Share Choosing the Right Portable Electric Heating for Your Home
Heating costs for most UK homes have risen at an alarming rate, prompting many of us to look at alternative ways to keep warm during the winter months. We've turned the central heating down a notch or two while maintaining a liveable temperature, considered fitting draught proofing to doors and windows, or simply added an extra layer of clothing. Portable electric heaters can also help create a comfortable temperature at home, and save a little on your heating bill, if used in the right way.
Article Topics
- Different Types of Portable Electric Heaters
- Convection Heaters
- Fan Heaters
- Oil-Filled Radiators
- Ceramic Heaters
- Using Portable Electric Heaters
- Are Portable Electric Heaters Cheaper to Run than Central Heating?
- Working Out Cost
- Making Portable Electric Heaters More Energy Efficient
- The Bottom Line
So what kind of electric heater should you choose? And what is the best way to use them for optimum effect and energy efficiency? In this article we'll look at these questions, beginning with an overview of the different kinds of portable electric heaters commonly available that don't cost a fortune to buy.
Different Types of Portable Electric Heaters
Portable electric heaters help maintain the right temperature in your home. They can be small and easy to store, extremely light weight, varying in type and power. Look out for features such as temperature control, thermostat, carry handles and safety precautions including overheat protection, which will automatically cut the heater off if it gets too hot, and for larger heaters a built-in tip-over cutout.
Choosing which are the best electric heaters for you and your home begins with knowing what your options are. Let's begin with convector heaters.
Convection Heaters
Electric convection heaters, or convector heaters, are designed to warm rooms using the principle of convection. They draw in cooler air, heat it internally and release the warmed air back into the room.
They typically consist of a heating element(s), relying solely on natural air convection – heat rises – with multiple heat settings to adjust comfort level and energy used. Home convection heaters are generally 2Kw (2000W).
Electric convection heaters are generally silent as they have no fan or moving parts. And because of that they’re very low maintenance. But they can take longer to warm a room compared with other portable electric heating methods, such as fan heaters.
Fan Heaters
Electric fan heaters are more compact. But unlike convection heaters, fan heaters can heat a space more quickly, ideal for a single room or for fast heating smaller areas — under a desk or table, or in the bathroom. But they can be noisy compared with other electric heaters.
Because fan heaters actively blow warm air, you can target heat to where it’s needed, unlike convection heaters which gently heat a whole space. This makes fan heaters great for warming an area quickly. For longer periods other heater options are better suited, such as oil-filled radiators.
Oil Filled Radiators
An electric oil-filled radiator heats thermal oil sealed within its fins, radiating heat into a space. Unlike fan heaters, oil-filled radiators run silently, relying on natural convection.
Larger electric oil heaters are heavier than portable convection and fan heaters, typically mounted on wheels for moving between rooms. They often feature adjustable thermostats for more efficient energy use. These kinds of electric radiators retain heat well, allowing the radiator to continue warming a space for a while after being turned off.
Oil-filled radiators are suitable for prolonged use in medium to large rooms, providing consistent and even heat. They maintain warmth over longer periods, but take longer to reach optimal temperature compared to fan heaters.
Ceramic Heaters
Ceramic oscillating heaters use Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) ceramic elements to generate heat. These elements heat up quickly and are energy-efficient, as their resistance increases with temperature, reducing power consumption once optimal heat is reached. A built-in fan distributes the warm air, while the heater moves from side to side, or oscillates, for better heat distribution in a space.
These heaters are generally lighter weight with multiple heat settings and sometimes a fan-only mode for use in warmer weather to circulate air to help cooling. Some models also offer remote controls and digital displays for added convenience.
Ceramic fan heaters provide rapid heating, making them ideal for small to medium-sized spaces. The oscillation feature helps cover a wider area, while PTC technology ensures consistent warmth and better energy efficiency. However, the fan can be noisy, which may not be ideal in some situations.
Using Portable Electric Heaters
Electric heaters offer convenient and flexible home heating. But how they are used will impact running cost.
Whether or not a portable electric heater is the right choice for you will depend on the space you want to heat and for how long. It’s safe to say that for heating your whole home over an extended period, portable electric heaters are not particularly energy efficient, and if you have central heating that will be the most cost effective method.
Larger Houses
Central heating is often the most practical way to heat larger homes, as it provides consistent warmth throughout multiple rooms. However, it can be inefficient if only a few rooms are in use at any given time.
Portable electric heaters, such as oil-filled radiators or ceramic fan heaters, can supplement central heating by providing targeted warmth in frequently used areas, like your living room or a home office. This approach can reduce energy consumption by avoiding the need to heat the entire house for a given time.
Smaller Houses
In smaller houses portable heaters can be a cost-effective alternative to central heating, especially if the property is well-insulated. Convection heaters and oil-filled radiators are ideal for maintaining a comfortable temperature in smaller spaces.
Flats
For larger flats, central heating is often the default option, but portable heaters can be useful for boosting warmth in specific areas. Oscillating ceramic fan heaters, for example, are effective for quickly heating individual living spaces, with the oscillation action ensuring even heat distribution, making them a good choice for larger rooms.
In smaller flats, portable electric heaters can be a viable primary heating source. Fan heaters and convection heaters are particularly suitable for smaller spaces, as they provide rapid warmth and are easy to move around.
Open Plan Apartments
Open-plan spaces can be challenging to heat efficiently. Central heating may struggle to maintain an even temperature, especially in larger areas. Portable heaters, such as larger oil-filled radiators or ceramic fan heaters, can be strategically placed to provide targeted warmth. Their ability to distribute heat more evenly makes them a more practical electric heater choice for open-plan living.
But the question is: what is the cost comparison for portable electric heater vs. central heating?
Are Portable Electric Heaters Cheaper to Run than Central Heating?
The short answer is, it depends. Central heating systems are generally more energy-efficient for heating entire homes over extended periods. However, they can be costly to run if the system is old or poorly maintained. Gas-powered central heating is often cheaper than electric systems, but this depends on energy prices and the efficiency of your boiler.
Portable electric heaters are cost-effective for short-term or targeted heating. However, portable heaters can become expensive if used as the primary heat source for larger spaces or over long periods. Oil-filled radiators are more energy-efficient for prolonged use, while fan heaters are better for quick bursts of warmth.
Working Out Cost
To make a comparison between the cost of central heating and portable electric heating you’ll need to know how much you’re paying for gas and electricity. Find out at Ofgem.
Next find out the power of your central heating boiler. This will be in kilowatts (kW), typically between 10kW – 40kW. This may be stated on your boiler. If not, Google your boiler make and model to find out.
Once you know the power of your boiler and your electric heater (usually 2kW), and how much your energy costs, you can do a sum to work out how much each heating method will cost for your particular situation. This is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). To find out more about how kWh work, British Gas have a useful guide.
To find the cost of running your central heating vs. an electric heater simply multiply the power of each by the kWh price of gas and electricity. Note however that power ratings are usually for maximum output. And as your boiler probably won't often be on full all the time, this calculation is a maximum cost per kWh:
For example, if you pay 24.5p per kWh for electricity and your heater is 2kW, then 24.5p x 2 = 49p per hour cost to run.
Making Portable Electric Heaters More Energy Efficient
A good way to help improve portable electric heater efficiency is to use a plug socket timer to set when an electric heater comes on and switches off. This can be particularly useful in other areas of your home such as the garage, conservatory or garden shed for frost protection.
A thermostat function will help control energy costs too. A thermostat will switch a heater off and on depending on room temperature. If it's set to say 20 degrees, the thermostat will switch the heater on when the ambient temperature drops below the 20 degree threshold and switch off when the temperature rises above 20 degrees.
Some portable electric heaters have a built in thermostat. If not, they are available separately as a plug-in device.
The Bottom Line
To heat your whole home over an extended period, use central heating with a lower thermostat setting. For heating smaller spaces and single rooms, portable electric heaters can heat faster and more efficiently.
Final Thoughts
Portable heaters offer effective heating for homes that need faster and localised warmth, or main heating for smaller flats, apartments and other spaces during colder months of the year. They can provide an energy efficient and flexible alternative to central heating, when used strategically and with a timer and thermostat.
Find more ways to help keep your home warmer without turning up the central heating in this 12 Practical Tips guide.