THE best fan heaters are light, portable and should warm up a room pretty quickly – getting you snuggly in half an hour or less.
Prices vary massively and they can cost anything from 20p to 49p an hour to run, that’s a big difference if you are using it for hours on end on a daily basis.
We tested dozens of heaters, including one that was less than a tenner, and some from big retailers such as Dunelm and John Lewis.
But which fared best and will keep you warmest on the chilliest of days? Lynsey Hope finds out.
John Lewis Fan Heater
- Price: £30
- Cost to run: 37p per hour
9
Elegant looking, compact and heats a room quickly.
Read more on Product Reviews
We loved the slim design which meant it doesn’t take up space on your desk or bedside table.
It’s ergonomic top handle allows you to easily lift and carry it from room to room.
There are two speed settings and even on the lowest, it gave off a decent amount of heat.
It’s one of the cheapest options under £30 that is also cheap to run.
Plus, it comes with overheating protection to ensure safety at home. Neat, effective, unobtrusive – and all at a great price.
- Efficiency: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
- Overall score: 10/10
De Longhi Capsule Ceramic Fan Heater
- Price – £59.99
- Cost to run – 20p per hour
9
I really liked the streamlined design of this compact heater.
It looked more like a luxury speaker than a heater so great if you don’t want something ugly taking up space in your home.
It’s lightweight with a brown carry handle so easy to transport around the home to where you need it most.
Considering it was one of the smallest heaters in our test, it as surprisingly powerful and heated a medium room quickly.
It has two power settings but no timer, so you do need to set it manually. It’s economical too.
On the lowest setting, it only costs around 20p per hour to operate.
- Efficiency: 10/10
- Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Dunelm Upright Fan Heater
- Price: £14
- Cost to run: 49p per hour
9
Looks a little cheap and plasticky but it does give off a decent amount of heat, enough to warm a medium sized room.
It has two heat settings though I couldn’t tell much difference between the two.
The dials were simple to operate and it’s a budget friendly option that will save you on your bills.
A little noisy, and it did give off a bit of a burning smell when first turned on, but that soon died down.
- Efficiency: 5/10
- Value: 4/10
- Overall score: 5/10
Dreamland Silent Power Eco Heater
- Price: £74.99
- Cost to run: 43p
9
According to Dreamland, this model uses 35% less energy than standard heaters so it should save you money when it comes to heating your home.
It didn’t just heat where I was sitting but I noticed the whole room temperature rise whilst using it at home.
Sometimes I actually felt too hot, even on the coldest of days.
The cable wraps up underneath and its a trendy design.
Even better, it made no noise thanks to its silent-power technology.
Pricey – but good quality. You get what you pay for.”
- Efficiency: 10/10
- Value: 9/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Oxywarm Upright Fan Heater
- Price: £9.99
- Cost to run: 49p per hour
9
Looks a bit cheap and nasty but it is less than a tenner.
It’s almost identical to the Dunelm heater, made of the same cheap, white plastic, and with the same controls.
There is a cool air function and two power settings, though not sure I could tell that much difference between them when turned on.
All that said, it gives off a surprising amount of heat for a small heater and it does have a topple over cut out function for safety.
On the lower setting it costs around 25p per hour to run, and on the higher, about 49p.
- Efficiency: 5/10
- Value: 6/10
- Overall score: 6/10
Warmlite Thermo Fan Heater
- Price: £15.25
- Cost to run: 49p per hour
9
For a budget option, this little heater from Amazon is great.
It has two power settings and the highest 2000w provided a good amount of heat and only cost around 49p per hour.
It’s small, easy to transport and heated up a small room in a matter of minutes.
It does make a bit of noise, a bit like an extraction fan, but that wasn’t too off putting. It also comes with a two year guarantee.
- Efficiency: 8/10
- Value: 9/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Swan Vertical/Horizontal Heater 1800w
- Price: £10.99
- Cost to run: 44p per hour
9
Loved the stylish, retro design of this Swan heater.
It can be positioned either vertically or horizontally and I liked the versatility of this as you could move it around different rooms.
It has two heat settings and warmed up quickly.
It did make a bit of a rattling sound, which I found a bit irritating, but I loved its retro design.
- Efficiency: 7/10
- Value: 8/10
- Overall score: 7/10
Vonhaus 2 in 1 Blow Heater and Cooling Fan
- Price: £19.99
- Cost to run: 49p per hour
9
For a budget option, I thought this was one of the best.
It looks smart and feels nice quality for the price.
It can be used upright or on its side, heats up quickly and doesn’t smell.
There’s a bit of noise, but it didn’t disturb me.
It also has a cool air function so a good choice for those who want to save on space and have one appliance rather than heaters and fans.
Light and easy to transport around.
- Efficiency: 9/10
- Value: 10/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
