🏆 In a hurry? Here’s our #1 pick:
What is the BEST portable heater ?
The SimplyBestOf.com editor's choice is the Crane Fireplace Portable Heater.
Having the best portable heater around your home is a great way to heat up the room you’re in without paying to heat your entire house.
If you’re anything like me, it’s a topic of great debate in my and my husband’s relationship: to turn the thermostat up and face the terror of next month’s heating bill, or keep it low and trust our significant investment in blankets will be enough.
While neither of us can ever seem to settle on the perfect temperature, there is one thing that allows us the perfect compromise: our space heater.
Central Heating versus Space Heaters
If you don’t have a central air system to heat your home or you don’t like to run it due to high heating bills, a space heater can be a great solution for only warming up the rooms in the house that you will be in.
I can attest that not only are they effective for keeping toes toasty and rooms roasting, but they are great tools with which to win compromise of the year if you’re able to find the best portable heater to fit your needs.
With portable heaters, you have the freedom to cuddle up on the living room couch one day, and prep your bedroom for bedtime the next without spending as much as you would on a lofty heating bill to purchase a heater for each room.
How to Choose the Best Portable Heater
When you’re looking for the best portable heater for you, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind.
As they say, safety first. Especially if you have small children and/or pets in the house, this is your top priority, so looking for a portable heater that automatically shuts off if it overheats or tips over is best.
It can help to look for a label from a recognized testing laboratory, too.
Some of these include UL (Underwriters Laboratory), ETL (Intertek), and CSA (Canadian Standards Association), all of which verify the model meets U.S. safety standards for construction and performance.
Once you’ve verified that you’ve selected a model that won’t pose a fire hazard, another aspect of portable heaters that is most favorable is having a thermostat.
For one, this saves you the hassle of turning the heater on and off as the room heats up and then cools down over and over.
It also conserves energy better because you can choose the lower option of various outputs.
Having a timer also helps in this way.
Also, make sure you have enough power cord length to give you enough room to make it a truly portable heater.
Handles are also helpful, since the idea is to be able to move it around, after all. If you choose a heavier heater that it’s feasible to lift with handles, then wheels are a good idea.
After those, there’s a plethora of other considerations to take into account, like how much space you have for a heater.
Portable Heater Reviews
Another factor to keep in mind is how much electricity the heater will actually use, especially if your main goal is to save money on your heating bill.
Some people might prefer something that fits better into the décor, while others might not care if it’s wrapped in duct tape as long as it serves its function.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best portable space heaters on the market, so whichever element is most important to you, we’ve got you covered.
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The 9 Best Portable Heaters
- 1. Crane Fireplace Portable Heater
- 2. Lasko 754200 Ceramic Portable Heater
- 3. Honeywell HCE200W Portable Heater
- 4. VonHaus Wood Electric Portable Heater
- 5. Unique Heat Infrared Portable Space Heater
- 6. Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy Portable Heater
- 7. Vornado AVH2 Portable Heater
- 8. Aspen Free Standing Portable Heater
- 9. DeLonghi EW7507EB Portable Heater
Crane Fireplace Portable Heater |
The modern design of the Crane fireplace heater is very appealing.
Built to provide heat in small places, this portable heater also resembles a burning fireplace…
The modern design of the Crane fireplace heater is very appealing.
Built to provide heat in small places, this portable heater also resembles a burning fireplace, so you’ll have the perfect setting when curling up with a good book at the end of a long day.
And with one of the three setting being just to have the embers glow without heat, you could use it for ambiance only when you don’t need to be warmed up.
You can also choose between black, red and white exteriors to match your space.
It’s a compact portable heater, so it’s easily picked up and carried elsewhere, at just 15 pounds and the size of a small box. It doesn’t have handles, but is designed to stay cool to the touch, even when heating, so you don’t have to worry about only moving it once it has cooled down.
There are only two heat settings, high or low. People found that on high, a bigger room could be warmed comfortably, such as a medium sized bedroom.
If you’re just looking to up the temperature in a smaller room, the low setting should work fine.
Pros:
• Portable Heater like a burning fireplace and can be decorative without heat
• Stays cool to the touch so it’s safe for kids and pets to be around it
Cons:
• Only two different heat settings and no adjustable thermostat
• Does not automatically shut off, and there’s no remote, so you’ll have to get up if you get too hot
Lasko 754200 Ceramic Portable Heater |
It also comes with a remote control, so if you don’t want to cross the room to change the temperature, or turn it off, it has you…
It also comes with a remote control, so if you don’t want to cross the room to change the temperature, or turn it off, it has you covered.
This heater also has an adjustable thermostat level, so you can choose to be super toasty, or just causally warm.
There’s also three quiet settings, including a fan only option, so it can actually be used year round.
Even though the heater is small, reviewers found that it had the capability of even heating larger rooms.
Because of the small size, though, it’s very transportable from room to room, or place to place.
It’s a great multi-functional portable heater that would work for a small office, or for heating up an area in your home.
And for the price tag, you could even splurge and buy one for each room.
Pros:
• Has a silent mode
• Can be used a fan without heat
• Has both Fahrenheit and Celsius heat settings, so can heat to whichever specification you’re comfortable with
Cons:
• Does not have a tip over protection that shuts the heater off automatically
Honeywell HCE200W Portable Heater |
While it is small in construction, it can output up to 1500 watts of energy.
Reviewers were pleasantly surprised that a heater about the width of a dolla…
While it is small in construction, it can output up to 1500 watts of energy.
Reviewers were pleasantly surprised that a heater about the width of a dollar could can heat up a moderate space.
You can pick between keeping the heat on at two different settings, or opt to adjust the thermostat and maintain your own personal comfort level.
It’s simple to use but sadly, no remote control for the Honeywell.
The portable heater has a very long card, though, so you could move it wherever you roamed within 74 foot area without having to unplug and re-plug it.
Since it’s cool to the touch even when heating, that could be whenever you wanted.
It uses a fan to circulate the warm air, so it’s not the quietest fan.
Most users found that the noise wasn’t as loud as some portable heaters, though, and were not bothered by it.
If you need a portable heater, but only have limited room, this is the best bang for your buck, given the amount of heat it can punch out.
Pros:
• Small enough you can put it almost anywhere
• Powerful enough to heat a moderate sized room
• Long cord allows mobility without having to drag a cord through an area
Cons:
• Produces some fan noise when circulating the air that could bother most sensitive ears
VonHaus Wood Electric Portable Heater |
It delivers a handsome external appearance as it resembles a wood side table and not a blatant heater.
It is a bit heav…
It delivers a handsome external appearance as it resembles a wood side table and not a blatant heater.
It is a bit heavier than some of the other portable heaters out there at just over 20 pounds, and given the size it would be bulky to lift, but luckily the designers were thinking of this when they put it on wheels.
There’s a remote control included with this heater, which is a bonus for those looking to relax and not get up to adjust settings constantly.
And this portable heater stays cools to the touch, so kids and pets are safe around it.
If you want to heat an area, but don’t want to monitor a heater, then the 12 hour timer with one hour increments is right up your alley.
The digital thermometer display allows you to accurately pick a heat range, too, which is great if you know what temperature you’re most comfortable at.
There are a number of settings to choose from heat wise, and it evenly distributes the heat with a built-in fan, so you don’t have be sitting right in front of it to enjoy the benefits.
Users were satisfied with the size of them room it heated and while some found it to be not the quietest when the fan was running, it wasn’t too loud to bother them.
Overall, it was a cost-effective option for keeping floors toasty without taking up too much space or breaking the bank.
Pros:
• Remote control feature
• the 12-hour timer allows you to heat up a room before you enter it
• Appealing, classic design looks more like an end table than a heater
• Cool-to touch so is safe for kids and pets
Cons:
• Some users thought that the first time using it put out a slight odor
• Is not silent when fan is running to distribute the heat
Unique Heat Infrared Portable Space Heater |
Weighing in at only 15 pounds, this compact heater doesn’t take up much space, but can heat up to 1,000 square feet with 1500 watts of war…
Weighing in at only 15 pounds, this compact heater doesn’t take up much space, but can heat up to 1,000 square feet with 1500 watts of warmth! That is some serious range!
Also, because it is infrared technology, it won’t suck the moisture out of the air while doing so.
Even when pumping out the heat, it will stay completely cool to the touch.
It has digital temperature capability and is remote ready to set your comfort level anywhere between 60 and 90 degrees, or you can even choose Celsius readings if you prefer.
Once the desired temperature is reached, the heater will shut off automatically.
If you need to move the heater to another area (or floor), the built in side handles make it a breeze to easily lift and relocate it.
The Unique portable heater lives up to the name by incorporating the ability to turn it into a HEPA air purifier with an additional upgrade kit.
Pros:
Heats a large area but takes up little space
Doesn’t dry out the air while heating
Cons:
Pricier option for similar features of other portable heaters
Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy Portable Heater |
Since it’s powered with propane, you can actually take it anywhere you need some extra heat.
Freezing camping conditions are a thing of the past, as Mr. Heater can easily heat a large tent u…
Since it’s powered with propane, you can actually take it anywhere you need some extra heat.
Freezing camping conditions are a thing of the past, as Mr. Heater can easily heat a large tent up to 200 square feet. It shuts off automatically when tipped, too, so there’s no fear of catching the tent on fire accidentally.
The heater has a large handle that makes it convenient for carrying, but it also folds down, making the already small space heater even more compact.
Which is great if you’re camping and need to pack everything in as tight as possible.
This heater can get very hot, but it doesn’t have an adjustable thermostat, so you have to choose between two heat settings only.
It comes with a grated front to keep hands and objects away from the direct heat.
The heater connects to a 1 pound cylinder of liquid propane and works similar to a gas grill to turn on: rotate the knob to pilot and push.
Or, if you prefer, with the purchase of a hose or cylinder, you could run the heater off a remote gas supply in the same way.
This is definitely the best portable heater for those who like to enjoy the great outdoors, but also enjoy staying warm in it.
Pros:
• Doesn’t rely on electricity, so it is portable indoor or outdoor
• Very quick heating
Cons:
• Doesn’t have an adjustable heat thermometer, so settings are limited
• Requires purchase of propane to operate
Vornado AVH2 Portable Heater |
Like the name implies, it uses vortex action, like a tornado, to circulate warm air evenly through a room.
However, unlike all …
Like the name implies, it uses vortex action, like a tornado, to circulate warm air evenly through a room.
However, unlike all the loud disturbances a regular tornado causes, this fan aims for a whisper quiet effect, although not every user agreed with this claim.
Somewhat surprising for the size of the Vornado, buyers were happy with the little machine’s ability to heat a large room.
That efficiency does come at a cost, though, as it is a more expensive model for the dimensions.
One reason may be the added perk of auto climate control that adjusts heat output and fan speed to maintain the temperature set.
The portable heater has a cool touch case, so the outside of the fan still remains cool even if you have the heat setting on high, allowing you to move it to another room if you feel the need to.
It’s also equipped with an automatic safety shut-off if airflow should be become blocked by something in front of the fan, so power to the heating element is shut off.
There’s also an adjustable thermometer with the added functions of high fan and fan only.
Pros:
• Very small design can fit almost anywhere
• Auto-climate control
Cons:
• Not as completely silent as claimed by the manufacturer
• Price is higher than other heaters the same size
Aspen Free Standing Portable Heater |
Designed to look like a vintage fireplace stove, when warming it resembles a burning log fireplace.
There is also a non-heat option if you just want the vi…
Designed to look like a vintage fireplace stove, when warming it resembles a burning log fireplace.
There is also a non-heat option if you just want the visual effect, but can’t install a real fireplace, or choose not to deal with the mess of a chimney.
While it may look like cast iron, this portable stove is only 14.5 pounds, so you can enjoy the comfort of ambient flames in any room at any time.
It does operate using a fan, so there is some slight noise, but not enough that buyers were bothered by it, especially since fires themselves produce some soft noises anyway.
There are two heat options in addition to the no heat option, so it’s a simple decision between high or low heat, and no remote control with this one.
There’s some light assembly when it arrives, but Amazon users didn’t have any issues.
Pros:
• Appearance. This Is the most ambient portable fireplace by far
Cons:
• Does require some minimal assembly
• No thermostat option
DeLonghi EW7507EB Portable Heater |
It packs 1500 watts of power to constantly keep bigger spaces warm when it gets frosty outside.
It’s also quiet because of the thermal slots that don’t requ…
It packs 1500 watts of power to constantly keep bigger spaces warm when it gets frosty outside.
It’s also quiet because of the thermal slots that don’t require a fan to evenly distribute heat, so it won’t keep you up at night like the original wall radiators.
If you want to move it from room to room, you just have to unplug and wheel it where you want it.
By heating only the room you need warm, you’ll be sure to lower your overall energy bills.
One the best features about this heater is that it has a double function timer that spans an entire 24 hour period, and lets you program two different 8-hour periods, so you can adjust how much heat you want to wake up to, and how much you want to fall asleep with, all without constantly adjusting the settings.
It has an adjustable thermostat for you to set your exact temperature preference, but there’s also an electronic climate control that automatically monitors and selects the ideal power setting to maintain the temperature of your choice.
Also, the unit automatically turns itself ON when the temperature drops below 44 degrees to ensure the pipes don’t freeze. Talk about a smart heater.
If you choose to go a little warmer, have no fear for your kids, furry or otherwise.
It’s equipped with a thermal shut-off that prevents overheating.
You also don’t have to worry about ever refilling the oil in the heater, so it’s no problem that the oil system is permanently sealed.
Pros:
• 24 hour timer allows you to program two 8-hour periods to customize your comfort levels
• Heater prevents itself from freezing by turning itself on when temperature drops
• Turns itself off to prevent overheating
• Quiet because it doesn’t require a fan to distribute heat
• Heats larger areas
Cons:
• If there is a power outage in cold weather, the pipes could freeze because it won’t be able to turn itself on
• Some users thought the LED lights were not bright enough to adjust the settings without turning a light on in the dark
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The best portable heater is an easy way to keep warm without heating the whole house. What portable heater did you go with?