shutoff and overheating protection, make this a safe choice if you have kids.
The AVH10, which distributes heat well and has strong airflow, makes an excellent whole-room heater. The only downside was that the spot heating immediately in front of the heater was less intense than an infrared heater.
Pros
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Quiet
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Easy to read thermostat
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Safe around children
Cons
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Spot heating was less intense than infrared
$82.79 from Amazon
$99.99 from Walmart
Best Space Heater for Bedroom
Honeywell HCE840B
- Type: Ceramic fan-forced heater
- Dimensions: 10.2 x 5.9 x 17.15 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 5.8 pounds
- Safety features: Automatic shutoff if tipped over or after two hours
When it comes to heating a room, we found the Honeywell HeatGenius space heater to be a bit of a savant. This ceramic fan-forced Honeywell showed off its smart engineering with how well it utilized its 1500-watt coils.
On the one hand, the HeatGenius brought all its air-warming prowess to bear during our spot-heating tests. Up close, it reached temperatures north of 96°F, hotter than any other heater we tested. Should you not want to roast, the HeatGenius has phase heating—a feature that lets you bask in warm, moderate, and high heat in 30-minute chunks.
We liked the HeatGenius’ performance, but its usability left something to be desired. The controls are a bit clunky and complicated. We also found the Delonghi HMP1500 more versatile, and able to be wall-mounted or moved on wheels.
Pros
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Can be set to gradually warm
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Powerful
Cons
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Can be noisy
Best Basem*nt Space Heater
DeLonghi EW7707CM
- Type: Oil-filled convection heater
- Dimensions: 6.5 x 15.5 x 27 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 23.2 pounds
- Quick facts: Has snap-on wheels
- Safety features: Automatic overheat shutoff
The Delonghi EW7707CM space heater was a solid performer during our testing. This oil-filled convection radiator-style heater is a solid choice, especially for someone looking to fight a chilly basem*nt.
It had an output max temperature of around 83°F, and over an hour, it brought the temperature in our testing room up 3 degrees. With these kinds of results, we found that the EW7707CM wasn't as good a personal space heater as the De’Longhi HMP1500. However, you'll sing its virtues if you place it in the basem*nt. Its lowest setting places the EW7707CM on anti-freeze duty, keeping rooms at around 41°F—well above pipe-bursting temperatures.
While other space heaters we tested could serve the same purpose, the EW7707CM was more energy efficient than the average heater. If you're going to keep a heater warming the pipes all winter, this one will dent your wallet the least.
Pros
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Good for keeping pipes warm
Cons
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Not very powerful
$99.95 from Amazon
Best Space Heater for Desk
Lasko 6435
- Type: Ceramic fan-forced heater
- Dimensions: 8.25 x 8.25 x 16.05 inches (length x width x height)
- Weight: 3 pounds
- Safety features: Overheat protection
The Lasko 6435 space heater was the most unique-looking product we tested, with a design that resembles a vase more than a traditional space heater. It's only one of two models we tested that could sit on a desk or window sill and not look amiss.
Wherever you place it, make sure it's close. This Lasko was a better spot heater than anything else. This model also oscillates, meaning it has a motor that waves back and forth, so it can warm up everyone sitting on your couch.
Pros
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Fun design
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Oscillates
Cons
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Not very powerful
Buy now at Amazon
$63.00 from Walmart
Most Portable Space Heater
Delonghi Capsule
- Type: Ceramic fan-forced heater
- Dimensions: 7.5 x 4 x 11 inches
- Weight: 2.9 pounds
- Safety features: Overheat protection, automatic shutoff if tipped over
Compact, well-designed, and powerful, the Delonghi Capsule space heater nearly toppled our pick for best value. However, it’s about 30% more expensive than the Lasko 754200, but only 6.5% more powerful. We suggest you get this one if you are constantly moving your heater from place to place. We found the Capsule’s strap handle comfortable to use and the heater comes in at only 2.9 pounds.
Pros
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Easy to carry
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Powerful
Cons
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Expensive
Buy now at Amazon
$46.00 from Walmart
What to Consider When Purchasing a Space Heater
When you’re shopping for a space heater, there are some things you should think about to make sure that it's a good fit for you and your home.
Location: Do you have an area in your home that is 3 feet away from all flammable objects and is not in the middle of a walking path? If not, see if you can clear a place in your home where the space heater can be safely operated.
Safety: Does part of the product get hot to the touch while in operation? If so, make sure that kids are aware of what areas are safe to touch on the space heater, if any. With little ones in the house, it may be best to choose a space heater with a protective grate covering the heating unit.
Floor plan: What is the layout of the room(s) you'd like to heat? If you have an open floor plan, and you'd like to heat more than one room, chances are that a single space heater won't cut it.
Space heaters operate best in small spaces and rooms. For large spaces, you may need to safely deploy multiple space heaters in strategic locations throughout your home. If you don't want to buy multiple space heaters, think about picking a space heater that emphasizes whole-room heating over spot heating.
Outlet location: Is there an electrical outlet located near the spot where you want the space heater to live? Most electric heater power cords are not long, and space heaters should not be plugged into extension cords.
As a safety precaution, do not plug anything into the same outlet into which the space heater is plugged. These heaters use a lot of electricity, so it's best not to overload the outlet.
Types of Space Heaters
Space heaters have various heating methods that can affect the size, weight, and other aspects of the product. There are ceramic heaters, fan heaters, oil-filled convection heaters, and some rely on infrared technology. Which one is best for your home? Here's a breakdown of the types we reviewed:
Mica Heaters
Thin, energy-efficient, and frequently wall-mountable, mica heaters are part radiant and part convection. They operate silently.
Ceramic Fan-forced Heaters
Convection heaters that blow warm air out from a fan. Ceramic space heaters are good for spot heating but not for large rooms. Expect some fan noise. The plastic shell may be safe to the touch in some models, but the grill is always very hot.
Oil-filled Convection Heaters
Reminiscent of oil-filled radiators you find in old homes, oil-filled convection heaters work well for entire rooms. Their quiet operation makes it great for living rooms, but they're very hot to the touch on all sides and maybe not the best choice for houses with young children.
Infrared Heaters
Sometimes known as "quartz" heaters, these devices don't actually heat the air so much as beam heat directly at you. This is why infrared heaters are often used outdoors, because they are unaffected by wind. Their tops and sides are usually cool to the touch.
Convection-only Heaters
Everyone knows hot air rises. Convection heaters simply have a heating element inside a grate. While they are not good for spot heating, they are virtually silent when in operation.
Are Space Heaters Safe?
Most of the space heaters we tested had a mechanism to shut the device off if it got too hot. Nevertheless, it's recommended to always have a 3-foot radius between a space heater and anything remotely flammable—including blankets and upholstery. Some also included a tip-over switch that would automatically turn off the machine if it got knocked to the floor.
Also, never plug an electric space heater into an extension cord. Portable space heaters draw up to 1,500 watts of power, more than enough to cause a dangerous spark.
Finally, be sensible and don't touch a space heater when it is in operation. Some portable heaters have a cool exterior when they are running, but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.
How We Test Space Heaters
To find the best space heaters, we focused our testing on performance and usability. While we gauged usability with subjective observations, such as how easy the space heater is to operate, performance was measured through data analysis.
To test performance, we placed each heater into a temperature-controlled room, which stayed at 72°F and 50% humidity. This stability helped us test whether the 1,350 cubic-foot volume room heats to the desired temperature.
During setup, each heater is placed in the center of the 180-square-foot room and plugged into a watt meter. We then placed two rings of temperature sensors at varying heights to simulate feet and torsos at different distances. These sensors are used to determine spot heating and overall room temperature changes.
Each heater is placed on its highest heat settings and left to run for an hour. After that, we gathered the data from the sensors. Heaters that could evenly heat both the inner and outer rings of sensors received the highest ratings.
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Meet the testers
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
See all of Jonathan Chan's reviews
Camryn Rabideau is a full-time freelance writer and product tester with eight years of experience. She's been lucky enough to test hundreds of products firsthand, and her specialties include bedding and pet products, which often require help from her two dogs, three cats, and flock of rambunctious chickens.
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Kyle Hamilton
Product Tester
Kyle Hamilton is a product tester at Reviewed, specializing in home appliances and technology.
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Dr. Dave Ellerby
Chief Scientist
Dave Ellerby has a Ph.D. from the University of Leeds and a B.Sc. from the University of Manchester. He has 25+ years of experience designing tests and analyzing data.
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