16 best electric heaters to keep you warm when temperatures drop

Score: 93/100

This is one of Dyson’s simpler designs, which means there are no built-in air purifying features (it doubles as a fan though). This also makes it one of the more affordable picks from the premium brand. And as its score shows, it’s very effective, heating our room quickly on test.

There are 10 air strengths (across a standout range), going up to 37 degrees and projecting the air well on test when measured from further away. It's also quiet – at max, our experts recorded just 51 decibels, which is a similar volume to the hum of a fridge.

It used a fair bit of energy on that setting, which would cost you 47p for an hour. It’s lightweight to move, and intuitive to use though, so provided you’re not planning to run it on high for hours on end, it won't disappoint.

Score: 93/100

The best dedicated heater that we tested, this one is sleek and can be remotely controlled via your phone. Testers found the app easy to use, praising the quick connection and the fact that you can set routines.

The heater itself was also simple to set up and adjust via the on-board controls. And it excelled for its heat distribution and quiet operation. The stable design is on wheels and has handy indents which make it easy to reposition.

As for its efficiency, it was pretty good. In fact, we struggled to get an energy reading for it on its lower settings, it used that little electricity. It wasn’t until the heater hit 20 degrees that our monitors kicked in, recording 0.83kWh (20p). Its highest setting wasn’t too costly either.

Score: 91/100

With its compact design, this electric heater won’t look out of place in even the most stylish of homes. Testers found it intuitive to use and were astounded by how quiet it was, noting that you can barely hear it even on max.

It’s not the most powerful fan we tested, but this does mean its energy consumption is lower – costing 18p on its lowest setting for an hour. It still proved effective at heating our test room and would suit a home office well.

The instruction manual wasn’t the clearest, but you don’t really need it given the simple design. As a nice bonus, it features ioniser technology, which helps neutralise nasties in the air.

Score: 89/100

Whether you want to wheel it around or mount it on a wall, this is a smart, radiator-style heater. Testers praised its quiet design and Wi-Fi compatibility, which allows you to control it from your phone, even if you’re not directly nearby. You can even set a seven-day timer. Crucially, our experts found it distributed warmth well throughout the test room, too.

It is heavy if you’re moving it around, and testers would have liked a longer plug cable. It’s also a little fiddly to set up, but once started, it heats up in 14 minutes, so you don’t have to wait too long to feel the warmth. Its lowest temperature setting is economical, too. It also has a setting that detects if a window is open and automatically switches off.

Score: 88/100

If you’re after a heater that’s whisper-quiet, look no further. Even on its highest, testers only recorded 40 decibels. There are three settings, and it projected warmth well. But its maximum temperature (about 32 degrees) wasn’t as high as testers would want for heating larger spaces.

There’s no timer, but it has a thermostat that turns the heater on and off depending on the room temperature and chosen setting. This makes it a good pick for minimising energy consumption.

It’s relatively small and robust too, and while there was some minor assembly required on arrival, it’s very easy to use and comes with clear instructions. Its cable isn’t that long though, which may impact where it can go, depending on your plug sockets. But it does everything you'd need to heat small spaces.

Score: 86/100

Performing well on test, this radiator-lookalike is hard to fault. Our experts rated it highly for its sturdy design, complete with a neat cord storage system and a responsive control panel. Instructions are thorough, too.

It did a reliable job of heating our test room, keeping warmth levels consistently high. It's also the quietest heater we tested; on its highest setting it reached just 37.5 decibels – that’s barely louder than a whisper – so there’ll be no apologising to colleagues about your background noise on Zoom.

It’s heavier than many we reviewed, and you’ll need to wait until it's cooled to move it due to the positioning of its handles, but if portability isn’t top of your must-have list, it’s a reliable warmer.

Score: 85/100

Affordable, wheel-able, and quiet, is there a box this radiator-style heater doesn’t tick?! Our testers found it easy to attach the castors, and praised its stability when they knocked it. You can also store the cable neatly on board. It needs to be positioned a metre away from objects though, so keep that in mind if you’re buying it for a box room.

It used a fair whack of energy on its highest setting, but it distributed warmth impressively, heating up in a matter of seconds and using its built-in thermostat to keep the room at the right temperature. It didn’t reach particularly high temperatures though – testers recorded an average of 28 degrees. That's enough for a warmth boost, but not enough to cater to bigger spaces.

Score: 84/100

While this heater looks compact, it packs a real punch, heating up in just 38 seconds and then maintaining its heat well. The unique round shape means air is blown upwards, so wherever you place it in your room, it should still distribute heat evenly. This does mean that it can’t provide targeted warmth, so if you need a heater for cold feet, scroll on.

We found its instructions detailed and its controls intuitive, plus its accompanying app doubles as a remote. Our experts liked how it connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, offering added flexibility if you’re heating less connected spaces such as a garden shed.

It has a few dust traps, but it is quiet (although it continues to make a noise after it’s turned off, while it cools). The small yet stable design should store away easily come summer too, making it a savvy pick for smaller homes.

Score: 84/100

You may recognise this as one of our best tower fans, and it fared well as a heater too, which means it can keep you company year-round as the seasons change. Testers found it simple to set up and move from room to room, too.

Its air strength is fairly strong, but it wasn’t the cheapest to run when it came to energy consumption. It's quiet on its lowest setting, although unsurprisingly, it's more noticeable on high. Overall, it heated our test room nicely, so if it’s value for money you’re after, we suggest adding this one to your cart.

Score: 83/100

There aren’t many panel heaters on our list currently, but they look sleek – and this one is WiFi enabled, so you can control it via the Smart Life app on your phone, and even with Alexa. Our testers found it easy to connect and responsive to use – whether checking the room temperature or scheduling the heater.

While it doesn't consume as much energy as many, there wasn’t a lot of difference between its low and high settings; both measured just under two kilowatts for an hour’s use. It reached a higher temperature than many though – up to 35C – and testers found it projected the warmth quietly and effectively. They liked that you can set timers and mount it on the wall, too.

Note, though, when used as a freestanding heater, attaching the feet is a tad fiddly and the cable isn’t that long.

Score: 82/100

This is a cleverly designed fan; it uses AI to learn your usage habits and optimise your energy consumption accordingly. You'd need to use this for a while to see any benefits, but even in our testing, it wasn’t too much of an energy guzzler, using just shy of two kilowatts an hour on max. And it has app connectivity, so you can even schedule the fan from your phone should you wish.

It's also easy to set up, and quiet in use. The touch panel wasn’t always the quickest to respond, but it goes up to 37C. The temperature dropped noticeably as our testers moved further away though, making it better suited to keeping nearby (as close to you as is safe – most manufacturers will specify a set distance).

That said, it oscillates, which will suit if two of you want to feel its benefits. It’s a robust, quality pick.

Score: 82/100

If you like the sound of the Duux Threesixty, but you don’t want to splash out, this could be a good alternative. It doesn’t have the smart capabilities, but it has the same intuitive design and effective heating that we appreciate from the brand.

It’s small, robust and easy to move about. The touch screen controls were responsive, and it was very quiet. Plus, with four temperature settings (including a notably efficient eco mode) and a cooling function, it should prove adequately versatile. There’s no timer function, but as you’ll no doubt be keeping it close by (the cable is a good length too), switching it off manually shouldn’t prove a burden.

Score: 82/100

Another super-quiet heater, this radiator is a large, robust home addition. Because of its size, it takes nearly 15 minutes to warm up, but once in action, it offers reliable warmth. Wheels are a handy design feature, but you’ll need to wait until it’s cooled to move it safely as it doesn’t have a handle.

The accessibility of its controls is a mixed bag – the thermostat dial is simple to adjust, but the small ‘off’ switch is hard to activate. It has good cable storage though, and three temperature settings; its lowest wasn’t too costly at 24p for one hour. On balance, if you need a bigger heater, it’s a trusty choice.

Score: 81/100

This good-looking yet affordable heater is great if you need something portable, thanks to its compact design and well-placed carry handle. It still feels sturdy despite weighing a light 2.1kg, and there’s no assembly needed, so you can unbox it and warm up straight away. In fact, you’ll feel its heat within just 45 seconds of turning it on!

While it doesn’t have a timer, it does have technology to prevent overheating – it cuts off power if the heating element gets too hot. Our tester also liked how the design of its front vent allows you to vacuum away dust.

It’s not the most powerful heater, but this is to be expected for its price. Plus, it's fairly quiet and wasn't too expensive to run on test (28p for one hour on low). Position it relatively near to you and it should do an ample job.

Score: 79/100

This fan was mini but mighty on test; there’s a 12-hour timer, and it goes up to 30C, which isn't bad considering its stature. As it's a fan, it projected heat well too, but it was rather noisy, coming in between 55 and 60 decibels on all its settings. This shouldn’t be too irritating, but that’s definitely more noticeable than many others we've tried.

It has a lot of features to recommend it though; it’s sturdy, oscillates and doubles as a fan. A premium leather handle also makes it easy to move, and you can turn it on and off via an accompanying app. It wasn’t the most efficient, but you could set it to run for one-hour intervals to take the edge off, which should make a difference and keep costs lower.

Score: 77/100

It has a hefty price tag, but you can turn to this versatile Dyson year-round as it heats, cools and cleanses the air in your home. Because it’s a fan heater, it’s a pro at providing directional heat, so you can position it in front of you to feel the benefit quickly. It also scored full marks for the distance it projects air, so even if it’s not right by you, the warmth should still reach you. Its 10 speed settings and adjustable rotation give lots of scope for customisation too.

Typical of Dyson, it’s a premium appliance that’s thoughtfully designed, so it's effortless to use and intuitive (although we’d have liked a handle for moving it). It is, however, one of the noisier fans we've tested, ranging between 58 and 63 decibels – that's equivalent to rain on the window, so not disruptively loud, but noticeable. It looks sleek though, and for functionality, it can’t be beaten.