Best Space Heaters in 2023

Types of space heaters

Space heaters are available in different forms depending on their pricing, portability, and functionality. The following are the main types of space heaters.

• Infrared space heaters: An infrared space heater is a unit with a higher temperature that uses electromagnetic radiation to transmit energy to an object with a lower temperature. The peak wavelength of infrared radiation varies from 750nm to 1mm, depending on the temperature of the emitting substance. The transmission of energy requires no touch or intermediary between the two bodies. With their cool-to-the-touch exteriors, infrared heaters are suitable for use in homes with small children and pets. Although clearances are less of a concern than hot-coil heaters, you should clear the area around the heater. This clearing should be of any debris to allow heat to circulate easily throughout the space.
• Ceramic space heaters: As a consumer product, a ceramic heater is a space heater that produces heat using a ceramic heating element with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC). Ceramic heaters are similar to metal-element fan heaters in that they are often portable and are used to heat a room or small office. Ceramic space heaters are effective if you simply need to heat a few specific rooms rather than the entire house. In addition to being more energy-efficient for brief times, these portable heaters may benefit a warm-up space while you get ready for work in the morning. The greatest energy will be saved when you employ these heaters as an additional heat source.
• Fan space heaters: A blow heater, also known as a fan heater, generates heat by passing air over a heat source, such as a heating element. This warms the air, exiting the heater and the space around it. Although they produce audible noise like any fan, the heaters may heat an enclosed area more quickly than a heater without a fan.
• Oil-filled space heaters: An oil heater, commonly referred to as an oil-filled radiator, is a typical airflow heater used for home heating. It is heated electrically, not by burning any fuel, even though it is filled with oil; oil is used as a heat reservoir, not as a fuel. Space heaters that use oil use less power. They are effective in saving energy. Even if you turn off the heater, the room will remain warm since oil is employed as a heat reservoir. The greatest option near newborns is a space heater since it doesn’t burn oxygen or lower humidity. They are healthy solutions in this regard because they won’t result in suffocation, dry eyes, or skin rashes.
• Panel space heaters: A recent technology, panel space heaters function similarly to oil-filled heaters. They operate by allowing heated air to escape the apparatus. A panel space heater with an integrated stand can be wall-mounted or placed on the floor. In addition to raising the temperature in the room, the panel heater will start to distribute heat to any chilly areas. For well-insulated rooms, including small to medium-sized spaces, panel heaters may be the best option. It is possible to keep the air within the room warm by applying a panel heater in areas with adequate insulation. In big rooms, these heaters are much less efficient.
• Propane space heaters: Propane space heaters do not utilize electricity as a power source. Instead, it runs on liquid propane (LP), which is used to power it. The most portable space heaters you can purchase are propane models since they burn fuel. They are not constrained by a power cable and may continue to function even if the electricity in your house is out. Propane heaters come in two varieties: indoor and outdoor. Indoor variants are made to be secure for usage inside. An indoor model is the best option if you want a warm and secure experience. Otherwise, your propane heater should only be used outside with good ventilation and carbon monoxide detectors.

Space heaters vs. central heating

When choosing the ideal heater for your requirements, there are several various ways to heat your house and several selections you must make. If you require central or space heating, you must decide which is most appropriate. You can guarantee that you are getting the right amount of heating and not spending excessive money. This is where you don’t need to evaluate your heating demands properly.

The most common kind of heating is a central heating system, which is used to heat every room in your house. Heating oil, coal, or wood are less often used for central heating in specific locations and are typically powered by electricity or gas. Around 70% of the fuel energy from coal or natural gas used to generate that power is lost by turning it into electricity. Much more might be lost during the transportation to your home.

The whole-house method of central heating requires a lot of labor and installation expenses. This is often controllable so that it just warms the critical areas of the home. Most often, automated heating systems are linked to intelligent central heating systems. A multi-zone heating strategy is provided via central heating. The “heater” piece of the system is often situated in a central area (such as a garage or a closet). In the case of central hydronic heating, it distributes heat throughout your house using a network of ducts such as warm air, steam, or water.

Aluminum panels are used in the floor, walls, or space ceilings to provide direct transfer radiant heating. It may be run on a heat source that uses solar energy, a heat pump, or a boiler. The most common heating, also a relatively recent invention, is floor heating. This method is marketed more effectively than forced-air systems and indoor air quality.

Portable space heaters are compact heating appliances that use the same energy but don’t have transfer ducts. These heaters could need to use a combustion mechanism or only electricity. The most economical electric heater makes use of radiant heat. Here, the device releases infrared radiation and is aimed at nearby objects. The need to adjust the central thermostat disappears if you have guests sitting at the dinner table. This can also be the case if you have no plans to move around in your room.

Space heaters typically consist of a single, self-contained machine that connects to a power connection or gas tap and releases heat to warm a specific part of the room rather than heating the entire house. Convection heaters, radiant bar heaters, and oil-filled column heaters are a few types of space heaters. Space heaters, especially electric ones, are well adapted for delivering heat in small spaces for brief periods since they often produce heat extremely rapidly.

Keeping warm requires more than just heating your home directly. Insulation is a crucial consideration no matter what kind of heating you use. Your home’s energy consumption may be reduced by more than 20% with proper insulation, allowing you to stay much warmer for a lot less money. Seal and insulate ducts and gaps in your basement, garage, and attic areas.

When heating the same amount of area, central heating is more effective than a space heater. However, if anything is wrong with your system and you can’t afford to replace it, a space heater may help you avoid expensive repairs. According to the Energy Department, using electric space heaters to heat a full house will cost 43% more than using a gas furnace. Using a space heater in your bedroom when you sleep is sensible since it won’t put much of a dent in your power costs.

You must thoroughly consider your heating needs before deciding between central heating and space heating: How many rooms are you attempting to heat? How often and how chilly does it get? What budget do you have in mind? Space heaters cannot keep your home as warm as central heaters, which are often far more expensive to buy, install, and maintain. That is not to suggest, however, that central heating is always more expensive; in a well-insulated and constructed home, central heating may be less expensive than space heating.

Which type of space heater best suits me?

Consider where you will use the heater and which kind is appropriate for the cold regions in your house before you buy a space heater. Radiant heaters are perfect if you need to warm up a space rapidly. On the other hand, a convection heater is preferable if you want to heat a whole room in your house. Combo heaters are difficult to beat if you’re searching for a heater that can withstand regular usage and damage. Choose the option meeting your requirements depending on the size of your rooms and the anticipated frequency of usage.

Below are factors to consider before buying a new space heater:

• Safety measures: Safety is one of the main considerations when selecting a room heater since you’ll be working with electricity and heat. The body surface of the room heater must be cool to the touch and shockproof. It must also have additional cutting-edge safety features like overheating prevention and an automated switch-off mechanism when the internal components become too hot.
• Noise: Noise pollution requires attention, just as other types of pollution do. Room heaters are no different from other electrical equipment in that they all make noise when operating. Some people make more noise than others, and the din may be upsetting. Therefore, be careful to get a room heater with little or no sound.
• Energy efficiency: You do not desire a warm area at the expense of high power costs. The energy efficiency of room heaters must thus be compared before purchase. A common degree of efficiency, like the EER rating, is lacking in most room heaters. Adjustable thermostats that may reduce power usage and save you from paying exorbitant electricity bills should be an issue of concern.
• Type of space heater: The sort of room heater you need should be your priority. Convection, radiant, and fan-forced room heaters are the three most common varieties on the market. Radiant room heaters quickly heat tiny rooms, whereas conventional room heaters offer whole-room warmth.
• Heating ability: The size of the area you wish to heat should be taken into consideration when selecting a heater. A room heater, for instance, heats a space’s square foot with 10 watts of heating output. This implies that if you need to heat a room that is 150 square feet in size, you need a room heater with a 1,500-watt heating capability.

Space heater pricing

Basic electric convection space heaters range in price from $25 to $65 for models with a metal-coil element, while bigger ones with extra features like remote control and an automated tip sensor may cost up to $70 to $250. Small electric ceramic convection warmers for tables cost $30 to $50, while more expensive models cost $60 to $150. Electricity first warms a ceramic plate in a ceramic space heater. Aluminum baffles absorb the heat, and a fan propels the heated air into the area. Ceramic space heaters rapidly produce warmth, but their components are kept relatively chilly to the touch as a safety measure.

Electric heaters with radiant quartz or halogen surfaces cost $50 to $170. Instead of heating a whole room, they work best when heating a small region. It costs between $50 and $110 for an oil-filled electric radiator heater that resembles the vintage radiators seen in many older buildings. It is electrically driven and continuously filled with oil in a closed system, never needing replacement. Oil-filled heaters provide consistent heat across the whole space.

A 1-gallon propane tank can heat a house for almost six hours, and propane heaters, which vary in price from $80-$250, are useful during power outages. Although kerosene heaters may range in price from $130 to $500, they are no longer as popular as they once were. This is because of safety concerns.