Working from home in your puffer jacket? Here’s our roundup of the best portable heaters, including the mighty desk heater you need right now.
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There’s nothing worse than shivering through a WFH day because your house is freezing.
While Aussie winters are nothing to write home about (as those from the northern hemisphere will often remind us), most homes aren’t equipped for the plunge in temperature that the colder months bring.
Thankfully, there are plenty of portable heaters on the market that can fix this, from desk heaters perfect for home offices (yes please) to column heaters you can use to heat up your bedroom all night (double yes please).
Read on for our round up of the best portable heaters you can buy. And the best bit? Every heater on this list is under $200, with the most affordable only $65.
Bitzong Energy Efficient Portable Office & Home Electric Ceramic Heater, Amazon Australia, $87.95 (down from $98.95)
This quick-heating portable ceramic heater has an energy efficient design that can heat a space up to 4m by 4m in size — perfect for home offices. Features include wide-angle automatic swing, cold and hot air mode and a safety power off if the heater falls over.
Shoppers who wrote five-star reviews say it is a “great little compact heater” and the “perfect alternative to heating a whole house when you need one room”.
“I was disappointed at first, seeing the size and considering the price … now, I’ve realised the tiny little heater is absolutely wonderful and so powerful. It heats up a medium sized tiled room beautifully,” one five-star reviewer says.
DeLonghi Capsule Fan Heater, Amazon Australia, $87.10
This easy to operate heater uses ceramic technology that self-regulates to ensure heat gets evenly distributed.
Features include a mechanical control panel, automatic shut-off if it tips, handle and two power settings.
“This little box packs a punch when it comes to heating a small room,” one five-star reviewer wrote.
Handy Heater Pure Warmth, The Good Guys, $94
Don’t be fooled by its size — this heater uses advanced ceramic technology to heat spaces while also cleaning the air.
With three adjustable speeds, the 1200w heater operates quietly and has a built in LED night light.
BEST PORTABLE OIL-FILLED COLUMN HEATERS
DeLonghi 1500W Radia S Oil Column Heater, The Good Guys, $149
This noiseless heater gives off instant warmth and is on wheels for ease of movement from room to room.
With a control panel that allows you to select three different settings, other features include a safety thermostat and 24 hour timer.
Devanti 2200W Electric Infrared Radiant Heater, Amazon Australia, $87.95
This highly portable heater is on wheels, making moving it where you need it an absolute breeze to do.
This light-up heater gives off a warm glow as well as working silently.
It also has an adjustable thermostat, with five-star reviewers saying the heater is “just perfect for winter” and gives off “instant heat”.
Heller 2400W Quartz Radiant Heater – Black, Catch, $129 (down from $139.95)
With 2400W, four power settings and dual heating, this is one mighty portable heater. Features include an adjustable thermostat and fan assisted heating, as well as four castor wheels for ease of movement.
Five star reviews say this radiant heater is “brilliant” as it warms spaces up “very quickly”, while not being too noisy.
BEST PORTABLE CONVECTION AND PANEL HEATERS
DeLonghi Portable Convection Heater, Amazon Australia, $65
This no-frills appliance is ideal for spot heating and will provide instant warmth. Features include an adjustable room thermostat, and safety features like an overheating cut-off, automatic tilt switch, anti-frost function and double insulation.
It can also be wall mounted.
Reviewers say it is a “good little heater for small rooms”, with one shopper writing: “It’s not fancy, exciting, or decorative, but it does the job, works well and is light and portable.”
Dimplex Portable Electric Floor Convector Heater, Myer, $109
This portable heater is ideal for small to medium sized rooms, with an integrated turbofan that means it heats up fast.
Features include two different heat settings, carry handles and thermostatic controls.
BEST PORTABLE CERAMIC FAN HEATERS
DeLonghi Digital Ceramic Tower Heater, Bing Lee, $189
With 2200W power and a safety thermostat that turns off if overheating, this is a great all-rounder portable heater.
Features include a cool touch handle for ease of movement, anti-frost function and a removable anti-dust filter that’s also washable.
Pronti 2000w Electric Heater Remote Fan Tower, Myer, $129
This fan tower heater has an oscillating base that ensures even heat distribution, while its timer allows you to set it to run for between one to eight hours.
The fan has a touch pad function with a blue indicator light as well as a remote control, with two heat settings of either 1200W or 2200W available.
Kambrook 2400W Upright Fan Heater, The Good Guys, $90
This fan has 2400W of heating power, making it a powerful portable heater. With two heat settings, it spreads heat evenly thanks to its oscillating design.
The heater is suited to small spaces and is “easy to move anywhere”, says one five star reviewer.
Omega Altise 2400W Ceramic Tower Heater, Bing Lee, $169
This tower heater uses ALETA+ technology to quickly heat up a room and with 2400W energy it sure is powerful.
Other features include a LCD display with soft touch controls, an oscillating fan to heat rooms, a remote control and a 7.5 hour timer.
Devanti Infrared Slimline Portable Heater, Amazon Australia, $67.95 (down from $79.95)
This heater has a sleek design that’s sure to appeal to anyone who likes their decor to be minimalist.
This portable heater is designed to give off a rapid heat build-up within 30 seconds of being turned on.
Other features include protection against overheating, a safety tip-over switch and silent operation.
While designed to be portable it can also be wall mounted and can be spray painted to further blend in with your home.
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF A PORTABLE HEATER IN WINTER
CHOICE recently shared some heating mistakes to avoid to keep you home toasty warm with a heater during the warmer months.
CHOICE stresses that the most expensive portable heater isn’t always best, however, you should also do your research when buying a more affordable model.
Other ways you can optimise your portable heater is by using your ceiling fan (if you have one) in reverse mode so it runs clockwise. This helps push hot air around a room for better heating distribution.
Bazerga Under Door Draft Stopper, Amazon Australia, $21.90
Another tip from CHOICE is not to use electric heaters to dry clothes — this prevents even heat distribution in a room, no to mention being a potential fire hazard.
You should also avoid letting draughts around doors and windows as well as covering any gaps in flooring with rugs. A door snake like this one from Amazon can be a great way to prevent heat from escaping, saving you money on your energy bill in the process.
Finally, don’t ignore bad insulation. Up to 35 per cent of an insulated home’s warmth is lost through the ceiling, so maybe consider getting ceiling and underfloor installation installed if you don’t have any.
WHAT PORTABLE HEATER CAN YOU LEAVE ON ALL NIGHT?
According to CHOICE, convection heaters like panel or oil column heaters are safest for leaving on at night. But you should also consider getting one with a timer that switches off after a certain time period.
Heaters to avoid for overnight use include any that could tip over easily and radiant heaters because they have exposed hot surfaces that could become a fire hazard if something fell on it during the night.
Still feeling cold? check out the sleep cocoon — yes you read that right — that shoppers say is “worth the investment”. You can also check out our roundup of top rated mattresses or find out why weighted eye masks are on the rise.
You could also check out the news.com.au Coupons page to see massive savings on your favourite online brands and retailers.
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