The Best Space Heater For Fast Heat in 2023

Vornado VHEAT Vintage Metal Heater – Best Overall

Vornado introduced its first space heater in 1945, and the Vornado VHEAT Vintage Metal Heater is a reinterpretation of that product.

It combines current technology, delivering a choice of 750 or 1,500 watts of heating capacity, with the same vintage appearance of the original heater.

The company's Vortex Action fan performs a fantastic job of circulating heat across a space in order to properly distribute warmth.

It includes a thermostat with 10 settings and a tilting head, allowing you to direct the heat precisely where you want it without being limited by the unidirectional flow of more rigid heaters.

In addition to a safety screen that prevents fingers and tails from being injured, there is an automatic shutoff that stops the heater if the airflow is stopped.

While it is a touch on the pricey side for a heater that lacks a remote control and sophisticated capabilities, it is our pick for the best overall space heater since it looks well, warms efficiently, and gives decent control.

PROS

• Tiltable head permits heat direction control
• Vintage design looks excellent
• Adjustable temperature and thermostat settings

CONS

• A bit costly given the absence of sophisticated features.

Best Value: Lasko Heating Small Space Heater

If you simply need to heat a small area, you need a compact space heater, and the Lasko Heating Compact Space Heater meets this need. Its dimensions are 4.3 x 3.8 x 6.1 inches, making it about the size of a desktop speaker. It provides 682 BTU of heat with 200 watts of electricity and is ready to use out of the box despite its tiny size.

In addition to being compact and light, the Lasko Mini Space Heater is also quite affordable. It lacks the power and heating powers of other heaters, yet it is suitable for warming a home office desk or workstation. It features protection against overheating and its housing is cool to the touch, so it is completely safe to use.

In addition to being suited for home usage, it is also quiet, allowing you to bring it to the workplace and heat your own workstation without creating office interruption. The Lasko Heating Compact Space Heater is the greatest space heater for the money because of its cheap cost and portability, despite its simplicity, one-setting, and inability to heat a whole room.

PROS

• Extremely inexpensive
• Transportable and light
• Its cool housing makes it safe for use on a desk.

CONS

• No temperature settings or control
• Only 200 watts of energy

The Premier Wi-Fi-Enabled Air Purifier is the Dyson HP02

The Lasko Mini Heater is inexpensive and has just a few, simple settings. The reverse is true with the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Link HP02 Wi-Fi-Enabled Air Purifier, since it is not only a space heater. It combines the functionality of a heater, a fan, and an air purifier.

It comes with a remote control, has apparently unlimited controls and capabilities, and is Wi-Fi connected so that it can be controlled through a smartphone or other device. It is a sophisticated piece of technology that monitors air quality and adapts itself based on its results.

It performs an excellent job of sustaining the desired degree of heat, and its unusual, bladeless fan does an excellent job of distributing that heat around the room.

The Dyson is a very costly gadget, and there are placement concerns since it has to be set away from walls so that it functions best in the center of a room, but it gives you complete control over the air in your space, including the temperature and quality of the air. In addition, it enables many control ways, including smartphone and Wi-Fi.

PROS

• Warms, chills, and cleanses the air
• Controllable by the machine, the app, and even Alexa
• Very efficient at distributing warm air across a space.

CONS

• Very costly

Tiny Portable Ceramic Space Heater by Lasko

The Lasko CD08200 Little Portable Ceramic Space Heater is a portable heater that weighs less than 4 pounds and can heat an area of slightly more than 200 square feet. It is designed for bathroom heating, is very affordable, and is simple to use.

A single control button allows you to select between mild heat, high heat, and a 1-hour surge of heat. Since it is intended for use in the bathroom, it is equipped with a safety plug and other safety features, such as overheat prevention and a cool-touch casing.

It is a compact, inexpensive, and user-friendly heater, but its lack of temperature control makes it inferior to the majority of the other heaters on our list. It is a wonderful choice for the restroom, where temperature control may be less crucial, and for other circumstances when you may need a one-hour heat boost.

PROS

• Cheap
• Little gadget emits a respectable quantity of heat
• Extremely simple to manipulate

CONS

• Lacks sophisticated settings and controls

Portable Dr. Infrared Heater Space Heater

The Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater has a distinctive appearance and is more costly than ceramic heaters, but it delivers convection heating that eliminates hot and cold zones, according to the manufacturer.

It is silent, has three power levels, and an automated thermostat that allows you to choose the desired temperature and let the thermostat to cycle the power on and off to keep a constant temperature.

It also incorporates an infrared remote control so that it may be operated from the couch. The Dr. Infrared is heavier than many of the other space heaters on our list, but its caster wheels make it simple to move and adjust.

The Dr. Infrared is equipped with tip-over safety, so the gadget will turn off if it is turned onto its side or front. It also includes protection against overheating to guarantee both safety and comfort.

PROS

• Remote control
• Thermostatically regulated to maintain the appropriate temperature
• Many safety measures, including protection against tipping over

CONS

• Pricier than a comparable ceramic heater
• Heavy

Mr Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy

Whether you wish to heat an RV, an outside dining area, or any outdoor or unpowered location, a regular indoor space heater will not suffice. The Mr Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy is a space heater for outdoor use.

It utilizes propane, which is not included with the purchase, to deliver between 4,000 and 9,000 BTU of heat and is capable of heating up to 225 square feet with radiant heat, according to the maker.

Although though it is an outdoor heater, it is also designated as safe for interior use, allowing it to be used in garages and other spaces with restricted access to power.

Mr. Heater is fairly priced, is one of the few outdoor heaters that can be used safely and successfully, and has a propane burn rate of 0.099 gallons per hour, indicating that it consumes gas efficiently.

However, while it is a good option for camping or emergency use during power outages and is rated safe for indoor use, it relies on radiant heating, so it does not use a fan to distribute heat throughout the room.

As a result, the area immediately surrounding the heater will be extremely warm, while the remainder of the room will be cooler.

PROS

• Propane-powered, therefore good for power outages and camping
• Up to 9,000 BTU of heat output.
• Outdoor-acceptable

CONS

• There is no fan to distribute heat.

Ceramic tower heater manufactured by De'Longhi

The De'Longhi Ceramic Tower Heater is a ceramic fan heater that provides slightly more than 5,000 BTUs of heat and promises to provide instantaneous heating via its ceramic heating element.

It includes a remote control, a high degree of temperature control, and an oscillating mode that allows for more even heat distribution over a room or area.

The manual timer and safety features such as thermal shut-off and tip-over switch make it safe to set the heater and forget about it.

It also has De'Longhi's Quiet System, which decreases noise by half, guaranteeing that the fan won't drown out your television.

The fan is on the pricier side, but its comprehensive control functions, oscillation, and silent operation are advantageous.

However, although it performs a fantastic job at heating small rooms, it struggles to disperse heat over larger areas, so you may need to seek elsewhere if you need to heat a larger area.

PROS

• Enhanced timers and temperature settings
• Oscillation promotes efficient heat dispersion.
• Remote control

CONS

• A little costly
• Not ideal for huge areas

Electric Vornado TAVH10 Space Heater

The Vornado TAVH10 Electric Space Heater is an additional fan heater manufactured by Vornado. This unit has three power modes: low power (750 watts), high power (1,500 watts), and fan alone.

It boasts an automated climate control system that maintains the correct temperature without requiring human adjustments. It utilizes the company's vortex tornado fan technology, which twists air to circulate it throughout a room without producing the excessive noise associated with several fans.

It also includes a remote control so that it can be operated from the couch or anyplace else, and safety mechanisms guarantee that it switches off immediately if it is tipped over or overheats. Nevertheless, it is pricey and not very effective at heating rooms.

PROS

• Remote control
• Temperature-controlled climate regulation
• Quiet

CONS

• Does not generate much heat.
• Expensive

Full-Size Room Radiant Heater from De'Longh

The De'Longhi TRD50615T Full Room Radiant Heater is a radiant heater, which means it does not have a fan to circulate air around the room. Nonetheless, it is a somewhat large heater that generates an adequate quantity of heat.

It is quieter than fan-assisted heaters due to the absence of a fan, and it offers an adjustable thermostat with a timer and a wide range of heat settings. In cold weather, the antifreeze standby option keeps the heater and its pipes from freezing.

But, it is a little expensive and it does not have a fan. This oil heater struggles to heat the whole space, and for optimal results, the radiator should be placed in the center of the room, which is not always practicable.

In addition, although the heater warms quietly, the timer makes an audible ticking sound that can be heard in a calm room and is particularly annoying at night.

PROS

• No fan, thus heating is silent
• Temperature governed by thermodynamics

CONS

• Unable to adequately heat the whole room
• Timer emits a distracting ticking sound.

Space heaters are very basic heaters meant to heat particular rooms or areas.

These vary from heating systems in that they are standalone devices that normally receive power from the grid, but some outdoor space heaters utilize propane instead.

There are a number of features to consider, such as automated thermostatic settings and remote controls, but the most crucial aspect of any space heater is its heating capacity.

Learn more about these house heaters and how to choose the one that best meets your needs by reading on.

Advantages of Space Heaters

Space heaters are used to heat individual rooms as opposed to the whole home. Their advantages include:

Saving Money — If you just need to heat a single room or a small section in your home, turning on the heating system might be a costly option. With a space heater, you may heat a single room or even your personal seating area inside a room. If you purchase an energy-efficient heater and just use it when necessary, you might save money compared to using an HVAC system.

Purchase-Friendly — Space heaters may be purchased for $50 or less, however ones with complex settings and more output do cost more. Often, a space heater is far less expensive than an extra radiator or system heater.

Simple to Use — While the ease of use varies depending on the kind and number of controls a heater provides, space heaters may be relatively simple to use. At its most fundamental, the heater is activated or deactivated based on your heating requirements. Others may have thermostatic controls that allow you to select the desired temperature and have the heater automatically switch on and off to maintain it.

Portable — The majority of space heaters are intended to be portable, allowing them to be moved from one area to another or stored when not in use. They often do not occupy a space permanently, and it may be able to transfer them from your house to your workplace and back again.

Negatives of Space Heaters

Although space heaters offer several advantages, they also have some possible drawbacks, such as:

Potential Hazard — According to some estimates, space heaters are the cause of more than one-third of residential fires. You must ensure that they are not too near to other things, particularly combustible objects like as furniture and clothes, and you should choose a model with sufficient safety measures. Purchase a unit that turns off automatically if it falls over, if the vent is blocked, or if the heater overheats to reduce the dangers.

May Be Expensive — A space heater is good at heating relatively tiny places, but at a cost. Using many space heaters to heat a big area or multiple rooms can significantly increase your energy costs. If you require three or more big space heaters, you may want to consider installing a central heating system for the home.

Need Frequent Attendance — Even those with timers and automated thermostats still require daily attention. You cannot depend only on the given safety measures, therefore you will need to monitor the temperature and maybe relocate the heater to prevent overheating and fire hazards. You may also need to switch on and off the heaters and check they are set to the optimum temperature.

Varieties of Space Heaters

There is a limited selection of space heaters available. The majority use ceramic heating elements and fans to spread heat over a space. Yet, there are a few radiant heaters. They depend on natural dissipation to disperse heat produced by the device.

Radiant heaters are quieter but may not give the same heat distribution as fan heaters. Fan heaters are often more effective at distributing heat uniformly so that you do not have hot and cold areas, but you will have to deal with the noise of the fan.

While space heaters are often used to heat interior places, there are a limited number of outdoor space heaters that may be used for camping.

Nevertheless, you should always confirm that a heater is safe to use in a tent and that it is positioned correctly and securely. They operate on propane or similar gas and are useful in locations without electricity or during crises. For instance, during power outages.

Factors to Consider

There is no one space heater that may be deemed optimal in every case. Consider the following characteristics when looking for a space heater to guarantee that you get the ideal model for you and your area.

Settings

The most fundamental heater settings are on and off, however most heaters include additional options. Consider purchasing a heater with numerous heat settings, including low and high heat.

Choose a model with an automated thermostat and a timer if you need sophisticated heating capabilities. These options allow you to not only regulate the quantity of heat you get, but also to automate the heating of your room, although at a greater cost.

Controls

There are usually controls on the heater itself. There may be analog knobs or digital buttons for the controls. Some models additionally include a remote control – a tiny portable device that may be used to switch the heater on and off, adjust the temperature, and configure any other settings, such as timers.

Wi-Fi-enabled heaters often feature smartphone app controls and may link to Alexa or other voice assistants so that you can "command" your heater to switch on and off. The price of the heater will increase according to the sophistication of its controls.

Alternating Heaters

Heaters with fans propel heat forward. Some heaters push air in a very narrow angle while others can provide almost 180° of coverage, but if you want to heat a larger area, an oscillating heater will automatically turn back and forth to cover space in front of and behind the fan and provide a much more even distribution of heat throughout a room.

Security Measures

The use of space heaters is hazardous. Always use them away from other objects, and most manufacturers suggest keeping them away from walls.

Despite still, they depend on a heating element that may reach very high temperatures, thus safety measures should be considered essential, particularly if you have children or pets that might come in contact with the heater.

Look for devices that turn off automatically if they are tipped over or overheated, and make sure that fans have grilles to hide the blades and that the housing unit is cold enough to touch to avoid burns to fingers and animals.

1. What is the most efficient space heater type?

The sort of space heater you choose is determined by your particular demands. Infrared heaters are regarded as incredibly energy-efficient, so you may enjoy warmth without racking up a hefty electric bill.

They function by converting energy to radiant heat that heats objects and people in a room, rather than the air between them, so conserving energy.

Gas and oil-filled heaters are very popular and normally perform well in big places, but if you're hoping for rapid heat, you should be aware that they take a bit longer to ignite.

Ceramic heaters are likewise regarded as safe, fast-heating solutions, although they are perfect for warming up smaller rooms.

Ultimately, fan heaters function by expelling heat to warm a place with hot air. They are often less expensive and available in a variety of sizes and designs.

2. What is the most affordable space heater?

As we've showed, the price of the finest space heaters may vary from $35 to $400, so there are alternatives for almost any budget.

In the end, though, the cost of operating your space heater is determined by its energy efficiency and its effect on your monthly power bills.

For example, space heaters with a thermostat, heat settings that enable you to modify the intensity of heat, and a timed function are often more energy efficient.

3. Are portable heaters cost-effective?

It depends on your requirements and your budget. Many residences contain rooms or even pockets of space that get less heat than others.

You could crank up the central heating, but doing so would increase your power cost and increase the danger of overheating in adjacent rooms.

In such a circumstance, it makes more sense to utilize a portable space heater to provide additional warmth. These little appliances may also be useful in locations that are draftier or where more heat is desired, such as the garage or bathroom.

A decent portable heater may be purchased for as little as $25, making it a gadget to at least consider purchasing if you have daytime chills.

4. Who would want to get a portable space heater?

A portable space heater is an excellent choice for those who tend to become chilly. These devices are often compact and may be placed on a table or beneath a desk to provide heat precisely where it is needed.

In addition, bigger space heaters may help warm up larger rooms, since some can heat up to 1,000 square feet. If you reside in an apartment complex or older structure with difficult-to-control heat, a portable space heater may be a useful addition to your central heating system.

Space heaters are available in a variety of sizes, heating outputs, and prices, making it simple to select one that meets your requirements.

The best space heater for fast heat can work well to heat one room or a small area, but it can be expensive to use many space heaters to heat several rooms. Some of the most modern heaters are as complicated and cover as much area as central heating systems.

By putting together the reviews above, BestForHomes (bestforhomes.org) found that the Vornado VHEAT strikes a good balance between price and heat, while the Lasko Compact Heater is a very cheap heater that can still heat a desk or a small part of a room.