A trusty portable heater will generate heat and can easily be moved from one room to another. There are several types to pick from, with the list including electric heaters, propane heaters and kerosene heaters. In our quick guide, we’ve picked out some of the most popular portable heaters to keep you toasty at home.
Most portable heaters are powerful enough to warm up your bedroom or a small office. Powering through the sales to pick out some bargains, our team has spotted top picks from various heater brands including Pro Breeze, Russell Hobbs and Warmlite. All of the portable heaters we’ve picked out in our buyer’s guide are on offer at an affordable price.
In this article:
At a glance: our top 4 portable heaters
If you don’t have the time to read through our full article, we’ve rounded up our favourites in the handy table below.
| Product name | Price | Why do we like it? |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Breeze Mini Ceramic Fan Heater | £44.99 | A 2000W heater that includes high and low power settings, plus a 60-degree 60° oscillation mode that warms larger spaces. |
| Warmlite WL44001 Thermo Fan Heater | £17.88 | An affordable heater that has three settings: Cool, Warm and Hot. Its compact size means you’ll have no issues tucking it away after use. |
| Donyer Power Convector Radiator Heater | £35.99 | This radiator heater can be used free-standing or as a wall-mounted accessory. It has both manual and automatic temperature control. |
| Russell Hobbs 650W Radiator | £39 | A black portable heater that’s powerful enough to heat your bedroom or living room. It comes with a two-year guarantee. |
Best portable heaters to buy for 2023
Pro Breeze Mini Ceramic Fan Heater (£44.99)
| 🌡️ | Heat settings: | 1200W (low), 2000W (high) |
| 📏 | Product dimensions: | 18.5cm x 15.5cm x 26cm |
This fan heater from Pro Breeze is a portable electric model built to heat up small to medium-sized rooms. It has a ceramic heating element tucked inside, allowing this budget model to heat quickly and efficiently. You get two heating settings to pick between (1200W and 2000W), and there’s also an automatic 60-degree oscillation setting to deal with bigger spaces.
The Pro Breeze Mini Ceramic Fan Heater is reguarly on sale through Amazon, which is partly why we’ve chucked it on our list. It also features a rather handy carry handle for easy transportation, whether you’re pushing it through the living room or storing it securely in the garage.
Click here to buy the Pro Breeze Mini Ceramic Fan Heater, or shop deals on eBay.
Warmlite WL44001 Thermo Fan Heater (£17.88)
| 🌡️ | Heat settings: | 1000W, 2000W |
| 📏 | Product dimensions: | 12cm x 24.5cm x 25cm |
Our team has spotted this particularly popular portable heater made by Warmlite. It’s equipped with two different running modes to suit your needs (1000W and 2000W) and adapts to the climate with a trio of profiles: Cool, Warm and Hot. It’s very easy to use and has manual dials on its side so you can fine-tune your heating experience depending on the weather.
The Warmlite WL44001 Thermo Fan Heater is a good pick if you’re aiming to stay warm on a budget. It’s also small enough to chuck into a vacant cupboard when not in use. According to the Amazon listing page, this specific portable heater is bundled with a standard one-year manufacturer guarantee and an optional year-long extension if you register the gadget online.
Click here to buy the Warmlite WL44001 Thermo Fan Heater, or shop deals on eBay.
Donyer Power Convector Radiator Heater (£35.99)
| 🌡️ | Heat settings: | 750W, 1250W, 2000W |
| 📏 | Product dimensions: | 20.5 inches x 7.9 inches x 14.8 inches |
Although we’ve spotlighted the black model, you can also grab this portable heater from Donyer in Grey, Pure White or a White and Black colour combo. It has a total of three power settings: 750W, 1250W and 2000W. There are two built-in legs for support, along with a pair of holes on the rear of the device in case you’re looking to mount the heater to another surface.
The Donyer Power Convector Radiator Heater has automatic overheating protection, manual temperature control and automatic temperature control. Our team has noticed that the price can vary depending on which colour you opt for, so make sure you shop around for the best deal before you take the plunge.
Click here to buy the Donyer Power Convector Radiator Heater, or shop deals on eBay.
Russell Hobbs 650W Radiator (£39)
| 🌡️ | Heat settings: | 650W |
| 📏 | Product dimensions: | 38cm x 13.5cm x 25.5cm |
Take a look at this portable heater from Russell Hobbs if you’re dealing with chilly evenings. It’s an affordable pick from the big-name appliance brand that has a total heat output of around 650W. This is an oil-filled radiator that features five fins to guarantee an even distribution of warmth, plus it has a built-in thermostat to maintain the ideal level of heat.
The Russell Hobbs 650W Radiator features overheat and fall-over protection. According to its makers, it’s best-suited to rooms up to 10m². You’ll also find an integrated handle, along with castors and a dedicated storage spot for the power cable.
Click here to buy the Russell Hobbs 650W Radiator, or shop deals on eBay.
PureMate Ceramic Fan Heater (£29.99)
| 🌡️ | Heat settings: | Cool Blow Fan, Low Heat (1000W), High Heat (1800W) |
| 📏 | Product dimensions: | 17.8cm x 14cm x 24cm |
Next up on our list of the best portable heaters is this model from PureMate. It’s an excellent indoor heater that has three different modes to cycle through: Cool Blow Fan, Low Heat (1000W) and High Heat (1800W). This model is compact and portable, boasting an easy-carry handle, and is described as a ‘low noise’ heater.
Click here to buy the PureMate Ceramic Fan Heater, or shop deals on eBay.
Belaco 2000W Electric Heater (currently unavailable)
| 🌡️ | Heat settings: | 750W, 1250W, 2000W |
| 📏 | Product dimensions: | 22.44cm x 5.51cm x 16.54cm |
Last but certainly not least on our list of portable heaters is this model from Belaco. It has three heat settings (750W, 1250W, 2000W) and aims to keep you and your loved ones toasty during a cold spell. It heats up ‘faster than oil alternatives’ and comes with an adjustable thermostat, a pair of support feet and a written notice on the front reminding folk not to cover it up.
Belaco’s 2000W Electric Heater comes in a stylish black finish and features some carry handles if you need to drag it slightly closer. The cherry on the cake is the cheap price tag.
Click here to buy the Belaco 2000W Electric Heater, or shop deals on eBay.
Buying a portable heater: which features are important?
Heating power
The power of a portable heater varies depending on the type and size of the model you’re looking at. Some portable heaters will warm small, confined spaces, offering a power output of 500W or less. But alternative models (AKA those designed for larger rooms and open spaces) can have a power output beyond 1500W.
Generally speaking, the more powerful a portable heater is, the quicker it heats your home. Ensure you buy a portable heater that is a good fit for the space you want to heat. If it’s too powerful, it might be unnecessarily expensive to operate. On the other hand, a weaker portable heater may not be able to effectively heat your home.
Wall-mounted design
Some radiators are designed to be mounted to another surface. If this is something you’re looking for, keep an eye on the product description to make sure you’re choosing wisely. Alternatively, you might prefer a portable heater on wheels that’s easier to transport around the house.
Overheating protection
By shopping for a portable heater with overheating protection, you can ensure your device doesn’t get too warm in a short space of time. Owning a heater that gets significantly hot could potentially be a fire hazard if placed in the incorrect position.
How much should I spend on a portable heater?
The price you pay for a new portable heater will vary depending on its power output. As you can see from the products we’ve listed above, you can get a decent-sized heater for less than £50. In fact, some of the smaller models are up for grabs at less than £20.
Where to buy a portable heater
| Retailer name | What does it offer? |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Plenty of portable heaters to pick from, covering brands such as Zanussi, Daewoo, Warmlite and Pro Breeze. |
| Currys | This retailer has a decent selection of portable heaters, even if you’re aiming to keep costs fairly low. Popular models are made by Russell Hobbs, Logik and Daewoo. |
| Dunelm | Sells a single portable heater at less than £30 made by Russell Hobbs. It has a claimed power of 1500W. |
| Robert Dyas | Lots of great options if you’re shopping for a portable heater. We’ve spotted releases from brands including Russell Hobbs, Etna, Igenix and HOMCOM. |
| The Range | A couple of space heaters up for grabs here, including the Mica Electric Space Heater that costs less than £100 at the time of writing. |