The best space heaters in 2026, tested for power and safety
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Kinsley Searles/Business Insider; Steph Coelho/Business Insider
Using a space heater is the best way to warm up corners of your home untouched by central heating or to add an burst of warmth to your freezing basement. Wherever you need extra heat, the best space heaters are powerful and efficient, with safety features like stay-cool housing, timers, and automatic shut-off.
After testing 30 models and talking to heating and safety experts, our top pick is the Vornado AVH10. It's a powerful model that excels at maintaining an accurate temperature. For large rooms like living rooms, garages, or basements, we recommend the Dreo Solaris Tower Heater 718. It balances impressive power with quiet operation and low energy usage.
Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches home products.
Our top picks for the best space heaters
Best overall: Vornado AVH10 - See at Amazon
Best budget: Lasko Ceramic Portable - See at Amazon
Best for large rooms: Dreo Solaris Tower Heater 718 - See at Amazon
Best for a desk: Lasko MyHeat - See at Amazon
Quietest: Honeywell ThermaWave 6 - See at Amazon
Best energy-efficient: Boldr Kelvin - See at Boldr
Best overall
Vornado's space heater is powerful and efficient. The Vornado AVH10 emerged as the best space heater overall thanks to its outstanding performance across several important metrics. This compact powerhouse demonstrated impressive heating capabilities in our controlled tests, raising office temperatures by 18 degrees over five hours — placing it among the most effective units we've evaluated. Even in challenging larger spaces, it increased the temperature across the room by seven degrees.
It maintains a comfortable temperature. Unlike many heaters I've tested, the AVH10 could keep temperatures comfortable. When the room deviated by five degrees from the target, the Vornado would turn on or off to supply stable comfort. In our tests, it reached the desired 70-degree mark within an hour, showcasing its rapid heating capabilities.
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It's near-silent, safe, and stable. Running at just 42 decibels, it's whisper-quiet compared to competitors, making it perfect for home offices or bedrooms. The comprehensive safety features include overheat protection, cool-to-the-touch housing, and tip-over protection — crucial elements we look for in our top recommendation. Its low-profile, stable design further enhances safety while power consumption remains notably efficient, second only to our energy-efficient pick. Setup is easy too. It requires only a brief hold of the power button to activate — no manual consultation needed.
We wish there was a timer and oscillation. The fan mode adds year-round utility, though we should note two minor limitations: the absence of a timer function and oscillation. These modest drawbacks aside, the Vornado AVH10's combination of quiet operation, powerful heating performance, robust safety features, and remarkable temperature control make it an exceptional choice for most users. Its ease of use and energy efficiency further cement it as our pick for the best space heater.
Best budget
This heater is small, affordable, and simple. The Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater is one of the smallest heaters on this list, at just about 10 inches tall. Still, it uses a powerful 1,500 watts to heat efficiently for its miniature size. There are three settings (low, high, and fan) and an adjustable temperature dial. The temperature dial uses dots instead of specific temperatures, so it's not intuitive to adjust the unit. Once I got it working, the heat cycling feature kept me comfortable for hours and quietly, so I didn't need to shut it off during Zoom calls.
It's best for small spaces. Keep in mind that it's not a whole-room heater, though. In my testing, it only increased the overall temperature in my office by about three degrees Fahrenheit. However, sitting close to the heater, I felt much warmer.
Steph Coelho/Business Insider
It has all the safety features we look for. The heater's cool-touch housing didn't heat up during use, but the front grille gets quite hot (though you can expect this with most space heaters). It'll also shut off automatically if it detects overheating. The manual didn't specify what temperature this function triggers, and I didn't encounter it during my testing. There's no tip-over safety switch, but the unit is quite stable. I had to shove it off my desk for it to tip over.
But it lacks extra features like a timer. The Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater was previously the top overall pick in our guide because of its reliability and performance. However, it lacks features like a timer, adjustable heat settings, and a remote. Also, it's more of a tabletop heater than a whole room. Still, at under $40, it's the best budget space heater when you're unwilling to turn on the furnace. It's easy to store and tote around the house. —Steph Coelho, Reviews contributor
Best for large rooms
Dreo's heater is the most powerful model we tested. The Dreo Solaris 718 is specifically designed to heat large rooms, with impressive power and fast heating. It reached 70 degrees within 20 minutes — the fastest of any heater we tested — and raised the temperature by 21.7 degrees within an hour and a half. It outperformed every other space heater, making it the best space heater for large spaces like living rooms, basements, and garages.
Even though it's powerful, it's still quiet and energy efficient. It was nearly impossible to hear the heater unless I was directly next to it, and any noise was minimal at a low rumble. It also had average energy usage, rivaling the footprints of much smaller, less powerful models.
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Choose from five heat levels and three fan speeds. You can choose to set a precise temperature, choose a heating level, or opt for an eco mode to keep your space warm while using the least amount of power possible. It also oscillates and comes with a remote control. There's a ton of settings on this model, which has a bit of a learning curve until you find the perfect mode for you.
Its safety features work perfectly. The Solaris 718 has a timer, stay-cool housing, overheat protection, and tip-over protection. It never overheated during my testing, but it quickly turned off when I tipped it over.
But it struggles to maintain the temperature. While I love this space heater, I noticed that it failed to maintain an accurate temperature. When set to 85, the heater reached the temperature within an hour, but it steadily decreased to 77 degrees after four hours. I recommend using the highest heat setting if you're trying to make your space as warm as possible.
Best for a desk
This mini-heater fits perfectly on a desk. The Lasko MyHeat is tiny at 6 inches high, 4 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, making it unobtrusive on any desk or nightstand. It's simple to use, too. There's just one control: the on/off button. You plug it in, and it starts blowing hot air within seconds.
It's a personal heater. At 200 watts, the Lasko MyHeat isn't powerful. It's not designed to heat a whole room. Instead, it's a personal heater blowing hot air directly at you. It only increased the office's temperature by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit in two hours. We'd compare the warming effects to wearing a sweater fresh out of the dryer. We were impressed by how quietly the Lasko heater operated. It's no louder than ambient noise.
I've had it on my desk for years. I like that it adds a little heat to my office when outdoor temperatures don't warrant cranking the thermostat. Overall, it's the best small space heater for staying warm at your desk.
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I wish it had safety features. This Lasko space heater has a downside. It doesn't automatically turn off when it tips over, which is dangerous since the front of the device gets hot enough to burn your hand. However, it does have overheating protection.
Quietest
This space heater stands out for its whisper-quiet operation and exceptional heating power. The Honeywell ThermaWave 6 impressively raised my office temperature by 15 degrees over five hours during testing, though it took longer than other units to reach 70 degrees. However, it didn't maintain set temperatures. Instead, it continued heating beyond the target of 70 degrees, reaching 73 degrees by the end of the hourlong test period.
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It has an intuitive design. The intuitive control panel requires no manual to master, with straightforward buttons for thermostat settings, timer functions, and heat modes. While the unit doesn't oscillate, an adjustable lever helps direct heat where you want it.
It's the best space heater for bedrooms. Safety features include tip-over protection, cool-touch housing, and automatic shut-off. Combined with its energy efficiency and quiet operation, the ThermaWave 6 is the best space heater for bedroom use. You can run it through the night without worrying about significant power consumption or safety issues.
Best energy-efficient
This heater is completely unique. The Boldr Kelvin is unlike any space heater we've tested. It looks like a 53-inch flat-screen TV, and you can mount it on your wall like one. Unlike a TV, it also works in a vertical orientation, so you have this sleek black (or white) piece on your wall that emits heat. The Kelvin comes with all the mounting hardware you need, though we did not mount it on a wall for our testing. Instead, I precariously leaned it against a wall, which may be a good option for renters who can't mount the heater. While there's a risk of it falling over, the heater stayed in place for me.
It's controlled via a companion app. Other than the on button, there are no controls or screens on the Kelvin. Instead, you rely solely on the app (available for iOS and Android), which allows you to make heating schedules, set an auto-off timer, change the heat settings, and more. The app worked well, except it kept trying to get me to update the firmware, but each time I tried, the update failed.
Boldr
It maintains a consistent temperature. In our heating tests, the Boldr only increased my office's temperature by nine degrees in the five-hour testing period, a lower increase than most. However, this infrared heater was the only unit we tested that maintained the target temperature in our thermostat test.
It uses half as much energy as other space heaters. You can't hear the Kelvin space heater running. It's just that quiet, making it an impressive, unobtrusive heater for any space. You can enter the cost per kWh rate from your electric bill into the app to track how much the Kelvin costs to run. I gauged the accuracy using a smart plug and found it was spot on, and the Kelvin was the most energy-efficient space heater by far. It used about half as much electricity as the average of the other units. So, while this has a high upfront cost, you'll save on energy costs in the long term. The Boldr doesn't have tip-over protection, but since you're supposed to mount it to your wall, it's unlikely to tip.
What else we tested
Dreo Atom One Space Heater: For $50, the Atom One is a solid, compact space heater. It's packed full of safety features and easy to use. Plus, it oscillates to send heat throughout the entire room. It heats quickly but was just average at increasing the temperatures in the test room. Also, it used more power than most units.
Dreo Heater Fan MC706: This 2-in-1 heater and fan combo can become a year-round fixture in your home. It's quite large, though not an eyesore, making it a little harder to move from room to room. It's full-featured with five heat settings, an eco-option to set the temperature to a specific degree, and 12 fan speeds. To go from heater to fan, you simply long press the mode button where you can also watch the internal components rotate to the intended use. It also includes a 12-hour timer, oscillation, tip-over and overheat protection.
Dyson HP07: Previously the best splurge pick in our guide, it performs well but is quite pricey when compared to other space heaters.
Honeywell Ceramic Tower Heater: There's a lot to love about this heater. It has a svelte design to save space, intuitive controls, and excellent heating capabilities. However, it was one of the loudest heaters we tested and used more power than average.
Lasko Ceramic Oscillating Space Heater: This model is an Amazon bestseller, but its performance was underwhelming. It failed to reach the desired temperature, used up more energy than any other heater, and setup was a pain.
Lasko Ellipse Tabletop Heater: If you're searching for a quiet heater of a tabletop option and our current picks aren't available, this is the model we recommend. Its slim design fits snugly in tight spaces and its operation is near-silent.
Shark TurboBlade Heat + Cool: We love this upgraded version of the viral Shark Turboblade that released in early 2025. While we're fans of the modes and flexibility, it's nearly $400 and isn't as powerful as other similarly priced options.
What to look for in a space heater
Types of space heaters
- Ceramic space heaters: These use electricity to heat metal coils that run through ceramic and may employ a fan to distribute the heat. The ceramic takes a while to cool down, so the heater still radiates heat after it's turned off. Ceramic space heaters are compact, lightweight, and portable but aren't a good choice for large spaces. Most of our picks are ceramic heaters with forced air because they tend to do a better job of quickly heating rooms and directing the heat where we want it.
- Forced-air space heaters: Much like a whole-home heating system, forced-air space heaters feature a fan and a heating element. The fan blows the heat right where you want it.
- Infrared space heaters: These heaters use infrared rays to heat objects in the room rather than the air. You can often feel the heat right away. Infrared space heaters tend to be more energy efficient, though they have a higher upfront cost.
- Oil-filled space heaters: Also known as "radiator heaters" because of their radiator-like design, they contain heated oil. The heat then radiates from the unit. Oil-filled heaters heat long after the unit is turned off, making them energy-efficient. However, they lack a fan to help distribute the heat. We tested one oil-filled unit, the DeLonghi Whole Room Oil-Filled Radiator, and were disappointed with its heating capabilities and marginal energy savings.
- Propane space heaters: These non-electric heaters rely on propane for fuel. They work indoors and out, though they present a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Propane space heaters are the cheapest to operate but have more safety risks as they require a consistent propane supply and a flame. Since safety was a top concern and we were testing indoors, we only tested electric heaters for this guide.
Here are some other features you should consider when shopping for a space heater:
Power: Most heaters in our guide have 1,500 watts, which is standard for space heaters. More powerful heaters are usually marketed as "garage heaters" and either need to be hardwired into your electrical circuit or run on a special appliance circuit. Fortunately, a heater with 1,500 watts should be enough to heat a room of about 150 square feet.
Heat-cycling function: You'll want a space heater with a heat-cycling function for comfort and energy efficiency. This function allows you to select the desired temperature, which the unit then attempts to maintain by cycling on and off when the temperature is above or below the threshold. This is similar to how a built-in thermostat works in your home and prevents you from having to manually turn the unit on and off to maintain comfort.
Size: A small space heater is great for desktop use in a home office, dorm room, or office building. It'll usually heat the area around the heater comfortably, which is good enough if you're just looking for a small bubble of personal comfort. A space heater with a bigger footprint has a larger fan, which helps blow air around the room and is ideal for heating large spaces like garages or full rooms. Opt for a full-size heater if you have a lot of space to heat.
Safety: Our FAQ section below outlines more safety features to look for, but overheat protection is a must.
How to safely use a space heater
Space heaters are ultra-convenient, but safety experts said they can also be dangerous if not used properly. A 2022 National Fire Protection Association release states that space heaters caused 88% of home fire deaths between 2016 and 2020, an alarming figure.
Matthew Griffith, the Montreal Fire Department's fire prevention section chief, and Dan Mock, the brand manager of Mister Sparky, an electrical services company, said the number one rule for using a space heater is never to leave it unattended. Here are other safety considerations from the experts:
- Look for a space heater certified by the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL or ULC in Canada) with safety features like an auto-shutoff and tip-over switch.
- Do not put a space heater too close to walls or flammable materials and keep the backside clear, as the unit can overheat if blocked.
- Avoid using extension cords or overloading circuits with these appliances
- Read the instruction manual cover-to-cover and inspect the device before running it. It's also a good idea to keep the packaging to store the heater and keep it dust-free during the warmer months.
How we test space heaters
Steph Coelho/Business Insider
In addition to interviewing two safety experts about space heaters, we relied heavily on our experience reviewing heating devices like the best patio heaters and portable outdoor heaters. We put 23 space heaters through the same set of standard tests and used a reference thermometer to collect temperature data. Here's what we looked for with each test:
Heating: We tested every heater in a 100-square-foot office with a starting room temperature of 60 to 64 degrees and the home's heating turned off. A reference thermometer was placed in the middle of the room, with the heater in a corner. We then blasted each heater on high for five hours, taking temperature readings. We ran the same test in a 1,000-square-foot room if a heater was designed for larger spaces. We used the same office setup to test the thermostat and ran the units at 70 degrees. Once it hit 70 degrees, we took readings for the next hour to see if it maintained the temp.
Controls: While safety experts recommend reading the manual cover-to-cover before using a space heater, we tried to figure out the units independently before referencing any manuals. We looked for controls that were intuitive and easy to figure out.
Noise: We placed a decibel meter 6 feet from the heater to gauge noise as it ran on high. None of the space heaters we recommend were louder than a normal conversation. In some cases, you couldn't hear them at all.
Safety features: We verified whether safety features were functional (except for the overheating functions, since that would have presented a safety hazard), including tipping the units over to test for automatic shutoff.
Efficiency: Using a smart plug, we measured how much electricity each unit used while running on high during the five-hour test. On average, the heaters we tested used 1.2 kWh of electricity per hour, which works out to about 22 cents per hour based on average electricity costs.
Space heater FAQs
Are space heaters energy efficient?
Space heaters usually use around 1,500 watts of power, or about an additional $50 to your energy bill according to current average electricity rates.
Is it cheaper to turn up the central heat or use a space heater?
It's usually cheaper to use central heat to heat your entire home, but it's cheaper to use a space heater if you're just trying to warm one room.
How long can I leave a space heater on?
Modern space heaters have safety features that let them run for hours, but always turn a space heater off being leaving the house or going to bed. If you're worried about forgetting to turn it off, consider a model with an auto-off setting or timer.
Is it safe to run a space heater overnight?
Since you should never leave a space heater unattended, it isn't safe to run one overnight. If your bedroom is cold, turn your space heater on before bed, then turn it off when you go to sleep.
How long do space heaters last?
Space heaters should last up to 10 years. Most of our picks have warranties between one and three years.
How much does it cost to run a 1500 W heater for 24 hours?
Using US Energy Information Administration's average residential electricity rate of 13 cents per kilowatt-hour (as of November 2025), it costs approximately $4.68 for 24 hours of continuous operation. This is just an estimate, since the total costs depends on your local electricity bill, and you probably won't run your space heater for 24 hours a day.
Do space heaters run up your electric bill?
Yes, space heaters can have a significant impact on your electricity bill. We've found that even energy-efficient models consume around 750 watts per hour. For context, that's the same as running seven LED light bulbs at the same time.
While the total cost depends on your usage and electricity rates, using a space heater can add up to $200 to your monthly bills, especially in the winter.
What kind of space heater is most effective?
Ceramic or forced air heaters are the best at raising the ambient temperature, though they also use the most power. Infrared heaters directly heat people and objects — like the sun — so they're more efficient. Oil-filled radiators are fantastic at maintaining temperatures, but they take a while to heat up.
Which space heater is most energy efficient?
After testing dozens of models, we found that infrared heaters are the most energy efficient because they directly increase the temperature of people and objects without significantly raising the ambient temperature in a room.
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