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 Princess is a great option that won’t break the bank – and, at just 350 watts, it’s cheap to run, too. For a more permanent heating solution, a wall-mounted oil-filled radiator can be incredibly handy. Not only do they not take up a similar amount of space as a portable design but they can often be used in places where a portable model wouldn’t be suitable, such as a bathroom. They’re also handy for spaces that don’t have plumbing, such as conservatories, garden rooms and insulated sheds.

Convector heaters are usually taller than fan heaters, but thin and light – making them larger, but still relatively easy to move between rooms. Frost protection The heater can be set to heat automatically when the temperature drops below 5°C, but you'll need to have it on standby for it to run, so this can limit its usefulness. If you’re after an infrared heater that retains and emits a certain amount of heat once it’s been turned off, try the Klarstein HeatPal for size. The HeatPal works just like an oil-filled model, only it’s much more energy-efficient – and, in many ways, more effective. This is because it has a very heavy slab of unpolished Mongolian marble sitting behind the grille, which is heated by the element behind it to produce an amazing amount of heat that’s pushed outward and upward.Choose between two powerful settings of 500W and 1000W for optimal amount of heat, with an adjustable thermostat to set your desired temperature Doing so will reduce the kWh you use, but you still have the option of getting that heat boost by cranking it to the full 3kW output.

Typically, an electric fan heater is much smaller than a convection heater, and that’s certainly the case here. It measures 24.5 x 25.3 x 11.4 cm and weighs just over 1kg.

Keep toasty and warm, without your bills skyrocketing, with our pick of the best infrared heaters

To ensure the safety of the Warmlite WL43002YW oil filled heater, it has been extremely pressure tested and fitted with an integrated overheat protection function to provide the user with peace of mind while using the appliance. 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. This model comes with two heat settings, 500W and 1,000W, a thermostat with a wide temperature range up to a maximum temperature of 65°C, and oscillation to spread the warmth far and wide around a room.

With the ongoing energy crisis still in full swing, looking for smart ways to heat the home while saving on the cost has become a priority for many, and infrared heaters are at the forefront in this regard. Although the comparison might make your electric heater look cheaper to run, bear in mind that it will only be heating a much smaller area, whereas your central heating will be aiming to heat your whole home. Wattage can be used as a guide to heat output. Roughly allow 100W per square metre (or 0.4kW per cubic metre) of the room in a well-insulated home. How much should I spend on an oil-filled radiator? The Warmlite WL43002YW comes fitted with 5 heating fins to efficiently spread heat all around your room, home or office with ease. This oil filled heater is a lightweight heater of 2.8kg. It also has a dimension of 13 cm x 23 cm x 38 cm and a maximum power output of 650 Watts. The body of the Warmlite WL43002YW is made out of metal material. It is also very easy to set up – in 10 minutes or less it is up and ready for use. Yes, infrared heaters are very energy-efficient, generally costing less to run than conventional fan heaters, most ceramic fan heaters, and even oil-filled radiators. In fact, very few infrared heaters draw more than 1.3kW, while some models such as the portable Princess model featured below are as low as 350 watts. Many professionally installed wall and ceiling-mounted models consume even less electricity – as low as 160 watts.

Best Electric Heater: Conclusion

Hopefully, our guide to the best electric heaters not only helps you understand which type of heater you need but also, which one is the cheapest to run based on your heating requirements. Still stumped? So, if you want a portable heater, the Dimplex DXFF30TSN fan heater should be at the top of your shortlist. Controls Lightweight by design, this 1.5kg heater is easy to move around the home using the integrated carry handle. There are a couple of downsides. The 24-hour timer only allows you to set one switch-on and one switch-off a day and if you accidentally unplug it, it will lose your settings. This isn’t the end of the world, but something to bear in mind if features are important to you.