Complete guide
Electric heaters in the UK
The short answer
Every electric heater turns £1 of electricity into the same amount of heat. What differs is how quickly you feel it, how evenly it spreads, how much noise it makes and how well it stops when the room is warm enough. Here is how to choose.
Written and checked by the RapidHeat UK team · Last updated September 2026 · how we work out running costs
Key takeaways
- Ceramic and fan heaters warm a room fastest; oil-filled heaters are silent but slow.
- Cost is only wattage × hours × your unit rate — at 27p per kWh a 1,200 W heater is about 32p an hour flat out.
- A thermostat and timer matter more than raw wattage, because they decide how long the element actually draws power.
The one rule that saves the most money
Every electric heater is effectively 100% efficient — all the electricity it draws ends up as heat in your room. So the way to spend less is not to hunt for a magically efficient heater. It is to heat a smaller space for less time at a lower power. That means one room instead of the whole house, a thermostat that cuts the power once you are comfortable, and a timer so nothing runs while you sleep or leave.
The five types you will see on sale
| Type | Typical power | What it feels like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic (including plug-in models) | 500–1,500 W | Fast, steady warmth in one room; holds a set temperature well | Bedrooms, offices, small living rooms |
| Fan heater | 1,000–3,000 W | Cheapest to buy, very fast, noisier | Quick blasts of heat |
| Oil-filled radiator | 800–2,500 W | Slow to warm, stays warm after switch-off, silent | Rooms you occupy for hours |
| Halogen / infrared | 400–1,600 W | Warms objects and people, not the air | Draughty spaces, garages, patios |
| Convector panel | 400–2,000 W | Gentle background heat, often wall-mounted | Hallways, spare rooms, frost protection |
What it costs to run
Multiply the heater's kilowatts by your unit rate. At around 27p per kWh, a 1,200 W heater costs roughly 32p for each full-power hour. A thermostat can reduce element run time once the room is warm, but the amount depends on insulation, weather, room size and setting. Our running costs guide has the full table by wattage, and cheapest way to heat one room compares the alternatives.
Features worth paying for
- A real thermostat, not just high/low. Without it the heater runs flat out all evening.
- A timer. Warm the bedroom for an hour before bed rather than all night.
- Overheat protection with automatic shut-off, and a tip-over cut-off on free-standing units.
- A remote if the heater lives across the room from where you sit.
- Quiet running if it is going in a bedroom, nursery or study.
How much power does your room need?
As a rough rule, allow about 100 W per square metre for a reasonably insulated UK room, more for high ceilings, single glazing or an external door. A 9 m² bedroom is comfortable on roughly 900 W to 1,200 W. Anything over about 20 m² or open plan is a job for central heating, not a plug-in unit. Full working in the small room heater guide.
Where RapidHeat fits
RapidHeat is a portable plug-in ceramic heater built for a single room up to about 12 m². It reaches useful warmth in around five minutes, holds a temperature you set, has a timer and remote, and cuts out on overheat. It is not a whole-house solution and does not pretend to be one. If that matches how you actually get cold — one room, some of the day — it is a sensible buy. See the honest assessment or current bundle prices.
RapidHeat ceramic heater
4.8/5 · 1,247 UK customers£49.95· £89.91 for two · £110.89 for three (about £36.96 each)
- Thermostat, timer and remote
- Warm room in about 5 minutes
- Free tracked UK delivery
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Perfect for my cold office
I have a small office with a door that gets really cold because the building management keeps the winter temperature far too low for comfort. I plugged this into the socket above my desk and now I am warm without anyone even knowing it is there. I love it.
Great in the bathroom
We use it to take the chill off the bathroom before the kids' bath time. Warms up fast and the timer is handy. Four stars only because I wish the display were a little dimmer at night.
Worth being straight about: RapidHeat is built for rooms up to about 12 m². It is not a replacement for central heating and it will not transform an open-plan lounge or an uninsulated garage. If it is not right for your room, send it back within 30 days.
Questions people ask
- Which electric heater is cheapest to run in the UK?
- Direct electric heaters turn almost all the electricity they draw into heat at the point of use, so equal wattage and run time cost the same. What changes the bill is element run time, which depends on controls, room size, insulation, weather and temperature setting.
- What wattage electric heater do I need?
- As a rough UK rule, allow about 100 W per square metre for a reasonably insulated room: 900–1,200 W for a small bedroom or office, 1,200–1,500 W for a double bedroom, and more for a conservatory or garage where heat escapes fast.
- Are plug-in electric heaters safe to leave on?
- Modern heaters with overheat protection and a thermostat are designed for long use, but leaving any heater running unattended overnight is not something we recommend. Plug straight into a wall socket, never an extension lead, and keep a metre of clear space in front of the grille.
- Is an electric heater cheaper than central heating?
- For one room, usually yes. Gas is cheaper per unit of heat, but central heating warms the whole house. Heating a single room electrically for two hours normally costs less than firing the boiler for the entire property.
All heating guides
Heater types
Fan heaters explained
Fast warmth, low prices, and the trade-offs nobody mentions.
Portable ceramic heaters
Why ceramic plates warm a room faster and hold temperature better.
Plug-in radiators vs plug-in heaters
Two very different products sold under similar names.
Mini and personal heaters
How small is too small, and where a mini heater genuinely works.
Low wattage heaters (including 500W)
What a 500W to 1,200W heater can and cannot do.
Heaters with a thermostat and timer
The two controls that decide your electricity bill.
Ceramic vs oil-filled heaters
Which type suits your room, your habits and your bill.
Best plug-in heaters UK
What actually matters when choosing, and what is marketing.
Ceramic heater UK buying guide
Types, safety features and what size you need.
Room by room
Bedroom heaters
Quiet running, timers and safe overnight use.
Desk and office heaters
Warm the person at the desk instead of the whole building.
Bathroom heaters
UK bathroom zones, safe placement and pre-heating.
Conservatory heaters
How to make a glass room usable in winter.
Garage heaters
Realistic expectations for an uninsulated space.
Shed and workshop heaters
Frost protection, tool care and safe wiring.
Greenhouse heaters
Keeping plants above freezing without a huge bill.
Caravan and motorhome heaters
Hook-up limits, damp control and safe use in a small space.
Small room heater guide
Sizing by room area, placement and safety.
Costs & comparisons
Electric heater running costs
The simple formula plus cost per hour by wattage.
Cheapest way to heat one room
Six options priced honestly, including doing nothing new.
Electric heater vs central heating
When one room beats firing up the whole boiler.
RapidHeat vs the alternatives
Side by side with fan, oil-filled and halogen heaters.
How much does a 2kW heater cost to run?
Per hour, day, week and month at UK rates.
Electric heating cost per month
Monthly tables by wattage and hours a day.
About RapidHeat
RapidHeat official website
Buying direct, what is included and how to avoid copies.
RapidHeat reviews
What UK customers say after a full winter of use.
RapidHeat price and bundles
Every bundle, the price per heater and what you save.
Where to buy RapidHeat in the UK
Ordering direct, delivery times and payment options.
Is RapidHeat any good?
An honest look at what it does well and where it falls short.
Is RapidHeat legit?
The checks to do before buying, answered plainly.
RapidHeat vs LumiHeat
What to compare between the two plug-in heaters.
RapidHeat vs TempHeat
What to compare between the two plug-in heaters.
Ready to warm your room in about 5 minutes?
Order RapidHeat today with free tracked UK delivery and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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