Challenge 2KW Electric Convector Heater with Timer & 3 Heat Settings (A Grade)

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Do you want short bursts of heat, or something to keep you warm over several hours? Some of the cheapest fan heaters run at 3kW, so are good for short, intense bursts. More expensive and much slower convectors won't get the heat going as fast, but they'll be better over longer periods. If you're relying on your portable heater because your boiler isn't doing its job, find out how to buy the best boiler or whether you're eligible for a free boiler or a boiler grant. Read our full story on illegal and dangerous plug-in mini heaters for sale on online marketplaces to see those we identified as having serious safety risks.

If you were to try replacing the use of your central heating by putting an electric heater in each room, it will definitely end up costing much more. However, many of the 2kW electric heaters we've tested tipped above and below that power output over the course of an hour's use in our tests, resulting in costs from 9p - 83p. A wide range of heat settings: some only offer a couple of heat settings and basic thermostatic control that gives a vague steer towards hot or cold rather than letting you choose specific temperatures in degrees °C.

Although the comparison might make your electric heater look cheaper to run, bear in mind that it will only be heating a much smaller area, whereas your central heating will be aiming to heat your whole home. We set up each heater in the centre of our test room and run it on the maximum settings, with the room starting at a cool temperature. We monitor how much the room temperature changed over the course of an hour using temperature probes. We found the most drastic changes happen in the first half an hour and increases in temperature become more incremental after that. Nearly all have some kind of carry handle for moving about and many have a safety cut-out feature, which will switch off the heater if it gets dangerously hot. These have exposed heating elements, which heat up cold air as it passes. This often leads to slower, but more even, heating. They tend to be a little slower than fan heaters, but are quieter, and our tests found some are still pretty speedy. Cheaper electric heaters tend to have fewer features than more expensive ones. Compared with more expensive ones, a cheap heater is less likely to have:

This story was first published on 7 October 2021 and is updated regularly to reflect new heaters we've tested as well as changing prices and availability of heaters. We're not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available. Prices and availability last updated 26 October 2023. Tagged as: You can also read our guide to the best heating for your home to find a whole-home solution for your heating needs. Live more sustainably - get our free Sustainability newsletter to make changes for you and the planet. Pinning down an exact comparison of how much central heating and electric heaters cost to run is nigh-on impossible, as the factors below are just some of the variables that play a part: Cranking the central heating up to full blast sounds like a dream, but at what cost to your energy bill amid the cost of living crisis which is forcing households to get creative in an attempt to keep homes and bodies warm.We've found that convector heaters and oil radiators can take more than half an hour to raise a room's temperature significantly, but a good fan heater can do this in half the time. Under the current Energy Price Guarantee, electricity costs 27.35p per kilowatt hour for domestic customers on a standard variable tariff. Frost protection The heater can be set to heat automatically when the temperature drops below 5°C, but you'll need to have it on standby for it to run, so this can limit its usefulness. The cheapest electric heaters we've tested all have thermostats that detect the ambient temperature and adjust the heater's output according to your preferred setting. They usually have adjustable energy settings and timers so you can turn the heat down if you want to, or limit your heater's running time.