Best electric heaters 2026: our expert picks for staying warm

Electric fan heaters are typically light, portable, easy to set up and handy for fast heating.

We've tested electric fan heaters from Argos, DeLonghi, Dimplex, Dyson, Russell Hobbs and more.

We identified which heat a medium-sized room quickly, and the cheapest electric fan heaters to run based on their hourly cost. 

Two heaters impressed us enough to be named Which? Best Buys.

The electric heaters we tested

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Bush 2kW Digi Oscilating Tower Fan Heater (4844808)

Available from Argos (£55)

Size and weight 44.2 x 19.6 x 19.6cm (HxWxD); 2.35kg

Need to know Two power settings, cold air setting, oscillates, 175cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (8 hours), remote control

DeLonghi Bend Line 2kW Oscilating Tower Ceramic Heater HFX65V20

Size and weight 61.2 x 18.2 x 22.6cm (HxWxD); 3.05kg

Need to know Two power settings, cold air setting, oscillates, 110cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (12 hours), remote control

Dimplex Studio G DXSTG25 Ceramic Tower Heater

Size and weight 82.5 x 26.3 x 26.3cm (HxWxD); 4.1kg

Need to know Two power settings, oscillates, 167cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (12 hours), remote control

Dreo Electric Heater DR-HSH006

Size and weight 24.5 x 15.3 x 15.3cm (HxWxD); 1.38kg

Need to know Three power settings, cold air setting, 180cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (12 hours), child lock, remote control

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP1 Purifying Fan Heater

Size and weight 77 x 20.5 x 13.1cm (HxWxD); 5.26kg

Need to know 10 power settings, smart compatible (MyDyson app) cold air setting, oscillates, air purification function, 180cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (24 hours), remote control

Not sure you want a fan heater? Take a look at the best convector heaters, best oil filled radiators and best halogen heaters from our tests

Handy Heater Instant Heat 1200 W Hot & Cool Ceramic Fan Heater

Size and weight 14.5 x 15.4 x 14.5cm (HxWxD); 0.95kg

Need to know Two power settings, cold air setting, 180cm cable

John Lewis Tall Tower Fan Heater

Size and weight 85.5 x 32 x 20.3cm (HxWxD); 6.7kg

Need to know Two power settings, oscillates, 150cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (24 hour), remote control, child lock

Philips 5000 Series Smart Tower Ceramic Heater CX5120/11

Size and weight 58 x 19.6 x 21.2cm (HxWxD); 2.4kg

Need to know One power setting, smart compatible (Philips Air+ app), oscillates, 150cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (12 hours), remote control, lip handle at back

Pro Breeze 2000W Mini Ceramic Fan Heater (PB-H12-UK)

Size and weight 23.1 x 16.4 x 12.3cm (HxWxD); 2.09kg

Need to know Two power settings, cold air setting, 150cm cable 

Russell Hobbs RHCH2001G Ceramic Fan Heater

Size and weight 25.2 x 17 x 13cm (HxWxD); 1.5kg

Need to know Two power settings, oscillates, fan only mode, 200cm cable, digital display, programmable timer (24 hours), remote control

How we test electric heaters

Our testing programme for electric heaters comprises the following tests:

Heating speed and evenness

• We set up each heater in the centre of our test room and monitor how much the room temperature changes over the course of half an hour using temperature probes, measuring how quickly and evenly each heater increases the temperature of the room.

Ease of use and noise levels

• We assess how easily each electric heater can be set up and how straightforward the controls and settings are to use.
• We use a decibel meter to measure how much noise each one makes while running.

Energy use

• We calculate how much it will cost to run each heater for an hour to help you avoid surprises when your electricity bill comes in.

We regularly revisit the electric heaters on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

Beware these unsafe electric heaters

We've discovered several cheap electric heaters being sold by sellers on TikTok and Temu that have serious safety risks.

To see those we identified as dangerous heaters you should avoid, read our full story; electric heaters sold on TikTok and Temu could explode, cause electric shocks or start a fire. 

We've also found electric heaters sold by online marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay and Wish, that could cause burns, fires or electric shocks. Unfortunately we keep seeing the same unsafe heaters being sold to this day.

Read our full story on illegal and dangerous plug-in mini heaters for sale on online marketplaces to see those we identified as having serious safety risks.

As long as you use them according to their instructions, most electric heaters should be safe, especially if they come from a reputable brand.

Nearly all have some kind of carry handle for moving about, and many have a safety cut-out feature, which will switch off the heater if it gets dangerously hot.

Some also have a 'tip-over shut-off' safety feature which turns the heater off if it gets knocked over.

Tips to help you use yours safely:

• Never place anything on, or cover up, a portable heater as it hugely increases the fire risk.
• Never leave it unattended or go to sleep with it running.
• Avoid touching the body of the heater, especially after it's been recently used.

However, be wary of unbranded electric heaters, and unbranded electronics in general. Our investigations often find that these products, commonly found on online marketplaces, can pose a risk of electric shock, fire or explosion. Find out more: why you should avoid unbranded electronics on online marketplaces.

Are electric heaters expensive to run?

Portable electric heaters use electricity, which costs 25.73p/kWh under the current energy price cap (in force from 1 July 2025). Depending on how effective the heater is, it typically takes 30 minutes to an hour to notably raise the temperature of a medium-sized room.

So if you're only planning on using a heater until the room gets up to temperature, it will cost you between 23p and 46p on average.

In our tests, we set every heater to run at full blast so you can see the maximum amount it costs to heat our medium-sized test room.

But if you have your heater's thermostat set to a desired temperature, the heater will toggle on and off once it reaches that temperature. So it won't operate continuously, and therefore won't cost you as much to run.

Find out where you can make energy efficient changes to your own home with our free Home Energy Planning Service

Are electric heaters cheaper to use than central heating?

Pinning down an exact comparison of how much central heating and electric heaters cost to run is nigh-on impossible. The factors below are just some of the variables that play a part:

• the size of the room(s) you're heating
• how well insulated the room(s) are
• what setting you have your thermostat(s) on
• what times of day you have the heating on.

Under current energy prices, the electric heaters we've tested can cost anything from 8p to 80p per hour to run on full blast. So the answer to whether electric heaters are expensive to run is that it really depends on which one you buy.

A smart meter is the only way to compare costs with confidence. The only way you can confidently compare a heater to your central heating is to install a smart meter. You then divide your weekly heating cost by the number of hours you have it switched on and compare that figure to the cost of running your heater.

Electric heaters heat a much smaller area. Although the comparison might make it look as though your electric heater is cheaper to run, it will only be heating one room, whereas your central heating will be aiming to heat your whole home. A heater in each room would definitely end up costing much more.

Central heating will give a more stable temperature. Central heating is much more effective at maintaining a stable temperature over a longer period, whereas the heat from an electric heater will soon dissipate if the rest of your home is cold.

Electric heaters are cheaper for a short-term blast in a small area. However, over the course of a full day you're probably better off sticking to central heating.

Keen to optimise home heating? See our advice on boiler controls and thermostats, smart meters and loft insulation

Electric heater features to look for

• LED screen This displays the current temperature and power settings
• Remote control Allows you to change the heater's settings from across the room
• Programmable timer Useful for setting a heater to turn on just before you get home or wake up, so there's no waiting around for it to warm up.
• Frost protection The heater can be set to heat automatically when the temperature drops below 5°C, but you'll need to have it on standby for it to run.
• Cold air setting Some fan heaters can help to cool you down, too. They're not nearly as effective as a dedicated air conditioner, but a light breeze of cold air is better than nothing.
• Adjustable thermostat This will heat the room and, when the desired temperature is reached, try to maintain it. Most of the cheaper, simpler heaters we tested have a dial thermostat that doesn't let you choose specific temperatures in °C. You'll likely need to buy a more expensive model for that. Our tests also found that they're rarely 100% accurate.
• Smart features Some are wi-fi or Bluetooth-enabled and can be controlled using smartphone apps. This can be handy for easy timer scheduling, thermostat adjustment or voice commands – but you'll need to ensure you keep on top of downloading the latest updates to avoid any privacy or security risks.