Is RapidHeat any good?

The short answer

If you want one room warm quickly, without turning on heating for the whole house, RapidHeat does that job well. If you want to heat a large open-plan space, replace central heating, or run heating cheaply all day in an uninsulated building, it is the wrong purchase and no plug-in heater will satisfy you.

What it does well

• Speed. Ceramic heating gives usable warmth in around five minutes, rather than the 20 to 30 minutes an oil-filled radiator needs.
• Control. Thermostat, timer and remote, which is what actually keeps the running cost down.
• Size. Compact enough to move between a study, bedroom and lounge.
• Quiet enough for work. A soft fan hum, not the roar of a bare fan heater.
• Safety features. Overheat cut-off and a cool-touch housing.

Where it falls short

• Rooms much over 12 m², or open-plan spaces — output is not there.
• Fully silent operation. There is a fan; oil-filled radiators are quieter.
• Retained heat. Switch it off and the room starts cooling within minutes.
• Bathrooms and wet areas — it is not a zoned bathroom appliance.
• Cheaper electricity than physics allows. It is 100% efficient, exactly like every other electric heater.

Who should not buy it

Anyone hoping to replace central heating; anyone wanting to warm a large uninsulated garage or single-glazed conservatory to shirtsleeve comfort; anyone who cannot tolerate any fan noise while sleeping. In those cases read ceramic vs oil-filled or electric heater vs central heating before you spend anything.

What it costs to run

Like any electric heater, roughly 27p per kilowatt-hour of electricity used. Flat out that is about 32p an hour; with the thermostat holding a room at temperature it is typically much less, because the element spends most of the evening switched off. Worked examples in running costs.

How it compares

Against a bare fan heater, better controls and less noise. Against an oil-filled radiator, much faster but no residual warmth. Against a 500 W mini heater, it will actually bring a room to temperature. Detail in RapidHeat vs alternatives and best plug-in heaters.

Buying with a safety net

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if it does not suit your room you can send it back — see returns. Prices are on the price page and customer feedback on the reviews page.