An electric halogen heater is one of the best heating methods for outside spaces or those that are particularly draughty (such as an old building without good insulation). And that’s because halogen space heaters direct infrared heat at specific objects (or people), rather than trying to heat the surrounding air. The thermostat is the key one, as it’s crucial for keeping the room at a decent heat – not too hot, not too cold – and saving energy (and money) by turning the heater off when that level’s reached. Frost protection can be a useful feature for conservatories or utility rooms, as it means you can use the heater there and it will run at a minimal level, dishing out just enough heat to keep the temperature north of zero. The difference in price between the cheap brands and Dimplex is much higher for a small heater fan than it is, for say, convection heaters. You’re looking about twice the price for a Dimplex fan heater compared to the cheapest ones available. The 3kW DXFF30TSN space heater from Dimplex is more than big enough to heat a small room, a compact space such as a campervan, or even a converted-into-office garage or a small home gym. Weight

It has two downsides. It’s pretty noisy, putting out over 50dB while it’s running, and as it can use over 2.3kW when running at full power it’s not the cheapest option for running over longer periods. However, the thermostat does a decent job of powering down once the room has warmed up and it’s very portable at under 1.5kg. It also has safety features, including a tip-over switch. For days when you just want to take off the chill, you’ll be able to set the heater to 400W or 800W. And, for the cooler days and nights, you’ll be able to max out the heater on its 1.2kW setting. Weight Unlike most convection heaters, the Dimplex 403TSFTie was designed to be portable and its two carry handles make it extremely easy to move. Controls The calculation based on the above is simply 1 (kW output from your heater) x 13p (kWh charge from your electricity supplier) = 13p per hour. We buy all the electric heaters we test. We put the bestselling heaters from popular UK retailers through these tests: Heating speed, evenness, and accuracyThey also carry out two tests to see how effective each heater is at warming a small room. Firstly, they measure the temperature at a series of set distances away from the heater. This helps them ascertain whether it needs to be placed near you or if it can heat the whole space from afar.

Some modern options also have smart features so you can program them via companion apps and smart speakers. Once you’ve settled on the best type of heater for your room and needs, there are a few extra things to consider. A 2kW heater, only being used at half capacity (1kW on the thermostat) will use 13p per hour, but 26p per hour on its maximum 2kW setting.Portability features: If the heater will remain in the same spot, you won’t need these, but if you’re likely to move it around your home, wheels and handles can prove useful. That’s why we won’t be recommending any storage heaters below. The best electric heating units (depending on your space and heat requirement) that are the cheapest to run and buy are convection, fan, and halogen. Electric appliances of all kinds measure power in watts: Higher wattage means more power. Of course, wattage isn't everything, as the burner's design also affects how efficiently it heats. Minimum power also matters; some burners can supply a small amount of power consistently to maintain a simmer, while others have to cycle on and off and can't hold a temperature as consistently. No matter which portable electric burner you choose, it won't be as powerful as a full-size electric range, which uses a special high-powered outlet instead of a normal 110-volt wall plug.