These top-scoring electric heaters will keep you cosy – and keep costs down

Taking into account price, design, power and features, this is our top recommendation. Dreo’s whole-room heater is a ceramic heater with a fan-like design. And, in fact, you can use its fan setting alone in summer months to freshen up a stuffy room.

At 2000W, it kicks out a lot of hot air and, thanks to its vertical and horizontal oscillation, it can warm up a room quickly. But to save money, the best way to use it is to take advantage of its onboard thermostat and switch it to eco mode. That means you can choose a temperature, and when the air reaches that temperature, the heater will switch off until it cools down. You can also schedule heating via the intuitive app, which gives you options to heat precisely, only when you need it, and keep an eye on your use.

If you’re not a fan of smart features, you can set a timer using the control panel on the heater itself, or the included remote, to make sure you never forget and leave it switched on. It’s quiet too and has a reassuring set of safety features. You can buy it in black or white.

Bear in mind that the model available in the US does not have smart features and is a 1500W appliance.

Who should buy the Dreo smart whole-room heater 714s?

Anyone who wants a compact heater with plenty of smart features.

Dreo smart whole-room heater 714s: Further considerations

It can add a fair bit to your energy bills with prolonged use.

This heater would be excellent as a semi-permanent addition to a garden office, extension or little-used spare room. The panel heater is slim, silent and can be wall-mounted or fixed on feet (which you’ll have to do yourself when you unpack it).

It comes in glossy black or white and is much more attractive than your average plug-in heater. Plus, its simple lines mean it’ll be easy to keep clean.

The glass panel is perfectly plain, except for four bolts that fix it to the back. We think there must be a more elegant way to do this but it’s a minor complaint. It features an LED display and touch control panel that’s integrated into the surface. The temperature readout is in large, blocky, retro digits, but the other settings can be more difficult to read, depending on the light.

That’s one of the reasons you’ll want to use its smart features. The other reason is that these features are genuinely excellent and are a good reason to choose this heater over others.

In the simple, well-designed Smart Life app from Tuya, you can set up a heating schedule and even specify certain days of the week, add it to a group of smart home devices, create scenes and automations (so that it switches on when the temperature drops below a certain threshold) and use voice control, via Alexa and Google Home.

It’s a powerful heater and good value for its price point. We tested the 1,500W model, but there are also 1,000W and 2,000W models available from retailers including Amazon. Make sure you know which one you’re getting as it could make a big difference to running costs.

Who should buy the Devola smart Wi-Fi glass panel heater?

Smart home enthusiasts who want a heater with a modern touch.

Devola smart Wi-Fi glass panel heater: Further considerations

The heater can be tricky and heavy to move around.

If you want a traditional looking, oil-filled radiator, this is an excellent option. It’s sturdy and attractive in a dark gunmetal grey. Like other oil-filled radiators, what you’ll get is something quiet and effective, although it’s obviously a heavier and bulkier option than many heaters we’ve tested.

It’s also not the cheapest to run at 1500W for the US model, or 2000W in the UK. Plus, its lack of smart features mean you can’t set up a schedule to ensure it’s only on when you need it. There is, however, a 24-hour timer which will prevent you from forgetting about it and leaving it on overnight.

But this is a powerful and quiet heater that will keep you cosy and warm when you need it.

Who should buy the Dreo oil filled radiator?

Buyers looking for a quiet, old-school heater that gets the job done.

Dreo oil filled radiator: Further considerations

A lack of smart features will put off anyone who wants to schedule heating on their phone.

Dyson appliances are expensive – there’s no doubt about that – but the Hot+Cool Jet Focus is more affordable than most. It’s likely the most budget-friendly way to get a Dyson heater. And not only is it a heater, but it’s a cooling fan as well, so you’ll get year-round use from it. At the time of writing, it’s on sale, so it’s well worth considering now.

However, opting for this model as opposed to a pricier one will mean you miss out on a couple of key features. The first is is that it’s not Wi-Fi enabled, so you won’t be able to control it via your phone. The second, and more important feature, is that it doesn’t have air purifying tech. This means that it’s less useful in the summer if you have allergies or hay fever.

But what it does, it does well. It heats quietly and effectively, it oscillates, tilts, has a sleep mode, and you can choose between wide airflow or a targeted jet. Its thermostat means you can pick a target temperature and it’ll switch off when the room warms up enough, and turn back on when the temperature drops, which is an efficient way of heating.

Bear in mind though, that at 2000W, it can be a power-hungry heater. We also don’t love the fact that the temperature display is so close to the base.

Who should buy the Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09?

Anyone who values style above all in their home tech.

Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09: Further considerations

While it’s cheaper than most Dyson products, it’s still more expensive than the competition.

This is a pricey heater but if you buy one, it’ll be as a long-term investment in lower energy bills. The Aeno’s energy use is far less than competitors: under 0.8kW per hour. At current UK prices, that translates to around 21p per hour if you have it set to constant heating. This is much cheaper than rival heaters, although you’ll first have to pay off its higher initial cost.

It also has smart features, which will let you see what it costs to run, as well as scheduling heating and operating the heater remotely.

Design-wise, the Aeno is attractive. It comes in black, white or grey and is essentially glass sandwich: there’s a panel of tempered glass front and back with what is presumably the infrared coils in the middle. Although one of the benefits of infrared heating is that the heater doesn’t get hot, the Aeno’s glass does because it’s both an infrared and convection heater.

Although Aeno says it will heat spaces up to 30m², we wouldn’t recommend it for anything over 20m².

Who should buy the Aeno Premium Eco Smart LED Heater?

Anyone prepared to outlay more initially to make longer-term energy savings.

Aeno Premium Eco Smart LED Heater: Further considerations

It’s better suited to heating up smaller rooms.

The Capsule isn’t the cheapest small heater you’ll find on the market but there’s much to like in its compact form.

For one thing, it looks good. That’s an important factor in an appliance that will spend its life on show in your home or office. The cute grid stylings, mixture of metal and ceramic, and its modern, curved edges set it apart from many heaters that are built for service but not for display. This is a piece of tech that’ll fit into your home and quickly become part of the furniture.

The Capsule feels built to last, and is a great size. Weighing around 1.3kg, and 192 x 137 x 270mm, it’s perfectly portable. Critically, it’s equally at home on the floor or on your desk, which isn’t true of all ‘compact’ heaters. And its 1,800 watt output pumps out plenty of heat, and quickly – although this means it’s also pricey to run.

So what’s not to like? Noise. The Capsule is compact in all respects except for its audio footprint. After a while, you’ll tune out its sound but if you’re hoping for a silent heater, this is not it.

Attractive, compact and capable: we like the Capsule a lot. We just wish it was a little quieter.

Who should buy the De’Longhi Capsule Ceramic Fan Heater?

Renters or homeowners without a ton of available space for a heater.

De’Longhi Capsule Ceramic Fan Heater: Further considerations

This is one of the noisiest heaters we’ve tested.

Dreo’s heater is a neat, attractive little appliance. It’s a miniature column that’s 40.5cm tall and 14.5cm in diameter, so it’ll be easy to find a spot for and can be used under or on a desk as a personal heater.

It has three heat settings (900W, 1,100W and 1,800W), which allow you control of the temperature and your spending. Plus, there are failsafes to ensure you don’t leave it running. In Eco mode, the heater will switch off when it reaches a set temperature. Or you can set a timer for up to 12 hours, to ensure you won’t forget to switch it off.

The heater can oscillate, to warm up a larger area. Controls come via a control panel on top of the device, and an LED display. There are no smart features but it also comes with a remote control. Its safety features include tip-over and overheating protection, but if you don’t use the timer or Eco mode and forget about it, it won’t switch itself off until 24 hours has elapsed.

UK users should also beware: its 1,800W, top setting is power-hungry. On an average UK tariff, it could cost 40p per hour.

Who should buy the Dreo Solaris Slim H3 Space Heater?

Buyers who have the budget to spend a little bit more for a compact heater.

Dreo Solaris Slim H3 Space Heater: Further considerations

Without smart features, app control on your smartphone is out of the question.

If you’re looking for an energy-saving heater for a garden office or another space without central heating, this is one to consider. It has an attractive, minimalist design, a high-quality build and smart features that include scheduling and remote operation.

Plus, it has the benefits of both an oil-filled (quiet, efficient) and a fan heater (it vents warm air at the top and heats a room quickly).

Best of all, thanks to its sensitive thermostat and the intelligent algorithm that controls it, it won’t overshoot its temperature target and waste energy in the process. If you use it according to instructions, over a longer timeline, we think it will save you money – although you’ll need to factor in its initial cost first.

The smart features are comprehensive. They’re a little more complicated than on some other heaters, but that’s because they provide more information and give you more advanced control. The app will even monitor the heater’s energy use in kWh, so you can work out what it’s costing you to run.

There’s a bit of assembly required when you first unpack it, but it’s pretty straightforward. Bear in mind that at 9.9kg and without casters, it’s not as portable as some other heaters in this round-up. The sides also get extremely hot in use, so you’ll need to keep an eye on young children near it.

Our only other criticism is that performing more complicated tasks on the on-device controls is not straightforward as it has multifunction buttons, so you’ll need to keep the manual to hand.

At the time of writing, we can’t find any of the Wi-Fi models in stock online. But if you’re not convinced by the smart features anyway, you can buy a model without them among different Mill models.

Who should buy the Mill Gentle Air oil filled radiator?

Customers hoping to buy a heater that’s inconspicuous and quiet in its operation.

Mill Gentle Air oil filled radiator: Further considerations

The onboard controls can be a bit fiddly.

Given its high price, this appliance is a luxury and an investment. However, it may look a bit more reasonable (but only a bit) if you consider that it can take the place of three appliances: heater, personal fan and air purifier. It’s still not a money saver but it is a space and hassle saver, and more stylish than most other options on the market. You can find a spot for it in your home and leave it there year-round.

It can stand on a table or on the floor and unlike some other Dyson appliances, it can be tilted up or down. As it’s bladeless, it’s safe for little hands. The heating is rapid, and to save on power, it’ll automatically turn itself off once it has reached the desired temperature (up to 30°C).

It works brilliantly in all three roles, with the unusual selling point of also being able to destroy formaldehyde in the air, something that not every air purifier can do.

There is one caveat beyond its price, however. It’s not particularly easy to move, so you won’t want to be transporting it around your home with you.

Who should buy the Dyson Purifier HP09 Hot+Cool Formaldehyde?

Anyone wanting a cooling/heating device that they can use all year round.

Dyson Purifier HP09 Hot+Cool Formaldehyde: Further considerations

You have to pay quite a bit for the privilege of owning one.

Measuring just 5.5 x 6.7 x 10.3in (approximately), this handy little heater could stand on your desk – or under it. 

What makes it stand out from competitors is its build quality. It’s compact and attractively made, with nice features including a carry handle at the back and an illuminated LED display at the top. It’s even fitted with a removable filter to prevent you from getting a dust cloud in the face when it’s switched on (useful if you’ve stored it away in a dusty cupboard over summer).  

It’s definitely a personal heater, rather than one to warm up a room but at 1,500W on its highest setting, it’s powerful and effective for its size. But that also means it’s expensive to run.

It has four modes, including a fan-only option, which could be useful to keep you refreshed if you’re stuck at your desk over summer. It also has a 12-hour timer and it can oscillate, although I found these to be less than compelling features in a heater of this size, where you’re likely to be using it close up and on an ad-hoc basis. 

It has an energy saving mode in which it switches off when it reaches the temperature you’ve set. However, it was only partly successful in our test. It switched off when it reached the temperature threshold, but was inconsistent in switching back on, perhaps because it got too warm itself.

Its safety features include overheating and tip-over mode protection. 

Who should buy the Dreo – PTC Fan Heater?

Consumers after a compact fan heater that still packs plenty of power.

Dreo – PTC Fan Heater: Further considerations

The limited oscillation span prevents it from being a go-to heater for large rooms.

This tall, slim tower can stay out year-round, as it also doubles as a fan. Nor will it take up much space, as it has a very small footprint. If you did want to move it, however, you’ll find that it’s light (7.6lbs) and portable – there are no moving parts to catch on things or flap around when you lift it. 

It’s bladeless, so it’s child and pet-friendly – as well as having attractive, minimalist lines.

Best of all, though, are its smart features. Once you’ve downloaded the HomeWizard Climate app and connected it to your home Wi-Fi (a doddle when we tested it), you can control it remotely and set up schedules, including different options for weekdays and weekends.

There is even support for voice controls via Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri. This basically amounts to switching it on and off, although there’s a surprisingly granular level of settings options, so you can have different voice commands to switch on, for example, a low level of heat, with oscillation, or a cooling fan blast that diminishes over the course of an hour.

There are 10 fan settings, four heat settings, oscillation and three modes: natural (which varies the airflow, to distracting effect), normal and sleep (which slowly reduces its intensity while you drift off). 

There’s also an inbuilt thermostat, which allows you to set a target temperature. When it reaches this level, the heater will turn off. It’ll come back on again when the temperature drops. There’s also a timer, which you can set in increments of one hour, for up to 24 hours.

It comes in a choice of black or white and it’s ready to use as soon as you unpack it, with no assembly required, The supplied remote control even comes with two AA batteries. 

On the minus side, the cooling fan does get noisy on higher levels – much more so than a traditional circular fan – and it’s a power-hungry 2000W. 

Who should buy the Princess Smart Heating & Cooling Tower?

Fashion-first buyers who want a heater that blends in with their home’s decor.

Princess Smart Heating & Cooling Tower: Further considerations

It’s a pricier option than most and can get rather noisy when on full blast.