When the chilly winter air creeps into your home, space heaters take the edge off. Space heaters do exactly as the name suggests: warm up nearby spaces with a steady stream of heat. They are also great for warming up a damp basement or turning a drafty office into a cozy haven. Some even double as fans during the summer.

Another key benefit of a space heater is relying less on your home thermostat. Why heat up your entire house when you’re only sitting in one room? Whether you’re looking for a model that you can use all year, or just want to minimize the strain on your furnace during the coldest days of the season, the right space heater can make a big difference.

The top space heaters run quietly and efficiently, offer multiple heating levels, and come with safety features like automatic shut-off for accidental tipping. We researched and tested the most promising models from brands like Vornado, Lasko, and Dreo. Below, you’ll find our selections for the most efficient, durable, and safest space heaters out there.

• Best Overall: Lasko CW210 Bladeless Tower Space Heater​
• Best Value: Vornado MVH Vortex Heater​
• Best Coverage: Dreo Whole Room Heater​
• Best for Tabletops: Lasko Ellipse Ceramic Space Heater​
• Best Smart Model: Lasko AR122 Therma-Smart Oscillating Tower Space Heater​

We tested space heaters by first evaluating each model based on important factors like safety, setting variety, and more. We paid attention to how well the appliances were able to warm up a space by using them around our homes and offices. We also took note of how many heat settings each unit had, and the temperature range they offered to see how much heat they could actually produce.

To evaluate the unit’s heat capabilities, we took into account its temperature range and wattage, and prioritized heaters that offered a broad range with good control and output of at least 1,200 watts or more.

We’ve made a point to include options that operate via remote-controlled desktops and smart picks that come with a companion app as well. For heaters that we haven’t had the chance to try in person, we heavily vetted specs and assessed each space heater based on the same factors we used during testing.

Lasko calls the CW210 bladeless because it doesn’t technically have a fan, per se—instead, it uses a multi-vane impeller. That design contributes to the appliance’s quiet operation because it pulls in air through its base and into the tower. It comes with a cleanable air filter, which is accessible via a tool-free hatch at the back of the heater—no tools required.

We appreciate the slick touchpad on the front for adjusting 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 helps make up for the lack of power options.

The wide window of airflow and consistent heat distribution helps bring a room up to temp faster than most space heaters on this list, and this unit covers up to 300 square feet. One gripe: The battery hatch cover on the remote is tricky to remove. There is a holster for that remote control, though, making for one tidy package.

For a low-cost option, the Vornado MVH Vortex Heater heats a surprisingly large area—up to 256 square feet—with minimal noise. This unit worked well in a bedroom that has exterior walls on five sides, even during cold overnight temperatures. We like how simple, compact, and lightweight this unit is, and the appliance case stays cool to the touch, so you can move it around safely without concern.

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 levels, the thermostat dial is vague. The numbers on this dial range from 1 to 7, which don’t really show how warm each setting is.

As a result, we had to experiment with different settings until we figured out what 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 it manages the unit’s auto shutoff/on feature.

Vornado MVH Vortex Space Heater Review

It’s rare to come across a space heater that oscillates both horizontally and vertically, and that’s the feature we liked the most while testing the Dreo Whole Room Heater. It rotates 60 degrees up and down and 90 degrees from side to side for noticeably more coverage. Better yet, you can use both oscillation modes at the same time.

This space heater also has three heat and fan settings, and we appreciated being able to control the fan speed separately, even if we were running on high heat. Temperatures range from 41 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, so we were able to truly customize the output. We kept our space heater at 73°F a majority of the time, and we never felt overheated or chilly.

The space heater comes with a remote, but there’s also a control panel on the base of the unit. The main thing we don’t like is that the remote was a little confusing to navigate at first. You have to use one button to access the fan speeds, heat levels, and temperatures, so we found ourselves clicking through a few times to get to the setting we wanted.

If your office is generally cold, then a heater small enough to sit on your desk might be the perfect solution for dealing with the frigid temperatures of your building. The Ellipse ceramic heater from Lasko is truly a compact model—it’s only 12 inches tall, so we found it to be a discreet option for tucking into the corner or underneath a workspace.

The highest settings pump out powerful heat in seconds, but there are medium and low settings if you want toned-down warmth. Temperatures are adjustable through the touch panel on the space heater.

We appreciate that even though this is a smaller design, it comes with its own remote. You can make the space heater oscillate and conveniently set a timer with the press of a couple buttons, and everything is viewable from the LED panel on the front.

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.

A tech-facing space heater certainly has its benefits. The Lasko Therma-Smart tower heater has WiFi connectivity and pairs with the Aria home app for a virtual remote.

Connecting the heater was fairly easy: simply hold the WiFi button on the space heater for five seconds so it enters “pairing 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 Therma-Smart heater also pairs 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 1,500 watts, and a 12-hour timer function for running most of the day. One thing we noticed is that the oscillating feature seems to move very 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 Lasko 751320 Ceramic Tower Heater is a reliable, mid-range option for homes and offices. Tester and Popular Mechanics editor Tom Price loves this model for its versatility. “The tower design and mid-sized build mean you can comfortably place it on a coffee table in the living room without it taking over the space. At the same time, it isn’t so small that I don’t feel the heat in larger spaces.”

The space heater has programmable controls that will turn the unit off and on after a certain period of time (or once the room has reached the desired temperature). It’s also equipped with an oscillating mode and comes with a multi-functioning remote control, too.

Although the gate on the front of the heater is designed to be cool to the touch, one aspect to keep in mind is that this unit does not come with an auto shutoff feature in case it gets tipped over.

A cold bathroom early in the morning feels like punishment, but a space heater on the floor near a bathtub or shower isn’t exactly a safe alternative. This fixed, wall-mounted unit from Dreo is a more reliable alternative. It’s IP24 waterproof-rated, so it’s protected against splashes from every direction, and has the same kind of ALCI plug you typically find on hair tools.

The bathroom heater accommodates spaces up to 200 square feet. With smart functionality, the companion app allows you to schedule timers, adjust temperatures, and change heat levels remotely.

Though this model has a child lock and a cool-touch exterior, we recommend mounting it out of reach of littles because the exhaust vent gets pretty warm.

If noise is one of your biggest concerns while shopping for a space heater, then an oil-filled radiator heater might be the right option. The Pelonis heater doesn’t use an internal fan, and offers the quietest noise operation on our list, maxing out right around five decibels.

It offers just about the same features as the ceramic heaters we recommend, with three different heating modes, tip-over security, and overheat protection. The heater has 360-degree warmth circulation, so you’re covered from every angle.

The radiator sits on four casters so it easily moves from room to room. It has a carrying handle, but it’s relatively small compared to the overall size of the unit and may overheat, so we recommend moving to your desired space before turning it on.

Types of Space Heaters

Heat is transmitted in multiple ways, and space heaters may use all of these methods or just two. Knowing how they work and the best use cases will help you select the right appliance to suit your needs.

Ceramic heaters

Simple, affordable, and versatile, these use electrical resistance to warm your space. A ceramic block or element is electrically conductive and heats up, and that heat is transferred to the air with an internal fan. The majority of the heaters on our list fall into this category.

Ideal use: These are great for general household use, shared offices, or wherever quiet heat is needed. Their simplicity makes them quite rugged; they have fewer parts to wear out or break.

Radiant (infrared) heaters

This style of space heater emits infrared radiation rays that heat objects and individuals rather than the air, and it’s one of the more straightforward designs. They provide warmth almost instantly and aren’t loud while running, but they do have limited range.

Ideal use: Spot heating or small areas that need to be warmed up in a short amount of time.

Gas and liquid-fuel heaters

These appliances burn propane or kerosene to warm an infrared emitter that projects the energy to heat your space. They’re considered convection heaters because they transfer thermal energy through a fluid, either by gas or oil.

They 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.

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.

Heat Output

Most residential space heaters use about 1,500 watts of power. If you’re using one of these devices as a primary heat source, it’s recommended to choose a model that offers 10 watts of heat output per square foot of space. 150 square feet is the common standard for coverage. You may consider investing in more than one unit if you’re trying to warm a larger space, or finding a design that has the right power combined with a fan or oscillating mode to disperse heat more evenly.

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 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.

During our testing and research journey, we learned some other valuable safety tips along the way such as the “three feet rule” (keeping the space heater at a distance from anything flammable) and not using these appliances in moist areas. But most importantly, you should never plug a space heater into an extension cord, power cord, or power strip. They’re not equipped for the electrical load that these devices require, and can be a potential fire hazard.

Do space heaters use a lot of electricity?

The short answer is it depends. Whether it’s “a lot” depends mainly on how long you run the heater and your local electricity rate. In the U.S., residential electricity prices typically range from $0.12 to $0.20 per kWh, with the average being around $0.17 per kWh as of December 2025.

Because most space heaters operate at 1,500 watts, they can cost between $0.18 and $0.30 per hour at average electricity rates. To find a more accurate estimate, divide the heater’s wattage by 1,000 to convert to kilowatts, then multiply that number by the number of hours the heater is running, and multiply that result by your electricity rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

These appliances aren’t intended to replace your home’s central heating system, so it’s better to use them supplementally if you don’t want to pay more on your electric bill.

Can you leave a space heater on overnight?

You should turn them off when sleeping or left unattended. Common overnight hazards like a unit tipping over, bedding sitting too close to the heater, or an outlet overheating pose significant risks that you might not notice until you wake up. While most space heaters have preventative safety features like automatic shutoff or built-in thermostats, and may even be rated for continuous use, it’s best to resist the temptation of 24-hour warmth for safer operation.