Best Space Heater for 2023
Electric space heaters heat fast, create custom comfort zones and can save money on your energy bill. Our list includes today's best models to buy ahead of winter.
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It's fall, which means we're officially getting into cozy weather season. As it begins to get cooler, you might want to invest in a good space heater. Sure, it may be a little early, but winter is just around the corner, so why not start preparing now? During the colder months, these budget-friendly hot boxes don't just prevent frozen feet, the best space heaters can also save you serious money on your energy bill by lowering your dependence on heavy furnace use. They also give you ambient heat in any room you're actually occupying, without wasting energy.
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If you're someone who shares a home with a cold-tolerant person, a quality space heater can also help create your own personal comfort zone without threatening your significant other with hot flashes. If cold feet are specifically what you're trying to avoid, a space heater can ensure you never have to get out of the bed or shower without a toasty landing pad.
Space heaters come in several varieties, with the easiest being electric models that simply plug into the wall and start delivering heat via a number of various mechanisms. And if you're wondering whether space heaters are safe to use, the answer is yes, if you use them properly. However, there is some risk of fire, so we encourage you to read this space heater safety guide before you plug one in. Below, we've rounded up the best space heater models for 2023 for all your ambient heat needs.
Read more: Ready to Pull Out Your Space Heater? Here's How Much It'll Cost You
Best space heaters
Vornado's models topped just about every best list out there where space heaters are concerned, so you can't go wrong with a variety of Vornado products, no matter your space or heat needs this season, with the VH2 being its most consistently singled-out performer. This whole-room space heater circulates heated air throughout a medium-size room, like a furnace in miniature, maintaining a consistent temperature without a significant space requirement. It is reported to be among the quietest models available, with several users remarking that it was quiet enough to sleep with while operating. Its plastic exterior stays comparatively cool to the touch, making it among the safest bets for households with pets and children. Vornado also offers a 5-year support term, making it easy to address technical issues should any arise.
Product details:
- Size: 9.5 by 11.8 by 11.9 in. (DWH)
- Heat element: Forced air
- Additional features: Tip-over protection, 2 settings, adjustable thermostat
Best budget space heater
Lasko Ceramic Heater 754200
At a fraction of the space imprint of the Vornado model above, and about a third of the cost, Lasko's Ceramic Heater 754200 is an excellent starting place if you're still in a trial mindset where a space heater is concerned. Lasko also had a preponderance of mentions for several models among review sites. Its compact size is better suited to smaller spaces such as small bedrooms or home offices, or even desktop or counter use rather than an entire room. If you live with a perpetually warm person, as mentioned above, this may be an ideal model for creating different heat zones within the same room. Otherwise, users report that it warms up quickly and reliably -- ideal for helping you get out of bed on a chilly morning -- and its lightweight nature makes it especially easy to move around the house with you as your additional heat needs dictate.
Product details:
- Size: 6 by 3.7 by 9.2 in. (DWH)
- Heat element: Ceramic
- Additional features: Overheat protection, 3 settings including fan-only, adjustable thermostat
Best space heater for bedrooms
Honeywell HHF360V
While the previous two models were the most singled-out among product testing sites, this Honeywell model had one of the highest user ratings on retailers' sites. The feature here that significantly sets it apart from every other model is its 360 degrees of air circulation, relying on top and bottom vents to pull in air, in order to circulate warm air around its circumference. Several users mentioned that because of its multidirectional airflow, it made it especially useful for bedroom use to create ambient warmth in a medium-size space without an intense, one-directional flow.
Product features:
- Size: 8 by 8 by 11.5 in. (DWH)
- Heat element: Forced air
- Additional features: Overheat and tip-over protection, 2 settings, adjustable thermostat
Best dual heater and air purifier
Dyson HP01 Pure Hot + Cool
While several space heaters here have a fan-only option for cooling during the warmer months, Dyson offers one of the few models that not only has both of these features but works as a HEPA air purifier as well. Dyson's products typically demand a higher price, and this is no exception, but it is perhaps worth it, given its one-and-done functionality and sleek design. This dual model had the highest user satisfaction rating among retailer sites, with many people pointing out that it was especially ideal for allergy sufferers, as well as lauding its year-round utility.
Product design:
- Size: 6 by 8.7 by 24.9 in. (DWH)
- Heat element: Oscillating forced air
- Additional features: Tip-over protection, HEPA air purifier, sleep timer, 10 settings
Best space heater for large spaces
DeLonghi Ceramic Tower Heater
Tower-style space heaters, and especially those that oscillate like this DeLonghi Ceramic Tower Heater model, are some of the best options for heating a large space such as a larger bedroom or living room. Their radiant heat is capable of reaching more space both vertically and horizontally because of its size and functionality. This model also had one of the highest user ratings among retail sites, with many users mentioning how quiet it ran, and singling out the utility of the remote control and digital display, which is a less-common feature among the space heaters I researched. Several also commented how this space heater felt like it was capable of heating the whole room, rather than just delivering heat to its immediate surroundings.
Product details:
- Size: 7.5 by 8.7 by 23.6 in. (DWH)
- Heat element: Ceramic
- Additional features: ECO Energy Saving Mode, remote control, timer, overheat and tip-over protection
Best designed space heater
Vornado VHeat Vintage Metal Heater
Good news for those with mid-century decor who can't bear the thought of an industrial appliance interrupting their curated look. Vornado's VHeat Vintage Metal Heater manages to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional, called out by basically every review site I considered. Again, Vornado's products overall tended to top the lists of best space heaters, and this model is more than just attractive, functioning accordingly, with users reporting it delivered sufficient heat to a small space on both its low and high settings.
Product details:
- Size: 13.7 by 11 by 8.7 in. (HWD)
- Heat element: Forced air
- Additional features: Tip-over protection and safety shut off
Best space heater for bathrooms
Dreo DR-HSH004A
Of all the rooms in your house, none are as disappointing when overly chilly as your bathroom. Who wants to get out of a hot shower on a cold day and be greeted with the rude awakening of arctic air on wet skin? You can't put just any space heater in the bathroom, however, which adds additional safety considerations because of the moisture element. Among those that are specifically designed to be bathroom-safe, this Dreo model was the clear winner, not to mention Amazon's best seller in space heaters overall because of its versatility and price. The Dreo DR-HSH004A is equipped with a special safety plug that cuts the power immediately upon contact with water, and its small footprint makes it ideal for one of the smallest rooms in your house with the biggest heat needs.
Product details:
- Size: 10.3 by 6.7 by 5.5 in. (HWD)
- Heat element: Forced air and convection
- Additional features: Eco mode, tip-over and overheat protection, ALCI safety plug, remote control
How we tested space heaters
Our list of space heaters was aggregated from numerous review sites for those models that were most frequently mentioned, as well as best-selling models at major retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond. I researched the space heaters in this list by analyzing specs and user reviews, diving deep for mentions of persistent issues, and considering the available features and functionality compared to price as a measure of each model's overall value. I focused primarily on those models that had extremely high user ratings, typically 4.5 and above with at least 1,000 ratings.
While I didn't bring every model home and perform extensive hands-on testing, I was able to examine most models in person to get a feel for the design, footprint and intuitiveness of its controls.
Space heaters compared
| Vornado VH2 | Lasko Ceramic 754200 | Honeywell HHF360V | Dyson HP01 | DeLonghi Tower | Vornado VHEAT Vintage | Dreo DR-HSH004A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Settings | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Heat element | Forced air | Ceramic | Forced air | Forced air, oscillating | Ceramic, oscillating | Forced air | Forced air, oscillating |
| Adjustable thermostat | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| Tip-over protection | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Overheat protection | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| Additional features | None | None | None | Sleep timer, HEPA Air Purifier | Timer, remote control, ECO mode | Adjustable head | Remote control, safety plug, ECO mode |
| Dimensions, (DxWxH, inches) | 9.5 x 11.8 x 11.9 | 6 x 3.7x 9.2 | 8 x 8 x 11.5 | 6 x 8.7 x 24.9 | 7.5 x 8.7 x 23.6 | 13.7 x 11 x 8.7 | 10.3 x 6.7 x 5.5 |
| Energy draw | 750W/1,500W | 900W/1,500W | 1,500W | Not available | 1,500W | 750W/1,500W | 900W/1,000W/1500W |
| Price | $90 | $38 | $35 | $525 | $110 | $160 | $50 |
Space heater buying advice
Space heaters come in all shapes and sizes and use different elements to heat a room. We're here to help you find the perfect fit for winter.
Space heater price
Most electric space heaters that operate solely in that function, (and not as a dual air purifier, for instance,) are priced below $150, with many models on this list costing less than $100. Several smaller, well-regarded budget models may even run you less than $50. The size of the unit, additional features, number of settings and heating element all contribute to the overall cost of a space heater.
Space heater size
There are no standard sizes or shapes for electric space heaters, and most of the space heaters I researched did not specify the square footage for coverage, other than to mention its capacity to heat a "small to medium" space or to specify room types such as a bedroom or office. Space heaters may be indicated as tabletop, floor, or bathroom models, and many also come as tall but narrow "tower" models, which may or may not oscillate, that have a smaller footprint and therefore a smaller horizontal space requirement.
Types of space heaters
While this list consists only of electric space heaters, (as opposed to water- or oil-heated models,) there are several different mechanisms that electric space heaters may utilize to create heated air.
Fan-forced: Fan-forced space heaters circulate air by pulling it into the unit, and passing it over a heating element, typically metal coils, expelling the heated air through exhaust vents in the unit.
Infrared: Infrared bulbs are those which convert electricity into radiant heat. This is the least common type among the space heaters we included here, but no less effective.
Ceramic: Ceramic space heaters utilize electricity to heat a ceramic plate within the unit, which then emits radiant heat into the air, with or without the additional use of a fan.