UK’s best electric heaters that are energy efficient and cheap to run

With the price of electric spiralling out of control my attention turns to oil filled radiators and generally convection heating. The Wärme Designer WiFi Electric Wall Heater Panel Heater ticks all the boxes for me. You can take the chill off a room and it’s proven to be very efficient at room heating. Previously I had fan heaters rated up high due to their lower cost upfront. The problem with that this year though as I keep on banging on about is the sheer electrical cost. In just two days you could burn the cost of a fan heater!

This heater works by allowing the room to drop to 3 degrees below the actual temperature set then kicks in. This results in a room that never drops temperature significantly enough that the unit needs to work all the time. The result is despite the fact it’s 2Kw just like the fan heaters I used to recommend, this unit is off for a decent chunk of the time and therefore cuts the heating cost electrically speaking, considerably. If it’s to be any sort of medium term solution as opposed to one off use, I cannot recommend this type of heater over fan heaters.

So the Wärme with the ability to turn on and off and sync with your Wifi gives the least chance of heat wastage which has to be right up there in terms of importance this year. You can dial down the heat from their app – which by the way has improved significantly from when I first reviewed this heater. In fact, it didn’t make the top list at all a couple of years ago due to the how buggy the app (smart life – this is for iphone and android here) was but I am glad to report it is much more stable and better to use. Here’s a decent rundown of what to expect:

You can program it on the app and it is absolutely reliable – I would actually recommend hooking it up to your Alexa if you have one.

Hanging it on the wall is pretty straight forward but factor you need to hang it on the wall bracket. But remember in terms of safety the manufacturer wants you to install this 0.3m (30cm) away from any obstructions on the wall.

This year, for cost and energy efficiency, you have to be looking at panel convection or infra-red heaters just because of the price of electric alone. I wish I had a more positive message but this year will be difficult. I hope things are considerably better next year when I check in with you

It’s hard not to talk about energy efficient electric heaters without adding oil-filled radiators to the conversation, and this model from Ansio is the best I’ve seen in its price range.

Using either the remote control or the buttons on the side panel of the heater, you can select from three different power modes. The lowest is 1000W, medium power gives you 1300W, and then there is a large jump right up to 2300W for high power mode. For people who really want to conserve energy and run the heater cheaply, there’s also the eco mode which will definitely come into play this year.

There are some really nice features on this Ansio product. Let’s take, for example, the memory feature that will remember the last settings you had the heater on and automatically set the heater to them when you switch it back on again.

Then there’s the thermostat and digital temperature display. The thermostat can be set from 5 degrees to 35 degrees Celsius, and will monitor the temperature if the air in the room. If the temperature is the same or lower than the heater, it will switch off and then switch on again once the air temperature drops lower.

Fancy walking into a preheated garage or workshop? Well, the timer function allows you to program the heater to switch on or off at a given time. There are limits to this though, and you can’t have it turning itself on and off multiple times during the day.

One thing that puts people off from buying oil-filled radiators is that they have traditionally been very slow to heat up. Not so with this model. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get instant heat like you do with a halogen heater or warm a room as fast as a fan heater, but within 20 minutes or so, our medium-sized test room was feeling quite toasty.

Ansio’s radiator has both a tip-over cut off and an overheat protection feature, and on top of that, there’s a child lock so your toddlers’ inquisitive fingers won’t mess up your precious settings.

At 64cm tall and 52cm long, this isn’t exactly the most compact electric heater out there, but there’s a decent set of castor wheels on the bottom for moving it from room to room, if necessary. However, there’s no handle to carry it from, so you’ll need a good grip if you’re going to be moving it up and down the stairs every day.

Pros

• Extremely energy efficient heater
• Good safety features and child lock for controls
• Digital display and accurate thermostat
• Three power modes to choose from
• Timer works very well, as do all the other practical functions

Cons

• Although fairly quick to heat up, it isn’t a match for other types of electric heater

This convection heater from Andily is a cut above the lower-cost, generic, models that the market is flooded with, and offers you reliability, style, and a ton of great features. When it’s out of stock you could look at the more basic convection heaters which are also cheaper to buy.

One of the main reasons people choose a convection heater over a fan heater is the reduced noise, and believe me when I say that they don’t come much quieter than this. The Andily heater is absolutely silent, and you could have this thing right next to your bed and it wouldn’t disturb your sleep a single bit.

In fact, the only noises you ever hear is when you are changing the various settings using the small, but clearly marked remote control, and even then, it’s only a beep and light click. The remote itself works really well from anywhere in the room, and you don’t have to be a ‘crackshot’ or aiming directly at the heater from 6 inches away for it to work, like with some cheaper models.

On the side panel of the heater, you will find more controls just in case you misplace the remote, and these are also clearly marked with symbols so there’s no guesswork involved. Above these controls is a large LCD display that shows the temperature in degrees Celsius, as well as other information regarding your current settings.

The digital thermostat gives you a lot of control over the temperature of the room, and there is a frost protection mode, as well as three power setting to choose from-750W, 1250W, and a powerful 2000W mode for those very chilly days and nights. Despite the power produced, this is still an economic heater that won’t break the bank to run.

When summer rolls around and that house insulation becomes the enemy rather than an ally, you won’t have to lie there sweating as you can activate the fan mode on the heater to produce cooler air instead of providing warmth.

For safety, there are the usual things incorporated into the design, like auto cut-off for overheating and if the heater gets tipped or knocked over. On top of that, there’s a timer function that you can set to switch off the heater after a certain length of time, further reducing the risk of it getting too hot.

Honesty, there’s nothing I can say that I really didn’t like about this excellent convection heater. It might be a little higher up the price range than some of the budget models, but you get a much better product for your money.

Pros

• Runs silently and won’t disturb anyone
• Multiple power modes to choose from
• Fan mode will come in handy in summer
• Auto cut-out safety features
• Digitally displayed thermostat

Cons

• Not a good choice for outdoor heating

It is outdoors where infra-red heaters come into their own, so if you’re in the market for something to keep you and the family cozy on the patio or decking, this powerful little wall heater is just the ticket and it’s not surprise this made it to the top picks for both patio heaters and best wall mounted heaters. And here it is again taking top spot for best outdoor electric heaters.

On full power, it will kick out 2kw of energy and that should cost you around 29p per hour to run. For heating an outdoor area, I’d say that’s very cost effective, but you can also choose to run this infra-red heater on one of the two lower power modes (750W & 1500W) if the weather isn’t too chilly and save even more money.

Changing between those power modes couldn’t be easier either. When you buy the Futura Deluxe infra-red heater, you get not one, but two remote controls to run the show with, and they work well as long as you get used to pointing them directly at the main unit.

One of the benefits if infra-red heaters is that they warm you up almost instantly, and you certainly feel that with this product. There’s no waiting around for the air to be heated, you just press the button, sit down, and then it’s toasty time for you and your guests.

These are really easy heaters to fit to the wall, and the brackets and screws are all included in the price, which was great. After that, it’s just a case of plugging the heater in, but here’s where some might run into a problem.

You see, the power cable is only 1.75 metres long, but the heater is supposed to be installed at least 6ft off the ground. So, unless you have a high wall socket around, you’re going to need a waterproof extension lead. A small, but silly oversight by the manufacturer it would seem but no, on further research this is the legal limit.

Speaking of waterproof, you don’t have to worry about weather damage with this infra-red heater. It has been tested and rated to IP65, which means that, as long as you’re not dropping it in a full bath tub, there’s no need to worry.

Pros

• Cost effective heating for the patio or decking
• Very well protected against rain and dust particles
• Instant heat as soon as you switch it on
• No energy wasted on heating the air around the heater and you
• Comes with two remote controls

Cons

• Power cable is a little short at 1.75m

Specification: Power settings: 900W/1200W/1500W/1800W, Effective range: up to 15-20 m², Length cable: 1.9m, Remote control: Yes,

Veito CH1800RE Free Standing Carbon Infrared Heater, Black/Silver

Unsurprisingly the Veito CH1800RE Free Standing Carbon Infrared Heater ended up top pick on the infrared heaters – and followed through to best electric heater for a small room

Although most often used out on the decking or patio, infra-red heaters can also be used in the conservatory, garage, shed, or even just in the living room as a booster for your central heating. But before we get into the review lets have a look at what this thing offers:

Without a doubt, one of the best indoor infra-red heaters is the Veito CH1800RE, sporting stylish looks while saving you money when compared to using a fan heater of the same power rating.

What I like most about the Veito CH1800RE, apart from not having to wait to feel warm after coming in from the cold, are all the features that give you an excellent level of control over the temperature.

For a start, there are four power settings- 900W, 1200W, 1500W, and 1800W; and you can quickly switch from one mode to another with a simple press of your thumb on the compact remote control. Even on the highest power setting, you won’t be left out of pocket as the heater is very economical and energy efficient.

Then there is the automatic temperature control feature that, again, can be set up and activated using the remote. Using this mode, you can set the heater to emit heat to a desired temperature and keep it there, and it works fantastically well.

As if that wasn’t enough, there is also a timer that you can use to switch off the heater should you get a bit too snug and fall asleep, a thing that is all too easy to do if the heater is close to you, believe me.

Other useful features are the ability to adjust the height of the heater, an automatic safety shut-off when the heater is knocked over, and overheat protection. All of these are practical, and work well, but there are one or two minor flaws you should be aware of.

Firstly, the large button on the heater itself only switches the device on and can be used to switch power modes. It can’t, however, be used to set the timer. So, if you misplace the remote, which is very probably as it is so compact, you’ll have to either hunt it down, or do without the timer mode.

The only other thing is that it is very lightweight, and while this makes it portable, which is great, it does make it easier to knock over, so you’ll have to keep the kids and pets away from it.

Pros

• Very good looking infra-red heater for indoors
• Three power modes to choose from
• Timer function comes in very handy
• Automatic temperature control keeps the heat how you want it
• Very energy efficient

Cons

• Can’t be used outdoors

This little fan type heater down’t need much of an introduction or explanation for that matter – at some point we have used or owned one. However, it’s unlikely it was as good as the Warmlite WL44001 Thermo Fan Heater is now.

Yes, it’s still got the two boring settings, the heat is pretty much instant but dissipates quickly too – however this does seem to do much better than the older style ones. It’s reasonably safe – even if you touch it you only get a small sharp heat pain (that’s not advice by the way – never touch the casing of a heater – it will hurt 🙂 ).

The big deal is though, when it starts to overheat it cuts out. This is a must to save serious problems – fires are real from these things, I’ve caught one of my older ones smouldering before – never never leave these alone for more than a blink of an eye, and never fall asleep with it on either.

It’s a light weight unit that weighs a little over a bag of sugar, it kicks out a huge amount of heat and on a budget is pretty much untouchable – hence being my budget pick for electric heaters. Remember though, budget isn’t economy – convection isn’t the best value for money with regards to heating, not by a long shot – you need a radiant type heater for better value like an infrared which is becoming ever more popular.

When shopping for a fan heater, I look for a product that is compact and portable, has good temperature control, and is solidly built. This model from Give Best ticks all of those boxes, and it’s certainly no secret with tens of thousands of happy customers giving good feedback.

This is a ceramic fan heater, and so the internal element retains heat well. Not only that, but the heater gets up to temperature quickly, and as long as you’re in a closed off area, that heat is generously dispersed, keeping everyone nearby feeling snug.

Although there’s no numbered temperatures on the thermostat controls, there is a noticeable difference when you twist the dial through its 0 to 158-degree Fahrenheit range, and it won’t take long for you to figure things out.

I’ve had fan heaters in the past that sounded like Boeing 747’s taking off, but the fan on this product was surprisingly quiet. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly felt louder than the 45 decibels claimed by the company who makes the heater, but it wasn’t too bad at all.

The safety features are nothing out of the ordinary, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t welcome additions. For instance, there’s an anti-overheat switch off, and a tip over protection feature too. In the improbable event that the overheat protection should fail, the materials that the heater is made of are flame retardant. So, all in all, a very safe little machine.

The material we are talking about is ABS plastic, and the stuff on this particular heater is high-grade. What does that mean? Well, for you it means that the casing is stronger than the more common polypropylene plastic used by a lot of companies, and it won’t warp, dent, or break, very easily.

I did notice that there was a slight smell for the first day or two of using the heater. It wasn’t particularly strong or off putting, but it was noticeable. After day two, it had completely gone though, so it was probably some chemical or something left on from the manufacturing process.

Pros

• Ceramic heating elements keep warm for longer and save energy
• Thermostat can be set from 0 to 158-degree Fahrenheit
• Solidly built casing made from ABS plastic
• Tip-over and overheat shut-off functions
• Not as noisy as most fan heaters

Cons

• Fan still makes some noise so not good for light sleepers if used at night