Winter is fast approaching, and we’ll soon be relying on the best safest space heater to save ourselves from the harsh weather.
Investing in a safe space heater is a convenient way to supplement your central heating system during the cold season. The caveat is, electric heaters are risky home heating appliances that are most likely to cause house fires if not used properly.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 65,000 home fires are attributed to heating equipment each year. And space heaters cause over 40 percent of these fires and 85percent of related deaths
To minimize your fire risk, first, you must choose a heater with safety features. You also must follow the safety guidelines prescribed by the manufacturer.
Since we want to help you keep warm and safe this winter, we have included some space heater reviews so you can narrow down your search to just a few top-rated space heater models.
We have also added a buying guide so you can have enough information to choose the safest space heater for your home.
Safest Space Heaters Review – (Recommended Picks)
Last update on 2023-09-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Dyson Hot + Cool Jet Focus AM09 Fan Heater – Child Safe Space Heater
Dyson is one of the prominent vacuum cleaner specialists. However, the company turned things around in the heating and cooling industry when they introduced this reliable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich fan heater.
The Dyson AM09 is not an ordinary heater. As the name suggests, it can cool as well as warm any room. It also uses a technology that Dyson calls Jet Focus. This involves two airflow aperture rings that push air out in a narrower or wider and more precise way. So, you not only have the option of just cooling or heating the whole room, but also a soothing blast of air just for you.
While this feature sounds interesting and exciting, it doesn’t come cheap. This heater is expensive than the usual heaters that provide the same amount of warmth. However, if you value design flair and have some money to splurge, then this is a must have for any stylish office or living room.
This bladeless fan heater comes with a remote control that has dedicated buttons that allow you to switch between two heating modes. The small LED display will also show you the amount of hot or cold air blown wide or narrow.
This fan is indeed notably loud. However, this will depend on the speed you’ve set it to run. The higher the speed, the louder the noise.
This heater is easy on the eyes and safer than other alternatives. You don’t have to worry about it scolding the wayward hands of your curious child like an electric bar heater would. Even after working for so long, the AM09’s body is comfortable to touch – you can move it easily without discomfort.
2. Stadler Form Anna Ceramic Heater – Pet Safe Space Heater
The Stadler Form Anna Ceramic Heater has a sleek design which makes it ideal for modern homes. While it looks small, it is a powerful heater that is backed by innovative functions. One of the top consumer agencies reported it to be one of the quietest and safest ceramic heaters on the market.
This heater offers two heat levels, 1200-watt and 2000-watt. For extra warmth and comfort in the cold season, choose between these two heat levels depending on the amount of heat you need in your room. If you want to have full control over your room’s temperature, you can use the simple dial on the heater to manually adjust the thermostat from low to high heat.
This heater is about 14 inches tall and 4.3 pounds. That means it’s lightweight and easy to carry from one room to another. Its modern ceramic heating element ensures that it circulates heat around the room without any disturbing noise. It’s, therefore, an ideal choice if you want a quiet space heater for your bedroom, baby room or office.
3. Vornado EH1-0096-43 AVH10 Vortex Heater – Safest Space Heater for Nursery
If you want to safely heat a baby room between 75 – 150 square feet with 5,118 BTUs of heat, then Vornado EH1-0096-43 AVH10 is the heater you ought to choose. This heater is best suited for baby rooms or small spaces such as your bedroom, office or basement.
This whole room heater features unique vortex technology and automatic climate control which can’t be found in other heaters. This technology is designed to keep the fan running to circulate enough heat around the entire room quickly so that no cold spots exist.
On the other hand, the automatic climate control regulates the heater’s thermostat much more relaxed than other models that cycle on and off. Moreover, it’s energy efficient and uses only the amount of energy necessary to maintain a balanced room temperature.
The Vornado EH1-0096-43 AVH10 Vortex Heater is easy-to-use. It has two heat setting which will help you save energy by allowing you to regulate the temperature of your room between full power (1,500 watts) and low heat (750 watts). The fan only mode will allow you to circulate air without heating your space. It has push-button controls that you can use to select your desired temperature. If you want to read the current heating temperature and operating mode, the LED screen will come in handy.
4. Honeywell Digital Ceramic Tower Space Heater – Safest Portable Heater
Honeywell Digital Ceramic Tower Space Heater is a compact heater that combines powerful ceramic heating with an energy-wise operation. You can regulate the amount of electricity consumed of this heater by turning on the Energy Smart Mode. When operating in this mode, you can save up to 35% of your total heating bill.
This heater works well in small spaces and has dual heating modes for flexibility during use. If you want to warm the immediate area, select the high heat mode, and the unit will use the 1,500 watts of power. In Energy Smart mode, you can heat your room using one of the four preselected temperatures. The good thing is this heater will help you save energy as it automatically lowers power usage when the room’s temperature reaches your selected setting.
The compact design is enhanced by multiple color choices for different home decor. A carrying handle is included so you can carry the unit from one room to another. It also has an oscillation button that helps it distribute heat to different parts of the room.
5. NewAir Electric Oil-Filled Space Heater – Safest Space Heater for RV
The NewAir Electric AH-450B is the only oil-filled space heater that has made it to our list of safest electric heaters for various reasons.
Like many other oil-filled heaters, NewAir AH-450B isn’t as small or cute-looking as some of the fan style space heaters. However, you shouldn’t pass over it only because of its size. This heater is the perfect choice for someone who’d want to warm a room of up to 150 suare feet. Its high 1500 wattage is on par with a lot of other space heaters, thus can be used for heating most indoor environments.
One of the reasons why many people prefer oil-filled space heaters is how energy efficient and silent they are. These types of units don’t work using a fan, therefore don’t produce loud noise when operating. They create some background or white noise which might help you sleep.
This heater has 3-heat settings that allow you to set your desired temperature level hence creating an ideal indoor environment. It is also designed with six fins to ensure maximum heat transfer to the room.
The AH-450 does come with some great safety features like:
- A tip-over shut off that turn of the unit immediately should it tip over.
- Auto shut off that switches the unit off if accidental overheating occurs.
- Digital timer and thermostat that allows you to set the unit to run for a specific period before automatically shutting down
- Carrying handles and casters make relocation easy.
6. Lasko 760000 Cyclonic Ceramic Heater – Safest Space Heater for Garage
The Lasko 760000 Cyclonic Ceramic Heater provides excellent heating and exceptionally even heat distribution for rooms up to 500 square feet. It weighs only 16 pounds and utilizes a safe ceramic heating element to produce 1500 BTUs of comfortable and consistent warmth. This is the best heater to choose if you want constant heat in your office, bedroom, dorm or garage.
This freestanding heater uses a glide-system pivot lever to direct the air flow. The in-built digital controls allow you to set the thermostat to your desired temperature. You can choose between the two quiet settings and program the unit to run continuously for 7 hours.
This digital and modern space heater is designed to save you a lot of room space. It’s also energy efficient.
If you’re concerned about leaving your heater unattended, don’t be. The Lasko 760000 Cyclonic Ceramic Heater is equipped with overheat protection, which shuts it off to prevent overheating. It also comes with multi-function remote control and a built-in carry handle. That means you can control every function of the unit from the comfort of your seat as well as carry it from place to another.
The biggest addition is the ionizer that lets you improve the air freshness of your home whenever it’s in use. So, forget about carbon monoxide poisoning or other allergens floating on air.
Buying Guide: Choosing The Safest Space Heater
How Do Space Heaters Work
You’ll find many types of heaters in the market today, but not all of them are safe. To find out how safe the heater of choice will be, you need to understand how different types of heaters work.
1. Convection Heaters
These types of electric heaters for home work by circulating convection currents across a resistor/heating element, such as such as oil, an electric coil, or an electrical wire. The resistor converts this convection current into heat energy. This hot air moves throughout the heater body and the surrounding space. It continues to increases in the area until the whole room is heated evenly.
The most popular types of convection heaters are oil-filled radiators and ceramic heaters. Other types of convection heaters utilize a fan to increase the distribution of heat within the room.
If you are looking to use a convection heater, choose ceramic plate units as they tend to be the most efficient heaters for long-term whole room heating.
2. Infrared Heaters
Infrared heaters produce the natural and same type of heat that is very similar to the sun. Unlike convection heaters, infrared units don’t warm up the air. They emit rays forward towards the items in front of them. The object then absorbs the heat and transfers it to the surrounding space.
The advantage of using infrared space heaters is that they don’t dry the air like convection heaters. They are recommended for people with sensitive skin. Also, they are the most energy efficient space heaters.
The downside is that they are expensive and suitable for only small spaces. That means you can’t use them to heat an entire room.
3. Oil-Filled Heaters
Aside from being one of the most popular space heaters used in various homes, oil filled heaters are reliable, energy efficient and safe. Also known as radiators, these heaters consist of a series of joined columns or fins that are filled with oil.
These heaters are powered by electricity, and the oil only serves as a heat reservoir. That means it never gets used up and you don’t have to worry about refilling it. Once the electric currents heat the oil inside the heater, it emits warmth through radiant heating.
4. Micathermic Heaters
Micathermic heaters use a completely different heating method than other heaters. For this reason, they can warm a large space much faster and efficiently. Moreover, they are safe to use.
Micathermic heaters combine both convective and radiant heat. However, they lack a blower. They have a unique and powerful heating element than the one used in regular convection heaters.
Safety Features To Consider When Purchasing A Space Heater
When shopping for a space heater for your home, you need to be aware of all the safety features it must have. Some heaters might work efficiently but lack these features. Others might be less-efficient as you’d like them to be, but they might have these features. So, it is important that you prioritize what you really need. If you have kids, pets, or many people in your house, then their safety must come first before you start using the heater.
Here are some of the safety features you should look for when selecting a space heater.
Tip Over Protection: To significantly reduce the risk of your child or pet getting burnt, you need to consider space heater models that have an internal switch that is programmed to automatically shuts off the power if the heater is accidentally tipped over or knocked down.
Automatic Shut-off/overheat protection: This is another vital safety function that will shut down the unit when it senses that the internal component reaches an unsafe temperature. This feature is mostly common in space space heaters with thermostat.
Cool-to-the-touch surfaces: Choose heaters that remain cool to the touch to protect those precious, yet curious, little hands that love to explore.
Other Features You Should Consider
Heating capacity:
The size of the room determines the heater wattage rating that you need. Most space heaters use 1,500 watts of power, and this should be enough to cover an averagely sized room as large as 150 square feet. However, this guideline is a general rule of thumb that doesn’t apply to every model. Depending on the heating technology, your indoor environment, and the application, some portable heaters may cover more space. I your room is about 500 to 1000 square, you can skip this section and visit our review for the best space heaters for 500 to 1000 square feet rooms.
Timer:
If you select a space heater with a timer, you’ll able to set the amount of time you want it to run. This function turns off the device automatically after a preset number of hours, making the unit energy efficient, so you don’t waste energy by running the heater when you don’t need it.
Thermostat:
Most space heaters have a thermostat that lets you set the room temperature according to the time of day and day of the week. This gives you the much-needed flexibility to save energy and avoid waking up to a freezing house. Unlike most cheap space heaters, digital units have two or more thermostat settings that allow you to choose your desired temperature, and once the set temperature is reached, that temperature is maintained throughout the day or night.
Remote control:
Some space heaters have inbuilt buttons that enables you to control different features. However, remote controls have all the functions at one place, allowing you to control the unit at the comfort of your seat, bed or anywhere within the room.
Energy efficiency:
First, space heaters should only be used as a supplementary source of heat. Additionally, if you really want to conserve energy and maintain low heating cost, compare the efficiency of various units before choosing a space heater. Choose the right energy efficient space heater that is perfectly sized for your room. If you want to reduce your heating cost further, choose a space heater with special features such as energy saving modes, adjustable thermostats, low wattage, and programmable timers that help minimize power usage and contribute to economical operation.
Noise level:
It’s not fun to have the safest space heater that is noisy. All space heaters emit some noise during operation. However, the level of noise depends on the type of heater. Some models produce more sound than others. Non-fan forced units such as baseboard heaters and oil-filled radiators are considered some of the quietest heaters on the market – they excel at whole-room heating with little noise interruption.
Power cord:
Using a space heater with an extension cord is the worst thing you can ever do. Simply put, avoid it. What you need is a unit with a long power cord that gives you flexibility on where to position it. That way you can keep your heater away from flammable items.
Electronic display:
Most high-end models have a LED display that shows you the temperature reading of your house at that particular time. That way, you can reduce or increase the heat circulated depending on how you feel. Remember always to cover the display if you use the heater in your bedroom at night as the light can hinder your sleep.
Carry handle:
You might want to use your space heater in another room, and so you’ll have to carry it. If that’s the case, you’ll want to consider a heater with an inbuilt-carry handle.
Instruction manual:
Some heaters come assembled while others need to be installed in different positions of your room. Also, you might not be aware of all the safety instructions. That’s when you should review the instruction manual before actually using the heater.
Space Heater Safety Tips
As mentioned earlier, heating equipment is the leading cause of house fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. These fires claim hundreds of lives, thousands of injuries and millions of dollars in property damage.
For that reason, safety should always be a top consideration, and you need to be very cautious with your space heater. Before you start using it, read the instruction manual so you can have a good understanding of the basic safety rules. Remember, all these heaters are made to be as safe as possible, but they are still heating equipment that produce a lot of heat, and if not used properly can cause fires.
Here are some tips to keep your home warm and safe at the same time when it’s cold outside:
Space Heaters FAQ
In this section, we’ll answer some of the common questions you might have about using space heaters as well as some safety tips.
Are space heaters safe?
Space heaters are made to be as safe as possible. However, that safety depends on the user and how yuo’ll are using it. If you use the heater as instructed by the manufacturer, then there is no need to worry. The problem arises when you ignore all the safety instructions and use the heater in an unsafe manner. Also, if you choose a heater that hasn’t been verified by a product safety organization.
Safe space heaters must have the label showing that a renowned testing laboratory recognizes it. If you’re in the U.S., you’ll see a UL or ETL label. If you’re in Canada, you’ll see a CSA or ULC label. These labels indicate that a testing laboratory has assessed and verified that the space heater’s construction and performance meet safety standards.
If you buy a space heater that has one of these labels and also the automatic shut off feature, then you’ll be heating your home without any risk of fires.
Can space heaters catch fire?
Space heaters can catch fire, which explains why they contribute a huge percentage of house fires that occur worldwide. They are responsible for over 40% of home heating fires and 85% of related deaths. Space heater fires are avoidable if you use them the right way.
Follow these tips to reduce the risk of house fires caused by space heaters.
- Always inspect your heater before use to make sure it doesn’t have cracked or broken plugs or loose connection. Frayed, worn or damaged wiring should be replaced before using the heater.
- Make sure your space heater power cord is in excellent condition. Plug it directly into the wall outlet and never on an extension cord or power strip. When space is operating, don’t use the same outlet for another electrical device.
- Place space heaters on level, flat surfaces and at least 3 feet away from flammable items, such as furniture, carpet, clothing, cabinets, tables, etc.
- Position the heater where it won’t be tipped over by people walking around the room.
- Never leave a space heater on in an unattended room. Turn it off when you’re leaving the room or going to sleep. Children and pets shouldn’t play too close to the space heater.
- Always unplug and safely store the heater when it is not in use.
Will using a space heater lower my heating bills?
Space heaters are supplemental heating appliances that should be used for small rooms. Since they are not designed to be your primary heating source, you can save energy if you use them the right way. If you try to warm every room in your house using a space heater, not only will it be inefficient but also cost you a lot more in the long run. The amount of energy you can save also depends on other factors such as the size of your room, the thermostat setting, and the number of hours the heater runs per day. Here is a guide about how much electricity a heater uses a day.
Are space heaters energy-efficient?
Some space heater models are marketed as energy-efficient. These types of models claim that they can help you save money while operating in the same manner as less-energy efficient models.
One important factor you should keep in mind when choosing a space heater is the size of the room you want to heat. If you’re going to warm one, small room, then a space heater will consume less energy than a central heating system.
For such type of room (one small room), choose radiant heaters, which emits infrared radiation that heats items that is closest to them. For whole room heating, it is wise to go for convection heaters which warms up the surrounding air.
When it comes to models, make sure you get the right kind. Some heaters are meant to heat large spaces and have a high wattage rating. Others are intended for small rooms and have a low wattage rating. Only choose one that is perfect for the room size you want to warm.
Do space heaters cause carbon monoxide?
Electric space heaters do not pose a carbon monoxide risk. They don’t use fuel, so there is no way they “react” with air to produce carbon monoxide. CO is only emitted by devices that burn fuel such as kerosene heaters.
Is it safe to leave a space heater unattended?
Even though your space heater has all the safety features, it is not a reason to leave it on in a room unattended. If you have kids or pets, it is even more dangerous to leave the space heater unattended as they can knock it down or bring flammable items close to it. If you want to go out, turn off the heater or warm the room later.
Is it safe to leave a space heater on all night?
This is a common question because many people feel they can leave the space heater on and the auto shut off will do its magic when they are asleep. The simple answer is, it’s not safe to leave a space heater on while you sleep. What if you have frayed, worn or damaged plugs or loose connections that you might not be aware of? These things could heat up and cause a fire.
Additionally, you are unconscious when you sleep, so it’s only reasonable to say that the heater is unattended. In that case, if the heater were to catch fire, you won’t be able to prevent or take control of the whole situation on time.
The best thing to do is to warm your bedroom 2 hours before you sleep. The heat circulated in the room should be enough to keep warm throughout the night. You can also use heavy blankets and warm clothes to keep yourself warm.
Besides, high room temperature isn’t right for quality sleep. For an ideal night’s sleep, your body temperature must decrease to initiate sleep. To help your body achieve this, you need a relatively cooler room than your body temperature. Setting the thermostat too high is only going to make you restless and affects the quality of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the stage in which you dream.
Note that, this is only a general rule of thumb. Not everybody will feel comfortable sleeping at the recommended bedroom temperature, which is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. If you think you need to warm your bedroom, do it before you sleep, and it will be much easier to close your eyes for the night.
Where’s the best place to put a heater to warm up your house?
Where you position your space heater depends on what you want to achieve. The ideal thing to do is always to place the unit in the room where you want to heat. If heating a room upstairs is your priority, then it’s only wise to take the device upstairs. However, heating a whole room (both upstairs and downstairs) is a little different. You need to place the heater downstairs. At that room, the warm heat will rise and flow to the upstairs, displacing the cold air that is in there. Since cold air is denser, it will fall downstairs.
As much as safety is concerned, it is vital that you place your heater away from flammable items such as furniture, curtains, cabinets, carpets, etc.
For best results, make sure you’re at least 3 feet away from the heater. This way, you’ll feel the warmth without overheating.
Wrap Up
If you’ve decided that a space heater is the right heating equipment for you, then we hope that you’re able to choose one from our safest space heater reviews. As you can see, there are different types of heaters that you can choose from. You only need to select the right type for your room to get the best results.
Whichever type you prefer, make sure you follow the safety guidelines before using the heater.
