A small space heater that is commercially manufactured and UL approved is built to operate safely when used as intended. Safety is a top consideration when choosing the right small space heater for your application. The Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that each year about 28,000 house fires can be linked to the use of a small space heater resulting in about 300 annual deaths. This does not mean that a small space heater is dangerous, it only means that a person should use caution and common sense when utilizing a small space heater to provide additional comfort for you and your family.
There are 4 main types of small space heaters available on the market today and they include:
- Small Electric Space Heater
- Small Propane Space Heater
- Small Kerosene Space Heater
- Oil Filled Radiator Heater
Which Small Space Heater is Right For You?
There are several things you should consider when choosing the best space heater for your needs. The most commonly used small space heaters on the market today are electric space heaters. They are available in several popular styles including ceramic space heaters, Quartz heaters, Infrared Heater, forced air space heater, and oil filled electric radiator heaters. While all are very effective the one considered by most to be the safest and most economical to operate is the oil filled electric radiator heater. Most of the small electric space heaters commercially available today come equipped with standard safety features including an automatic shut off when the heater is tipped over, a thermostat that allows you to regulate the heat, a safety switch that automatically shuts off the heater if it overheats or becomes too hot, and a heavy-duty electrical cord with a grounded plug.
Small propane space heaters and natural gas space heaters are another small space heater used by many consumers. These small space heaters are similar in design to the electric space heaters except their heating source comes from either propane or natural gas. They are available styles that include the radiant heater and forced air heaters just to name a few. Some people prefer this form of space heater because they are effective and very economical to operate. These space heaters are also available in larger sizes and can be utilized to heat most, if not, your entire home.
The other form is a small kerosene space heater. Because of the fumes put off by this category of small space heater they are typically used in outdoor applications. This style of space heater is ideal for heating your patio, workshop, garage, or your backyard deck. Some of the larger models are even used to provide heat for outdoor restaurants and some sidewalk cafés.
Whichever model of small space heater you choose remembers it is important to follow the manufacturer’s directions. Take the time to read the manual and obey all safety guidelines. If you do this, you will find that a small space heater is a safe and satisfying choice for maintaining a warm comfortable environment for you and your family.
Best Personal Space Heaters for Home or Office
1. Lasko 100 MyHeat Personal Ceramic Heater Review
Compact size is perfect for warming up a chilly office cube or placing on a table next to your favorite chair at home. Uses 200 watts of safe ceramic heat costing only 2½¢ per hour to operate. Sturdy enclosure and overheat protection.
- Measures: 3.8″ x 4.3″ x 6.1″
- Available in Black, Blue, Purple, Orange, and Red.
2. Toasty Toes Ergonomic Heated Footrest Review
If your feet are warm so is the rest of you. The 90-watt ETL-listed ergonomic footrest delivers gentle radiant heat from 3 different positions; footrest, heated floor mat, or vertical heated panel. Costs 1½¢ per hour to run.
Never too hot to touch, safety switch prevents overheating.
- Measures 12″ x 18″ x 5″
- 1-year limited warranty.
Best Small Room Heaters – Office Cube Heaters
1. Sunpentown SPT SH-1507 Mini-Tower Ceramic Heater Review
“Great little heater” is how reviewers describe this 13 3/4″ tall space saving portable heater. Perfect for the bathroom, countertops, office cubes, or small rooms.
Two energy saving settings of 600 & 1200 watts cost 7¢ and 14¢ per hour to operate.
Carry handle, cool to the touch exterior, overheat and tip over protection, washable filter and fan only function.
- 1-year limited warranty.
2. Stanley 675945 12-Inch Ceramic Utility Heater Review
Now there’s a handle! This 1500-watt portable ceramic utility heater is great for heating open areas like the basement, garage, or workroom.
Three quiet settings: low for reduced noise and energy consumption, high for faster heating, or fan-only mode for air circulation only.
Overheat protection and adjustable thermostat to maintain set comfort level. ETL-listed.
3. Lasko CD09250 Portable Ceramic Heater with Adjustable Thermostat Review
Judging by the number of reviews (3,780 and counting) this compact ceramic heater is probably one of the best selling electric space heaters of all time.
For around $25 this 10″ tall compact heater delivers the same 1500 watts as full size heaters plus a 900 watt low heat setting and a fan only option for year round use. Automatic overheat protection for safety; convenient carrying handle and a 3 year warranty.
Best Whole Room Compact Heaters
Full power 1,500-watt heaters housed in space-saving enclosures.
1. Comfort Glow BDISC6 Ceramic Disc Heater Review
It’s hard to find an owner of the Comfort Glow BDISC6 Ceramic Disc Heater that isn’t impressed with the heat output from this compact heater. Many owners report 10 years or more of service without missing a beat.
- Uses (4) 100% ceramic discs for efficient performance.
- Also includes thermostatic controls, washable filter, and a 3-year limited warranty.
2. Crane Mini Fireplace Heater Review
The only thing missing is a glass (bottle) of wine. The hypnotic flame display and glowing ember bed work with or without heat for year round enjoyment.
Highly rated by Amazon customers and Consumer Reports, the Crane Mini Fireplace Heater offers the same heat output and features of the Dimplex Mini Cube for $100 less!
- 2 heat settings (750/1,500 watts) for small & large rooms.
- Tip-over safety shut off.
- Available in Orange, Red or White
3. Lasko 5367M Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater Review
You’ll be calling this powerful compact heater “Old Faithful” because it gets the job done year after year.
The perfect heater for bedrooms and RVs. Sweeping side to side motion distributes the heat quickly – quietly – evenly.
Adjustable comfort control thermostat. Fan only setting for year round use. Overheat protection with auto shut-off.
- Rated 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.
- 3-year limited warranty.
Best Oil Filled Space Heaters
The heat retention properties of oil make the radiator type heater one of the most energy efficient in use today. Radiator heaters are also among the safest. So much so, many universities prohibit the use of any other type of portable heater in their dormitories.
1. Delonghi TRH0715 SafeHeat Oil Filled Radiator Review
This oil filled heater is safe, clean and quiet and is effective for heating rooms up to 200 sq ft.
Heat radiates through vertical thermal tunnels while keeping the hot elements enclosed and away from little hands and pets.
Three heat levels – 600, 900 and 1,500 watts – plus 24 hour programmable thermostat for added convenience and energy efficiency. Over-heat and tip over protection.
2. DeLonghi TRN0812T Compact Radiator Heater Review
Child and pet safe, this compact DeLonghi is equipped with a GFI (ground fault interrupter) plug to prevent electric shocks making it suitable for bathroom use.
Energy-saving timer with 96 settings allows you to heat rooms for any desired amount of time and different time periods throughout the day and night.
Best suited for smaller rooms 100 – 150 sq ft. 1 year warranty
Best Whole Room Ceramic and Convection Heaters With Fans
A space heater with a fan will heat any room 3 X’s faster than one without and distribute the heat to a larger area.
1. Lasko 6462 Full Circle Ceramic Heater with Remote Control Review
Value priced and highly rated by hundreds of Amazon customers and Consumer Reports for superior heat distribution and quiet operation.
Three oscillation (sweep) settings allow you to locate the heater for maximum heat distribution.
- 90 ° Small rooms
- 170° Long rooms – place against the wall in the middle of the room
- 360° Large rooms – place in the center of a room
Offers HI/Lo heat settings or thermostatic control ETL Listed (The ETL mark is an alternative to the CSA and UL marks.)
2. Lasko 758000 Cyclonic Ceramic Heater Review
Effective for heating finished basements and open, connected areas like living rooms, kitchens and hallways.
The contemporary look works well with modern interiors and the space saving design allows placement against a wall.
Easy to use controls include an adjustable thermostat with 7-hour timer. 3 year warranty. Also in Black.
3. Vornado PVH Panel Vortex Whole Room Heater Review
The PVH Panel Heater does everything the more expensive Vornado models do for around half the price.
The secret to harnessing Vornado’s vortex of heat is to locate the heater at one end of the room with a clear path to the opposite wall.
When the air hits the opposing wall it splits and is deflected back around the perimeter of the room to heat every square inch of space.
Features include cool to the touch enclosure, high (1500W) and low (750W) heat settings, whisper-quiet operation and tip over protection.
Exceptional Warranty: 5 years parts and labor
Best Quiet Whole Room Heaters Without Fans
When people complain about noisy space heaters they’re really talking about the fan. Get rid of the fan – get rid of the noise. It’s that simple.
1. DeLonghi Mica Panel Heater Review – Floor or Wall Mount
The DeLonghi model HMP combines the safety of an oil filled heater with mica panels for instant heating, noise-free operation and safe to the touch heating surfaces great for kids and pets.
This slimline heater fits anywhere and can even be mounted on the wall with included hardware.
Adjustable thermostat with two heat settings of 750 and 1500 watts. Safety overheats and tip over protection. Convenient carry handle & casters included
- Best Value – Highest Rated Micathermic Heater
2. Bionaire BH3950-U Console Micathermic Heater Review
The Bionaire Console heater offers the largest heating area of all micathermic heaters. Verified owners of this heater state that it quietly heats just over 200 sq. ft.
Additional features include:
- 2 heat settings: 1500/1000 watts
- Adjustable thermostat
- Automatic shut-off if overheating or tip over occurs
- Large carry handle
- Easy glide wheels
- Backed by a generous 5-year warranty
3. Lasko 5624 Low Profile Silent Room Heater Review
If noise is an issue, the Lasko 5624 low profile ceramic baseboard heater will warm your room quickly and quietly with natural convection heating.
Easy to set digital display with thermostat and timer. Full power 1,500-watt heater warms 100 – 300 sq. ft.
Lightweight and portable with two carry handles allow you to easily add extra heat to any room in your home.
Built-in safety features include Tip-Over Safety Switch and Automatic
Overheat Protection. 3-Year Limited Warranty, E.T.L. listed.
Dimensions: 39.75″L x 5.5″W x 9″H
Best Value Quartz Infrared Heater
1. Dr Heater Portable Quartz Infrared Heater Review
The #1 best selling infrared heater at Amazon 5 years running! If you want soothing, head to toe infrared heat for large areas – but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars – the Dr. Heater is the sensible choice.
Real wood encloses a 1,500 watt dual heating system that combines quartz and PTC ceramic technology for instant, quiet, non-drying heat.
Listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Safe around kids and pets with no exposed heating elements. Overheat cut off and tip over protection I own one and would recommend it to anyone
What’s to like:
- Infrared heat If you’ve never experienced it you have to give it a try to find out what everybody is talking about.
- The Lifesmart electric Fireplace is fun to watch! Add a little extra something to any room in your home and enjoy the flame display year round with or without heat
- Portable Easily rolls from room to room to provide extra heat wherever you need it.
- Also includes digital thermostat, 2 heat settings and remote control.
Common complaints:
Noise Every space heater ever made has at least one noise complaint. If you’re hyper-sensitive to sound I would suggest buying a heater without a fan.
Won’t heat 1,000 sq ft as advertised Of course it won’t, it’s only a 1,500 watt heater and I wish the manufacturers of quartz heaters would stop making this claim. Realistically, the Lifesmart infrared fireplace should heat up to 400 sq ft – which is still a large space.
Best Value Compact Electric Stove
1. Dimplex CS33116A Compact Electric Stove Review
Similar to an electric fireplace, the compact electric stove is a radiant, fan assisted space heater installed in a decorative housing.
The most popular model by far with consumers is the quality built Dimplex CS33116A compact electric stove.
This portable compact unit has a simulated 3D fire within the chamber to deliver the illusion of a natural, crackling fire. The top stays cool for decorating with plants or pictures. Flame operates with or without heat and comes with remote control. Just plug it in and enjoy!
Perfect for apartments, condos and even RV’s.
Space Heater Accessories
1. WIN 100 Programmable Outlet Thermostat Review
The perfect solution for space heaters and window air conditioners without a built in thermostat.
Works with all standard 110 volt 15 amp circuits. Moves easily from room to room with your space heater.
Easy to program and re-program to match your personal preferences. Also comes with a preset energy-saving program.
Most Energy Efficient Space Heater