I’ve found the cheapest electric heater to run, but this is why low running costs shouldn’t be your main deciding factor when buying a heater

We might be seeing relatively mild temperatures right now, but that doesn't mean it's warm enough to go without the heating on just yet. And so if you are considering complementing your central heating with a portable heat emitter, you'll want to know the cheapest electric heater to run.

The running costs of the best electric heaters will largely depend on how powerful they are and how often you use them, but the type of electric heater you choose can also play into it.

Whichever type you choose, make sure you know how to use your electric heater most efficiently, for the cheapest running costs possible.

What's the cheapest electric heater to run?

When it comes to how much it costs to run an electric heater, the cheapest electric heater to run will ultimately be the one that has the lowest wattage. Something like this Russell Hobbs Compact Portable Black Ceramic Plug in Fan Heater (£10.99 at Amazon) uses just 700W of power, meaning it costs just over 19p per hour to run (based on the January 2026 energy price cap).

Many heaters have lower power modes, which if you choose will be cheaper than the more energy intensive modes. For example, the Elex Halogen Heater (£18.95 from Amazon) has three modes ranging from 400W to 1,200W. On the lower setting, it will cost just under 12p per hour to run, up to just over 33p per hour on the highest.

But while low running costs are important, they shouldn't be your main deciding point. After all you may find a heater with delightfully low running costs, but if that's because it only has the power to heat a very small space, you'll be disappointed if you plan to use it in a living room, for example.

'The cost of running an electric heater depends on a few factors such as the type of heater from oil-filled to infrared heaters, its energy efficiency, electricity rates and how often you like to have your heating on,' starts Jess Steele, heating and technology expert at BestHeating.

'The cheapest electric heaters are those that are most energy efficient, can retain the most heat and can effectively heat a room without using up loads of electricity.'

A key part of effectively heating the room is choosing an electric heater that is suitable for the size of room you are trying to heat. If it's not powerful enough, you'll waste energy (and money) having it on for longer as it struggles to warm the space. On the other hand, choose a model that's more powerful than you need and you'll be paying higher running costs unnecessarily.

To help you get an idea of what this looks like, I've compared the wattage, running costs and room size suitability of our top rated electric heaters.

That said, it's also worthwhile looking out for electric heaters with timers and precise temperature setting capability, as well as energy saving features such as eco modes, power reduction when the desired temperature is reached, and open window detection.

All of these features will improve and adjust your comfort levels, prevent unintentional overuse, and automatically reduce unnecessary energy consumption. All of which will make the heater cheaper to run than one without those features.

Fan heaters

A popular type of electric heater, fan heaters tend to have wattages ranging from 1000W to 2000W. That means you can expect to pay between 28p and 56p/kWh to run them (based on current energy prices).

Looking beyond the running costs, fan heaters are so popular because they can heat the room quickly (thanks to the fan), even quicker if they have an oscillating mode.

Many also use a mixture of fan power and ceramic heating too, so you don’t need to choose one or the other in the ceramic vs fan heater debate.

The downside of fan heaters is that once they are turned off they cool very quickly.

Convection heaters

Typically, convector heaters have a wattage of around 2000W which means they cost just under 56p per hour to run.

'Radiators, electric panel heaters and convector heaters work by creating a convection current in a room. As the hot air rises, it circles to the other side of the room, cools and sinks and travels back along the floor to the heater to be reheated again,' explains Jonny Samuel, buying manager at Ryman. 'They take some time to heat a room, but once turned off the heat lingers.'

This efficiency can mean you don't need to have a convector heater on for as long as a fan heater.

Halogen heaters

As a general rule of thumb, halogen heaters have a wattage of around 1200W. However, some models offer adjustable heat settings of 400, 800, and 1200W, meaning each setting uses around 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2kW per hour respectively. This makes them technically some of the cheapest electric heaters to run, with expected running costs of between 11p to 33p per hour depending on your desired setting.

'Halogen heaters prove the cheapest option and one of the best products when it comes to heating a room quickly,' explains James Longley, managing director at Utility Bidder.

Halogen heaters have directional heat output, which means that they are good for heating a person right in front of them, however they would struggle to heat a room as a whole. If that's what you're looking for, you will likely use the higher heat settings for longer, which will negate the running cost benefits of the lower power settings.

Jonny Samuel at Ryman also says, 'As soon as you turn them off, the heat quickly dissipates.'

Oil-filled radiators

The wattage of the best oil-filled heaters can range anywhere between 500W to 2500W, depending on the model. This means that the cost of running an oil-filled heater can fall between just 13.8p and as high as 69.2p per hour, depending on the specific model and setting you use.

But where fan heaters heat up and cool down quickly, oil-filled radiators are the opposite. It takes a bit longer for them to warm up, but once they're warm, they provide steady heat which makes them ideal if you want heat for a few hours as opposed to a quick boost.

'Oil-filled heaters are one of the cheapest options as they are great at retaining heat even after being turned off, meaning you spend less heating up the room. They provide a slow and steady heat that can be cost-effective,' assures Jess at BestHeating.

Infrared heaters

Generally speaking, infrared heaters are considered cheap(ish) to run. They hold a wattage of anywhere between 900W to 2000W, depending on whether you opt for infrared heating panels or something more akin to an infrared patio heater. Therefore, the cost to run can range from about 25p to just over 55p per hour.

'Infrared heaters produce heat that is a product of invisible light. This is done by converting electricity into radiant heat,' explains James Longley at Utility Bidder. 'This heat is effectively the same heat feeling we would get from the winter sun, and an infrared heating panel would commonly be visualised as being a long panel with radiant orange light.'

You come across electric heaters that use a combination of infrared and convection like this AENO model:

How can I make an electric heater cheaper to run?

When there is so much more to consider when choosing an electric heater than cheap running costs, that doesn't mean anyone wants to be paying more to stay warm than they need to.

Fortunately there are things you can do to keep the running costs of your electric heater as low as possible.

• Choose a model with the right power output. If the wattage is low, that usually means it's designed for small spaces.
• Don't hide it with furniture. Blocking your heater with furniture affects how well it can heat your space, which in turns mean you may have it on for longer than you need to.
• Keep it clean. Dust build up can impact air circulation and heat output, making your heater use more energy that necessary as it tries to compensate.
• Keep windows and doors shut while the heater is on. Letting the warm air your heater is generating go straight out the window or into rooms you aren't using is a sure fire way to needlessly high running costs.
• Don't use it as a primary heat source. Used for hours and hours everyday, electric heater running costs will soon tot up. Instead, use your heater for a quick burst of heat when and/or where you need it, rather than as your main source of heat for your home.
• Address any draught or insulation issues you may have at home. Most electric heaters come with warnings that they should only be used occasionally and in well-insulated homes. If you find your home struggles to retain heat, you might need to upgrade your insulation or do some draught proofing before running your electric heater for too long.

FAQs

If you find the electric heater that's right for your home isn't as cheap to run as you thought, then it's worthwhile looking at other ways to save energy at home to help compensate.