A space heater lets you heat the room you are actually in instead of the whole house, which is why so many people turn to one when the weather turns cold. Almost every plug-in model tops out at 1,500 watts, so the differences between them are not about raw power. They are about how evenly and quietly the heat is delivered, how well the thermostat holds the temperature you set, how safe the design is, and whether the heater suits a small office, a large living room or a bedroom. Here are the five we recommend for 2026, chosen from expert testing and verified on Amazon, plus what each costs to run.
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Our Top Picks
| Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|
 Dreo Solaris Slim H3 Best Overall |
$74.99 | Check Price |
 Dreo Atom 316 Best Budget |
$35.13 | Check Price |
 Dr Infrared Heater DR-968 Best for Large Rooms |
$104.99 | Check Price |
 De’Longhi Dragon Digital Best Oil-Filled (Quietest) |
$189.95 | Check Price |
 Lasko DUO Comfort FH500 Best Heater + Fan |
$113.99 | Check Price |
1. Dreo Solaris Slim H3 — Best Overall ($74.99)
The Dreo Solaris Slim H3 is the space heater most people should buy. It is a slim, 16-inch ceramic tower weighing under 5 pounds, it oscillates through 70 degrees, and it has a digital thermostat you can set anywhere from 41 to 95°F in one-degree steps, plus a 1-to-12-hour timer and a remote. Modes include three heat levels, an ECO mode that adjusts output between 1,000 and 1,500 watts to hold your temperature, and fan-only.
Bob Vila named it best overall after testing 13 heaters for eight weeks: it warmed rooms beyond its rated coverage, measured a quiet 37.5 dB, and kept more humidity in the air than any other heater over three hours. NBC Select also recommends it. It has tip-over and overheat protection and flame-retardant materials, and Dreo backs it with a 12-month warranty that can be extended by registering. It is rated 4.5 stars from more than 15,000 Amazon reviews.
Its limits: the touch controls are not the most intuitive, there is no cord storage, and it is best for small and medium rooms rather than a large open space.
Pros
- Precise thermostat from 41 to 95°F
- Quiet, about 37.5 dB in testing
- 70° oscillation, ECO mode and remote
- Tip-over and overheat protection
- Light and compact at under 5 lb
Cons
- Controls are not very intuitive
- No cord storage
- Not for large rooms
2. Dreo Atom 316 — Best Budget ($35.13)
For about $35, the Dreo Atom 316 is one of the best-value heaters you can buy, and with more than 21,000 Amazon reviews at 4.6 stars it is also one of the most popular. It is a small 1,500-watt ceramic heater with a digital thermostat (41 to 95°F), a 12-hour timer, an ECO mode, fan-only mode and a child lock. Dreo quotes 34 dB and rates it for about 200 square feet.
Bob Vila named it the best bang for the buck, impressed by how well it heated a modest room and how quiet it stayed on high; its tip-over, overheat and child-lock protection all worked in testing. Note that it does not oscillate, the heat is gentle rather than fast, and the touch controls are hard to see in normal light. It is ideal for an office, a bedroom or under a desk.
Pros
- About $35
- Real thermostat and 12-hour timer
- Quiet, child lock, tip-over protection
- 4.6 stars from 21,000+ reviews
Cons
- Doesn’t oscillate
- Gentle, slower heat
- Controls hard to read in daylight
3. Dr Infrared Heater DR-968 — Best for Large Rooms ($104.99)
The Dr Infrared DR-968 combines an infrared quartz element with a fan-driven PTC element, so it warms both the people and objects in front of it and the air in the room. It sits in a wood-look cabinet on casters, has a remote, a 12-hour timer and an electronic thermostat from 50 to 85°F, and runs at a quiet 39 dB. With more than 28,000 Amazon ratings at 4.5 stars, it is a long-standing favorite.
Bob Vila named it best overall among energy-efficient heaters in October 2026, after it raised a 156-square-foot room by 10°F in 33 minutes, and earlier picked it as the best heater for large rooms. NBC Select calls it the best radiant heater. Be skeptical of very large coverage claims, though — like every 1,500-watt heater it is best in a single living room or open-plan space rather than a whole floor. It is heavy at about 20 pounds, but the casters help, and it has tip-over and overheat protection. Amazon lists a 3-year warranty.
Pros
- Infrared plus fan heat feels even and warm
- Quiet at 39 dB
- Thermostat, remote and 12-hour timer
- Casters for moving between rooms
- 28,000+ ratings at 4.5 stars
Cons
- Heavy at around 20 lb
- Only high and low settings
- Large-room claims are optimistic
4. De’Longhi Dragon Digital — Best Oil-Filled (Quietest) ($189.95)
An oil-filled radiator has no fan, so it is completely silent apart from the odd thermostat click, and it releases heat slowly and steadily, without drying the air as much as fan heaters. That makes the De’Longhi Dragon Digital the best choice for bedrooms and for anyone who finds fan noise distracting. It has three power settings from 700 to 1,500 watts, a digital control panel, an ECO function, a 24-hour timer, a child lock, a thermal cut-off and anti-freeze protection.
Bob Vila named it the best radiator, finding it took about 10 minutes to warm up and then delivered steady heat, and in a separate test called it the best overall value of the three heaters tested at different price points. The trade-offs are typical of radiators: it is slow to start, weighs over 25 pounds (wheels and cord storage help), the display is dim in bright light and there is no remote. The surface gets hot, so keep children and pets away. If you want the same silent heat for less, De’Longhi’s simpler ComforTemp EW7707CM costs about $130.
Pros
- Completely silent, no fan
- Steady heat that doesn’t dry the air as much
- Digital controls, ECO mode, 24-hour timer
- Child lock and anti-freeze protection
Cons
- Slow to warm up
- Heavy at over 25 lb
- No remote; dim display
- Most expensive pick
5. Lasko DUO Comfort FH500 — Best Heater + Fan ($113.99)
If you want one appliance for the whole year, the Lasko DUO Comfort FH500 is a 42-inch tower fan with a 1,500-watt ceramic heater built in. In winter it heats with three settings and an Auto Eco thermostat mode; in summer it works as an oscillating tower fan. It has a digital touch panel, a remote, an 8-hour timer, a child lock and a cool-touch housing, and it is ETL listed with tip-over and overheat protection. Lasko, an American company founded in 1906, backs it with a 3-year warranty.
NBC Select named it the best combination heater, while noting it is best for rooms up to about 150 square feet as a heater. It is sold by Lasko’s official Amazon store and rated 4.3 stars.
Pros
- Heater and tower fan in one
- Oscillation, remote and 8-hour timer
- Cool-touch housing, child lock, ETL listed
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- Tall 42-inch footprint
- Heating best in small to medium rooms
- Pricier than a heater alone
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Dreo Solaris Slim H3 | Dreo Atom 316 | Dr Infrared DR-968 | De’Longhi Dragon Digital | Lasko FH500 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Ceramic | Ceramic | Infrared + ceramic | Oil-filled radiator | Ceramic + tower fan |
| Max power | 1,500 W | 1,500 W | 1,500 W | 1,500 W | 1,500 W |
| Thermostat | 41-95°F digital | 41-95°F digital | 50-85°F | Yes | Auto Eco |
| Oscillation | 70° | No | No | No | Yes |
| Remote | Yes | Check listing | Yes | No | Yes |
| Noise | ~37.5 dB | 34 dB (claimed) | 39 dB | Silent | Not published |
| Weight | 4.6 lb | 3 lb | ~20 lb | 25+ lb | 11.5 lb |
| Price | $74.99 | $35.13 | $104.99 | $189.95 | $113.99 |
What a Space Heater Costs to Run
A 1,500-watt heater running at full power uses 1.5 kilowatt-hours every hour. At the US average residential electricity price of 18.31 cents per kWh (EIA, July 2026), that is about 27 cents an hour — roughly $66 a month if you run it eight hours a day, or $33 at four hours a day. A thermostat or ECO mode that cycles the heater off once the room is warm cuts that noticeably. Space heaters save money when they let you turn the central heating down and heat only the room you are using; they are not cheaper than central heating for warming a whole house.
How to Choose a Space Heater
Pick the type for the room. Ceramic fan heaters warm a room quickly and are light and cheap. Infrared heaters warm people and objects directly, which feels cozy in a large or drafty room. Oil-filled radiators are silent and give steady, lasting heat, ideal for bedrooms. A heater-fan combo makes sense if you want one device year-round.
Insist on a thermostat. A digital thermostat holds your chosen temperature instead of running flat out, which is more comfortable and cheaper. Consumer Reports also recommends models with several output settings so you can use the lowest that keeps you warm.
Take coverage claims with a grain of salt. Manufacturers’ square-footage figures are inconsistent and best-case. Plan on one 1,500-watt heater comfortably warming a small to medium room of about 150 to 250 square feet.
Check the safety features. Look for tip-over and overheat protection and a certification mark from UL, ETL or CSA. A cool-touch housing and child lock matter if you have kids or pets.
Space Heater Safety
The CPSC reports that portable heaters caused about 1,600 fires, 70 deaths and 150 injuries a year between 2020 and 2022. Its advice, repeated by Consumer Reports and the NFPA: plug the heater directly into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord or power strip; keep it at least three feet from curtains, furniture, bedding and anything else that can burn; place it on a hard, level floor; keep children and pets away; and turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep. Replace any heater with a damaged cord.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best space heater for a large room?
The Dr Infrared DR-968 is our pick for larger rooms: its combination of infrared and fan-driven heat warms people and the air evenly, it runs quietly, and it has a thermostat, remote and casters. Remember that all plug-in heaters are limited to 1,500 watts, so one heater is best for a single room rather than a whole floor.
How much does it cost to run a space heater?
A 1,500-watt heater at full power costs about 27 cents an hour at the July 2026 US average electricity price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about $66 a month at eight hours a day. A thermostat or ECO mode reduces that by cycling the heater off once the room is warm.
What is the safest type of space heater?
Oil-filled radiators have no exposed heating element and no fan, and models with a cool-touch housing such as the Lasko FH500 reduce burn risk. Whatever type you choose, look for tip-over and overheat protection and a UL, ETL or CSA certification, and follow the CPSC’s advice: plug it into a wall outlet and keep it three feet from anything flammable.
Can you leave a space heater on overnight?
The CPSC advises turning space heaters off when you go to sleep. If you want warmth at night, use the heater to warm the bedroom before bed, or use a timer, and consider a heated blanket instead.
Can you plug a space heater into an extension cord or power strip?
No. The CPSC, NFPA and Consumer Reports all say to plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord or power strip, and not to plug other appliances into the same outlet.
Is an oil-filled heater better than a ceramic heater?
It depends on the room. Ceramic heaters warm a room faster and are lighter and cheaper; oil-filled radiators are silent and give steadier, longer-lasting heat but take longer to warm up and are heavy. Oil-filled is better for bedrooms; ceramic is better for quick heat in an office or living room.
Final Verdict
The Dreo Solaris Slim H3 is the best space heater for most people. It is quiet, compact, oscillates, and its precise thermostat and ECO mode keep a room comfortable without wasting electricity, all for about $75.
On a budget, the Dreo Atom 316 does a great job in a small room for about $35. For a large living room, choose the Dr Infrared DR-968; for silent bedroom heat, the De’Longhi Dragon Digital; and for a heater that doubles as a summer fan, the Lasko DUO Comfort FH500.
For more ways to stay warm, see our best electric snow blowers for clearing the driveway and our upcoming guide to heated blankets.