Typically, these heaters are quite large. So, not only do they take up space, but they can be more cumbersome to move than a small fan or halogen heater. That said, a typical convection space heater only weighs around 4-5kg. We’re heading for the Dimplex 403TSFTie as our top electric convector heater, and here’s why. If you browse any online store offering convection heaters, you’ll see plenty of cheap, or no-name brands. And generally, you’ll find that the highest-rated products aren’t always the best; they’re simply the cheapest.

Read our full story on illegal and dangerous plug-in mini heaters for sale on online marketplaces to see those we identified as having serious safety risks. You can boil water on any portable electric burner—the question is how much water do you want to boil, and how long will it take? Obviously, the larger, more powerful, and more efficient the burner, the faster water will boil, but there's a limit on how much water any burner can heat up to boiling at once. To speed up the boiling process, put a lid on your pot, and remember that water boils at a lower temperature at high altitude, which affects cooking in lots of different ways.If you need to use an electric heater, place it in the part of the room you want to warm, a safe distance from you and any furniture. Use the heater’s thermostat and timer to avoid using more energy than you need.” If you were to try replacing the use of your central heating by putting an electric heater in each room, it will definitely end up costing much more.

The oil in the radiator acts as a heat reservoir, which stays hot for some time after the heater's switched off. Some are called 'oil-free' and function in a comparable way, just with an internal heating element instead of any oil.These can still be bought, but they aren't as popular or widely available as fan or convector heaters. Then they assess how comfortable it is to sit in a room with the heater. Our experts ensure the room is cold beforehand, then use the heater on max to see what difference it makes. However, they’re not the best heating system for large rooms with high ceilings, or spaces you’re planning to heat over a long period of time. Cold air setting Some fan heaters can help cool you down too. They're not nearly as effective as a dedicated air conditioner, but a light breeze of cold air is better than nothing. Under current energy prices, the electric heaters we've tested can cost anything from 9p to 87p per hour to run on full blast.