Best Portable Heater
A portable heater (also known as a space heater) can be a smart investment for your home or workspace because it can help bring the temperature up in a room really quickly without you needing to turn your main heating system on. These types of heaters are a great option when you start to notice chillier temperatures during the fall but you aren’t quite ready to start spending money heating your whole house or office. And a portable heater can certainly be used year-round when you need to heat up a small or large space, such as a garage. All of this means you can potentially save money on your energy bills while remaining nice and comfortable while you work or relax!
The nice thing about a portable heater is you can take it out of storage and set it up quickly and easily whenever you want to use it. And you can select from various types of heaters that come in different shapes and sizes, so you can find one that will be the right size for the room you plan on using it in, as well as the area you plan to store it in when you aren’t using it. In other words, there is something out there to match everyone’s needs and preferences!
If you have been thinking about buying a portable heater but you aren’t sure where to begin or which products to look into first, we’ve got you covered. Check out the list below to get a better idea of the various types of portable heaters that are available for whatever space you need to warm up. Once you start your search, you might be surprised by the many high-quality options available at surprisingly affordable prices!
1. Best Tower Heater for Rooms: Lasko 751320 Ceramic Tower Space Heater with Remote Control
This 1500-watt tower space heater from Lasko is a ceramic heater that comes with a host of convenient features, such as widespread oscillation, a multi-function remote control, a built-in 7-hour timer, penetrating air velocity, a programmable thermostat, and an elongated heating element. And the best part is that it is powerful yet compact and lightweight.
You can choose from two settings designed to provide you with quiet comfort, which means you can get a high amount of heat (1500 watts) or a low amount of heat (900 watts), depending on what you need at the moment. The digital display and top-mounted controls make it super simple to use this heater. And the safety features that are built in are sure to give you loads of peace of mind during use as well.
This portable heater measures roughly 23” tall, it comes fully assembled, and it also has a carry handle to make it easy to move it around and set it in the ideal spot to heat a room optimally.
Pros:
- It allows you to choose from different settings.
- It comes with a remote control, timer, adjustable thermostat, and 6’ power cord.
- It has built-in safety features that include overheat protection, cool-touch housing, and self-regulating ceramic element.
Cons:
- It is priced higher than some other portable heaters that are available.
- It might be too large for those looking for a more compact heater.
2. Best Heater for a Desk: BLACK+DECKER Desktop Heater
Are you looking for a portable heater that will be small enough to sit on your desk so you can enjoy more direct heat whenever you are feeling chilly, whether the central air conditioner is too harsh or the winter season is taking its toll? Then check out this cute desktop heater from BLACK+DECKER, which is available in black or white color options and is affordably priced.
This lightweight heater, which is designed to provide you with fast heat when you are in a small space, features two heat settings, so you can choose between low (900 watts) and high (1500 watts) settings before using the manual adjustable thermostat to get the right amount of heat.
Plus, this little heater is designed to be easy to use and carry, it has a fan option for added convenience, and it has tip-over protection to help ensure your safety.
Pros:
- It weighs just 3 pounds.
- It comes with a carry handle to make it easy to store away when not in use, and simple to set in place when ready to use.
- Safety features include auto tip-over shutoff and overheat protection.
- It is ideal for those looking for a compact heater, as it is small enough to sit on a desk or other piece of furniture.
Cons:
- It doesn’t come with a lot of extras, so if you are looking for digital controls or a remote control, for example, this heater might disappoint.
- It is made for indoor use only.
- Its mini size might be too small for heating a whole room efficiently.
3. Best for Surround Heat: Honeywell HHF370B 360 Degree Surround Fan Forced Heater
This portable heater from Honeywell uses fan forced technology to provide 360° surround heat. Therefore, it is great for heating up a small to medium sized room efficiently because heat is released from all sides of the unit.
Attractive features include a programmable thermostat, 1500-watt power, two heat settings, and an auto-off timer. Plus, when you need to move this heater around, you will find it comfortable to do so, thanks to its handle that is designed to be easy to grab.
What’s also nice about this particular portable heater is the fact that it comes with several safety features, such as cool touch housing and handle, tip-over switches, high grade silicone covered wiring, enhanced soldered plug connections, additional overheat protection, UL rated power cord, flame resistant plastic, and soldered heating element connections with silicone sleeves.
Pros:
- It has a variety of safety features, such as 2x overheat shut-off protection and 360° tip-over protection.
- It sends heat out in a 360° fashion, so it can help heat a room more quickly and evenly.
- It is affordably priced, so it can suit all budgets.
- It is small and easy to carry, yet powerful enough to heat a small to medium sized room.
Cons:
- It has manual controls, so if you would prefer digital controls, this product might not be the right one for you.
- It only operates on 1500 watts, unlike other heaters that give you the option to choose between more or less power.
4. Best Radiant Heater: Comfort Zone Radiant Quartz Tower Heater
With its dual quartz tubes, this radiant heater will heat up fast so that it can efficiently warm up your space. And, while in use, it will also create a warm glow, so if that is something that you are looking for, this might be the right portable heater for you.
How is the heat spread throughout a space so that you don’t need to be standing near this heater to enjoy its warmth? Well, there is a fan that helps to disperse it quickly and evenly, warming up a room with ease. You can use the two top-mounted control knobs to select between low and high temperature options, and you can also use the adjustable thermostat to get the right amount of heat.
This stylish yet compact portable heater features a design that is modern and slim, but it also comes with important safety features, such as a tip-over switch, stay-cool molded handle, overheat protection, and metal housing, so you really do get it all.
Pros:
- It will turn on right away and start giving off heat, along with a warm glow, and the fan will disperse the heat evenly.
- It comes with important safety features for peace of mind.
- It features a stylish design, and it is compact and slim, so it can be used in a small space.
Cons:
- If you don’t like the warm glow that the quartz tubes create, this portable heater wouldn’t be the right one for you.
- It has manual, rather than digital, controls.
5. Best Full Room Portable Heater: De’Longhi Full Room Radiant Thermostat
This portable heater from De’Longhi is a great choice when you want to invest in a product that will help you reduce your energy bills because it can effectively heat the room that you’re in. It features an oil system that is permanently sealed and doesn’t need to be refilled, making it maintenance-free. And no assembly is required either.
To take advantage of this product’s radiant heat, all you have to do is plug it in, select from the multiple heat settings, and use the adjustable thermostat to get your room to the ideal temperature for ultimate comfort.
This heater boasts 1500 watts of power, and safety features include thermal shut-off to prevent overheating. Plus, when you use the ComforTemp feature, the unit will work on maintaining the right settings and temperature to help you save money by saving energy too.
Pros:
- It is larger and designed to heat an entire room efficiently.
- It is easy to move around, thanks to its attached wheels.
- It has a ComforTemp button that can help you save money on your energy bill.
Cons:
- It is more expensive, as well as larger, than other portable heaters that are available.
6. Best Personal Portable Heater: andily Ceramic Electric Heater for Home and Office with Thermostat
This little portable heater from andily might be the right choice if you are searching for a simple personal heater that can quickly heat a small space, such as your bedroom or home office. It is a ceramic space heater that is available in multiple color options, such as silver, white and black.
Standout features include the three settings, which are fan, low, and high (the high setting is 1500 watts). An indicator light will tell you when the product is plugged in, and there are also safety features, like overheat protection with auto shut-off and tip-over switch with auto shut-off, for added peace of mind.
When you need to move this compact heater around, it is easy to do so, thanks to the carrying handle. But you should keep in mind that this product is not designed for use in laundry rooms, bathrooms, and other areas that have high amounts of humidity.
Pros:
- It is small and easy to use, as well as comfortable to carry around.
- It offers three settings, including a fan, and it has an adjustable thermostat.
Cons:
- It might be too small or be too limited in features for some users.
- It has manual, rather than digital, controls.
Things to look out for:
When you are ready to shop for the right portable heater for your home or office, there are a few things that you should consider to ensure you make the right decision. Here are just some of the features we recommend looking into:
As you shop, you will come across heaters that create and move heat throughout a space using different types of technology. For example, you will find that there are heaters that use propane, kerosene, oil, or electricity, so you can select the one that would be most affordable to use.
Whether you decide to shop specifically for a ceramic heater, forced-air heater, radiant heater, or infrared heater, consider what you’ll use it for. Do you want to heat up your feet and hands with more targeted heat or do you want to fill an entire room with warmth? And how quickly do you want the heater to work?
Also, do you want a product that will come with extras, like a remote control, to make using it even simpler? And consider, too, how a portable heater looks. For instance, do you want it to blend in with the rest of your room’s design or is this something that you don’t care about at all?
Finally, don’t forget to look into the details surrounding a heater’s safety features so you can rest assured the product will be safe to use.
Photo credit: Dmitry Galaganov/Shutterstock