• A great space heater can make the bitter cold of winter bearable.
  • The Trustech Ceramic Space Heater is our top pick because it’s affordable, programmable, and it heats up quickly.

If you don’t have central heating, or do but don’t want to use all that energy, then a space heater is a great way to ensure you keep nice and warm during those long winter months, whether you’re in your frigid office, that one cold room in your house, or your chilly dorm room.

There are plenty of space heaters to choose from, so we’ve done the research for you to find the best space heaters you can buy, with special consideration of safety, efficiency, and value.

Here are the best space heaters:

Updated 8/17/2020. We updated prices, links, and formatting.

The best overall

The Trustech Ceramic Space Heater puts out warm air within three seconds of being switched on and can be programmed to run from one to 12 hours.

If you’ve got a cold office, bedroom, or nursery on your hands, when do you want your space heater to get to work warming it up, in a few minutes, or right this very second? While the Trustech Ceramic Space Heater might not be able to help warm things up in one second, give this plucky little unit three seconds, and you’ll begin to feel warm air.

Its ceramic heating elements warm up quickly and its built-in fan starts blowing out heated air that can rapidly raise the ambient temperature in a midsized room.

The Trustech space heater can produce air cooled down to 59º Fahrenheit (ambient temperature permitting) or as warm as 85º Fahrenheit, so it can achieve the temperature you're after all year round. Plus, it can be programmed to run for anywhere between one and 12 hours, or simply left switched on.

Don't worry about it overheating, either, as it has an automatic shutoff feature that kicks in if it gets too hot. It will also shut down if tipped over. While running, the heater can be focused in one direction or set to oscillate, evenly heating a larger space.

And don't fret if your Trustech Ceramic Space Heater keeps on blowing air for 30 seconds after you switched it off. That's just another safety feature. It blows cool air across its heating element for a half a minute after switched off to ensure minimal risk of injury or fire.

Just note that some users did complain about its noisy fan and the less than intuitive temperature control button, which requires cycling all the way up to the top temperature to reach lower temps. - Steven John

Pros: Heats up rapidly, oscillation option, multiple safety features

Cons: Noisy fan, clunky temp control button

The best small

Foto: Source: Lasko

The Lasko 754200 Ceramic Portable Space Heater isn't just super affordable, it's also easy to use and offers a number of different modes and adjustable thermostat.

The Lasko 754200 heater is all the heater you need. Even though it is small and relatively basic, this tiny space heater can warm an entire room quickly. It's also super compact and easy to store when you're not using it, making it perfect for use in smaller apartments, dorms, and offices. Lasko's heater is so cheap that you could get one for each room in your house if need be and still not pay as much as you would for an oil-filled radiator.

It's a simple-looking space heater that should fit in fairly well. At the very least, it's small enough that it won't dominate the room. It's also pretty compact, coming in at only 9.2-inches tall, so it's easy to move from room to room.

In terms of features, Lasko kept it simple. You get variable temperature settings and a variety of heating modes. The power switch doubles as a way to control the different modes - high heat, low heat, and fan only - and there's also an adjustable thermostat so you can customize the temperature.

Insider Reviews deputy editor Malarie Gokey tested the Lasko heater in her New York apartment when a major cold snap kicked in, and loved it. It easily heated up most of her one-bedroom apartment and it was the perfect size to use in her tiny bathroom to keep it cozy.

The only downsides are that the heater doesn't offer some of the timing and programming features that you might get from other heaters, and because it's fan-operated, it might be a little loud at times. Other than that, Lasko's heater is a great buy.

Pros: Extremely affordable, easy-to-use basic features, portable, warms up any room or office

Cons: Fan-based so could be noisy, a little basic

The best high-end

Foto: Source: Dyson

The Dyson Hot + Cool Jet Focus AM09 Fan Heater isn't just a great heater and air conditioner - it's beautifully designed, too, so it'll fit well in any room.

Dyson may be best known for its vacuums, but the company has taken its tech-forward attitude and applied it to other home appliances like heaters and fans. This heater may, in fact, be the most tech-focused on the list.

The Dyson AM09 bladeless heater uses what Dyson calls "Jet Focus," which pushes air out in a precise and narrow path. In other words, instead of heating the whole room at once, this heater blasts hot air in one direction, so you can point it at yourself to keep nice and toasty.

You can, of course, choose to have it heat in all directions instead, but if you need a quick blast of hot air, you'll have Jet Focus mode up your sleeve. The Dyson also includes a sleep timer, so you can set the heater to switch off on its own.

Perhaps one of the best things about this heater is the fact that it isn't just a heater. It's also an air conditioner, so you can use it during the summer to keep nice and cool, too. According to reviews, while it does produce some noise, it's not overly loud. That's because of its aerodynamic diffuser, which helps cut down on the fan noise.

While the Dyson AM09 heater is a great option, there are a few downsides to consider. For example, it's a pretty expensive heater, and if you lose the remote, you won't have access to some of the features like the sleep timer. Still, it has been highly-reviewed, and Dyson has a great brand reputation, so you can trust the technology.

Pros: Well-designed, lots of features, included remote

Cons: Expensive

The best that's also a fan

Foto: Source: Vornado

Not only does the Vornado AVH2 Plus offer two different heat settings, it also boasts a cool fan setting.

While you could get the Dyson AM09 for your heater/air conditioner combo, you may not want to spend the money on it. In that case, there's another option: the Vornado AVH2 Plus. This heater not only packs both a heater and a fan, but it also has some pretty helpful high-tech features built right into it.

For example, it has automatic climate control, so you can set your ideal temperature, and the device will automatically circulate warm air to match that temperature. It also offers two heat settings, which match 750W and 1,500W outputs. Finally, it has a fan-only option, so you can keep using the device in the summer if you so choose. It even has a timer, which you can set for between 1 and 12 hours.

Of course, there are some negatives to consider. For example, while Vornado promises "whisper-quiet" operating, the fact that it's a fan-powered device means it may get noisy. It's also a tad small.

Pros: Auto climate control, two heat settings, heater and fan options

Cons: Will still make noise, a little expensive

The best design-conscious

Foto: Source: Honeywell

The Honeywell UberHeat Ceramic Heater has a fun modern design that will look right at home even in a chic living room.

If you care about design, our top pick may leave you a little cold. The Honeywell UberHeat Ceramic Heater is much more aesthetically pleasing with its round design and angled legs. It looks less like a normal space heater and more like a retro speaker.

It's also quite small, so it can fit in any room easily. Despite its size, it packs a punch with 1500 watts of power that will warm your space up fast. It has two heat settings and an adjustable thermostat. Honeywell's heater doesn't have many fancy features, but it gets the job done.

If you worry about your heater becoming too hot, never fear, because Honeywell has included overheat protection and its external housing won't get overly warm. The Honeywell heater has a three-year warranty in case anything goes wrong.

Pros: Warms rooms up, portable, affordable, stylish, safety features

Cons: It's simple, and has no special features

Foto: What to consider when buying a space heater

Here are a few key things to keep in mind when choosing a space heater:

  • Room size: Space heaters can often only do so much, and if you're trying to heat a huge room, you'll need a model that can fill your space with warmth. Likewise, if you're going to use the device in a smaller room, then perhaps save some money and energy and go for a smaller space heater.
  • Energy-efficient models: Buying one of these options means you could save a little money on your monthly energy bill. Plenty of energy-efficient heaters are high-quality, and they will heat your room just as well as any non-energy-efficient heater.
  • Portability: While you may not be taking your space heater out of your house often, you may still need to move it from room to room. If that's the case, you'll want to make sure that it's relatively easy to move.
  • Design: Last but not least, you'll want to consider what the space heater looks like. Sure, that may not be as important as offering heat, but the fact is that a space heater could well become a piece of furniture in your house, and as such, it should be able to fit in with the rest of your furniture reasonably well.

Check out our other winter guides to keep warm

Foto: Source: J. Crew/Business Insider

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