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UK buying guide · Heating

The 10 Best Portable Heaters in the UK (2026)

Ten portable heaters you can buy in the UK right now, from a £23 convector to a £250 smart oil radiator, plus what each costs to run per hour at the current Ofgem price cap. They're ranked on published UK test reviews and current retailer prices, with the drawbacks included.

By the Find Stuff teamLast updated: Prices checked: October 2026
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Hero image: AI-generated illustration

Quick picks

#HeaterBest forStreet price
1Dreo Atom 316 Electric Heater
Best overall
Best overallaround £42–£50
2Dimplex HeatLite Tex Convector Heater – 2kW Smart (DXCV2004)
Best smart heater
Best smart heateraround £85–£100
3Mill WiFi Max 1500W Portable Electric Heater
Quietest smart heater
Quietest smart heateraround £157–£169
4Duux Threesixty 2 Smart Fan Heater
Best for larger rooms
Best for larger roomsaround £75–£120
5Morphy Richards HeatFlux 1.5kW Ceramic Fan Heater (825050)
Best for bedrooms
Best for bedroomsaround £45–£50
6Pro Breeze 2500W Compact Oil Filled Radiator, 11 Fins (PB-H-23)
Best oil-filled value
Best oil-filled valuearound £80
7Morphy Richards HeatFlux Ultra Thin 2kW Ceramic Tower Fan Heater (825404)
Best tower heater
Best tower heateraround £67–£90
8Swan 1.5kW Retro Ceramic Heater (SH27032)
Best-looking budget pick
Best-looking budget pickaround £25–£38
9Duux Edge Oil Smart Radiator 2000W
Best premium
Best premiumaround £170–£250
10Beldray Portable Convector Heater 2000W (EH3334)
Cheapest
Cheapestaround £23–£25

Compare all 10 – full spec table

tap to expand
#BrandTypePowerRoomWeightRRPStreet
1DreoCeramic fan1–1.5kW20m²1.25kg£49.99around £42–£50
2DimplexConvector2kW20m²3.6kg£99.99around £85–£100
3MillConvector1.5kW22m²5.5kgRRP not publishedaround £157–£169
4DuuxPTC ceramic fan0.8–1.8kW30m²2.25kg£119.99around £75–£120
5Morphy RichardsCeramic fan1.5kW15m²1.4kg£49.99around £45–£50
6Pro BreezeOil-filled radiator1–2.5kW30m²8.3kg£79.99around £80
7Morphy RichardsCeramic tower fan2kW20m²2.8kg£89.99around £67–£90
8SwanCeramic fan1.5kW20m²2kg£44.99around £25–£38
9DuuxOil-filled (smart)2kW30m²15kg£249.99around £170–£250
10BeldrayConvector0.75/1.25/2kW25m²2.7kg£24.99around £23–£25

Room sizes and weights are as stated by the manufacturer or reviewer. Prices are approximate and change often.

#122°Illustration – not the actual product
Best overall

1. Dreo Atom 316 Electric Heater

Ceramic fan · 1–1.5kW · up to 20m² · 1.25kg
RRP£49.99uk.dreo.com – Heater 316 (Atom 316)
Typical street pricearound £42–£50Amazon UK (gold, with remote ~£50; silver ~£42); Dreo UK £49.99. The newer 'Heater 316 (New)' is a different SKU at £59.99

Ideal Home's tester found this tiny 1.25kg heater warmed a 20m² room quickly even on its lowest setting, and praised how quiet and simple it is. It's the easiest model here to carry from room to room.

Watch out for: It doesn't oscillate, the remote's receiver isn't very sensitive, and there are no smart features.

  • Compact & very light
  • Quiet
  • Great value
  • No oscillation
  • Weak remote pickup
Verdict: The best small all-rounder for bedrooms and home offices up to about 20m².
#2Illustration – not the actual product
Best smart heater

2. Dimplex HeatLite Tex Convector Heater – 2kW Smart (DXCV2004)

Convector · 2kW · up to 20m² · 3.6kg
RRP£99.99shopdimplex.com (no 'was' price shown)
Typical street pricearound £85–£100Homebuilding test price £84.99; Amazon UK (Tex+ version) ~£100; Littlewoods £125.99

Homebuilding's top pick. Testers liked its modern soft-grey look, very quiet running and easy setup (you just screw on two legs). It has a dimmable touch display and app timers and schedules, plus a child lock, tilt shut-off and overheat protection.

Watch out for: Better suited to medium rooms than large ones.

  • Quiet
  • App scheduling
  • Good spec for the money
  • Not for large rooms
Verdict: The smart pick if you want app schedules without paying premium prices.
#3Illustration – not the actual product
Quietest smart heater

3. Mill WiFi Max 1500W Portable Electric Heater

Convector · 1.5kW · up to 22m² · 5.5kg
RRPRRP not publishedMill shows no UK price; £169 is the reviewer/Currys price
Typical street pricearound £157–£169Amazon UK £157; Currys £169; Homebase £160 (out of stock)

Testers called it silent in use, quick and effective, and stylish. In the app you can control it remotely, see how much energy it uses and set schedules. It turns its power down once it reaches the target temperature, detects open windows, and is IPX4-rated so it can go in a bathroom.

Watch out for: Wi-Fi setup took a couple of attempts and the weekly programming was confusing. Trusted Reviews also found the on-device controls didn't match the app. At 5.5kg it's bulkier than a fan heater.

  • Totally silent
  • Energy monitoring
  • Bathroom-safe (IPX4)
  • Fiddly setup
  • Bulky
Verdict: Worth the premium if you want silent heat and want to keep an eye on running costs.
#4Illustration – not the actual product
Best for larger rooms

4. Duux Threesixty 2 Smart Fan Heater

PTC ceramic fan · 0.8–1.8kW · up to 30m² · 2.25kg
RRP£119.99duux.co.uk
Typical street pricearound £75–£120duux.co.uk £74.99 after £45 auto-discount (Oct 2026); Amazon UK white ~£119, light grey ~£100

Its 360° airflow and Boost mode heated larger rooms evenly and got rid of cold spots, all from a small tabletop unit. You can pre-heat a room from the app.

Watch out for: Testers found it louder than they'd like, the app pairing was tricky at first, and it's on the pricey side. Note that the £49.99 Argos listing is the original ThreeSixty, not the Threesixty 2.

  • 360° heat
  • Big-room capable
  • App control
  • Fairly noisy
  • Pricey
Verdict: Small and powerful. Best for living rooms where everyone wants to feel the heat.
#522°Illustration – not the actual product
Best for bedrooms

5. Morphy Richards HeatFlux 1.5kW Ceramic Fan Heater (825050)

Ceramic fan · 1.5kW · up to 15m² · 1.4kg
RRP£49.99morphyrichards.co.uk
Typical street pricearound £45–£50Amazon UK ~£45; Morphy Richards £49.99

It measured about 48dB in Ideal Home's test, has a display you can dim by 50% and an eco target-temperature mode, and it doubles as a cool fan for warmer nights. It's small enough for a bedside table.

Watch out for: Only suits small rooms, and it isn't the best-looking heater.

  • Quiet (~48dB)
  • Dimmable display
  • Cool-air mode
  • Small rooms only
Verdict: A quiet bedside heater for cold mornings.
#6Illustration – not the actual product
Best oil-filled value

6. Pro Breeze 2500W Compact Oil Filled Radiator, 11 Fins (PB-H-23)

Oil-filled radiator · 1–2.5kW · up to 30m² · 8.3kg
RRP£79.99probreeze.com (Ideal Home quoted £75.99)
Typical street pricearound £80probreeze.com £79.99; Amazon UK Pro Breeze 11-fin listing £79.99 (older PB-H-02 variant)

Testers rated it highly for the price. It warmed a small home office in under 10 minutes and kept giving off heat after it was switched off. It has three settings, a thermostat and a 24-hour timer.

Watch out for: The timer is fiddly, some assembly is needed, and it's heavy at 8.3kg, although it has castor wheels.

  • Powerful for the price
  • Retains heat
  • Thermostat + timer
  • Fiddly timer
  • Heavy
Verdict: Low-cost, steady heat for long evenings.
#7Illustration – not the actual product
Best tower heater

7. Morphy Richards HeatFlux Ultra Thin 2kW Ceramic Tower Fan Heater (825404)

Ceramic tower fan · 2kW · up to 20m² · 2.8kg
RRP£89.99morphyrichards.co.uk (Ideal Home quoted £100)
Typical street pricearound £67–£90Morphy Richards £89.99; Amazon UK ~£67 (search listing, price not shown on product page at check)

Ideal Home's tester liked how quickly it heated an open-plan space with oscillation on, and its slim design and simple controls. It comes with a remote, an eco mode, a timer and a carry handle, and you can switch off the control-panel light.

Watch out for: The cord is short and it isn't whisper quiet.

  • Slim footprint
  • Oscillation
  • Remote & timer
  • Short cord
  • Some fan noise
Verdict: The one to pick if floor space is tight and you want the heat spread around.
#8Illustration – not the actual product
Best-looking budget pick

8. Swan 1.5kW Retro Ceramic Heater (SH27032)

Ceramic fan · 1.5kW · up to 20m² · 2kg
RRP£44.99shop.swan-brand.co.uk 'was' price
Typical street pricearound £25–£38Currys £37.99; Swan shop £24.99 (out of stock); Kettle and Toaster Man £27.50; Debenhams £49.99

Liked for its 1950s vintage-radio look and simple controls. It gives off decent heat straight away and coped well with a home office and a mid-sized lounge.

Watch out for: There's no Wi-Fi, the display flashes on standby, and it isn't powerful enough for big rooms. Currys lists noise at 53dB(A). Stock looks patchy.

  • Retro style
  • Instant heat
  • Remote + 9h timer
  • Flashing standby display
  • No smart features
Verdict: A cheerful, stylish heater for small rooms, and good value when it's on offer.
#9Illustration – not the actual product
Best premium

9. Duux Edge Oil Smart Radiator 2000W

Oil-filled (smart) · 2kW · up to 30m² · 15kg
RRP£249.99duux.co.uk
Typical street pricearound £170–£250duux.co.uk £169.99 after £80 auto-discount (Oct 2026); Argos £249.99 (third-party seller); Amazon UK ~£250

Homebuilding's premium pick. Testers found it sleek, very quiet in normal mode, and good at staying warm long after switching off. You can control it from the panel, a remote, the app, Alexa or Google.

Watch out for: It's slow to warm up, and at 15kg it's heavy and large, although it has wheels.

  • Very quiet
  • Long-lasting warmth
  • Voice/app control
  • Slow to heat
  • 15kg
Verdict: For daily use in bigger rooms, if your budget stretches.
#10Illustration – not the actual product
Cheapest

10. Beldray Portable Convector Heater 2000W (EH3334)

Convector · 0.75/1.25/2kW · up to 25m² · 2.7kg
RRP£24.99beldray.com (MSRP)
Typical street pricearound £23–£25Amazon UK £22.99; eBay UK £22.99; Beldray £24.99

The budget pick. Testers said it heated up quickly and was easy to use, with three power levels and a thermal cut-off in a compact 2.7kg body.

Watch out for: Testers noticed a smell, and the build felt cheap and not very stable. It also isn't attractive.

  • Very cheap
  • Quick heat
  • 3 power levels
  • Smell
  • Flimsy build
Verdict: Cheap back-up heat for occasional use.

Running costs: what each heater costs per hour

We used the Ofgem energy price cap electricity unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026: 26.32p per kWh (Direct Debit, average for England, Scotland and Wales; VAT has been removed from electricity for this period). Your own rate depends on your tariff, region and payment method, so check your bill.

HeaterMax powerPer hour, full powerPer hour at half power*4 hrs a day for 30 days, full power
Dreo Atom 3161.5kW39.5p19.7p£47.38
Dimplex HeatLite Tex 2kW2kW52.6p26.3p£63.17
Mill WiFi Max 1500W1.5kW39.5p19.7p£47.38
Duux Threesixty 21.8kW47.4p23.7p£56.85
Morphy Richards HeatFlux 1.5kW1.5kW39.5p19.7p£47.38
Pro Breeze 2500W oil2.5kW65.8p32.9p£78.96
Morphy Richards HeatFlux tower2kW52.6p26.3p£63.17
Swan Retro 1.5kW1.5kW39.5p19.7p£47.38
Duux Edge Oil 2000W2kW52.6p26.3p£63.17
Beldray Convector 2kW2kW52.6p26.3p£63.17

Cost = power (kW) × hours × unit rate. These are upper limits: with a thermostat, a heater cycles off once the room is warm, so real costs are usually lower. *Half power is an illustration of a lower setting or thermostat cycling, not a measured figure.

Portable heater buying guide

Fan, convector or oil-filled?

Fan and ceramic (PTC) heaters warm you fastest and are light enough to carry between rooms, but you'll hear the fan. Good for short bursts in a home office or bathroom (only if IPX-rated).

Convector heaters warm the air quietly and spread heat around a medium room. Good for living rooms and spare rooms.

Oil-filled radiators take longer to heat up but are silent and keep giving off heat after they switch off. Good for bedrooms and long evenings, but heavy.

Are some heaters more energy-efficient?

Not really. Almost all the electricity a plug-in heater uses becomes heat, so a 2kW model costs the same per hour whatever the type. "Eco" features save money by using less power: an accurate thermostat, lower settings, timers, open-window detection and app schedules.

What size heater for your room?

Use the manufacturer's room size as a guide, not a promise. As a rough rule, 1–1.5kW suits a small bedroom or study, and 2kW or more a living room or a poorly insulated space. Draughts and high ceilings need more.

Features worth paying for

  • A thermostat (ideally digital) so it isn't running flat out
  • Tip-over and overheat protection
  • A timer or app schedule
  • Low noise for bedrooms (look for a dB figure or a fanless design)
  • Wheels or a handle if you'll move it often

Safety: plug heaters straight into a wall socket, never an extension lead, and keep them clear of curtains, bedding and clothes. See Electrical Safety First for guidance.

Portable heater FAQ

How much does a portable heater cost to run per hour in the UK?

Multiply the heater's power in kW by your electricity unit rate. At the Ofgem price cap of 26.32p per kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026, Direct Debit, average for England, Scotland and Wales), a 2kW heater costs about 52.6p an hour on full power and a 1.5kW heater about 39.5p. A thermostat cuts this once the room is warm.

Which type of portable heater is cheapest to run?

All plug-in electric heaters turn electricity into heat at roughly the same efficiency, so a 2kW fan, convector or oil-filled heater costs the same per hour at full power. What saves money is using a lower setting, a thermostat and a timer, and heating only the room you're in.

What is the best portable heater for a bedroom?

A small, quiet model with a thermostat and a dimmable display. In our list the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 1.5kW (about 48dB in Ideal Home's test) and the Dreo Atom 316 suit bedrooms; oil-filled radiators are silent but slower to warm up.

Oil-filled radiator, fan heater or convector: which should I buy?

Fan heaters warm a small room fastest and are light to move. Convectors give gentler, quieter heat for medium rooms. Oil-filled radiators are slow to heat but silent and keep radiating after switching off, so they suit long evenings and bedrooms.

Is it cheaper to use a portable heater than central heating?

For heating one room for a short time, often yes. For a whole home, usually no: at the October 2026 cap, gas is 7.97p per kWh against 26.32p for electricity, so gas central heating is normally cheaper per unit of heat.

Are portable heaters safe to leave on overnight?

Manufacturers generally advise against leaving heaters unattended. If you use one at night, choose a model with a thermostat, tip-over and overheat protection, plug it straight into a wall socket (not an extension lead), and keep it at least a metre from bedding and curtains.

How we chose

We didn't test these heaters ourselves. This list brings together hands-on UK reviews (mainly Ideal Home and Homebuilding & Renovating, plus Trusted Reviews for the Mill). We cross-checked them against live listings from UK manufacturers and retailers in October 2026.

We ranked on four things: how well it heats for its size, noise, how easy it is to use and move, and value at current street prices. Every pro and con comes from what reviewers reported. We left out models we couldn't find on sale in the UK.

Prices: RRP is the manufacturer's recommended price from its own UK site, or its 'was' price where one is shown. Where the manufacturer publishes none, we say “RRP not published”. Street price is what we found at named UK retailers. We checked at least two sources per product where we could. Prices change daily, so treat them as a guide.

Use of automation: We used AI-assisted research tools to help gather and organise information for this guide. Prices, specifications and claims were checked against the sources listed below.

Running costs are calculated from each heater's maximum rated power and the Ofgem price-cap unit rate, not measured.

Image credits

  • Hero image: AI-generated illustration (made for this page; it does not show any of the reviewed products).
  • Product card images: original SVG illustrations made for this page. They show generic heater types, not the actual products.

Sources

Prices are approximate and were checked in October 2026. Product images are illustrations; the hero image is an AI-generated illustration.