The 10 Best Space Heaters of 2024, According To Our Tests

Best Overall

Vornado Personal Space Heater

Heating Performance5/5
Design5/5
Ease of Use5/5
Safety5/5
Value5/5
There are three heat options to choose from and it’s incredibly quiet.

There are three heat options to choose from and it’s incredibly quiet.

The temperature of the air projected out of the machine is not displayed on its exterior.

The temperature of the air projected out of the machine is not displayed on its exterior.

If you’re looking for the best space heater to warm up your home, the Vornado VH200 Personal Space Heater is it. We noted that the noise coming from the space heater was nearly unnoticeable, which was pleasantly surprising considering how much heat was produced. If it wasn’t for the smell of the hot air around this heater, the device is so quiet we would’ve forgotten it was on. Even with seven fan speed options, the highest decibel reading we recorded was 46.6.

If we could change one thing about the heater, it would be the exterior. It doesn’t display what temperature of air is being emitted nor its volume. The only information that can be gathered from looking at the machine is which heat setting was selected of the three: low, medium, and high. However, its switches and dials were easy to use since they were bright red and black.

The device is small, lightweight, and includes a built-in handle, making it easy to pick up and carry in one hand. Its size might not make it ideal for warming a large room, but we think it’s a great pick for bedrooms.

We were most impressed with its safety features including tip shut off which turns off the machine once it tips past 25 degrees. It also offers an over-temperature shut-off which detects any airflow restrictions and a standard grill to prevent fingers from slipping inside the gadget.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Budget

Black+Decker Indoor Infrared Heater

Heating Performance5/5
Design4.9/5
Ease of Use5/5
Safety4/5
Value4.5/5
It’s equipped with a setting to help users conserve energy while using it.

It’s equipped with a setting to help users conserve energy while using it.

This space heater does not have an auto shut-off feature.

This space heater does not have an auto shut-off feature.

For those looking to purchase an user-friendly space heater without breaking the bank, the Black+Decker Electronic Space Heater is a solid choice. It has a high and low setting and five others in between from 60ºF to 80ºF. Users can also opt to use the device’s “e-save” setting which reduces the amount of energy used, which cycles between the low and high settings every 15 minutes.

A built-in handle made the machine easy to carry and provided a fitting spot to keep its remote when not in use. We found that this space heater does produce a bit of noise. Although the sound resembles a white noise, it was certainly more than we had been expecting considering its smaller size.

Although the device does offer overheat protection, there is no auto shut off or tip over shut off feature. With that said, we didn’t feel as though its sides or handle were hot when touched, even after the heater was in use for 30 minutes.

While we appreciated this space heater’s variety of settings, we would have liked for the machine to be able to rotate to more effectively warm larger areas. But for its affordable price, we think it’s a great pick for smaller spaces.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Splurge

Duraflame 3D Infrared Electric Fireplace Stove

Heating Performance5/5
Design5/5
Safety4/5
Value5/5
With powerful infrared heating and an attractive 3D faux-fireplace that flames merrily, this space heater ensures you’ll feel the warmth both inside and out.

With powerful infrared heating and an attractive 3D faux-fireplace that flames merrily, this space heater ensures you’ll feel the warmth both inside and out.

The front gets very hot while in use.

The front gets very hot while in use.

Using radiant infrared heat, this Duraflame space heater pumps out some serious BTUs (British Thermal Units). Our tester gave the heater a 5 out of 5 for overall heating, doing a solid job with direct body heat as well as ambient heat. The front does get hot, hitting a whopping 528 degrees behind the grill after use. However, the rest of the housing stays only moderately hot: With 104 degree and 118 degree temps measured on the back and top respectively. It also features a useful thermostat that ranges from 60 to 82 degrees, as well as a continuous-on mode.

Our tester's favorite part of this heater was its faux-fireplace aesthetic that can be turned on even without heat, to provide a cozy visual fire experience that even seems to billow in 3D, without having to fill your home with blazing heat in warmer months. The heater also sports a remote, though it lacks some features you might expect, like the ability to change the heater’s temperature.

A modern infrared heater that gives your home the feeling of a real wood-burning fire, the Duraflame 3D Infrared Electric Fireplace Stove is a premium pick for those who want to invest in a space heater that makes for an attractive permanent furniture piece. This is a space heater that’s more or a permanent faux-fireplace than it is a bandaid for a heat outage, but those that invest won’t regret it.

How It Performed After Six Months

We’re still impressed with the heater after six months of use. Even when we don’t need the extra heat, we’ve enjoyed using the flame feature for added ambiance, and we’ve even received compliments from guests.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Portable

GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater

Heating Performance4/5
Design5/5
Safety5/5
Value5/5
Weighing in under 4 pounds, this space heater delivers solid heat to the person in front of it.

Weighing in under 4 pounds, this space heater delivers solid heat to the person in front of it.

While it warms the space directly around you well, it won’t heat up a room as effectively.

While it warms the space directly around you well, it won’t heat up a room as effectively.

For those who work in semi-enclosed spaces like garages, and workshops, a portable, personal space heater can mean limber knees and overall comfort, even when the nights get cold. The GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater is our pick for just such cases. With a convenient handle, this highly portable heater will follow you anywhere.

The GiveBest does a great job at keeping you warm. Using ceramic heating tech, it pumps forced air, and features two settings—750 watts and 1500 watts—which are adjusted with a dial that also includes a fan-only setting. A separate dial controls the device’s thermostat. Our tester found that on high the heater had raised their body temperature by about 14 degrees, while it raised the overall room temperature by about 2 degrees. Still, they rated the heater’s overall heat performance 4 out of 5.

This heater’s design is what makes it really stand out. Our tester found it to be lightweight and well endowed with a useful handle. The heater’s safety features also do an impressive job, shutting off promptly when tipped even just a little, and automatically shutting down in case of overheating. The heater also maintains touch-safe temperatures across its housing, getting hot on the grill, but not so hot as to prove dangerous to pets or children—a feature that’s quite handy in a portable space heater that might get moved around frequently.

How It Performed After Six Months

Throughout our long-term testing, we used this little space heater to warm us when our home’s HVAC system wasn’t working properly, and we were grateful to have it. We especially enjoyed bringing the unit out to our porch to enjoy breakfast outside on chilly mornings.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Quiet

Dreo Solaris Slim H3 Space Heater

Heating Performance4.8/5
Design4.8/5
Ease of Use5/5
Safety5/5
Value5/5
It’s equipped with many safety features so you can feel at ease when it is powered on.

It’s equipped with many safety features so you can feel at ease when it is powered on.

The buttons produce a loud noise when pushed, but this can be turned off.

The buttons produce a loud noise when pushed, but this can be turned off.

For those looking to heat an entire room without a ton of noise, the Dreo Solaris Slim H3 can do just that. With a taller height of 15 inches, we immediately noticed the warm forced air it pumped out even when seated a couple of feet away. This space heater differs from some others as it offers a medium heat setting in addition to just low and high. It oscillates to cover 70 degrees of space, a feature we found useful to intentionally heat a room instead of blowing air in a single direction.

We found the noise output to be quiet and not distracting. It measured at 48.1 decibels, which was on the low end of the heaters we tested. Because the heater only has one fan speed, the noise stayed the same on both high and low heat. The only loud part about this device is its buttons, which we found loud by default. However, the button volume can be turned off completely.

As for safety features, this space heater has plenty with both tip-over and overheat protection, automatic power shut off, and a 12-hour timer. When the device is tipped over, it shuts off and emits loud beeps to notify you of a fall for extra peace of mind.

During testing, we noticed that the body of the gadget remains cool when in use, but the grill does get very hot. Since it’s a larger unit with more grill exposed, it may not be the best pick for families with young kids or curious pets.

What sets this space heater apart is its simplicity. We liked that it has simple controls and settings that can be easily adjusted as needed. And, it’s lightweight enough that it can be carried using one hand.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Tower

Better Homes and Gardens Electric Ceramic Tower Heater

Heating Performance5/5
Design4/5
Safety4.5/5
Value5/5
Even with its taller build, we found the device light and easy to carry.

Even with its taller build, we found the device light and easy to carry.

The oscillating feature began making a clicking noise after long-term use.

The oscillating feature began making a clicking noise after long-term use.

Oscillating tower space heaters help push warmth out to an entire room, and the Better Homes and Gardens 23-Inch Electric Ceramic Tower Heater did just that. The heater allows you to adjust the temperature between 41-95ºF and during testing, the device was able to increase our body temperature by 10ºF.

Because tower space heaters are more vulnerable to falls thanks to their added height, safety features like tip-over protection are extra important. When we knocked this device over, it took just five seconds to shut off. For extra peace of mind, this heater also includes overheat protection and an eight-hour timer.

One thing to keep in mind is that the settings on this space heater weren’t clear, and the instruction manual wasn’t the best at explaining every feature. But once we set it up, we found the digital panel easy to control.

The 6-foot-long cord is long enough to readjust the heater’s position in a room, and an included remote makes it easy to control from your couch or bed. If you expect to move the heater from room to room, we found its 9-pound weight light enough to carry without any issues.

How It Performed After Six Months

We used this heater throughout our older home during the winter months. It warmed rooms quickly, which was impressive given its smaller footprint. We even let our neighbors borrow the unit when their pipes froze, and they appreciated the safety features while running the heater in their basement overnight.

However, after six months of regular use, the oscillating feature began making a clicking noise. Because this was an affordable heater, the noise wasn’t a deal breaker—but we recommend using it for shorter cold spells rather than all winter long.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Wall-Mounted

Heat Storm Phoenix Space Heater

Heating Performance4/5
Design4.5/5
Safety4.5/5
Value4.5/5
If you can’t decide between getting a permanent option and a portable one, this model’s flexibility make it a great pick.

If you can’t decide between getting a permanent option and a portable one, this model’s flexibility make it a great pick.

Infrared heat doesn’t do as well at raising the overall ambient temperature of the room as it does heating objects.

Infrared heat doesn’t do as well at raising the overall ambient temperature of the room as it does heating objects.

Delivering between 750 and 1500-Watt heat paired with a fan, this infrared heater does a good job at keeping you warm. Our tester gave it a 4 out of 5 at keeping them warm, though they found that the heater did little to increase the overall warmth of the air, mostly warming their skin only. Because the heating element is infrared, the heater did little to affect the overall humidity of the room. If you fear the drying heat of traditional hot water radiators and convection heaters then you’ll appreciate how this heater warms your flesh without turning your living space into a desert.

When you’re looking for a heater to install permanently, the Heat Storm Phoenix Infrared Space Heater is one of the best around. This infra makes it easy to change setting from a distance. However, though this heater works great installed on a wall, don’t assume this is the only way to use it; this versatile heater also comes with feet, and is lightweight and portable enough to carry around with you.

Thankfully this heater does a good job with the standard safety features. Tipped over, our tester found that the heater shut off its heating function quickly, displaying an error message, even while it continued to run its fan to cool the heating element. The heater’s front grill also stays remarkably cool—our tester measured it heating to just 90 degrees during use. With a timer function built in, you can also program your heater to stop heating when you know you’ll be finished. Overheat protection is included as well for added safety.

Our tester appreciated the heater’s remote control options, but did find that some of the remote’s buttons were not as responsive as they would have liked, requiring a small bout of button mashing to adjust its controls, which include temperature adjustments, fan speed, and brightness. We also appreciated the versatility it provided with the installable feet, though our tester found them to be somewhat flimsy. Feet aside, it’s a great infrared heater for installation in your home.

How It Performed After Six Months

The space heater is still performing properly after six months, and we’ve appreciated using it in different areas throughout our home. If you opt to use it as a freestanding unit, like we did during the first few months, note that it takes a bit longer for the heat to rise from the bottom of the unit. After we mounted it on the wall, we found the heat to circulate the room much easier.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Personal

Dreo Atom One Space Heater

Heating Performance4.5/5
Design4.8/5
Ease of Use5/5
Safety4.5/5
Value5/5
Despite its small size, it effectively spreads out heat.

Despite its small size, it effectively spreads out heat.

The effects weren’t as immediately noticed as some other heaters.

The effects weren’t as immediately noticed as some other heaters.

The Dreo DR-HSH004A is the best choice for personal use. Whether you’re looking for a space heater to take into the bathroom or one for a small bedroom, this one which heats via forced air and convection is a great pick. Since it immediately shuts off when it comes into contact with small quantities of water, you can rest assured that it is safer for a bathroom setting, especially if you plan on keeping it on when taking a shower or washing your hands.

When it comes to design, the unit is user-friendly thanks to its LED front lights which display important information about its settings and temperature. While the space heater came with a user manual, we didn’t feel inclined to look through it after initially setting it up as it is a straightforward gadget. The remote worked well when tested from 2 to 8 feet away. The noise coming from this machine could barely be heard and was quieter than the fan in the home where it was tested.

The space heater offers a wide oscillation and we found it able to effectively spread out the heat. While the heating effect wasn’t noticeable right away, the room we tested in eventually became so hot that we had to move to a different room when recording insights. The heater’s body grew warm, and we could only keep our hands between 6 and 10 inches away from the top without growing too uncomfortable. However, the buttons to adjust the settings did not feel hot when touched.

Product Details: Heating Element: Forced air and convection | Heat Settings: Three | Wattage: 900-1500 watts | Decibel: 48-51.5 decibels | Dimensions: 5.5 x 10.3 x 6.7 inches | Weight: 3.8 pounds | Safety Features: Safety plug, flame retardant materials, tip-over and overheat protection, 24 hour automatic shut off

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Fan

Vornado VHEAT Vintage Heater

Heating Performance4/5
Design4.5/5
Safety5/5
Value4/5
Personally sized, with a fan built right in, this metal space heater delivers soft warmth, and sports a 5-year warranty.

Personally sized, with a fan built right in, this metal space heater delivers soft warmth, and sports a 5-year warranty.

The distinctive design is fun, but it won’t be to everyone’s taste.

The distinctive design is fun, but it won’t be to everyone’s taste.

The Vornado 1500-Watt Fan Utility Indoor Electric Space Heater makes its quality obvious from first glance, with metal housing that’s detailed, retro, and actually cute. Available in an attractive “vintage green” or off-white, which call to mind barbershops of old and 1950s soda fountains, this Vornado sports retro aesthetics and dependability, that’s guaranteed for 5 years of dependable heating.

Providing between 750 and 1500 watts, this heater delivers power commensurate with the other heavy hitters on this list, and flips between low and high mode with a simple metal switch. Our tester found that the heater delivered a heat that was markedly “soft” compared with some others. Set up about 3 feet away, they appreciated how the heater was easy to tilt into position, aiming the air stream away when they got too hot, and directing it back onto them when they were ready for more.

This premium Vornado did a stellar job with our tip test, shutting off right away when tipped over. Our only safety concern with this device is its front grill, which our reviewer measured at 186 degrees. However, this is far less than some other heaters on this list, and should only be a concern for those with infants, or particularly inquisitive pets. They also noted that the metal housing didn’t become too hot, even when the heater was running at high.

How It Performed After Six Months

After almost daily use, we’re confident this space heater will last for years to come. Despite its small size, it’s fairly heavy so we haven’t had any issues accidentally knocking it over. It only takes half an hour for our room to increase about 5ºF, and we plan on using the heater in future cold seasons.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Fireplace

Better Homes and Gardens Rounded Corner Electric Fire Stove Heater

Heating Performance5/5
Design4.3/5
Ease of Use4.8/5
Safety5/5
Value5/5
It can be operated manually or using the remote.

It can be operated manually or using the remote.

It is on the larger side compared to some other space heaters.

It is on the larger side compared to some other space heaters.

For those looking for a space heater that doubles as a fireplace, Better Homes and Gardens Rounded Corner Electric Stove Heater with Remote is the best—and for good reason. While it was heavier than some of the other space heaters we tested, it’s lighter than most electric fireplaces and we didn’t have any trouble moving the unit around. This space heater is more expensive than some others, but we found its features to be worth the cost.

When it comes to design, this unit is shaped to fit nicely in a corner. Although we didn’t think its flames looked too realistic, we didn’t think they detracted from the machine’s overall aesthetic, either. We particularly liked that the heat could be adjusted independently and without impacting the brightness. Regardless of how you like to control devices, this one provides the ability to do so manually or using its included remote which we found easy to operate, although it only worked when pointed directly at the heater.

The unit was quiet during operation. It has five brightness settings to adjust the look of the flame. And while it offers a temperature range from 55ºF to 90ºF, we never measured a room temperature over 84ºF, even on its highest setting.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK