1 of 6
This is a tower-style ceramic convection heater with an oscillation feature and digital controls and thermostat. The ceramic heating element does not get red hot as most other heaters do.
Source: Holmes
2 of 6
This convection model has wireless remote digital controls and thermostat. Place the sensor next to you and set the heater to your desired level of comfort.
Source: Holmes
3 of 6
This quartz radiant heater lights one or both elements for two heat settings and is ideal for heating a specific location or person.
Source: James Dulley
4 of 6
This convection heater has electronic controls with digital readout and two heat settings plus automatic thermostatic control.
Source: Lasko Products
5 of 6
This oscillating heater is small enough to be used on the floor or a tabletop for very directed heating.
Source: Lasko Products
6 of 6
This three-heat output convection heater is ideal for directing heat to a specific location or can be set to oscillate to heat a larger area.
Source: Lasko Products
Question: I’m considering a small electric space heater for my living room and bedroom. Will it help lower my utility bills, as some ads claim?
Answer: Space heaters are designed to warm small, room-sized areas, and while they can help trim power bills in winter, be wary of ads claiming dramatic reductions.
These claims are often made on the assumption that homeowners will close off other rooms, dramatically lower their thermostat settings and rely on the space heaters for warmth instead of their central heating systems. This simply isn’t practical for most families.
The maximum heat most small space heaters can safely produce is about 5,100 Btuh (Btu per hour). Houses typically use central heating systems with a capacity of 50,000 to 100,000 Btuh, so a single space heater cannot heat an entire house.
What a space heater can do is keep occupants comfortably warm in problem areas without requiring the homeowner to raise the thermostat setting and overheat the entire house for the sake of a single room.
When shopping for a space heater, it’s important to understand that all electric space heaters are effectively 100 percent efficient. Don’t let advertising claims stating this fact influence your buying decision. This just means all of the electricity consumed ends up as heat in your house. It does not mean it’s cheap to operate.
Consumers can choose from two styles of space heater—direct radiant and convection. Both types have advantages, but there is no “best” electric space heater for every situation. The right choice depends on the room and how you plan to use the heater.
Radiant heaters are quiet and ideal for heating a specific spot. They use a red-hot ribbon, long quartz or carbon tubes to produce infrared heat radiation similar to the sun’s rays. They primarily heat objects and people directly in front of them. To heat a slightly larger area, select a model that automatically oscillates.
Convection space heaters are designed to heat the air in an entire room. This is often done using a built-in fan to circulate room air over the heating elements. Radiator-style heaters use natural air circulation (hot air rises) to move room air over the heat source, gently warming the room.
For a living room, often the largest room in a house, consider a convection-style heater. Models with a thermostat and multispeed fan allow you to control the heat output.
Ceramic convection heaters are a safer choice around young children. If air flow gets blocked, the heating output automatically drops, and there are no red-hot ribbons.
For a bedroom, where quiet operation is important, consider an oil-filled radiator-style convection heater with a low-speed setting, or try a radiant model facing the bed, if you don’t mind the red glow. A horizontal-shaped model will heat the entire bed area.
Send questions to Energy Q&A.
_____
Related stories:
_____
Get more
The following companies offer electric space heaters:
De’longhi, (800) 322-3848
Holmes Products, (800) 546-5637
KAZ/Honeywell, (800) 477-0457
Lasko, (800) 233-0268
Slant Fin, (516) 484-2600