Is There a Space Heater That Doesn't Use a Lot of Electricity?
No plug-in heater uses less electricity to make the same heat, because all electric resistance heaters are 100% efficient at the point of use. If you're warming one spot, get an infrared heater; if you're warming a room, get a thermostat heater and run it on its low setting.
A 1500 W heater draws 1.5 kWh per hour at full output, so the savings come from run time. Heaters that switch off when they reach a set temperature run less, and a lower wattage setting draws less again. Choose the line below that matches what you see in your room. If you are shopping for general heating rather than low electricity use, the best space heater page covers that.
- You sit in one spot, at a desk or in a chair, and the rest of the room can stay cool: get the Dr. Heater infrared heater. It has a 1000 W setting and is cUL/UL listed. Infrared heaters directly heat objects and people in their path, and a radiant heater warms you at once but heats the room slowly.
- You're heating a room up to 150 sq ft: get the Lasko heater. It runs 900 to 1500 W with a thermostat and an 8-hour timer.
- Your room is closer to 200 sq ft and you want a 12-hour timer: get the Dreo Solaris Slim H3. Its ECO mode drops it to 900 W.
- Your room is up to 300 sq ft: get the Lasko DUO Comfort. Its three heat settings and thermostat let you hold the room at temperature without full output.
- You want to control the heater from the couch and set it to shut off after 1, 2, 4 or 8 hours: get the Honeywell heater. It drops to 900 watts on low and has a remote.
If you want heat while you sleep, no heater is the answer. Warm the room before bed and switch the heater off when you get in.
Whichever you pick, plug it straight into a wall outlet and never into an extension cord or power strip. If the outlet is too far from where you want heat, move the heater's spot, not the plug. Keep it 3 feet from furniture, drapes and bedding.
Oil-filled radiators get pitched as the low-use choice. That's NewAir's own untested blog claim that they can help lower energy use. Every electric resistance heater is 100% efficient at the point of use, so any difference comes from heat distribution and run time. Get a thermostat model from the list and let it cycle off.
Questions
What type of heater uses the least electricity?
No type of plug-in electric heater uses less electricity to make the same amount of heat, because all electric resistance heaters are 100% efficient at the point of use. The savings come from run time and wattage. Heaters that switch off at a set temperature run less, and a lower wattage setting draws less again. For one spot, an infrared heater works well.
How much electricity does a 1500 W space heater use?
A 1500 W space heater draws 1.5 kWh for every hour it runs at full output. Because the draw is fixed at that setting, the way to use less is to run it for fewer hours. A thermostat model switches off when the room reaches the set temperature, and a lower wattage setting, such as 900 W, draws less than full output.
Are oil-filled radiators the lowest electricity space heaters?
Not necessarily. Oil-filled radiators get pitched as the low-use choice, but the claim that they help lower energy use comes from a manufacturer's own untested blog post. Every electric resistance heater is 100% efficient at the point of use, so any difference comes from heat distribution and run time. A thermostat model that cycles off is a better pick.
Which space heater is best for warming just one spot without using much electricity?
An infrared heater is the best fit for warming one spot, such as a desk or a chair. Infrared heaters directly heat objects and people in their path, so the rest of the room can stay cool. The Dr. Heater DR-968 has a 1000 W setting. A radiant heater warms you at once but heats the room slowly.