When snow starts to pile up and temperatures plummet, a space heater helps transform the cold and uncomfortable to cozy and snug. Whether you need a powerful unit to warm your workshop or an energy-efficient option to save on your electric bill, the right heater can make all the difference.
The best space heaters run quietly, efficiently, and offer multiple heating levels, plus have safety features like automatic shut-off for accidental tipping. And, there are different types of space heaters to consider based on your budget and heating needs, including low-cost electric coil-fan models and heaters that burn propane or kerosene.
We researched and tested the most promising space heaters from brands like Vornado, Lasko, and Honeywell, highlighting picks we found most efficient, durable, and safe. Read on for our recommendations, along with everything you need to know when browsing options.
Best Space Heaters
What to Consider
Types of Space Heaters
Electric-coil fan heater
The most straightforward and least expensive space heaters that blow air over an electrical heating element to produce warmth.
Ideal use: Generating heat in a small area like a shed or office to allow occupants to move about in a small zone of warm air.
Ceramic heaters
Simple, affordable, and versatile, these use an electrical resistance element encased in a ceramic block or a ceramic element that is itself semi-electrically conductive and produces heat. The block stores heat and radiates it out as infrared energy. Most of these space heaters have a fan, but a few primitive ones do not. The majority of the heaters on our list fall into this category.
Ideal use: A better and quieter alternative to an electric coil fan heater. These are great for shared offices or wherever quiet heat is needed. Their simplicity makes them quite rugged; they have fewer parts to wear out or break.
Gas and liquid-fuel heaters
These appliances burn propane or kerosene to warm an infrared emitter that projects the energy to heat your workspace.
Ideal use: Construction sites, garages, or work areas are the best places to use these heaters, since you want to place one at a comfortable distance and keep the work area unobstructed. Gas or liquid-fuel heaters direct the heat wherever you’re working.
Types of Heat
Heat is transmitted in three ways, and space heaters can use all methods or just two. Knowing how they heat is more than an exercise in physics; it can help you select the best appliance to suit your needs.
Radiation
A ray in the infrared (electromagnetic) spectrum travels through space, creating heat energy when it passes through a solid, such as you, furnishings, objects and equipment, or a structure (like your home).
Infrared heaters help warm yourself and objects you come in contact with, like a chair, desk, or workbench. They also work well when aiming heat in a specific direction.
Convection
This refers to the transfer of thermal energy through a fluid, either by a gas such as air or a liquid like oil or water. Convection heaters elevate the temperature of the air in certain spaces and are most suitable for delivering warmth in an area where you might walk around, like the surroundings of your desk or workshop.
Conduction
Conduction is the movement of heat energy within a solid by using direct physical contact. Heaters that use conduction have warm surfaces that emit heat in all directions (think of a wood stove). Again, these are another good option for efficiently heating up your space.
Safety
If you have pets or young children, then choosing a space heater with safety features is especially important for avoiding accidental burns and fires. The majority of the heaters on our list (with the exception of the Lasko Electric Oscillating Ceramic Tower Space Heater) come with an automatic shut-off feature if it tips over. A good portion of our recommended heaters also include a timer to prevent the device from running for the entire day if you forget to shut it off.
How We Selected
During our tests, we evaluated each space heater based on factors that matter most to customers like safety, variety of settings, and more. We paid attention to how efficiently the appliances were able to heat a space, using them around our homes and office. We also took note how many heatings levels each space heater offered and the range of temperatures available to see how much power it uses.
With this update, we replaced a few outdated or out-of-stock models with new picks that offer variety in the way they heat the space—we included a remote-controlled desktop version and a smart space heater. For options that we haven’t had the chance to test, we heavily vetted specs and evaluated each space heater based on the same factors our expert testers used in their initial testing, including safety features, product reviews, and noise levels.
The new models include safety measures such as overheat protection, tip-over senors, and shock-resistant plugs. To evaluate the unit’s heat capabilities, we took into account its temperature range and wattage and prioritized heaters that offered a wide temperature range (and control) and at least 1200 watts or more.
Full Reviews
Lasko calls the CW210 bladeless, because it doesn’t really have a fan, per say—it uses a multi-vane impeller instead. This fan-less design contributes to the appliance’s quiet operation, as it pulls in air through its base and into its tower. It comes with a cleanable air filter, which is accessible via a tool-free hatch at the back of the heater. We also like the sleek touchpad on the front for controlling the wattage for the heating element, tower oscillation, and the eight-hour timer. The space heater only has two actual heat settings, high and low, but there is a manual thermostat for controlling temperatures which can help offset the lack of power options.
The large window of airflow and even heat distribution help bring a room to a comfortable temperature faster than most space heaters on this list. One gripe: The battery hatch cover on the remote is difficult to remove. It has a holster for that remote control, though, making for one tidy package.
Best Value
Vornado MVH Vortex Space Heater
Key Specs
| Type | Electrical resistance |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 9.2 x 10.4 x 10.6 in. |
| Weight | 3.76 lb |
| Heat Output | 1500W |
For a low cost, the Vornado MVH Vortex Heater heats a surprisingly large area—up to 256 square feet—with minimal noise. We used this unit in a bedroom surrounded by outside on five sides, and it held up nicely during cold, overnight temps. We also liked how simple, compact, and lightweight this unit is, and the appliance case stays cool to the touch, allowing you to move it around without worry when its being operated.
The unit’s controls are a miss for us, though. While we liked the simple on/off button and the three-position toggle for heat level (low 750 watts, medium 1,125 watts, and high 1,500 watts), the thermostat dial is vague. The numbers on this dial range from 1–7, which don’t really show how warm each setting is.
As a result, we had to experiment with different numbers until we figured out a setting that worked best for us (you’ll likely have to do the same). Despite this drawback, the thermostat feature is helpful for when temperatures dip or get too high, as this controls the unit’s auto-shut off/on feature.
Best for Tabletops
Lasko Ellipse Ceramic Space Heater
Key Specs
| Type | Ceramic |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6 x 6 x 12 in. |
| Weight | 3.1 lb |
| Heat Output | 1500W |
If your office is frequently cold, then a tabletop space heater might be just what you need to combat the frigid temperatures of your work building. The Ellipse ceramic heater from Lasko is truly a compact model–it’s only 12 inches tall, so we found it a rather discreet option for tucking into the corner of our desk or underneath our workspace.
The highest settings offers a max output of 1500 watts, which pumped out powerful heat in seconds. There are also low and medium power options, and you can manually change the temperature using the touch panel on the space heater.
We really appreciate that even though this is a smaller space heater, it comes with it’s own remote. You can make the space heater oscillate and conveniently set a timer with the press of a couple buttons, and you can view everything from the LED panel on the front of the space heater.
The only thing we didn’t particularly like is that the Ellipse turns on at the highest setting automatically, so you’ll have to make adjustments almost immediately to find the ideal temperature and power.
Best Smart
Lasko AR122 Therma-Smart Oscillating Tower Space Heater
A tech-facing space heater certainly has its benefits. The Lasko ThermaSmart tower heater has Wi-fi connectivity, so you can pair it with the Aria home app for a virtual remote. Pairing the heater was fairly easy: you hold the Wi-fi button on the space heater for five seconds so it enters “paring mode”, and then connect the device to the app. You can see wattage use and heat levels, and there’s a temperature dial in the center of the page to adjust to your liking. The ThermaStart heater can also be paired with Google and Alexa if you prefer to use voice commands.
Otherwise, the space heater has similar settings to other Lasko models that we recommend, like touch-sense controls and a digital window for viewing purposes. There are low, medium, and high heat settings, a max heat output of 1500 watts, and a 12-hour timer function so it can run for most of day. One thing we noticed is that the oscillating feature seems to move incredibly slowly, so you still might get hit with targeted heat if you’re sitting directly in front of the heater before it starts the rotation again.
The HeatGenius employs two vertical heating elements, two fans, and a thermostat. Set the fan speed and temperature to heat up a room, or set it to heat just at floor level, mid-height, or in the head and chest area for more targeted heat. This design also has a timer that adjusts the heat over two hours, dropping its output every 30 minutes—after two hours, the heater turns off. It also uses thermal insulated wiring and has a plastic casing to prevent the space heater from overheating.
One other feature that we like is the appliance’s Quiet Mode which shuts off the lower fan, and runs the upper fan on low speed for almost noiseless heat. We wish Honeywell had equipped this with a cord wrap for better storage, but that’s a design deficiency shared by most small space heaters.
Amber is a Reviews Editor for Popular Mechanics with a focus on home, appliances, tech, and gaming. She also occasionally contributes lifestyle content to Best Products, Runner’s World, and Bicycling. In her free time you can likely find her trading trinkets at an EDM festival, watching bad reality TV shows, or cuddling with her two cats.
Stephanie Mickelson is a freelance writer focused on reviews and home improvement. She writes about a wide range of topics including the best appliances for your home, how to maintain your HVAC system, and organization tips and tricks. She also writes for USA Today Homefront, US News & World Report, Forbes Home, Angi, Apartment Therapy, and more.
Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.
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