Top 11 Space Heater Reviews

The smallest heater on our list, this Lasko is perfect for your little rooms. You won’t want to use it in a large open space or even a mid-sized space, but if you only need to heat a little office or shed this one’s got you covered. What’s more, its compact size and shape mean that you can easily fit it into those spaces without worrying that you won’t have room for it. You can even set it directly on your desk or workbench to provide warmth and comfort where you need it most.

If you’re looking for a basic ceramic heater you’ve certainly come to the right place. One of the most affordable options on our list, this Lasko is just about as basic as it gets these days. Sure, it has one extra special feature you wouldn’t see in a basic heater from years gone by, but as the market stands this one doesn’t really stand out as anything special these days.

Why include it on this list if it’s just a basic heater? When we say basic we mean in terms of its abilities and features – we don’t necessarily mean in terms of its quality. Hundreds of top-shelf consumer ratings and its sheer popularity set it apart from those other basic heaters on the market.

We take consumer feedback very seriously. We know that we can compare the stats of these heaters all day long and still miss something which would be important to you. For instance, noise level. Consumers report that the Lasko 754200 (unlike any other fan-based ceramic heaters) is very quiet. The quietness is part of what earned it such excellent consumer feedback and the excellent consumer feedback is what made this Lasko a part of our list. We also believe that sales volume and consumer ratings are a great indication of overall quality. When we see an affordable, quite basic model such as this one with high-end reviews attached to it, we know that it is well-made and built to last.

If you’re one of those people who cares about appearances, you’ll be happy to know that this heater comes in either black or silver so you can best match any other appliances and accessories in your home.

Are you looking for a space-saving heater for your mid-sized (or even small) space? This DeLonghi meets that specification and then some. Perhaps the most unique thing about the Mica Panel is that you can hang it on your wall. We suggest choosing a fire-retardant surface to hang it on, such as a tiled wall, but the company doesn’t seem to think there is anything to worry about when hanging it on a painted drywall-constructed surface. The choice will ultimately be yours; in the name of safety, stay close to your heater for the first few trial runs to be certain your wall can withstand the added heat.

Though it’s narrower than the rest in its overall construction, it really isn’t as “small” as you may think. The wheeled base, which acts as both a stand and a means of transportation, make it much wider at the bottom. Really, it is only slim when you use it without the base, such as when it is hung on a wall.

All that being said, what you should really look at is the combination of height, width, and depth for these space heaters. You can’t look at just one dimension because every heater will need a little “breathing” space (or a little “don’t catch anything around it on fire and give it enough room to actually heat the air in your entire room” space). When you look at the height and the width of this heater, you can see that it’s actually a little larger than some of the others. If you aren’t willing to hang it, you may want to look for something else that is smaller.

The DeLonghi HMP1500 has two great safety features, one of which you seldom see in others, even those on this list. The first safety feature is rather basic these days – an automatic shut off when the unit gets too hot. The other, though, is what impressed us – a sensor inside the heater will detect if it is tipped over and will turn off the heating elements immediately to avoid an elevated risk of a fire.

Let us emphasize an important point here – “elevated risk of a fire”. There will still be a risk, since the external metal mesh of the panel will be hot and could, potentially, light something on fire. Still, it is good to know that the chances are much lower with this machine than with many of the others on today’s market.

Its anti-freeze setting means that it will turn on whenever the temperature nears the freezing point. Instead of maintaining a temperature only in a comfortable living range, you can minimize energy consumption while keeping pipes and other important things from freezing as temperatures drop. This makes it an excellent choice for use in a garage or sheds when you aren’t using those spaces.

Like most Vornado products, this one contains a special type of fan system that doesn’t just propel heat outward, it propels heat outward in a spiral motion. The spiral/vortex of air reaches further, helping heat a larger space than many other heaters. This is why, despite its small size, we are confident in saying that this unit is capable of heating a mid-sized room.

Something this model has that many of the others do not is digital controls. In fact, on this long list of top-selling space heaters, only 7 others boast that same level of control. When working with digital controls you benefit from two things. First, you can use push buttons, which are less likely to get stuck (from gunk and general wear and tear) than dials. Secondly, although you can usually set any heater to turn off once a maximum temperature is reached, you can be more precise with a digital control panel. Instead of just picking “warmer” or “cooler”, or choosing among an assortment of different-sized dots, you can actually choose a particular temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius (this one works in Fahrenheit).

The Vornado doesn’t just have a digital display, easy-push buttons, and the ability to set a particular maximum temperature, but it also has a fully automated setting. The auto setting will adjust to create your preferred temperature. Just set it to your favored temperature and let the heater do the rest – turning on and off as necessary, based on fluctuations in the overall temperature of the room.

Instead of simply turning on and off when the room temperature reaches or falls below your ideal temperature, this machine will actually increase and reduce fan speed to try to maintain that temperature without it ever falling below.

Like most of the others, this one has an automatic shutoff if it senses that it has gotten too hot or been running at a high level for too long. Like the DeLonghi we just reviewed, this one will turn itself off if it is tipped over, to reduce the chance of fire. The company also claims that the outside of the unit stays so cool to the touch that you could drape clothing over it without risking a fire. We advise against this practice but are happy to see that it won’t burn you to the touch. Even the air grate of the front stays cool enough to touch.

A convenient cord storage spindle on the bottom allows you to wrap the cord around to keep it out of the way. This isn’t only great for storage purposes, it’s also really helpful if you don’t plan to set this heater a full 6 feet away from the outlet. You can set it anywhere without a bulk of messy cord lagging behind it by simply wrapping the cord partway around the spindle.

We love that this Lasko has both an automatic setting and a timer setting.

Instead of setting it to a maximum temperature and then freezing when it turns itself off but not back on again, you can set it to maintain a specific temperature. Since it has digital controls you can set it to maintain a particular temperature, denoted by Fahrenheit, instead of ambiguous dots like you see on the dials of the other Lasko or the swooping line on the Tenergy PTC.

The timer allows you to just set it to a particular speed setting and have it turn off after a given amount of time. This won’t necessarily hold the temperature you want (the way that the automatic setting does) but it will allow you to leave it on for a given amount of time without worrying that it will come back on when you are not in the room.

With a total of 7 different heat levels to choose from, you have a decent level of control over the temperature in your room. It’s pretty quick to reach that set temperatures, but the one downside is that it’s not very precise. If you’re not overly picky about the temperature and are OK with selecting along 5-degree increments from 65 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, though, this stylish Lasko may still be for you.

An Interesting Design

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this Lasko heater is its visual design. If you lined it up with all the others on our list (and most others on the market in general) you would see that it clearly stands out. It doesn’t look like a standard space heater – black or silver with a wire grate and shaped like a box – it looks different; even ornamental.

You may wonder how it manages to oscillate, given its strange design and shape. The top portion (the part above the metal base) turns so that the base can stay in place.

It should come as no surprise that we named this heater the “Best Infrared Space Heater”. After all, its name is “Dr. Infrared.” With “Dr.” in the name, you know that it means serious business.

You may notice that there are only three infrared heaters on this list (this one, the DeLonghi, and the Homegear, which we’ll talk more about later). Why only three? Well, they just aren’t as popular as old-fashioned ceramic and fan heaters. Perhaps that’s because infrared heaters can take a little longer before you actually feel the heat. We like them, though, because they do not only heat the air, but they also heat objects.

Infrared heating systems create radiant heat that permeates the surfaces in your space. If you work in a detached garage or workshop, handling tools, an infrared or radiant heater is the way to go.

But why did we choose this as our favorite over the DeLonghi and Homegear heaters? There were a couple of reasons, the major one being how well it heats up the room, but the Dr. Infrared also has an “auto” setting that allows you to set your preferred temperature and walk away. You won’t have to return to change the temperature setting throughout the day or night, and you can feel comfortable leaving the unit on for extended periods without worry that it will overheat and cause an issue, or trip its auto shut-off function.

Something else we love about this space heater is that you can also use it as a side table. People with small, cramped rooms who need to make the most of the space have to know how much of an asset two-in-one appliances and pieces of furniture can be. Instead of having to find extra space for your heater, you can replace an old side table.

The Dr. Infrared’s flat, wooden top isn’t just practical, it’s also fashionable. Replacing a typical side table won’t be difficult for many different types of interior décor. Putting this heater in your garage or workshop? You can add both temperature and visual warmth to those otherwise cold and uninviting spaces.

Not all of us can accommodate a hanging heater like the DeLonghi Mica Panel Heater and even fewer of us are able to really make use of those tiny little heaters like the Vornado Vortex Heater. Yes, they are wonderfully effective, and yes, they save a lot in terms of space, but they aren’t for everyone.

If you don’t have wall space you can’t make use of the DeLonghi. If you have a lot of furniture the Vornado is likely to lose a lot of its effectiveness by shooting heat beneath it, or it will require a special space on a side table. This heater, on the other hand, is tall and slim so that it will propel heat above your furniture and throughout your room.

You may assume that because it is a tall, cylindrical heater it is able to oscillate, throwing heat around in all directions. Well, you’d be correct. A lot of people assume that because it isn’t really openly advertised as being an oscillating heater, it isn’t. But it is. Is that confusing? That’s how we felt as we researched this one. The main point, though, is that yes, you can set it to oscillate so that you can evenly heat large spaces and even use it where you have no choice but to set your heater directly in the center of the room. Alternatively, you can choose to turn the oscillation off and set it in a corner or against a wall.

Want to leave it “on” all the time but have it only heat the room to a particular temperature? No problem. Like most of the other digital heaters, this one has a programmable thermostat which will read the heat level in the room and turn the unit off when that level is reached. Remember, though, that it will not accurately read the heat level across the room and will likely be affected by the fact that the air is always warmer closest to a heat source. Therefore, you may want to bump your heat setting up a couple degrees from where you would normally set it with a furnace and thermostat.

Want to turn the heater on but not leave it on all day? Unable to babysit it? You can set the digital timer for 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours so that it will turn itself off. A special auto-shutoff function will also turn the unit off if it gets too hot in that period of time, so you don’t need to monitor it.

It doesn’t oscillate, like some of the others, but you can angle it. For a lot of people, this may be a better option. Think about it – the small size of this heater and the fact that you’ll probably end up setting it on your floor means that it would only really heat your feet if you weren’t able to angle it.

Though it should be fairly obvious by the size of the Tenergy PTC, we’ll remind you anyway – it is not going to heat an entire room unless that room is also tiny. It can heat a small shed or a very small room, but if you need heat in a regular-sized room or garage you’ll have to set this heater near you and angle it toward yourself.

Thankfully, the actual heating element is lifted far away from the bottom casing and is surrounded by an open space, which helps keep the bottom extra-cool to the touch. This means you can easily pop this small heater onto a table or workbench to keep your hands and face warm while working in a cold garage or shed.

Like most of the others on our list, it only has two intensity settings – high and low. The high setting simply works to heat the room more quickly than the low setting. It is ideal for those days when you need to get to business quickly and don’t have time to waste waiting around for the heater to do its job. The low setting is perfect for times when you want to leave it on all day to maintain a certain temperature.

Speaking of maintaining a particular temperature, you should know that, unlike some of the others on our list, the Tenergy PTC does not have a programmable thermostat. You cannot simply set it to your desired temperature and sit back while it turns itself on and off as necessary, perfectly maintaining a very particular temperature. If that’s what you’re looking for, we suggest you check out those with digital control panels, such as the Vornado AVH10, Dr. Infrared, or Homegear heaters. You’ll probably note, though, that many of those options are more expensive than this one, so it’s kind of a trade-off.

You aren’t without any ability to control the temperature, though. Using the top dial you can increase or decrease the temperature setting just with less precision. You will not be able to set it to a specific degree but to warmer or cooler. It may take some time to figure out how warm is too warm and how warm is not warm enough, but once you gauge the sweet spots on the temperature dial you can rest while the unit does the work of turning itself on and off to maintain that ambiguous, undefined temperature setting.

You can also set this heater to fan only which, in essence, makes it a fan instead of a heater. Helpful all year round, this machine will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, directing the heat or fan-blown air wherever you need it most.

The second Honeywell on our list, this one is by far the more stylish of the two; perhaps of all the heaters on our list. The perfect addition to a small dorm room or trendy office space, this rounded heater comes in two colors and looks more like a loudspeaker than a space heater.

It is certainly different from the first Honeywell we reviewed, which was a tall, oscillating unit with a programmable digital control panel. This one, on the other hand, is tiny and simple. It has no digital controls and can’t be angled to where you want it to point like the Tenergy PTC we just reviewed. Its simplicity is reflected in the fact that it is one of the least expensive options on our list.

Being affordable hasn’t meant that it is cheap, though, or that it’s unsightly. Consumers seem very satisfied with the extra heat they receive from this device and report it functions well. Its rounded shape, sleek exterior, and fine, dark mesh grate all come together to make this a very impressive-looking heater. It looks almost like a piece of modern or contemporary art – like a sculpture. Adorning a side table or workspace with this small heater is bound to enhance the visual appeal of almost any room.

You may notice that it is very small. This Honeywell UberHeat clearly isn’t meant to increase the temperature of large or even mid-sized rooms. It’s likely, even, to struggle to heat a small room. More than anything, it is designed to add heat to small areas of space. The space around your desk or craft table, for example. A workbench in your garage. Or, perhaps, even just around your feet as you watch TV, making up for that terrible draft coming from your front door.

This oil-filled portable radiator takes the warming effects of a radiator and makes them movable. No longer will you have to lose significant wall space to your radiant heating system, pulling your furniture away from the edges to create dust pockets of doom. No longer will you have to rely on a hot water system to heat your home, office, or garage in order to avoid the drying effects of forced air heat. Now, you can get all the convenience of a radiator system without the fuss and annoyance.

Instead of using hot water running through pipes, this radiator heats oil, which continuously moves through a metal structure that somewhat resembles an accordion. The oil is heated using electric heaters, which means that you can plug this system into nearly any outlet.

What’s more, since it doesn’t rely on blowing air around your home, it won’t stir up allergens and the air will not dry out as easily. The infrared heaters on our page also create radiant heat.

Rolling caster wheels with 360-degree swivel make this heater very easy to move. You can switch the area you are heating based on where you are spending your time or just move it slightly out of your way in cramped spaces. Putting it away during the summer will also be very easy. Simply wrap the cord around the special cord holder and roll the entire unit into a closet or storage space.

Set the timer for 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 hours so that the unit will turn off after a designated amount of time. Few of the other heaters on our list boast this ability, which greatly enhances the overall appeal and value of this unit.

You can also set the machine to turn off when it reaches a designated temperature, much like you can with the Tenergy PTC, Honeywell Slim Tower Heater, and a few others. However, unlike some of those options that allow you to set a very specific temperature, this Pelonis will only let you select among the following options: 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are someone who wants to be able to be more particular than that, you’ll have to look into one of the other options available to you.

Unfortunately, despite its rather large overall size, the Pelonis radiator is best suited for small rooms. The company claims that it is best for rooms of just under 200 square feet, meaning that it may struggle to adequately heat a mid-sized living space and it will definitely not be able to keep up with the needs of a large great room. You’ll have to look at some of the other options on our list to find one suited to larger rooms if that is what you need. If you like the radiant heat we are saddened to tell you we have no other radiant heaters on our list, but would like to direct you to look at the infrared heaters which are also able to heat objects instead of air. The DeLonghi HMP1500 is great for mid-sized rooms, while the Dr. Infrared and Homegear are perfect for large spaces.

The remote control is a big part of this heater’s appeal. A few others on our list also come with remote controls. This one allows you to control the temperature, the timer, and the oscillation.

You can clearly see from the remote control settings that this heater comes with every single special feature on this list, with the exception of “fan only”. You can turn the intensity up and down, making the temperature rise faster or slower. You can set your preferred temperature and allow the unit to just turn itself on and off to maintain that temperature. You can even set it to turn off at a particular time, regardless of whether or not you are trying to maintain a particular temperature. Oscillation, while very a neat option, isn’t for everyone and isn’t always necessary. The Lasko 5588 allows you to turn its oscillation on and off with the buttons on its top or with the remote control.

Did you know that it is the only one on our list with a digital display directly on the remote? What’s the big deal about this? It enhances the convenience of using this heater. Have you ever tried to use a remote control to change the settings on a device like this one, only to find that doing so was nearly impossible because you were too far away from the device to even know what the current settings were? Did you have to get up and walk over to the device to find out? Was it even worth having a remote control at that point? That won’t be a problem with this one since it shows your selected settings as well as the current room temperature.

Given its shape, size, and the fact that it oscillates, you may expect this heater to have a fan-only option. Unfortunately, you’d be asking too much. The usefulness is limited to heating, unlike options such as the Tenergy PTC, Vornado AVH10, and Lasko 754200 which also have the ability to cool a room in the summer. If you don’t have a problem with keeping a room cool and don’t usually use fans in the summer, this is probably a good choice for you. If, however, you do need a fan in the summer and don’t see the purpose of storing either your heater or your fan during the offseason, a two-in-one option like those discussed above may be better.

This heater is programmable, meaning you can set it to whatever temperature (with a range) that you like. It will turn on and off as necessary to achieve and maintain that temperature. You can select either Celsius or Fahrenheit when setting that temperature. But there’s a lot more to this heater than just its customizable thermostat (a function we’ll return to in a moment).

Just a glance at this heater and you can see how easily it sets itself apart from many of the others on the current market. It is both functional and stylish. It will heat your space and offer a level of modern sophistication.

Looking at the others on this list, this Homegear is most comparable to the Dr. Infrared. They are similar in size and shape, and both emit infrared heat. Both have blower fans to help circulate heat even though they don’t need a fan as much as ceramic and coil heaters do. Both can double as a tabletop, which is very convenient for people with small spaces who want to be able to utilize that space to the best of their ability.

They are slightly different in terms of their overall aesthetic appearance – the Dr. Infrared will appeal more to those with a woodsy interior whereas this Homegear is better for people with modern, industrial, or contemporary designs.

One major difference between the two is that the Dr. Infrared has wheels whereas this Homegear does not. Which is better? It depends on your preferences. Are you planning to move your heater around to get maximum heat in the different areas where you spend your time or are you planning to leave it in one place? If you’re planning to keep it in one spot it’s probably best to opt for this one which does not have wheels, so that no one accidentally bumps it and sends things flying off of it.

Unlike the Dr. Infrared (and most any other heater on this page, for that matter) this Homegear allows you to choose either Fahrenheit or Celsius. Only the Vornado AVH10 also has this option, but it is much smaller. Though this may not seem like a very big deal to Americans it is huge for people from many other countries. Since a lot of these products are made for the United States, people purchasing them from other countries have been forced to try to learn the Fahrenheit system. With this heater, they won’t have to. A simple push of a button switches the digital controls from one temperature measurement to the other.