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After a scorching summer, the arrival of cooler weather might feel like a relief. No more melting in heavy uniform, no more fans set to turbo mode and no more muttering “it’s hot” 100 times a day. As you say goodbye to floppy hats and factor 50 sunscreen, it’s time to welcome back your slow cooker, hot chocolates in the evening and the pair of fluffy socks you’ve not thought about since March.
The slightly less good news: heating bills. Whether you’re the kind of person who treats turning the central heating on before December as a personal defeat, or you simply want to take the chill out of one room without warming the whole house, a good heater is worth its weight in gold.
We’ve rounded up the 10 best heaters for this winter, covering everything from bargain buys to premium picks. The best bit? There are Blue Light Card discounts available too, so you can stay toasty for less.
£14. That’s less than a round of drinks, a decent candle or three fancy coffees. And yet this little fan heater will keep a medium-sized room warm all winter without any extra gizmos and gadgets.
It has thermostatic control, overheat protection, a carry handle and a cool air function for year-round use. It costs around 53p an hour to run, which admittedly isn’t the cheapest on this list, but when you’ve spent £14 upfront, you’re already ahead. Have a look at Dunelm discounts with your Blue Light Card before adding it to your basket.
Vonhaus 7 Fin Oil Filled Radiator 1500W
Oil-filled radiators can sometimes get an unfair reputation for being old-fashioned and slow to warm up, but once they do, they hold heat far better than most. The Vonhaus 7 Fin sits neatly in the corner of a small bedroom, home office or reading nook and gets to work without any fuss.
From 16p per hour to run, it’s one of the most affordable options day-to-day. The oil retains heat even after the heater cycles off, so the room stays warm without it running constantly, which is handy if your “small room” is edging into the medium category. It also has a tip-over cut-off and automatic overheat protection, so it’s safe to run in a busy household.
Don’t forget to look up Vonhaus discounts on Blue Light Card before you shop.
1500W Russell Hobbs Retro Ceramic Heater
Nobody wants a heater that looks like it belongs in a builder’s yard sitting on their bedside table. A cosy bedroom deserves better, which is where the Russell Hobbs Retro Ceramic Heater comes in.
The compact retro design fits into a room rather than sticking out for all the wrong reasons. From 33p per hour, it delivers consistent warmth and is easy to carry between rooms. Available at Dunelm, check for the latest deals with your Blue Light Card.
VonHaus 11 Fin 2500W Smart Oil Filled Radiator with Digital Display
Large rooms are where a lot of cheaper, underpowered heaters bite the dust. You know the feeling – one warm patch near the heater and cold toes at the other side of the sofa. Nobody’s happy if you’re watching a movie and that’s the case.
With 2500W of output and controls via app, remote or touchscreen, this heater lets you manage the temperature without leaving your warm spot. Set a 24-hour timer, schedule it to warm up before you wake up for an early shift or just let it quietly get on with heating the whole room. At around 26p per hour, it’s reasonable for the space it covers. Your toes will thank you.
Find the latest Vonhaus offers on Blue Light Card to save on your purchase.
Morphy Richards EverCosy Large Fleece Electric Heated Throw
Is an electric blanket a heater? We’d argue it deserves a spot on this list. Rather than heating a whole room, it heats you, which is far more cost-effective when you think about it.
This Morphy Richards throw runs at less than 1p an hour. It has nine temperature settings, a one-to-nine-hour timer and the fabric is made from soft polyester and teddy fleece, which feels as good as it sounds. Pick from colours like mocha, green and navy, and chuck it in the washing machine when it needs a clean. Whether you’re snuggling up on the sofa or trying to get cosy in bed, this is the easiest way to warm up quickly when you’re lounging at home.
Check Blue Light Card’s Morphy Richards discounts before you buy and treat yourself.
ECOSO Vitrum Smart Electric Glass Panel Portable Heater
If keeping running costs down is the priority this winter (and honestly, why wouldn’t it be?), the ECOSO Vitrum is worth a proper look. ECOSO is an environmentally focused brand, and this sleek heater is built around the idea of heating smarter rather than harder.
It can be plugged in or hardwired, sit freestanding or mount onto a wall – the choice is yours. You can also choose which model you want based on wattage as a way of keeping a handle on the power output. This is a proper long-term heating solution rather than a quick winter fix. Get it from Best Heating, and you can apply a Blue Light Card discount before purchasing.
The Range 2000W Smart Glass Panel Heater with Wi-Fi
For anyone who considers getting up to adjust the thermostat a genuine inconvenience (we’ve all been there), this is the heater for you. Connect it to the Smart Life app, and you can set schedules, adjust the temperature and switch it on or off entirely – all from your phone, from the sofa or from bed.
The electronic sensor thermostat reads the room, rather than just blasting heat constantly. Set it up on a Sunday evening or rest day, and you’ll barely have to think about it again all week. Wall-mounted or freestanding, lightweight enough to move around and smart enough to mostly look after itself. Head to The Range to pick this one up and use your Blue Light Card discount to save.
The Range HOMCOM Freestanding Stove Fireplace Heater
Not everyone wants a heater that looks like a heater. If you’d rather have something that makes your living room feel like a country pub on a misty night in November, then this freestanding heater is for you.
The HOMCOM has the look of a proper wood-burning fireplace – flame effect, tempered glass door, iron body and vintage design – without the need for a chimney, logs or any of the effort involved with a real fire. It’s controlled by a thermostat with automatic shut-off at high temperatures. So, you can leave the room without worrying. Cosy vibes and no faff.
Browse offers at The Range and pick up this vintage heater whilst you’re at it.
Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 Remote Link Pre-heat heater and cooling fan
If you’re going to splash out on a heater, you may as well invest in one that earns its keep every season. The Dyson Hot+Cool heats in winter and cools in summer, meaning you won’t need a separate fan when July comes back around.
It heats a whole room 20% faster than Dyson’s previous model, runs quietly enough that you’ll barely notice it, and has no exposed heating elements so it’s safe around children and pets. No cold hallways after a night shift here, as you can connect to the MyDyson app and pre-heat the house on your way home. It’s an investment, no question. But it’s the kind of thing you buy once and wonder how you managed without it.
Blue Light Card members can save on Dyson, so check your discount before you buy.
Morphy Richards HeatFlux Ultra Thin 2kw Ceramic Tower Fan Heater with Remote Control
If you’re looking for a heater that does it all, the HeatFlux tower is worth a serious look. It runs quietly enough that you’ll forget it’s there, and the carry handle means you can take it from room to room without any hassle. You can set the temperature between 15 and 25 degrees via the LED touch panel or remote control – so you’re not paying to heat a room that’s already warm.
The timer function is handy, too. Set it to pre-heat the house so you’re walking into warmth rather than a wall of cold air after a late shift. Before you buy, make sure to check Blue Light Card’s Morphy Richards discount so you get the best price.
A good heater will do a lot of the leg work, but it has to work harder when the rest of your home is letting heat out. Here are some top tips of how you can keep the warmth in your house:
Electric blankets and heated throws are by far the cheapest heaters to run, often costing less than 1p per hour. For heating a whole room rather than just yourself, oil-filled radiators tend to be fairly cost-effective because they retain heat after cycling off, meaning they don’t need to run continuously.
Most modern oil-filled radiators have overheat protection and tip-over cut-off, making them safer for extended use. That said, it’s best to turn a radiator off overnight if it’s unsupervised and always check the manufacturer’s guidance for your specific model. Avoid covering the heater or placing it near curtains.
This all depends on how much of your home you’re heating and for how long. If you’re warming one room for a few hours, a portable electric heater is usually more cost-effective. For heating the whole house for most of the day, central heating tends to work out cheaper.
Roughly speaking, every square metre of a room will need 100 watts of heating power. Therefore, a 1500W heater suits a small room, a 2000W heater is good for a medium-sized room and for larger open-plan spaces you’ll want 2500W or above.
